Camera

How iOS 8 Time-lapse video capture works

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 23, 2014

iOS 8′s new Time-lapse video capture mode is a lot smarter than it sounds on first blush. Instead of taking individual images at predetermined intervals, it instead snaps photos at “dynamically selected intervals,” according to Apple's website.

But what exactly does this mean?

As discovered by Dan Provost of Studio Neat, this under appreciated iOS 8 feature doubles the speed of the Time-lapse and takes half as many pictures per second as the recording duration doubles.

This ensures that any Time-lapse you capture ends up being between 20 and 40 seconds long, “an ideal shareable length,” Provost writes. It's just one of the many ways the power of iOS 8 software makes you a better photographer.

Where did your iOS 8 Camera Roll go?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 11, 2016

Following Wednesday's public release of iOS 8 and today's launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the Apple Support Forums are already buzzing with disgruntled users who are venting their frustration with iOS 8 presumably removing some of their photos, a point driven home by the company's inexplicable removal of the Camera Roll album in iOS 8.

Indeed, it looks like Apple has introduced a major customer pain point by not elaborating whether the missing Camera Roll has anything to do with iOS 8's newly gained ability to access large photo libraries in iCloud within the Photos app.

So, where did your Camera Roll go and is there anything sensible to be done about it?

Photographer tests iPhone 6/Plus cameras, Focus Pixels, Exposure Control, OIS and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 19, 2014

As Apple's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus hit store shelves in the United States and a few major markets around the world, first hands-on videos are appearing online (and let's not forget about torture tests, too).

Teaming up with The Verge, professional photographer Austin Mann put the handsets' enhanced cameras through the paces on beautiful locations in Iceland.

He took a series of photographs and videos that do an excellent job showing off improvements such as the new Focus Pixels, manual Exposure Control, higher-resolution Panorama photography, Slo-Mo video enhancements and Optical Image Stabilization.

The results are quite impressive: the more accurate sensor, Apple's enhanced signal image processor inside the A8 chip and iOS 8's software improvements enable noticeably sharper images, despite the same eight-megapixel camera resolution.

The best new features of iOS 8

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 25, 2023

Admittedly, the myriad of new and useful capabilities that Apple's just-released iOS 8 brings to your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad are going to prove hugely popular with mainstream users, to say the least. With iOS 8, Apple is appeasing harsh critics who'd frequently point out that Android is capable of things iOS cannot do, and then some more.

iOS 8 opens up Apple's mobile operating system to third-party development to a much greater extent than ever before. And stemming from relaxed policies, iOS 8 boosts on-the-go productivity with deeper inter-app sharing while implementing some of the features our Android friends have grown accustomed to, but in a typical hassle-free Apple fashion, things like third-party keyboards, custom actions, photo editing extensions within the context of Photos and Camera apps and way more.

And though evolutionary rather than revolutionary, we have no doubt in our minds that iOS 8 is going to significantly improve the functionality of Apple's mobile platform, and perhaps even give some folks less reasons to jailbreak.

To celebrate today's release of the free iOS 8 software update, we proudly present you this detailed overview of more than two dozen iOS 8 features we think you're going to fall in love with at first sight.

iPhone 6 features 8MP camera with f/2.2 aperture and an all-new sensor

Cody Lee ∙ September 9, 2014

As expected, Apple has elected to stay with 8 megapixels for the iPhone 6's rear camera, but it is made a number of other improvements. The camera comes in at 1.5µ pixels, with a ƒ/2.2 aperture, true tone flash, and an all-new image sensor, which Apple says has 'focus pixels.' Apparently these pixels do "phase detection" autofocus, which amounts to autofocus that's twice as fast as the 5s' camera.

Claimed rear camera with OIS and other iPhone 6 components surface in new photos

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 5, 2014

Modified Russian accessory vendor Feld & Volk, known for customizing iPhones with luxury parts like solid gold volume buttons, Friday on its Instagram profile published photos it claims show a rear camera with optical image stabilization for a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 version, along with an assortment of other claimed components such as the microphone, speaker and the power button with rubber seal.

Jump past the fold, give the images a quick look and join us in comments for an analysis.

Sony readying interchangeable E-Mount lenses for pro mobile photography

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 2, 2014

The Japanese giant Sony is gearing up to unveil a number of new gadgets at the IFA press conference which kicks off tomorrow in Berlin. And with 24 hours until the presser, an ILCE-QX1 E-mount camera has conveniently leaked out.

The latest addition to its QX-branded smartphone and tablet camera accessory lineup, the forthcoming ILCE-QX1 E-mount camera reportedly won’t have a fixed lens and instead will let you use any of Sony's E-Mount lenses, the oft-reliable SonyAlphaRumors blog reported Tuesday.

As if that wasn't enough, the ILCE-QX1 is said to feature a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor and a built-in flash. That being said, compatibility with the E-Mount lenses is bound to strike a chord with iPhone photography fans.

New leak compares iPhone 6 to iPhone 5s ahead of expected-September announcement

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

New images claiming to show the iPhone 6 in space grey appeared on Sunday, adding fuel to the fire ahead of Apple's expected announcement in the coming weeks. The authenticity of the images hasn't been verified, so take them with a grain of salt, but the claimed iPhone 6 shown gels nicely with leaks over the past year and are fun to look at nonetheless.

iPhone 6 camera lens sticks out 0.67 millimeters, alleged production schematic hints

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 26, 2016

After several alleged production images and rear shell photos published recently have indicated strongly that one or maybe both new iPhone models could feature an iPod touch-style protruding camera ring on the back, a purported three-dimensional render of a device that resembles the iPhone 6 has surfaced today, showing a camera lens that sticks out between 0.67 and 0.77 millimeters...

New Google app: Photo Sphere Camera for iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 2, 2017

Google has released a brand new iPhone photography application in the App Store. Dubbed Photo Sphere Camera, it provides functionality similar to the iOS Panorama shooting mode, and then some more.

By continuously taking images as you pan your device around, Photo Sphere Camera then stitches the individual photos together to create a nice sphere-like 360-degree image which can be published directly to Google Maps or shared with anyone on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and via email.

The app is a free download. I've included additional tidbits right after the jump...

Camera+ picks up improvements ahead of ‘cool new things’ in forthcoming iOS 8 update

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

My favorite iPhone photography application, Camera+ by a developer called Tap tap tap, has received a few very nice additions ahead of an upcoming iOS 8 update.

Camera+ 5.2, a free update for existing users, contains several bug fixes while introducing a new adjustment to the Vignette effect, improvements to the Soft Focus and Film Grain effects and the Clarity Pro feature and more.

Oh, and this version has fixed broken Flickr sharing stemming from a recent change to the way third-party apps like Camera+ access Yahoo's photo-sharing service...

New iPhone 6 rear shell photos show protruding camera lens and round True Tone LED flash

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Although everyone's favorite parts leaker, Australia-born Sonny Dickson, has remained mostly mum in terms of iPhone 6 component leaks this year, Tuesday morning he took to Twitter to share high-resolution photos of an alleged iPhone 6 rear shell which seem to match up nicely with the leaks we recently saw.

In addition to the antenna breaks at the top and the bottom replacing the glass cutouts seen on the iPhone 5/5s, the images appear to depict an iPod touch-style protruding lens for the device. Also clearly visible on the photos: a circular dual-LED flash module that Apple calls 'True Tone' flash...