Comments on: Apple Seeking Lead Camera Engineer; So Much for a Decent 3G iPhone Camera

By: clueless2012

clueless2012 — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:48:21 +0000

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!!

By: yair marx

yair marx — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:35:24 +0000

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.

By: Jeff B.

Jeff B. — Sat, 24 May 2008 06:20:57 +0000

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.

By: Ypocaramel

Ypocaramel — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:48:24 +0000

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…)

By: Martin

Martin — Thu, 22 May 2008 21:04:51 +0000

@Randomguy

No one said the phones themselves were shit,
just the cameras.

BTW,

all cameras on phones are shit

By: Randomguy

Randomguy — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:44:51 +0000

Please use a Nokia N82 before saying all cameraphones are shit.

Thank you.

By: J.

J. — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:37:19 +0000

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.

By: Mark Howard

Mark Howard — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:36:25 +0000

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.

By: ChrisNYC

ChrisNYC — Thu, 22 May 2008 19:37:14 +0000

@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.

By: Mr. X

Mr. X — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:22:52 +0000

“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.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:22:32 +0000

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.

By: ChrisNYC

ChrisNYC — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:55:33 +0000

“But the only hardware change will be related to 3G, I suspect.”

Better not be!

By: Frankie1

Frankie1 — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:42:05 +0000

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)

By: justblase

justblase — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:36:06 +0000

your tongue was rammed way the f into your cheek when you wrote that, right JJ?

By: JJ

JJ — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:12:49 +0000

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?

By: ChrisNYC

ChrisNYC — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:55:18 +0000

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?

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:51:01 +0000

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?