New iPad and iPhone 4S Camera Shootout

how 5-megapixel camera in new ipad ("ipad 3") compare 8-megapixel camera in iphone 4s? both share same optics, 3-megapixels make big difference? latest blog post:

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new ipad , iphone 4s camera shootout

i've seen beautiful photos taken new ipad ("ipad 3"). apple used same 5-megapixel sensor in ipad 3 used in iphone 4, added optics used in iphone 4s. how combination compare 8-megapixel sensor (and same optics) found in iphone 4s? let's take look.

test method

test objects positioned in portable product studio. photos taken outdoors, on sunny day. natural light diffused through portable product studio's translucent white panels. arrangement created light on test objects somewhere between dim indoor light , bright outdoor light.

3 cameras used, ipad 3, iphone 4s, and, "best-case" control, canon 5d mark ii digital slr canon 24-105 zoom lens. 5d mark ii's lens set 35mm (to match 35mm effective focal length of both ipad 3 , iphone 4s). 5d mark ii set lowest iso setting of 100. ipad 3 defaulted iso 80 , iphone 4s defaulted iso 64. 5d mark ii in aperture priority mode @ f-5.6, came closest approximating depth of field range of 2 apple cameras. shutter speeds varied cameras supported eliminate movement. cameras set auto white balance.

ipad 3's maximum resolution of 1926 x 2592 made lowest resolution device in test (the iphone 4s has resolution of 2448 x 3264 , 5d mark ii set jpeg mode @ resolution of 3744 x 5616). however, images loaded photoshop , cropped resolution of 1900 x 2400 @ 72 dpi level playing field possible. no other adjustments made images.

results

click on image expand full-size.







a closer look

since full-size images quite large, here 100% crops @ 500 x 450 can more readily compare color accuracy, sharpness, detail, noise , optical distortion.













analysis

improved optics, ipad 3's 5-megapixel sensor no match 8-megapixel sensor in iphone 4s. iphone 4s image sharper, more detailed, , had less noise. regard color accuracy, ipad 3 did better job reds , purples while iphone 4s did better job blues, yellows , fleshtones. greens equal. ipad 3 produced whites tinted toward blue while iphone 4s produced whites tinted toward magenta.

of course, both apple cameras fell short compared 5d mark ii. that's not fair comparison. shootout between ipad 3 , iphone 4s.

winner: iphone 4s

saying goes, best camera 1 have you. ipad , iphone owners not going take photos of color patterns , test objects , scrutinze images @ magnification. both new ipad 3 , iphone 4s produce higher quallity images possible minature image sensors few years ago. if i'm picking between two, i'd reach iphone 4s first. and, let's face it, iphone 4s easier carry around. it's teriffic "one have you" camera.

real-world images

here 2 real-world images taken apple cameras. click images expand them full-size. i've reduced them both 1400 x 1046 resolution can viewed little or no scrolling. can tell taken iphone 4s , taken ipad 3?

click expand...

http://markshangout.com/blog/2012/3/21/new-ipad-and-iphone-4s-camera-shootout.html
mark

 

wow, great write up! thanks!

 

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