iPhone Opinion: Night mode should be more easily controlled

[pamar]

I love night mode but I find it many time ruining my shots due to movement. I would like to see a couple of changes ASAP:
1. Option to select AUTO or OFF (this can be in the camera app like flash or settings like HDR)
2. Ability to toggle to OFF from the indicator on the top left of the camera app (when ON and you click the toggle it open the slider on the bottom and you can have to slide all the way down)

What's your view on this?

 

[M33-1]

I agree with both.

 

[cynics]

When you slide the slider does it not stay at the setting you left it? I don't have an iPhone 11 which is why I ask.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Nevermind

 

[pamar]

When you slide the slider does it not stay at the setting you left it? I don't have an iPhone 11 which is why I ask.

It does until it detects a new scene. But the point is also not to have to use the slider every time you want to disable it. It is counter-intuitive

 

[cynics]

It does until it detects a new scene. But the point is also not to have to use the slider every time you want to disable it. It is counter-intuitive

I definitely get it, I'm unfamiliar with the 11 and the problem being so unintuitive made me question it.

Apples demo pics, which I'm sure at the very least are using perfect conditions look amazing. I wouldn't be surprised if a human did a bit of what iOS is trying to do post processing.

Its impressive it works at all. Night mode is taking multiple photos lacking the most important element to photography at all (light), using a generic ISO? for the condition based on software, of a subject that is unaware of the difficulty of the shot, by a photographer without a stable mount, then fuses the photos based on more software, and removes the noise captured from the ISO being too high. All near instantly?

Can you post an example of an unusable photo? Any particular circumstance this happens? I'm curious to see what is wrong with it and what you find wrong it.

 

[ZEEN0j]

I definitely get it, I'm unfamiliar with the 11 and the problem being so unintuitive made me question it.

Apples demo pics, which I'm sure at the very least are using perfect conditions look amazing. I wouldn't be surprised if a human did a bit of what iOS is trying to do post processing.

Its impressive it works at all. Night mode is taking multiple photos lacking the most important element to photography at all (light), using a generic ISO? for the condition based on software, of a subject that is unaware of the difficulty of the shot, by a photographer without a stable mount, then fuses the photos based on more software, and removes the noise captured from the ISO being too high. All near instantly?

Can you post an example of an unusable photo? Any particular circumstance this happens? I'm curious to see what is wrong with it and what you find wrong it.

There’s a lot of software magic going on yes. But it’s also keeping the shutter open longer to let in more light then a regular shot. Hence why movements in the shot can be a problem. Not just because it’s taking multiple shots.

 

[cynics]

There’s a lot of software magic going on yes. But it’s also keeping the shutter open longer to let in more light then a regular shot. Hence why movements in the shot can be a problem. Not just because it’s taking multiple shots.

While that is true for all iPhone cameras in general and it might be true here too but I actually think Apple is doing the exact opposite.

The slowest shutter speed of the iPhone 11 is the same as the previous model the iPhone XS at 1s. That is too slow for the stock camera app to use natively. I believe the general rule of thumb is when the shutter speeds denominator drops below focal length you will really need a tripod, caveat being optical image stabilization helping with shower shutter speeds to reduce blur (there is a formula for that I believe) but regardless 1s < 26mm and 51mm (?) so there isn't much sense worrying about math.

The main reason I say that though is because comparing the wide angle of the iPhone XS to the iPhone 11. The base ISO went up a half stop with the maximum being 2304 (XS) to 3072 (11). And the maximum shutter speed going from 1/22,000s to a massive 1/125,000s. And coincidentally Apple integrating a fancy noise reduction process to automatically apply in post.

With really good software integration they can replace some of the skill required with technology. Obviously there is no replacement for skill and experience but everyone carrying around tripods at the bar would be more annoying then selfie sticks. So crank out a few frames at really faster shutter with varying ISO, combined them like an HDR and grade them, then remove the noise from the high ISO. Maybe not in that particular order. Complex but your average user isn't going to be able to take a good pic with shutter slower than it already is. Of course this thread seems to say otherwise, in that respect maybe Apple is compromising between shutter speed and ISO to minimize noise from the start but their algorithm needs some tweaking.

I'm really looking for to getting an iPhone 11 Pro and a 3rd party camera app just to mess around with.

 

[ZEEN0j]

While that is true for all iPhone cameras in general and it might be true here too but I actually think Apple is doing the exact opposite.

The slowest shutter speed of the iPhone 11 is the same as the previous model the iPhone XS at 1s. That is too slow for the stock camera app to use natively. I believe the general rule of thumb is when the shutter speeds denominator drops below focal length you will really need a tripod, caveat being optical image stabilization helping with shower shutter speeds to reduce blur (there is a formula for that I believe) but regardless 1s < 26mm and 51mm (?) so there isn't much sense worrying about math.

The main reason I say that though is because comparing the wide angle of the iPhone XS to the iPhone 11. The base ISO went up a half stop with the maximum being 2304 (XS) to 3072 (11). And the maximum shutter speed going from 1/22,000s to a massive 1/125,000s. And coincidentally Apple integrating a fancy noise reduction process to automatically apply in post.

With really good software integration they can replace some of the skill required with technology. Obviously there is no replacement for skill and experience but everyone carrying around tripods at the bar would be more annoying then selfie sticks. So crank out a few frames at really faster shutter with varying ISO, combined them like an HDR and grade them, then remove the noise from the high ISO. Maybe not in that particular order. Complex but your average user isn't going to be able to take a good pic with shutter slower than it already is. Of course this thread seems to say otherwise, in that respect maybe Apple is compromising between shutter speed and ISO to minimize noise from the start but their algorithm needs some tweaking.

I'm really looking for to getting an iPhone 11 Pro and a 3rd party camera app just to mess around with.

Well it must be doing something when you drag the slider to the max 30 second exposure (pictures look like long exposure shots for there is movement). Holding it by hand I get mostly 2-4s depending of how still I can hold it. If I lean against a wall it’ll do 9-10s exposure. The default is anything between 1-3s if you don’t touch the slider though.