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iPhone 11 vs. iPhone XR: What’s the difference?

20 Sep

iPhone XR vs. iPhone 11

Let’s start with the obvious difference between the latest iPhone and the last-generation XR: the XR has a single, standard wide-angle camera. The new iPhone 11, on the other hand, has a dual camera system – one standard wide and one ultra-wide. The 11 gets an updated front-facing camera too: a 12MP sensor compared to the XR’s 7MP, and 4K/60p video versus HD video. And of course, it’s capable of the infamous ‘slofie.’

How much of a difference that extra camera makes depends on what you like to take pictures of. In our experience, having that ultra-wide lens as an option is very handy.

All images are courtesy Apple

Portrait Mode

The iPhone 11’s additional rear-facing camera also provides an advantage when shooting in Portrait Mode. It uses the slightly different perspectives of the ultra-wide and wide lenses to help create a more accurate depth map than the XR is capable of with its single camera, which only uses depth data generated from its dual pixel sensor combined with machine-learning assisted image segmentation. This should translate to better Portrait Mode images, with improved separation between subjects and their backgrounds.

Plus, the iPhone 11 is better suited for pet Portrait Mode photos like the one above, and who can resist those eyes?

Other camera features

There’s a lot more to a smartphone camera than just hardware these days, and that’s especially true of the camera in the iPhone 11. Apple has included a new Night Mode which is automatically enabled in low light levels, combining data from multiple image captures to produce a brighter more detailed image – very similar to Google’s Night Sight. The 11’s Smart HDR mode has also been improved – it’s able to identify human and pet subjects, and render them appropriately while applying different processing to the rest of the image.

And later this fall, Apple will add a Deep Fusion mode via software update. While it also uses data from multiple frames, the end result is a larger 24MP file. That’s quite useful if you’d like to make larger prints from phone images. We’ll reserve judgement until we’re able to test this feature of course, but it’s potentially a big step forward for Apple’s camera system and we’re glad to see it in this sub-$ 1000 device in addition to the flagship Pro models.

These added features are powered by a new A13 Bionic processor, one of the key hardware advantages that the 11 offers over the A12-powered XR.

Display

The XR and 11 are identical in size and both offer a 6.1″ ‘Liquid Retina HD’ display, which is Apple-speak for ‘LCD.’ Stepping up to the 11 Pro will of course get you a nicer OLED display with better contrast and brightness, but that’s not a differentiating factor between the XR and iPhone 11. Interestingly, you’ll need to step up to the 5.8″ 11 Pro if you want a smaller phone.

Weatherproofing

The XR is rated IP67 and the 11 is IP68, meaning both are fully protected against dust, but the iPhone 11 offers better protection against moisture. Apple states that the phone can withstand up to 30 minutes in depths of up to 2 meters; the XR can safely be submerged for the same amount time in depths up to 1 meter.

If you plan on taking your phone into the pool that extra waterproofing could make a difference depending on how deep you swim. But if you’re more worried about everyday scenarios like, say, a tumble to the bottom of the toilet, then it’s safe to say both phones would survive just fine.

Battery life

The iPhone 11 offers slightly better battery life. According to Apple, it will deliver one hour of extra performance compared to the XR – up to 17 hours of non-streaming video playback vs. 16 hours, for example. If you’re a power user who watches a lot of video on your phone that hour might make a difference, but if you’re just looking for a phone that will get you through a typical day then either will likely suffice.

Wrap-up

So who should buy the iPhone 11, and who should save the extra cash and get the XR? If photo-taking is any kind of priority, then we think the 11 is worth the extra money. Its use of more sophisticated photo processing will make a noticeable difference to photo quality, especially in low light, and an additional ultra-wide angle lens could prove a huge benefit when shooting landscapes or group photos, or in tight quarters.

