iPhone 8/Plus iPhone 8 Plus - stock camera app not using telephoto lens

[iosuser]

I just bought an 8+, so I been checking out the camera. What surprised me was when I covered the telephoto lens while at 2x that I could still see a picture Even under daylight earlier today while outside, much of the time while at 2x it would still use the wide camera when using the stock camera app, although here were a few times that it did use the tele lens. Then I switched to 645 Pro and Camera+ and I’m able to switch between the two cameras at will.

So it seems to me when using the stock camera app, it is using software zoom much of the time. What is going on here? I just updated to 11.2. The phone came out of the box with 11.03, but I didn’t try the camera and went straight to 11.2 before even using the phone. Can some of you guys try your tele camera and see if it’s happening on your phone?

 

[fred98tj]

It will use digital zoom if there isn’t “enough” light for the longer lens. Remember the longer lens is a fair amount slower than the shorter lens.
I use 3rd party apps almost exclusively anyway so, as you found out, I can pick and choose.

 

[betasp]

The app determines which lens to use (it always has). I don't know if anyone know the algorithm it uses to determine when to switch.


https://www.macrumors.com/2017/11/23/iphone-x-test-improved-telephoto-lens/

 

[iosuser]

It will use digital zoom if there isn’t “enough” light for the longer lens. Remember the longer lens is a fair amount slower than the shorter lens.
I use 3rd party apps almost exclusively anyway so, as you found out, I can pick and choose.

The app determines which lens to use (it always has). I don't know if anyone know the algorithm it uses to determine when to switch.


https://www.macrumors.com/2017/11/23/iphone-x-test-improved-telephoto-lens/

Thanks for the pointer. I figured as much. Just now I did my own sort of studio test. I had an object directly lit under a 100w light and the stock camera app still refuses to engage the tele camera. Another example of Apple knows best for everyone.

 

[fred98tj]

Thanks for the pointer. I figured as much. Just now I did my own sort of studio test. I had an object directly lit under a 100w light and the stock camera app still refuses to engage the tele camera. Another example of Apple knows best for everyone.

It’s not a secret that the native camera app works this way. It’s been well documented.
Many of the 3rd party camera apps that offer manual controls allow you to chose which cam to use for a photo.

 

[Atomic Walrus]

Thanks for the pointer. I figured as much. Just now I did my own sort of studio test. I had an object directly lit under a 100w light and the stock camera app still refuses to engage the tele camera. Another example of Apple knows best for everyone.

Without optical stabilization, the images from the wide angle lens will often be better unless you’re in daylight-like lighting conditions. So the bias for wide angle is pretty severe in anything less than daylight.

This also means that if you have very steady hands, or are using a stand of some type, that the camera app will often be making the wrong choice and you’ll be better off with a 3rd party app.

Now, if you test the stock camera app in daylight and it still doesn’t use the telephoto camera you may actually have a hardware issue of some sort.

 

[iosuser]

It’s not a secret that the native camera app works this way. It’s been well documented.
Many of the 3rd party camera apps that offer manual controls allow you to chose which cam to use for a photo.

Although I never thought I would go with a Plus sized phone, I did read many reviews and saw many Youtube videos on how the cameras fare. I did not recall any of them pointing out that it only engages the tele camera under what the phone thinks is ideal conditions.

Without optical stabilization, the images from the wide angle lens will often be better unless you’re in daylight-like lighting conditions. So the bias for wide angle is pretty severe in anything less than daylight.

This also means that if you have very steady hands, or are using a stand of some type, that the camera app will often be making the wrong choice and you’ll be better off with a 3rd party app.

Now, if you test the stock camera app in daylight and it still doesn’t use the telephoto camera you may actually have a hardware issue of some sort.

What is funny is when I was messing with it last night, pointing the camera directly into the 100W light bulb, it still wouldn't engage the tele camera. Just now, I'm pointing it into my monitor and it went straight to the tele camera. Yesterday I was pointing out the window under full daylight and it did not engage the tele camera. So it seems to have a mind of its own, and given that I can choose between the wide and tele camera at will with a 3rd party camera app, hardware issue can be ruled out.

I kind of get why Apple implemented it this way, so that they don't get complaints over dim and/or blurry shots under low light conditions. I would've at least appreciated an indicator telling me when it's using the software zoom so that I can take action to avoid it. I know perfectly well how to operate a camera, having used to be a camera nut myself. However, I like the simplicity of the stock camera app. Just look at the clutter that is the 645 Pro camera app UI. I know there's a price to be paid for simplicity, but I'm still surprised it is forcing the use of software zoom.

In my book, using digital zoom is as big a sin as shooting portrait videos, neither of which I'll ever do lol. I can decide for myself when the tele camera is not ideal, and choose to use the wide camera myself and crop it later on, APPLE