Submitted by Alphanova1 t3_10xxgb3 in iphone

Like many have said on here in the past few months I hate the way my photos look with the over sharpening and what looks to be crazy noise reduction. I'm having to take all of my photos in RAW but then some details are kind of blurry... shoot without RAW and it looks like the sharpness has been maxed out. It's quite a shock to me because I had my XS Max for 3 years and finally upgraded because of my battery failing and the higher MP camera had me interested in the Pro.

Why hasn't Apple addressed this issue?

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[deleted] t1_j7uq1px wrote

  • Why hasn’t Apple addressed this issue

Because Apple doesn’t believe that it is an issue.

178

clbw t1_j7uqck0 wrote

I’m am not experiencing the issue I shot only in RAW, but I also always edit my photo on the fly. Have you tried editing to see what the sharpness is set to?

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Alphanova1 OP t1_j7uqpyf wrote

If people are complaining then its an issue... I don't want my photos automatically edited after I click the shutter button. This is my biggest problem with this phone and I really hope they address this because it's the first time since 2014 that I have thought about moving away from Apple to Samsung. 😒

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sparksdls t1_j7ur0wj wrote

I use Halide for my 14PM shots - 48MP & ProRAW. Better results than the stock camera app.

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Alphanova1 OP t1_j7urcza wrote

Oddly enough when I take a photo and go to edit the sharpness it set all the way to the left at 0. Some photos look fantastic but some lower light it's just blows out the sharpness so much it looks horrible.

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officialimicca t1_j7uu3zi wrote

Focus is horrendous on 14 pro.

Zoom during facetime calls - garbage

Battery life on 1y old used 13 pro is same as 14pro.

Man…

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Idontmatter69420 t1_j7uvs3b wrote

On my 14 pictures are only bad quality if it's zoomed in on something kinda far

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kakjebakje t1_j7uxqr9 wrote

If you are shooting in ProRAW then I highly suggest downloading Lightroom mobile, importing the ProRAW photo there and scrolling to the “profiles” tab. Then, either choose a different profile like Adobe Color or change the Apple ProRAW to 0. This will fix most of the “overly-processed” look you get, and brings your photos back to a neutral state. Try it out!

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bristow84 t1_j7uy6e0 wrote

As others have said, Apple doesn't believe it's an issue. There's definitely a large amount of processing going on in photos so I alternate between using the stock camera app and Halide depending on situation.

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Polrous t1_j7v1off wrote

I do the same. I use Halide as my default camera app now that I can take 48MP HEICs only within Halide, along with ProRAW since well.. being able to adjust focus manually and such is crucial. Along with Focus Peaking.

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Polrous t1_j7v2vf3 wrote

That is because when you zoom in on digital zoom ranges (not talking the default selectable .5x, 1x, 2x, 3x, anything in between those and beyond 3x which is digital zoom).. Apple decided “we should force photos to go through AI upscaling to 12MP”. It is where the dreaded water painting effect comes in full force, otherwise it is usually fine when bounding yourself to physical lenses.

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TWYFAN97 t1_j7vedna wrote

I only see this issue in certain lower light conditions right before night mode kicks in. Otherwise daytime pics look excellent. See about changing photographic styles if your constantly having issues. If that doesn’t help you could have more of an issue.

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Kiergard t1_j7vff03 wrote

Apple doesnt see an issue there. It is clearly. 14 Pro is definitely apples laziest phone yet. My wifes 13 mini takes better pictures.

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salvatorepolito t1_j7vgsxi wrote

Give my app a try! I let users choice the amount of Post Processing applied, defaulting to lowest possible. Of course not everything can be disabled (noise reduction for instance), however all my tester reported effective results.

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Alphanova1 OP t1_j7vhjr8 wrote

Your comment adds zero substance to the conversation. I was due for an upgrade and battery replacement costs aren’t worth it when Verizon gave me $700 trade in on the old device. Please see yourself out troll.

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Fit-Mathematician361 t1_j7vi6w2 wrote

All this evolution for this… for this price… I have the 13 pro and it’s the same battle to keep my photos away from too much auto correction/sabotage

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unodetachomindo t1_j7vkvso wrote

Should hopefully be resolved in updates by the time iPhone 15 series comes out..