The iPhone XR is still a perfectly capable camera though, with color rendering that we prefer over the Google Pixel 3. If you aren’t one to push the limits with its capabilities in low light, and you don’t need the ultra-wide lens of the 11, the XR will serve you quite well.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Technical readouts reveal faster shutter speeds, improved ISO and more in iPhone 11 Pro

20 Sep

Like he did last year for the iPhone XS, Sebastiaan de With, co-founder of the iOS camera app Halide, has again made use his app’s technical readout feature to obtain additional camera specifications above and beyond what can be found in the official spec sheet. He’s broken down the data and compared the new iPhone 11 Pro to last year’s XS model. Let’s have a closer look at his findings:

The 11 Pro main camera comes with a 6-element lens that offers a 26mm equivalent focal length and F1.8 aperture. The chart below details the changes between the XS and the new model. As you can see the base ISO on all of the camera modules has increased by half a stop, the maximum shutter speed has been increased from 1/22,000 sec to a whopping 1/125,000 sec and the maximum ISO has been expanded to ISO 3072 vs the previous ISO 2304 limit, coinciding with the increased base ISO level.

It’s not quite clear at this point what the blisteringly fast shutter speeds could be used for. The increased maximum ISO doesn’t necessarily mean that the new iPhone will produce lower levels of image noise at a given ISO setting but it should be able to achieve better exposures in very dark settings.

Apple iPhone XS versus 11 Pro main camera comparison, source: Halide

As before, the telephoto cameras features a 52mm equivalent focal length but now comes with a faster F2.0 aperture. This should improve low light tele photos and should also produce a more visible ‘natural’ bokeh than on the iPhone XS.

Apple iPhone XS versus 11 Pro tele camera comparison, source: Halide

The iPhone XS did not come with an ultra-wide camera, so we can’t compare but the new camera offers a 13mm equivalent field-of-view, an F2.4 aperture lens and phase detection AF.

Apple iPhone 11 Pro ultra-wide camera specifications, source: Halide

The front camera has been updated, too. It now features faster shutter speeds, a higher maximum ISO, larger image output size and a wider field-of-view.

Apple iPhone XS versus 11 Pro front camera comparison, source: Halide

Overall the hardware changes don’t look too impressive on paper, but they are of course only a (small) part of the whole story as Sebastiaan points out in the blog post:

‘It’s kind of unbelievable that even with the glowing reviews out today, Apple has said that there’s more software processing yet to come. We’re told Deep Fusion is a very big leap in post-processing quality, but with the changes to Smart HDR, Semantic Mapping in the imaging pipeline and discrete situational processing like Night Mode, these specs are the furthest from the whole story on the new iPhone cameras yet.’

The Halide app is available from the iOS App Store for iPhone and Apple Watch and will set you back $ 6.

Image credits: Charts used with permission from Sebastiaan de With, developer of Halide.

Updated (September 19, 2019): Edited to clarify the increased ISO ratings and base ISO levels.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Huawei’s Mate 30 Pro offers quad-camera array, 4K60 video, cinematic bokeh and more

20 Sep

Today, Huawei unveiled the Mate 30 Pro at a launch event in Munich, Germany. The device is Huawei’s latest flagship and much like Apple’s presentation last week, there was a strong emphasis on the imaging capabilities of the device.

Mate 30 Pro

At the heart of the Mate 30 Pro smartphones is the Kirin 990 processor, a chipset that will come in 4G and 5G versions for various markets. This marks the first time we’ve seen the Kirin 990 in a device and carries on the trend of Huawei putting its latest, most advanced chipset in its Mate series smartphones.

The screen on the Mate 30 Pro is a 6.53-inch curved OLED ‘Horizon’ display with a resolution of 2,400 x 1,176 pixels. The ‘Horizon’ nickname refers to the wrap-around screen, which covers the edges of the device and serves as a means of changing settings via virtual buttons on the sides of the device.

On the imaging front, the Mate 30 Pro feature a Leica-branded camera unit on the rear of the devices that features four cameras: a 40-megapixel super-wide-angle camera with an F1.8 aperture and a 1/1.7-inch sensor (17mm 35mm equivalent), a wide-angle image-stabilized 40-megapixel wide-angle camera with an F1.6 aperture and 1/1.7-inch sensor (27mm 35mm equivalent), an image-stabilized 8-megapixel 3x telephoto camera with an F2.4 aperture (80mm 35mm equivalent) as well as a time-of-flight (ToF) camera for improved depth-sensing.

