Apple Seeking Lead Camera Engineer; So Much for a Decent 3G iPhone Camera
Wouldn’t it have been nice if this job listing was up, say, nine months ago or so? An eagle-eyed reader has just spotted an interesting entry in the jobs section of the Apple website. Titled “Lead Camera Design Engineer – iPhone,” the position calls for a new head hancho for the iPhone camera design team. From the listing:
Duties include research into both current and future camera technologies, evaluation of proposed solutions, executive presentation of current and future options, working with suppliers to customize modules, working with both product design and electrical engineering to physically and electrically integrate the parts, tuning the solution for optimal image quality, and design of production line testing setups.
We sincerely hope this doesn’t mean that we can expect the same terrible camera quality in the upcoming 3G iPhone as we had to deal with in the first version. It doesn’t bode well though. Looks like we’re waiting until Spring or Summer of 2009 before we see an iPhone with a decent camera; assuming Apple finds a good man for the job.
Who’s to say they didn’t have a lead designer revolutionize the iphone camera over the last year, working insane hours and getting burnt out, then deciding to pursue new ventures after completing this project?
I’d say you’re probably right, the camera doesn’t seem to be a high priority.
It’s too bad, because the iPhone’s screen is big enough to display a window for the subject matter, surrounded by other data like a histogram, pixel quality, focus points.
Face it, no camera’s any good without focus point technology, no matter how many MPs the throw at it.
Remember that fuzzy BB Clamshell shot, with the bathroom floor tiles in focus?
Would this mean that the new iPhone Hardware my not be coming out as soon as we think? Will apple just screw us all and tease us with a keynote and not release it until 2010?
your tongue was rammed way the f into your cheek when you wrote that, right JJ?
Nah, they’ll still release it in June. But the only hardware change will be related to 3G, I suspect. I’ve held off buying one this long, so I think I’ll wait until the next one gets released. By then they’ll hopefully have a decent camera and a better battery. (I’m assuming the battery will be an issue as it is on every 3G phone)
“But the only hardware change will be related to 3G, I suspect.”
Better not be!
In all honesty, the camera’s not terrible on the current iPhone. It could be improved, but I think we’re anticipating something top-of-the-line (an ideal often associated with the Apple brand) and they’re giving us something satisfactory. There are more important things for them to work on that should prioritize before the camera. It seems like they’re doing just that.
“We sincerely hope this doesn’t mean that we can expect the same terrible camera quality in the upcoming 3G iPhone as we had to deal with in the first version. It doesn’t bode well though. Looks like we’re waiting until Spring or Summer of 2009 before we see an iPhone with a decent camera; assuming Apple finds a good man for the job.”
The fact that Apple is looking for a lead camera engineer now does not prove that they have never had one in the past. People do change jobs, you now.
I can guarantee one thing, though. The 3G iPhone *will* have terrible camera quality just as *every* cell phone has terrible camera quality. That’s not because Apple is Evil, it’s simply due to the laws of physics. To get non-terrible pictures, you need a non-terrible lens, which will not fit into one of those tiny peepholes.
Yes, I know there are cameraphones that claim to have umpteen megapixels. That’s meaningless because you’ve still got a crappy lens. Putting a higher resolution sensor behind it simply means you get bigger file sizes, not better picture quality.
If you want non-terrible pictures, you need to buy a real camera, not a cameraphone. Sorry, but physics is a harsh mistress.
@Mr. X
“Yes, I know there are cameraphones that claim to have umpteen megapixels. That’s meaningless because you’ve still got a crappy lens. Putting a higher resolution sensor behind it simply means you get bigger file sizes, not better picture quality.”
Thank you!
Peeps bumming out that the 3MP wasn’t upped to 5MP, is just foolhearty.
It’s all about the lens, yes.
You only need to shoot a Canon L lens to know there’s a darn good reason it costs 5 fold the non-L does.
IS has helped, but IS is no substitute for speed, and AFAIK, no camera phone allows you to tweak shutter speed.
I’d say the best a camera phone can do is offer the shooter some basic focus point technology, at least then maybe half the shots will be decent.
I’ll put a 4MP Canon 1-body with L glass up against any of these 12, 15MP mini consumer cams any day.
Apple likes to post job listings for things that they are well on their way to implementing or already have implemented. It is part of their way of doing business, to keep the surprise / amazement factor alive and also to let their competitors stay complacent. I would bet that this job listing clearly indicates that the camera will indeed be better in the upcoming 3G model.
Yeah, well…I was hoping for a camera and right – this does not look good for us of those that were. I do, however, own a 3G iPhone and have had no issues with the battery. It’s just as good, if not better, than my previous three BlackBerries. Having said that, it’s not safe to say that all 3G iPhones have battery issues.
J.
Please use a Nokia N82 before saying all cameraphones are shit.
Thank you.
@Randomguy
No one said the phones themselves were shit,
just the cameras.
BTW,
all cameras on phones are shit
Please use a Nokia N82 before saying all cameras on phones are shit.
Thank you.
(Of course, some people need a Hasselblad before they say anything is okay…)
This is exactly why apple sucks. A year later and they better make some damn improvements over the last piece of crap they vomited out.
i am sure the 3g iphone will have an improved camera over the first iphone. this could just mean apple is planning something really big camera wise down the line, i think i read somewhere that 3g iphone camera will be 3.2 mp with autofocus. it was just a very educated guess. obviously nothing is written in stone.
Yeah, I mean really people!!!
Who in their right FREAKING mind would want to take apart a perfectly good camera just to put it on the Internet just so that people could look at it and post comments… Hmmmmm…. Like someone I know… (hint hint to me and all of the rest of you!!