Pixel went through something similar when they upgraded their camera lens..

All the extra processing is needed to make the 12mp lens photos look good.. but with a better lens, the processing is too much

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Stinodotbe t1_j7vl4lq wrote

My gf has the iPhone 14 Pro, photo’s look very good. Maybe you’re doing something wrong?

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SeeYouHenTee t1_j7vmx37 wrote

How is this trolling? You complaining to online nobody’s add nothing to get your problem solved. My iPhone takes nice pictures for my taste. Don’t like yours? Apple has a support app you can go and complain to as well as a feedback website to send them suggestions.

Coming here will do nothing to change the camera processing apple set.

You’re the one who spent money to get a phone that takes worse pictures in your opinion than your previous one, not me.

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SeeYouHenTee t1_j7vnyu4 wrote

If the users complain on online forums Instead of going to Apple directly to request change what’s it gonna do for them?

“Why has Apple no addressed this issue?” Because most people don’t complain trough the right channels or to the right people.

Like complaining to your dog about an issue you have with someone.

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Solivagant4321 t1_j7vprtr wrote

I moved from pixel 7 pro and the photos on my 14 pro max look worse… I really didn’t expect it look this bad. It’s looks low res and grainy

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Polrous t1_j7vrvyc wrote

I mention most of that because I actually didn’t know that myself until recent months, that upscaling part. I assumed for the longest time it would just capture as-is and not upscale the image to 12MP. It’s rather weird but I guess it’s what Apple assumes consumers “want”

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AccordingDependent47 t1_j7vvm2b wrote

This has always been the dilemma with cameras on smartphones. I’ve had this conversation since some of the first Blackberry cameras. I can guarantee the Ip14pm has a better camera then my old sidekick 3.

My 15 year old DSLR takes better photos then any iPhone I’ve ever owned.

0

milktanksadmirer t1_j7vzo07 wrote

I got embarrassed when some friends used phone for photo and it came out over sharpened and made everyone look super ugly

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Apprehensive-Ad-8900 t1_j7w0415 wrote

people have been submitting appeals to change the heavy processing through the links apple set for problems etc, since the iphone 12 came out, 3 major updates later, still no change, because they simply do not care about their users. being biased definitely won’t help either

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bristow84 t1_j7w1k2t wrote

>I don't want my photos automatically edited after I click the shutter button. This is my biggest problem with this phone and I really hope they address this because it's the first time since 2014 that I have thought about moving away from Apple to Samsung.

Yes Apple's Post-Processing is heavy but I'm pretty sure all smartphones automatically do processing and editing of the photos after clicking the shutter button.

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Superb-Working-5837 t1_j7w1tg6 wrote

The weak point of the iPhone lenses is that they lack the fancy optical coatings that the Nikon’s and Canon’s have. The evidence is the amount of chromatic aberrations which is the purple fringes around backlit things like tree branches.

Apple appears to be exploring what software can do to make things “Automagic” for the masses. As a semi-pro I want just the RAW file to tweak myself because those are important expressive choices that belong in the realm of an artist. I used to have a Nikon flagship camera and lived in photoshop, so anything automagic is just frustrating! I’d like to have a “Pro-mode” that leaves the RAW file alone! That should be easy for Apple right?

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SeeYouHenTee t1_j7w2lfr wrote

Apple head quarters : oh no a post, on an online iPhone dedicated forum of 3 700 000 people, about how bad our processing looks has gotten 30-400 upvotes, we must change everything right now

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salvatorepolito t1_j7w2ndj wrote

Actually no :/ The problem is that sensors produce images in 3:4 aspect ratio. The only way to show a full screen preview is to apply a crop, but then, when you take a photo, will either get

  • an image that is different from the preview,
  • or get a cropped image. What the system camera app does to give the illusion of being full screen is to blend a frame from the main camera with a frame from the ultrawide, but this approach isn’t allowed with manual exposure/focus.

If I get requests about this specific feature I can consider implementing, but will probably deliver cropped images.

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juwiz t1_j7w2o2r wrote

I noticed photos look much better if you shoot in ProRAW because there is much less post-processing going on.