Considering the image processing capabilities of the Kirin 990 chipset, it shouldn’t come as a surprise the Mate 30 Pro will feature impressive photo and video capabilities. In addition to 4K video at 60 frames per second, the phones can also capture slo-mo 1080p video at up to 960 fps and 720p video at up to 7,680 fps. Huawei also showed off a 4K HDR+ time-lapse function with up to 12-hours of recording as well as a real-time ‘cinematic bokeh’ mode for video.

The front-facing selfie camera is a whopping 32-megapixels and will work with a number of AR photo and video features within the operating system (OS) and third-party applications, including new gesture-control functionality.

Speaking of the operating system, the Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro both run on EMUI 10, a Huawei-created OS that takes a great deal of inspiration from Google’s latest mobile operating system Android 10. After being blacklisted by the United States government over security concerns, Huawei announced it was investing $ 1 billion into its operating system and app ecosystem. The Mate 30 Pro (and the Mate 30, which we’ve addressed below) are the first devices to use this new system.

Tucked inside the device is a 4500mAh battery that supports Huawei SuperCharge up to 40W and wireless charging up to 27W.

The Mate 30 Pro will come in six colors: silver, green, purple, black and two vegan leather options— green and orange. The device is IP68 water- and dust-resistant.

Mate 30

Alongside the flagship Mate 30 Pro, Huawei also announced the more budget-friendly Mate 30. The Mate 30 features a slightly larger display but a decreased resolution of 2,340 x 1,080 pixels. It also swaps out the 40-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera for a 16-megapixel sensor and a slower F2.2 aperture, removes the ToF sensor the Mate 30 Pro offers and shrinks the battery to 4,200mAh.

Video from the camera modules is also limited in the Mate 30; 4K video can still be shot at 60 fps, but slo-mo is limited to 960 fps in 720p. Interestingly enough, Huawei has included a 3.5mm headphone jack in the Mate 30 while ditching it for the Mate 30 Pro, so if you want wired audio, you’re better off with the Mate 30.

Pricing and availability

The Huawei Mate 30 will be available with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage starting at €799. The Mate 30 Pro will feature 8GB of storage as well, but boost internal storage to 256GB starting at €1099 for the 4G model and €1199 for the 5G model. Regional availability was not disclosed as of publishing this article.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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ON1 Photo RAW 2020 public beta arrives with AI-powered tools and improved speeds

20 Sep

ON1 has taken the wraps off its upcoming ON1 Photo RAW 2020. The software arrived as a public beta today, introducing the first offering in ON1’s recently announced new line of creative products. Photo RAW 2020 is a layered editor, raw processor, and image organizer that ON1 claims offers ‘everything you need in one photography application.’

Photo RAW 2020 brings new AI-powered tools including AI Match, a feature that processes raw images to appear the way they looked ‘on the back of the camera,’ as well as AI Auto Tone, which brings a new algorithm that was trained using thousands of photos.

In addition to the new AI tools, Photo RAW 2020 brings numerous performance updates that enable the software to open raw files up to two times faster than before. The performance updates also resulted in smoother brushing, something that persists even on devices that feature integrated graphics cards.

Users can also expect improved noise reduction, new map view and timeline albums, several new filters (weather, color balance, channel mixer, and sun flare), plus a new print module, focus mask overlay, more than 100 new presets, SmugMug integration, and custom camera profiles made possible by a partnership with X-Rite.

ON1 says it will release a list of newly added camera and lens support soon. Photo RAW 2020 supports raw image files from more than 800 camera models, as well as expected formats like DNG, JPEG, TIF, PNG, PSD, and PSB.

Below is a sneak peek On1 shared earlier today:

The public beta is available to download now from ON1’s website. Photo RAW 2020 can be preordered at $ 79.99 USD for existing ON1 product owners and $ 99.99 USD for everyone else. The company is bundling a 100 pack of presets for a limited time as a preorder bonus. The product is scheduled to release for everyone by the end of October 2019.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Godox’s new R1 and RF1 lights are compact LED discs that look a little familiar

20 Sep

Godox has unveiled the R1 and RF1, a pair of LED-powered lights designed to be compact and portable for photographers and videographers on the go.

Before we dive into the good stuff though, let’s go ahead and address the elephant in the room—yes, theses lights and their accompanying dome accessory bear a striking resemblance to Profoto’s new C1 and C1 Plus lights.

