Serious photographers may eschew using their smartphones to capture images, but there are times when the SLR, mirrorless camera, or large-sensor pocket camera are at home. The iPhone has long been regarded as one of the better smartphones for image capture, and if it's the only camera on your person, it's the best one you have to capture an image.
During Tuesday's Apple event, Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, spent some time detailing the improvements that Apple worked into the camera on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. But do those enhancements make the new phone a worthwhile upgrade if you currently have an iPhone 5 or 5s in your pocket?
A quick glance at the specs shows there are some things that haven't changed. The camera still uses a five-element f/2.2 lens, and images are captured via an 8-megapixel CMOS sensor. But, despite being of identical size and resolution, the image sensor used by the iPhone 6 is a new one.
Focus Pixels and Image Stabilization Upgrades
The sensor has what Apple is calling Focus Pixels on board. That's a term Apple's marketing team pulled out of the ether, but what these Focus Pixels actually are—on-sensor phase detection pixels—is not new. Mirrorless cameras like the Sony Alpha 6000 and Fujifilm X-T1 use the same technology to achieve blisteringly fast focus speed and frame rates, and Canon has used a more advanced version of the technology to improve the video autofocus performance of its EOS 70D D-SLR.
Image stabilization is also a key feature when recording video, as it helps keep handheld footage steady. The iPhone 5s supported digital stabilization, and that technology carries through to the iPhone 6. But the iPhone 6 Plus features an optical stabilization system that moves the image sensor to compensate for movement when recording video or capturing still images. The sensor shift system is similar to what Pentax employs in its D-SLR lineup. It allows Apple to implement physical stabilization without having to design a lens with moving elements, which would add size, weight, and complexity to the phone.
Real-World Expectations
Physical stabilization usually nets better results when compared with digital, so iPhone photographers and videographers should give strong consideration to the iPhone 6 Plus. Optical stabilization should improve the sharpness of images in low light (assuming your subject is stationary), and do a better job smoothing handheld video. The Plus's larger physical size and slightly heftier weight will also aid you in holding it steady. It's still too early to make a definitive decision, but based on my experience, I'd say that the iPhone 6 Plus will net better images in challenging light, and smoother handheld video regardless of lighting.
There are a few other improvements of note. The image processor has been upgraded, so Face Detection should show some improvements. Panoramic capture can now save images with 43-megapixel resolution, which will net more detail when zooming in on a wide shot on a screen or printing. Video can be recorded at 1080p60, twice the frame rate as the iPhone 5s, but it still seems a little dated when other phones and cameras are starting to implement 4K video capture. If you love slow motion, you can capture video at 240fps, which will play back at 1/8th speed, and High Dynamic Range (HDR) has been added as a video option. That's useful when recording in areas with shadows and bright light, as it works to preserve shadow detail and prevent blown highlights.
iPhone photographers mulling an upgrade have a few things to take into account, including whether or not a larger phone is something they want, and where they are in their cell phone contracts. The iPhone 5s offered a lot of speed enhancements over the iPhone 5, so if your two years with the 5 are up, moving to the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus is going to add some worthwhile features. iPhone 5s shooters should really only consider the iPhone 6 Plus as an early (and expensive) in-contract upgrade. Its lens and resolution are identical, so the real benefit is optical stabilization and continuous focus when recording video.