In days gone by eight years, each new advancement in iPhone camera technology has made dramatic improvements to image quality. The new 12-megapixel iPhone 6s iSight camera is no exception. With 50% more megapixels as opposed to last four iPhone 8-megapixel models, the iPhone 6s possesses a number of key improvements including: improved auto-focus, local tone-mapping, noise reduction, and colour separation, your fancy deep trench isolation” technology Apple is raving about.

In this follow-up post to my previous iPhone comparisons, I present a 9 iPhone comparison from all iPhone versions taken with Camera+ including: the initial iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and also the new iPhone 6s, in a number of real-life situations to test each iPhone camera's capabilities.

Macro

The first comparison can be a macro of pencil crayons to check the surge in detail with the new 12MP iPhone 6s. The original iPhone and 3G are fixed focus so they are unable to concentrate on closely placed objects leading to blurry, pixelated images. Autofocus was combined with the iPhone 3Gs which improves the quality of the image slightly. There can be a noticeable improvement in the details and sharpness from the image using the 5MP iPhone 4 and the 8MP iPhone 4s, but we only begin to determine the details inside pencil crayon tips with all the iPhone 5 and 5s as a result of addition of the five-element lens which increased the sharpness of images. The iPhone 6 is often a brighter image with thanks to the local tone-mapping algorithm put into this version, nevertheless the clear winner may be the iPhone 6s. The addition of detection autofocus and deep trench isolation gives this iPhone camera faster, more accurate focusing and clearer, less busy images. The detail and colour separation within the iPhone 6s image is dramatic.

Backlit

Next, a backlit photo of a boat in a marina demonstrates the improvements the iPhone camera has created in dealing with high contrast lighting situations and noise reduction. The iPhone 3G sticks out amongst the older phones its warm tones and high contrast. The detail and contrast about the boat is getting better while using 5, 5s, 6, but constitutes a marked improvement around the 6s. The boat is noticeably sharper and you may see more details inside mountains and clouds behind it. This image quality is quite impressive.

Backlit Macro

Besides wanting justification to eat gummy bears, I thought I would include a backlit macro to this particular comparison. The results were incredible. I was surprised while using impressive company's iPhone 4 and 4s. For those of you who can't buy an upgrade or have better activities with $1,298.08 (the expense of my iPhone 6S), this really is good news. Your old phone remains pretty good. Obviously, the standard gets better and better with all the 5 series and in many cases better while using iPhone 6. The iPhone 6s really shines with this challenge. The image is balanced while using bright sun behind the delicious bears as well as the details are very sharp. The colour separation can also be bang on with all the iPhone 6s shot. Yay deep trench isolation! Never thought I'd utter those words.

Daylight

In the initial of these two daylight shots, the noticeable differences are white balance, contrast, colour and sharpness in the images. The original iPhone and iPhone 3G were low contrast and intensely blue in tone. The iPhone 3Gs is kind of an anomaly with it's warm tone and rich colour saturation. We see a shift from a warm tone to a more accurate white balance with all the iPhone 4s. An increase within the details inside the last 4 phones is apparent looking in the rivets along with the red cross about the side in the Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter.

In the second shot in the fishing boat in partially cloud conditions we view a similar rise in details. The sharpness in the lettering is quite noticeable. The sun popped out for that iPhone 6 shot which explains why it's warmer and it has more shadows. The iPhone 6s image is very balanced and detailed. Also, I nearly fell off a dock investing in this shot and a few of my iPhones still smell a bit fishy.

Portrait

One of the major complaints with all the iPhone 6 was obviously a pixelated blotchiness” with skin color in particular. In this version, Apple altered their local tone-mapping and noise reduction algorithm for better exposure and contrast, but it caused pixelation plus a decrease in sharpness. It looks like Apple experimented with fix this issue with iPhone 6s using deep trench isolation which causes a greater separation inside photo diodes to take care of accurate colours reducing noise.

The iPhone 6s image looks more vibrant, sharper and kinds of skin look more true to life. The sharpness is see-through around my attention, but I'm still noticing the pixelation problem, especially while using highlights on my cheeks inside tight crop. I'm not planning to lie… it is rather creepy to determine this many close-ups of attention ball.

