iPhone 4S sports an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus
The Apple faithful were mildly disappointed that the long awaited iPhone announcement turned out to be the iPhone 4S instead of the much anticipated iPhone 5. While it wasn’t everything iPhone fans were hoping for, the model did have some interesting upgrades to the camera capabilities.
The camera in the new iPhone 4S is one of the best in the cell phone class, boasting an 8-megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor which is an upgrade from the 5-megapixel camera in the iPhone 4. The BSI-CMOS sensor, in combination of the built-in LED flash, should give the 4S fairly capable low-light performance.
The lens is improved f/2.4 with an advanced infrared filter that promises better color saturation and truer color rendition.
Connected to the sensor and improved lens is the new A5 chip and iOS 5, which Apple claims delivers the processing power of more advanced DSLRs. While that claim is doubtful, one could argue that the biggest processor in the world won’t make the chip size any larger. Regardless, the new technology packed into the 4S is a big step forward for cell phone cameras.
The advanced processing gives the 4S some capabilities of compact digital cameras, like advanced tap autofocus that can detect whether you’re shooting a portrait or group photo and individually track up to 10 faces independently. Users can also control focus from the screen.
Despite Apple’s boast on DSLR image quality, it seems unlikely that the improved camera will take business away from high end cameras. That story could be different for point-and-shoot cameras. With a capable camera in the phone consumers are less likely to feel the need to bring a pocket-size digital camera with them. The fewer times they carry it, the less they’ll feel the need to replace it.
The iPhone 4S may not be the ultimate in digital cameras, but for millions of consumers, it might be both convenient and good enough.
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