The functionality is slightly different and Godox doesn’t consider its R1 and RF1 units ’studio’ quality, but it’s difficult to overlook the uncanny similarities between the four units.

With that out of the way, let’s get down to the details. Both the R1 and RF1 are compact lights that feature integrated magnets for Godox’s AK-R1 round head accessories (sold separately) and securing to surfaces for easy mounting. The units are charged via the onboard USB-C port and settings are controlled via the Godox app over Bluetooth.

The R1 is the entry-level version that features RGB LED lights with variable color temperature (2500K-8500K) and a Television Lighting Consistency Index (TLCI) of >95. The R1 is designed for continuous use with variable power output and a features battery life rating of one hour when used at full power.

Godox says the R1 features 14 different RGB lighting modes—including ‘music,’ ‘lightning,’ ‘screen,’ ‘candlelight’ and more—as well as 8 other modes that change the color temperature.

The RF1 is identical to the R1 with the expiation that unlike the R1, which is limited to continuous mode, the RF1 features Godox’s 2.4Ghz Wireless X System, which turns it into a flash when used with computable Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, Olympus and Pentax camera systems.

Godox doesn’t offer any information on output power, recycling time or even pricing and availability information. We have contacted Godox regarding these details and will update the article accordingly when we hear back. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see. That said, it’s probably a safe bet that both of these units will come in much cheaper than the $ 299 and $ 499 price tag Profoto is asking for its C1 and C1 Plus units, respectively.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DPReview TV: The return of Canon’s eye-controlled focus?

19 Sep

Back in the film days Canon had ‘eye-controlled’ focus that let you set an AF point just by looking at it, and a recent patent suggests Canon is still interested in this technology. Chris and Jordan consider what a modern eye-controlled AF system might mean to photographers.

Want to read more about Canon’s eye-controlled focus system? Check out our Throwback Thursday article that looks back at this unique feature.

Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

  • Introduction
  • The Canon EOS 3
  • Eye-controlled AF
  • Eye-controlled AF challenges
  • How a new eye-controlled AF system could work
  • Selecting faces and eyes
  • Do we need updated eye-controlled AF?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Confirmed: Leica, Nikon and Olympus won’t be attending Photokina 2020

19 Sep

In a press release on its website, Photokina has confirmed that Nikon, Leica and Olympus have all opted out of attention the 2020 trade show.

The press release, titled ‘Photokina 2020: An Industry in Transformation, a Decisive Chance for the Future,‘ buries the lede by first elaborating on the current state of the camera market and following it up with the significance of a trade show such as Photokina. The press release starts out saying:

‘The imaging industry is currently undergoing massive changes, which also have an impact on Photokina as the industry’s leading trade fair – and this in a dimension never seen before. While on the one hand the classic camera market reports strongly declining sales and turnover figures, the enjoyment of photography continues to grow – with a positive effect on the demand for pictures.’

Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH, goes on to say that Photokina ‘represents a unique opportunity’ and notes that ‘[Photokina is] relying on the major players of the industry to make the greatest possible use of this opportunity.’

It’s not until two paragraphs later the press release confirms three ‘major players’ won’t be attending the trade show after first expressing gratitude to multiple other manufacturers for attending:

‘”We look forward to strong demand and applications from both the new and the classic segments of companies like Canon, CEWE, GoPro, Sony, Panasonic, Kodak Alaris, Sigma, Tamron, Carl Zeiss, Hasselblad, Hahnemühle, Arri, Rode Mikrophones, DJI and Insta360,” says Christoph Werner, Vice President of Koelnmesse. These are contrasted by cancellations, including from Leica, Nikon and Olympus.’

The press release goes on to say these cancellations change nothing for Photokina 2020 and ensures that the show will go on, but losing three major manufacturers in a single year is never a good sign. We saw this happen with PMA years ago and once a few left the expo, the rest quickly followed.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Apple paid $400 in an attempt to trademark the word ‘Slofies’

19 Sep

Last week Apple showed off the slow-mo video capabilities of the front-facing camera on its new iPhone 11 models through the use of ‘Slofies,’ a portmanteau for the words slow-mo and selfies.