Sunset

In the sunset photo comparison, we see improvements in comparison, details and colour accuracy after a while. As with last year's comparison, I found that this iPhone 5s has more contrast and vibrancy than the iPhone 6 image. This is likely as a result of Apple altering the tone-mapping algorithm. With the iPhone 6s we have seen a return for the more highly saturated and contrasted style of the 5s. There is definitely more detail within the clouds, but they're still quite pixelated because of the noise reduction software Apple is utilizing. It's a tough balance between reducing noise and increasing pixelation. Something Adobe has become trying master for many years. As a photographer, I would like to be able to tweak the strength of this noise reduction algorithm which has a slider or manual setting.

Low-light

We've seen the greatest improvements in low light conditions over the years. The original iPhone, 3G, 3Gs and 4 all had an aperture of f/2.8. Apple added a backside illuminated sensor on the iPhone 4 which improved the high quality over previous versions. We see more improvement having a wider aperture of f/2.4 inside the iPhone 4s as well as the 5 which had an additional low-light boost from ISO 800 to 3200. An advanced noise reduction algorithm was included with the iPhone 6 and you can notice the decrease inside overall graininess in the image and an increase in sharpness. The deep trench isolation technology used by colour separation inside the iPhone 6s also improves its low light capabilities by ensuring how the light captured by one pixel doesn't obstruct surrounding pixels. The iPhone 6 image is actually brighter compared to the iPhone 6s image and appearance very good, nevertheless the 6s has more contrast, detail and much less noise. I'd need to do more tests to completely explore low light improvements involving the iPhone 6 and 6s. One day wasn't enough to thoroughly compare the 2, although messing around with it over the last few days, I'm definitely noticing improvements.

Low-light Sunrise

To test another low light condition, this coming year I'm adding a sunrise comparison. The older iPhones show little details in the clouds and water. There can be an increase inside the details in the shadows of the iPhone 6s from the earlier iPhones.

Summary

Each year I do this comparison, and each year I am impressed at just how much the iPhone camera technology has improved. The iPhone has made it easier to capture and share our memories. Each new phone provides a better tool to capture better quality images that will create incredible photographs.

The improved sensor, software updates and new A9 processor around the iPhone 6s has created this camera the very best yet. There is an apparent increase in the speed of auto focus and improvements to colour accuracy, details and sharpness, particularly in low light.

PS I'm still awaiting an adjustable aperture ;)

See my previous iPhone camera comparison posts here:

George says:

Colin says:

Great work Lisa

Did you mean 3GS here,

Micah Hausler says:

Eujin Iisimo says:

Mark says:

LG says:

Wow superb info, I loved the content!

Thank you when deciding to take the time to create this and hang it all together.

Looking forward to reading more of your stuff.

راشد says:

Also, apparently the reply buttons on comments are confusingly placed.

David says:

Matt says:

Per Arnfinn Persen says:

jordan says:

Very Nice!!

I'm a lot of enjoying this short article, and please update additional information comparison on low light or night shoot between 6 and 6s, result in the pics out there conditions don't't apparently match the final results from other websites, anyway excellent!

Nils says:

Rick Jakle says:

What recommended, Brittany. And such a good website.

Thanks greatly. Look forward to hearing by you.

Rick Jakle

Vadim says:

Harvard Irving says:

The iPhone has produced it easier to capture and share our memories.”

What does this want to do with capturing memories”, That's not exactly what a camera does.

If somebody found a way to capture memories, it could be a major scientific breakthrough. Cameras just capture selected parts with the electromagnetic spectrum.

iPhone 6s: -

Michael Matthews says:

Where can be your comparisons boys,

If you're so awesome how come I haven't heard of a single one of you but have known of Lisa for decades,

What maybe you have achieved that earned you the right to be so critical,

David says:

David says:

Jason says:

Jim E says:

Jim E says:

Jkdem85 says:

Jim E says:

What does this have to do with capturing memories”,… Cameras just capture selected parts with the electromagnetic spectrum.”

Or in other words, Your idiomatically imprecise human language confuses me. Let us continue during my native binary code.”

Keoki says:

Judy Cook says:

Chuck Farly says:

Brent says:

Brent says:

Brent says:

Eric says:

Robert says:

Brent says:

markkungz says:

Jinx says:

Ed says:

Afnan says:

Hello admin i see you do not earn in your site.

You can earn extra money easily, look on youtube for: how to earn selling articles

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