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lw5555 t1_j7w3rsj wrote

Same here. Under some conditions the stock app just doesn't cut it at all, and Halide does a much better job in almost every circumstance. It's a juggle between file size and quality.

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Phoeptar t1_j7w9jxg wrote

As long as you aren't zooming with the "pinch" gesture you shouldn't be getting a crazy amount of noise reduction. If you are pinching try instead to tap the numbers at the bottom of the screen representing the different lenses. Otherwise take it to Apple for repair.

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MRichardTRM t1_j7wafb9 wrote

It’s not, just turn off proraw. They said it themselves it’s for photographers and not the average user. If you want the normal ease of use just don’t use proraw. It’s literally meant to be edited after the picture is taken if you use pro raw

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MarcusToGo t1_j7wai20 wrote

I think their software is not yet properly calibrated to the new bigger sensor. One does not need that much processing anymore but they will probably address it with future iPhones, since they will use this sensor with the next 2 generations. So software updates won‘t reach the 14 models.

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EfficientAccident418 t1_j7wgc0r wrote

I have to believe Apple has done its due diligence when it comes to finding out what the average smartphone user wants out of their camera. If you (like me) don’t care for the default iPhone camera output, then continue to shoot in ProRaw or use Lightroom Mobile to capture DNG images. That way you’ have the latitude you need to make your photos look the way you want.

Even if you had a professional-grade camera, you wouldn’t be happy with the native jpeg output; the algorithms that choose the level of sharpening, the colors, etc are designed around the average person. This is why most photographers shoot RAW.

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iwillletuknow t1_j7whku4 wrote

People have been complaining since the iPhone 12 that the pictures quite frankly look like garbage compared to previous models.

HDR blows out highlights where it shouldn’t, oversharpening, noise reduction, saturation… seriously, except from the general sharpness (which in my opinion is one of the least important aspects of a good photo) it‘s such a step back from the previous models and not even funny anymore.

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Idiot_In_Pants t1_j7wi2qa wrote

Starting to feel rly good about buying a 14 yday now, was a tossup between the 14 and 14 pro

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[deleted] t1_j7wittq wrote

I agree - does anyone have any suggestions for a 3rd party camera app that can mitigate the issues of the native Apple Camera app? Specifically either free or a one time purchase app, NOT one that is subscription based? 🚫

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davelake22 t1_j7wj69k wrote

ure one of a million, they aint care

−4

ThatDamnWalrus t1_j7wmbm0 wrote

Users can complain to apple directly.

It doesn’t matter until the focus groups apple runs every day agrees. If they think people want unrealistic colors through their focus group testing, it doesn’t matter what anyone emails them.

I love your enthusiasm though thinking that Apple is reading every email and addressing every issue someone has. Like this hasn’t been widely reported on by nearly every tech outlet and reviewer, as well as posted about on forums. “But hey! Just send them an email and they will fix it asap!” It’s hilarious.

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matthewball99 t1_j7wnt6p wrote

I have trouble with my 14 plus not focusing properly.

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Kranon7 t1_j7wpjnk wrote

I haven’t noticed an issue with my photos. What is happening?

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wreakon t1_j7wspps wrote

When Apple ships crap, it's the customers fault. And they are right, it's the customers fault for paying the highest price in the industry for a subpar product.

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R_Meyer1 t1_j7wtrd6 wrote

And I’m guessing you can post a picture for verification, because mine look perfectly fine.

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proudbakunkinman t1_j7wys3z wrote

Ugh. Yeah, just did a search on Reddit about this issue and seems to be a big deal. I am having a very tough time deciding between 14 and 14 Pro and this is one issue that's making me lean towards the 14 and being $200 cheaper of course (or $300 if I get the 128GB iP14 versus 256GB iP14P as the latter is minimum to take ProRes videos). I hate that the 14 can't hardware zoom but maybe I'll just buy an external telephoto lens for phones, they're like $50. Obviously not convenient having to use an extra external lens though and reduces the cost difference between the phones.

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Suicide-Snot t1_j7wyxxm wrote

Why do people who are Pro photographers say the camera is awesome? I think the photos look great but I’m no professional… 🤔

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ThatDistantStar t1_j7wzmgo wrote

Apple and all the phone manufacturers have been over sharpening, contrast boosting and noise reducing for years. I just wish I could turn off all processing but keep saving as HEIC (or JPG). RAW is just too unwieldy to work with.