At the time, the concept was presented as a humorous take on selfies — which itself is a shortened version of of the phrase self-portrait — but not much more. Turns out, that might not be the case, as Apple has applied for a U.S. trademark for ‘Slofie,’ which would give them the ability to limit how the word is used.

The ‘drawing’ used in the trademark filing to show the phrase attempting to be trademarked.

All of Apple’s iPhone 11 models feature a front-facing camera that can record up to 120 frames per second (fps). As detailed in its demonstration video, the result, when slowed down, is a humorous slow-motion clip that puts a — sometimes literal — spin on selfies.

According to the filing, Apple hopes to trademark selfies as the word pertains to ‘downloadable computer software for use in capturing and recording video.’ Apple says the intent of the filing is to ensure it ‘has a bona fide intention, and is entitled, to use the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods/services.’

As pointed out by The Verge, this likely ‘means this trademark seems to be more about preventing other companies from making slofie-branded camera apps than it is about limiting popular usage of this totally made-up word.’

According to the filing, Apple paid $ 400 for filing the trademark application.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Profoto launches C1, C1 Plus mini studio lights for smartphones

19 Sep

Profoto has unveiled a small studio light that was designed specifically for smartphone use. The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus are small enough to fit in a pocket, retaining the same portability of smartphones while offering more advanced lighting capabilities than what is offered by the average phone flash.

The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus both feature rounded designs, as well as automatic flash power and exposure alongside a manual control option. The lights are designed to wirelessly connect with the user’s smartphone using Bluetooth, after which point they work in tandem with the Profoto camera app.

Both models feature a Li-Polymer battery that recharges in two hours using USB-C. The fully charged battery can power up to 2,000 full-power flashes, also offering 30 minutes of continuous light for the C1 and 40 minutes of continuous light for the C1 Plus. Both models produce ‘close to daylight’ colors with a color rendering index >90.

The Profoto C1 model has a max 1600 lumens and 800 lux flash output, four warm and three cool LEDs for color temperatures ranging from 3000-6500K, and inner reflectors under the integrated dome diffuser for producing ‘natural shadows.’ When used as a modeling light, the model offers max 280 lumens / 140 lux and CRI 90-98.

The C1 Plus is more advanced, offering a max flash output of 4300 lumens and 1700 lux, a click-on magnetic mount for using light-shaping accessories, a 1/4″-20 thread for mounting the light, and compatibility with all of Profoto’s AirTTL remotes. When used as a modeling light, this model offers max 280 lumens / 140 lux and CRI 90-98. Both the C1 and C1 Plus feature manual capture buttons on the lights.

The Profoto C1 and C1 Plus lights are available to order from a number of retailers, including B&H Photo and Adorama, for $ 299 and $ 499, respectively.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sony a7R IV initial review: What’s new and how it compares

18 Sep

The Sony a7R IV is the company’s fourth generation, high-resolution full-frame mirrorless camera and is built around a 60MP BSI-CMOS sensor. Relative to previous generations, it promises more robust build quality, refined controls, the company’s latest autofocus implementation, and more.

Despite its high resolution, it can shoot at up to 10 frames per second with full autofocus and shoot 4K video either from the full width of its sensor or from an APS-C/Super 35 crop. It also gains a 16-shot high-resolution mode that can be used to generate 240MP images of static scenes.

Key takeaways

  • 60MP BSI CMOS full-frame sensor
  • Powerful yet easy-to-use AF tracking system
  • 10 fps burst shooting (12-bit Raw mode)
  • 5.76M dot OLED viewfinder
  • 4K video from full sensor width (sub-sampled) or oversampled from roughly-Super35 crops
  • 4 or 16-shot high resolution modes (up to 240MP images for static subjects)
  • S-Log 2, S-Log 3 and ‘HLG’ video modes (8-bit only)

As well as an increase in resolution, the a7R Mark IV sees an increase in price: at $ 3499, it’s being launched for $ 300 more than the a7R III was.

What’s new and how it compares

The a7R IV comes with a host of refinements both inside and out – here’s where to find them.

Read more

Body, handling and controls

From redesigned buttons to a deeper grip, the a7R IV feels substantial without weighing you down.

Read more

Sample gallery

Check out our sample gallery to see what 60MP of resolution could do for your photography.

Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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