Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

SPNarwhal

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 22, 2009
1,260
156
illinois
The first iPhone. (3g and beyond not allowed.)

If you have a Flickr, feel free to join my iPhone 1 group and add to the pool.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1807589@N22/


6170016377_cebbe5fb0d_b.jpg


:)
 

Roessnakhan

macrumors 68040
Sep 16, 2007
3,518
510
ABQ
I only have a few that I still have floating around. Here's some from Chatsworth House when I was in the UK.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0006_2.JPG
    IMG_0006_2.JPG
    1 MB · Views: 1,457
  • IMG_0041_2.JPG
    IMG_0041_2.JPG
    1,001 KB · Views: 600

aawil

macrumors 6502a
May 18, 2008
542
165
Took this with the original iPhone and Pano app.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0265.jpg
    IMG_0265.jpg
    513.1 KB · Views: 902

9367942

Cancelled
May 16, 2010
141
10
What kind of camera is in iPhone 1? These shots look gorgeous!!

The iPhone 1 had a small 2 megapixel camera without adjustable focus, and actually at the time the original iPhone came out, the camera was one of the factors that have been criticized the most about it because there were other phones with better camera quality already available on the market.

But as it turned out later, the iPhone was revolutionary in many ways as the iPhone camera started a whole new trend in Photography, becoming iconic over the years and showing that to take great pictures it's not a matter of the camera itself, but of the photographer's eye and having your camera ready at your fingertips right in time to catch the moment. This is why the original iPhone camera promoted the development of a new trend called "iPhoneography" providing the creation of great pictures with something as common as a phone that you carry in your pocket. This is also the reason why the iPhone camera improved during the years and has now reached an amazing professional quality with the 4S model.

But anyway, The iPhone 1 camera is nowadays regarded as an important thing because it was the first one to start this trend, while keeping a sort of 'retro' feel. and I think this is why today we enjoy collecting and looking at pictures taken with a 5-year-old phone.
 
Last edited:

hafr

macrumors 68030
Sep 21, 2011
2,743
9
The iPhone 1 had a small 2 megapixel camera without adjustable focus, and actually at the time the original iPhone came out, the camera was one of the factors that have been criticized the most about it because there were other phones with better camera quality already available on the market.

But as it turned out later, the iPhone was revolutionary in many ways as the iPhone camera started a whole new trend in Photography, becoming iconic over the years and showing that to take great pictures it's not a matter of the camera itself, but of the photographer's eye and having your camera ready at your fingertips right in time to catch the moment. This is why the original iPhone camera promoted the development of a new trend called "iPhoneography" providing the creation of great pictures with something as common as a phone that you carry in your pocket. This is also the reason why the iPhone camera improved during the years and has now reached an amazing professional quality with the 4S model.

But anyway, The iPhone 1 camera is nowadays regarded as an important thing because it was the first one to start this trend, while keeping a sort of 'retro' taste. and I think this is why today we enjoy collecting and looking at pictures taken with a 5-year-old phone.

I have always thought it was more due to how easy it was to take a picture and upload it to Flickr, Facebook and so on than having "the camera at your fingertips" that made iPhone photography so big. I didn't take more photos with my original iPhone than I did with the Nokia I had before, but I sure as **** enjoyed looking at them and uploading them more with the iPhone.
 

9367942

Cancelled
May 16, 2010
141
10
I have always thought it was more due to how easy it was to take a picture and upload it to Flickr, Facebook and so on than having "the camera at your fingertips" that made iPhone photography so big. I didn't take more photos with my original iPhone than I did with the Nokia I had before, but I sure as **** enjoyed looking at them and uploading them more with the iPhone.

well sure the sharing capability had its part in increasing the iPhone photography, but I was talking more from a photographer point of view, and for me, I've owned a lot of other phones before the iPhone but I have never considered using them as a creative tool, while the iPhone gave me this possibility. I've taken some really interesting shots with it that I would never have though possible before having an iPhone. But again, obviously I'm talking from a photographic and artistic point of view. every cellphone is suitable for taking a pic of your drunk buddy at a party and post it on facebook
 

SPNarwhal

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 22, 2009
1,260
156
illinois
I really just like the quality of an iPhone 1. It's pretty terrible but it gives it a certain look that I think is really nice. It's almost like using an old digital camera, before they really started revving up the technology and now they're super crisp. Almost like film, in a way, when it doesn't turn out perfect. Gives it more of a realistic sense, rather than just a photo and an artform. The way it blurs everything together, I just like it a lot. I don't know why, realistically a super high quality photo is beautiful and appealing to look at, but the low quality almost makes it seem like a painting rather than a photograph.