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proudbakunkinman t1_j7wzwhv wrote

Yeah, I've been debating between the 2. The standard 14s photos have the same post-processing issue, have to shoot in ProRAW to get around it on the 14P/PMs and the 14P/PMs supposedly have an issue with focusing properly. I may get a 14 and buy an external lens set for macro and tele photos, they're around $50-$100 on Amazon and may be better at handling those types of shots than the built in lenses on the 14P/PMs. Inconvenient but if I'm in a photo taking mood, I can bring those with me and in every day use, the standard camera should be fine. I can use the Halide photo app to get around Apple's automatic post-processing.

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aspenextreme03 t1_j7x03kz wrote

Look fine as I shoot in raw and apply my custom settings after.

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TronFTW t1_j7x05x3 wrote

It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.

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vewfndr t1_j7x08gi wrote

Of course they do. But Apple's is awful.

Had a similar move as OP... went from the XS Max to the 13PM and not at all a fan of the processing. But I'm in the group of people Apple loves and takes advantage of because I won't be moving away because of it.

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proudbakunkinman t1_j7x18et wrote

Anyone know which iPhone generation was the last not to have this post-processing issue? iPhone 12s?

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proudbakunkinman t1_j7x1z53 wrote

They're hard to find new now since Apple stopped making them when they released the 14s. And I'm trying to get a carrier deal and with a payment plan, none have new 13P/PMs with any sort of deal or any at all. Used ones coming off of Amazon or Swappa are a gamble if you read the reviews and they don't have payment plans, you have to pay the full cost up front.

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iaymnu t1_j7x6vfc wrote

the fix will come with the iphone 15 pro pro ultra

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ConnectionLivid9956 t1_j7xaflj wrote

I think the pictures are good, I did a comparison test between the 12 and the 48 and the pictures are good

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mrchumblie t1_j7xhf7i wrote

Idk why you’re being downvoted. It’s the truth and I hope Apple acknowledges it sooner than later.

Apple does like to see things in their special way, but the over sharpening and over processing is disappointing for what is supposed to be their flagship phone.

MKHBD even made a video about it. Downvoting someone because “Apple doesn’t see it that way” is a great way to silence feedback that continue to highlight the problem to Apple across different channels.

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mrchumblie t1_j7xi08a wrote

You shouldn’t need to shoot in PRO Raw to get a decent photo on a smartphone. Stop calling people with legitimate grievances idiots.

There’s plenty of photographers who have raised the issue as of late online.

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DunderMifflin-ThisIs t1_j7xpi7u wrote

I think Deep Fusion is really messing things up in low light situations. Too much noise reduction and it leads to smearing.

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Forsaken-Sundae4797 t1_j7xrby4 wrote

I hate the freaking UFO lens flares on pretty much every other low light photo/video. It’s awful. S23 Ultra has a minimal amount of flares but iPhone is way too much!

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tattood_low_life t1_j7xri1s wrote

I’m an Apple guy, I’m in the ecosystem. But without any question, the camera fails in competition an android. I often consider switching just because of that.

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Quin1617 t1_j7y7ulc wrote

Honestly the focus is my only complaint about the camera. I pretty much never use macro mode.

Battery life is unreal, I don’t feel the urge to check my % throughout the day anymore.

Granted I have the bigger Pro.

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Eville_Tiger t1_j7y9hsb wrote

I’m very pleased with my 14 Pro photos; both 48 & 20 RAW and JPEG.

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DarkNet-Magic t1_j7ybevv wrote

https://preview.redd.it/8c7zoe5tpcha1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=5411b658ba97e322af1080ba920e29cf0d0804b4

I use an app called “JPEG to PNG” to compress my ProRAW photos to a much smaller size, while still maintaining the quality. By far the best app I’ve found - it’s free (no matter how many conversions you do) and simple as hell to use. That way I can take an unprocessed photo, but still conserve space (when needed).

I personally take all of my photos in ProRAW and videos in 4K @ 30fps ProRes. I don’t have to really worry about space, but I also don’t take photos and videos like crazy. I’m the same with my music as well though, everything is downloaded / streamed in Lossless through Apple Music. I prefer the quality over the concern for space - yet still haven’t even touched 25% of my phone storage.

Just a suggestion.

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David79YT t1_j7ybm4i wrote

11s I would say even tho I never had the 11, I actually had a galaxy s20 ultra before and I used to like it but now I hated it! Switched to 12, but hated it again, and then switched to a 13 pro max and I love it so much

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GrupoTonkin t1_j7yd8uk wrote

I’m just waiting for us to graduate past this utterly ridiculous three camera system.

The fact that anyone thought it made sense to flip through three different cameras while recording a video is mind-boggling to me.

I get that they’re trying to sell new phones and the technology hasn’t caught up yet, but hacking shit together like this is ridiculous. And yes I know there’s a setting to disable it.

But there are times I can’t even focus for a photo because it’s stuck on the wrong camera. It’s just crap technology. Bring back Steve Jobs.

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Temporary-Data-102 t1_j7ye2za wrote

They make iPhone camera for hobbyists and this should be clear to everyone, if you want to make professional photos just use the professional camera and stop ranting about silly cameras from smartphones as they aren’t even close to any canon or similar.

−1

Temporary-Data-102 t1_j7yek2q wrote

Those “tech reviewers” are mostly simple users not specialists so stop glorying bunch of guys with shallow tech knowledge as someone that is reputable only because his base is 10 millions of insignificant 14/20 yo guys😩

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Temporary-Data-102 t1_j7yf0pw wrote

Do you have deficit of intelligence or something? Guy who makes photos using only his smartphone isn’t a photographer because there is need almost no skill to do so, if you want to do professional photos you don’t use your smartphones camera but you invest in dedicated camera to do it.

−4

DarkNet-Magic t1_j7ypwg1 wrote

You can record ProRes with both the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro in 128GB. The difference is that you need at least a 256GB model to record in ProRes @ 4K. The 128GB models still support ProRes, but are limited to 1080p while filming in ProRes.

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DarkNet-Magic t1_j7yq998 wrote

That’s the reason ProRAW exists, for professional photography. Since professional photographers want an uncompressed photo they can adjust themselves, ProRAW doesn’t have any AI processing.

I’m not a professional photographer, but I take all of my photos in ProRAW, and shoot all of my videos in ProRes @ 4K, simply because the detail is noticeable in an uncompressed file, and because I don’t have to deal with the shitty post-processing of the 14 Pro’s camera 🙄

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TheAlphaUser t1_j7yrnr3 wrote

Why can’t they just make it simple? All these 3rd party applications just to have an original look that the stock camera app should be able to do.

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fobbybobby323 t1_j7yyyct wrote

I don't know I came from Samsung ever since the S7 to S22 Ultra and under no circumstance would I switch back to S22 Ultra camera other than for the zoom. The images created from Pixel 7 Pro, S22/S23 Ultra, Iphone all do a baseline good job and some situations one is better than the other but there's no clear cut winner overall. I feel like if I switched just for the camera then I'd find myself trading post-processing for some other post-processing that may or may not fit your preferences. Also interestingly, sometimes I noted the S22 Ultra even shooting in 108 megapixel mode some of the images looked less detailed than the Iphone 14 pro at 48 megapixel, so in general need to be careful about getting caught up in this 108 megapixel/200 megapixel jazz. Also the shutter lag is noticeable still on Samsung, even on the S23 Ultra so if that is part of your calculus you're pretty much stuck with the Pixel 7 Pro. But then if you go that route and you're worried about battery life then you're going to be worried about it even more on the Pixel.

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Pigeon_Chess t1_j7z4w3g wrote

Do you want the photo sharpened or true to life? You have to make up your mind

0

shaild t1_j7z6s6o wrote

I agree. I thought I was the only one who felt this way. Recent Apple convert after using Samsung for many years. The pictures look so awful for a USD1K phone. If I were to show these to someone they might think I took it from some cheap non branded camera. I read through the forums and Apple does not even want to recognize this issue.

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mrchumblie t1_j7zjspu wrote

Are you a troll or just intentionally misreading my point?