I'm not trying to give an excuse to the iPhone 1 having a terrible camera though, and I doubt that's what Apple was trying to do. They should have released a better camera if they were able to, they say they only like to release the best and use the highest end things, but the competition's camera was better quality, most likely had focusing, and probably even had a flash. But I'm glad it was terrible. Thenagain this is coming from someone who thinks the NES graphics are better looking than Xbox360.

That's why I'm only allowing iPhone 1s in this though, iPhone 3 and beyond are too high quality, might as well just add those to the Photography thread I made before.
 

hafr

macrumors 68030
Sep 21, 2011
2,743
9
well sure the sharing capability had its part in increasing the iPhone photography, but I was talking more from a photographer point of view, and for me, I've owned a lot of other phones before the iPhone but I have never considered using them as a creative tool, while the iPhone gave me this possibility. I've taken some really interesting shots with it that I would never have though possible before having an iPhone. But again, obviously I'm talking from a photographic and artistic point of view. every cellphone is suitable for taking a pic of your drunk buddy at a party and post it on facebook

In what way was the iPhone better suited than any other cellphone with a camera in a photographic and artistic point of view?

This is what you said: "showing that to take great pictures it's not a matter of the camera itself, but of the photographer's eye and having your camera ready at your fingertips right in time to catch the moment."

So, it's not about the quality of the camera. Other camera phones had instant access to the camera whilst an iPhone had to be unlocked and then have the camera app found and opened, so the iPhone isn't more "at your fingertips" than other phones, but the complete opposite. This leaves the person taking the photos as the only factor, and that has nothing to do with the iPhone at all. So you see why I'm curious. Did you forget something, or am I missing something obvious?
 

9367942

Cancelled
May 16, 2010
141
10
In what way was the iPhone better suited than any other cellphone with a camera in a photographic and artistic point of view?

This is what you said: "showing that to take great pictures it's not a matter of the camera itself, but of the photographer's eye and having your camera ready at your fingertips right in time to catch the moment."

So, it's not about the quality of the camera. Other camera phones had instant access to the camera whilst an iPhone had to be unlocked and then have the camera app found and opened, so the iPhone isn't more "at your fingertips" than other phones, but the complete opposite. This leaves the person taking the photos as the only factor, and that has nothing to do with the iPhone at all. So you see why I'm curious. Did you forget something, or am I missing something obvious?

Nope, you're perfectly right.
It's never about the camera. A great picture always comes from a great photographer, no matter what camera you're shooting with.

I think that the added value that the iPhone brought was just the interface and the fact that by being basically a simple and neat screen you hold in your hands, the iPhone emphasizes the image itself and reduces the process of creating a picture to just you and the picture. (and the iPhone 1 did this particularly well because the whole process consisted in tapping a button, no focusing, no settings, no interface distractions) it's just you and the picture you want to take. you compose and shoot. I think this is the reason why the iPhone better suited than any other cellphone with a camera in a photographic and artistic point of view.
And this is also why it matters so much in a iconic way. It's just like the polaroid... sure there where other cameras, sure every camera can take a great picture, but it's just about the feel it has.

that's why there's so much into the iPhoneography trend and why we enjoy looking at pictures taken with an old iPhone. it's all about the feel they have. and I think that SPNarwhal, who started this thread, well described this feel in his previous comment.
 

Destroysall

macrumors 65816
Feb 28, 2012
1,293
85
United States
Nope, you're perfectly right.
It's never about the camera. A great picture always comes from a great photographer, no matter what camera you're shooting with.

I think that the added value that the iPhone brought was just the interface and the fact that by being basically a simple and neat screen you hold in your hands, the iPhone emphasizes the image itself and reduces the process of creating a picture to just you and the picture. (and the iPhone 1 did this particularly well because the whole process consisted in tapping a button, no focusing, no settings, no interface distractions) it's just you and the picture you want to take. you compose and shoot. I think this is the reason why the iPhone better suited than any other cellphone with a camera in a photographic and artistic point of view.
And this is also why it matters so much in a iconic way. It's just like the polaroid... sure there where other cameras, sure every camera can take a great picture, but it's just about the feel it has.

that's why there's so much into the iPhoneography trend and why we enjoy looking at pictures taken with an old iPhone. it's all about the feel they have. and I think that SPNarwhal, who started this thread, well described this feel in his previous comment.

Well put. I totally agree. I have the old Samsung BEHOLD from T-Mobile that I currently use (haven't made the jump to a smartphone yet), but I am into photography along with videography. My phone has a 5 MP AutoFocus Camera and it can do wonders if you know how (just check out my Flickr). I have taken bad photos with it, but that might just be my fault. I am really interested in an iPhone (any model), but I like the look of both the 4S and the original iPhone. Had no idea the original iPhone could take amazing photos. Thanks for the info, guys!:D:apple:
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.