I’ll repeat it so I’m clear: you shouldn’t need to shoot in RAW to get decent photos on Apple’s flagship smartphone. Anyone who jumped from the iPhone XS to the 13 or 14 (pro or not) can see that there is an issue with overexposure, oversharpening, and just a general change in how HDR is being handled.

Apple took away the HDR toggle option in the camera settings starting with the 13 and imo it was a mistake.

My 14 pro takes incredible photos, especially in RAW or with third party apps, but I shouldn’t have friends asking why the stock camera settings make their photos look weird and synthetic when they upgrade to one of the newer phones.

Having to adjust the settings to get a decent photo is antithetical to apple’s ethos towards the iPhone user experience. IMO they know this is an issue but haven’t acknowledged it yet. The 15 or 16 will hopefully have the software adjusted to match the new sensors and hardware on the 14 pro.

Sorry if that makes you angry but there’s a whole lotta people with technical knowledge of cameras and photography that have raised this issue. To respond to your other reply to my other comment, yes professional photographers use “real” cameras for their work but they also snap shots with their cell phone. To discount their knowledge because they’re using a smartphone is idiotic as the gap between DSLR and smartphone cameras gets smaller as the years go by and tech improves.

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Apprehensive-Ad-8900 t1_j7zk2v7 wrote

it’s not about professional photos, it’s just wanting natural looking photos and not oil paintings once you shoot at 5x zoom, it’s annoying that a trillion dollar company can’t listen to their customers. and calling others stupid won’t make what you say valid.

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Apprehensive-Ad-8900 t1_j7zko28 wrote

every single tech outlet, reviewer and iphone user has complained and submitted feedbacks at one point, when the iphone 12 launched people used to put feedback links here so we can all submit, and every other day there’s someone complaining about it, it shows that it definitely is not a minority. plus there’s iphone users all around the world and some of them cannot even speak english so there’s no way for them to submit feedback. stop justifying apple’s actions, stop letting them restrict our freedom in our phones.

0

Spyzilla t1_j7zq8m8 wrote

You just need to use a different camera app (dark environments or very busy textures will turn to mush)

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szewc t1_j809lq7 wrote

Of course they are much worse than what you might estimate by reading this subreddit. Don't believe the hype - most people here didn't use anything other than an iPhone for 5-10 years, living in information silos.

1

szewc t1_j80aiak wrote

>Pixel went through something similar when they upgraded their camera lens.

Not really, for Pixel 6 it was something like 20% regression in picture quality for a couple of months. Plus iPhone 13 suffers from most of the same issues.

1

qingfengwuyu t1_j81pyuo wrote

I don’t think it will be fixed soon. iPhone 12 did same thing. The sky in the photo is bluer than reality. It seems like when iOS recognize this is sky, it will make it bluer. This is a problem when sky is grey, iOS still add blue color to photo. The photos just not looks normal at all. On iPhone 12, I can turn off scene detection and smart HDR. These options disappears since iPhone 13. You can try Proraw or live photo. It seems like Live Photo, the moving part has less postprocess.

1

Temporary-Data-102 t1_j835lu6 wrote

let’s set something: “having to adjust settings is unethical towards Apple consumers ethos” just where and who said this? When I first time open camera app there is guided tutorial to setup everything so your point is invalid on this aspect. Apparently yours problem is why the iPhone 14 pro when you use normal mode is doing decent photos but is using 12MP instead 48MP and this is bringing us back to HOW iPhone 14 pro does the fotos, how pixel binning works, impact of file size if you want speak star backing up your statement with real data not subjective opinions.

0

Temporary-Data-102 t1_j836laj wrote

Don’t buy iPhone 14 pro if you want do 5x zoom as it doesn’t have periscope lens.rumours are saying that they will put them on iPhone 15 pro/ultra. So still I doesn’t understand your point, as all of your arguments are ridiculous without being backed up with and data. This is driving me mad 😡

2

bowtothehypnotoad t1_j9nru17 wrote

Use Halide instead of the regular app, I’ve had much better results. Just make sure you toggle on pro+ and then when looking at the photos click DNG instead of HEIC

I have no idea what I’m doing but I know that it’s working!

1