Archives for November 2019

Technical Camera 1.6 : Keeping the Lowest ISO

November 29, 2019 by

Technical Camera 1.6 introduced a new option, Keep Lowest ISO. But let’s start with a little background information.

Multiple cameras on an iPhone usually have different ISO ranges. For example on the iPhone 11 Pro Max, the ultra wide camera’s ISO range is 21-2010, while the wide camera’s range is 32-3070. The telephoto camera is capable of ISO values identical to the ultra wide.

The difference on the high end of these ranges doesn’t really matter as everything above ISO 400 tends to produce unacceptable results for serious photography, and ISOs above 1600 are pretty much useless.

But the low end is different. You have to use the lowest ISO possible to get the highest image quality. And switching between cameras having a different lowest ISO value in manual ISO mode was a bit of a pain, as you had to adjust the manually set value every time.

This is no longer the case in version 1.6. If you turn the Keep Lowest ISO option on in the menu, the app will automatically set the lowest possible ISO on the camera you switched to, given that you had the lowest ISO set on the camera you’re switching from. Please note that this works only in manual ISO mode. And that’s it. A pretty simple but highly effective feature for those pursuing the highest possible image quality even in mobile photography.

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Artist’s Viewfinder 6.5 Released with iPhone 11 Ultra Wide Camera Support

November 2, 2019 by

Version 6.5 of the Mark II Artist’s Viewfinder is now available on the App Store. This release brings long-awaited iPhone 11 ultra wide camera support.

We did face two serious challenges with the new phones.

First, despite being ordered on September 13, our iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max was delivered only on October 16. At first, the estimated delivery date was October 1, which had suddenly slipped to October 25.

After a series of rather angry phone calls, we finally got the devices on the 16th. As I mentioned earlier, Apple doesn’t treat developers equally in each country, putting us at serious competitive disadvantage, and causing excess costs. This is an ongoing issue since we started this business a decade ago, and I’m not going to dissemble it any more.

Second, the ultra wide camera “out of the box” turned out to be grossly inadequate for the task. To begin with, its angle of view differs between live view and taken pictures. And to add insult to injury, Apple’s distortion correction leaves heavy barrel distortion. Unacceptable things for a precision instrument like Artist’s Viewfinder.

Fortunately we have proven, mature distortion correction technology since 2013, so disabling Apple’s stuff and rolling out our own resolved the issue. But at this point we had to buy an iPhone 11 too, just to profile the ultra wide camera…

So after two and a half weeks of hard work the app is ready, and I’m pleased with the results. The ultra wide camera works like a 0.5x-class converter lens and can simulate a 15mm lens on the 35mm format (a 14mm is slightly clipped), or the Rodenstock HR Digaron-S 23mm f/5.6 with a 40x54mm back.

Marketing folks tend to live in an alternate universe where math is distorted. Apple markets the iPhone 11 as having a 13mm and 26mm equivalent (in 35mm terms) camera. The reality is that in 35mm terms, the horizontal (longer side) angles are equivalent to 14.5mm and 28mm lenses. Maybe they are comparing the diagonal angles, which although let them show shorter focal lengths because of the aspect ratio difference (2:3 vs 3:4), is misleading. It’s just like when Canon marketed a 6000×4000 pixel camera having 24.3 megapixels… Where the hell that 0.3 megapixels are coming from? (Well, maybe from the inactive sensor area being included in the megapixels number, but its still cheesy.)

Sorry, I had to vent… Now back on track.

Just like a regular wide converter, the ultra wide camera can be activated with the WIDE icon on the Quick Control Screen or via the Toggle Wide Mode function assigned to a Smart Function Key.

RAW capture, optical image stabilization and focusing is not available with the ultra wide camera due to hardware limitations.

Using external accessory lenses with iPhone 11 models is not supported. You don’t need one, just mention it for the sake of completeness.

The Viewfinder Handbook was also updated to reflect the new features.

This update is free for existing users. New users can purchase the app in the App Store.

Filed Under: My Apps, Photo Software Tagged With: , , , ,

Technical Camera 1.6 : The Ultra Wide Camera

November 2, 2019 by

The most heavily touted feature of the iPhone 11 series is the ultra wide camera. Don’t get me wrong, it is a useful tool, but disappointment is guaranteed if you blindly believe the marketing spiel.

Why? Because the ultra wide camera isn’t a first class citizen on the iPhone. It can’t shoot RAW, doesn’t have optical image stabilization, has no focusing of any kind and has severe distortion that is only partially corrected by iOS. You may wish to read my former post for more details.

It was a real challenge to make this thing live up to the quality demands of Technical Camera and to the high expectations of its users. There are a few aspect we can’t change, because hardware is given. But fortunately, I’m a seasoned expert in the correction of the most annoying of its properties: distortion.

Time to show off…

Technical Camera distortion correction compared

There’s no need to talk a lot about it. Technical Camera can give you a well corrected, almost perfectly rectilinear image, while the built-in camera app – and most others – simply can’t. This is where six and a half years of experience shows. So if you shoot buildings, interiors, or anything else where barrel distortion is a problem, then you will appreciate my app.

The apparent image quality difference which comes through even at this small size is partly attributable to the ability to use manual ISO in Technical Camera. The above image was shot at ISO 200, while Apple’s Camera app used ISO 1250.

Live view in Technical Camera shows you exactly what you get in the final picture, so you can frame your shot precisely. Apple’s camera app captures a little wider (and more distorted) image than its live view shows.

On the positive side, the ultra wide camera provides better image quality than any wide converter accessory lens I’ve ever created a distortion correction profile for. You still get corner smearing, so I do recommend to use a lower resolution image quality setting, such as JPG Quarter HQ with this camera.

Speaking of image quality settings…

If you happen to use an album that has RAW set as the image quality, and subsequently switch to the ultra wide camera, the app will warn you that since that camera can’t shoot RAW, JPG will be used instead. You can also choose to hide this warning. But don’t worry, it can be restored with the Warnings screen in the menu.

OK, but how do you switch to the ultra wide camera? There are two ways. You can use the WIDE icon on the Camera Options screen (which can be displayed by tapping the circle icon in the corner of the main screen). Tap the WIDE icon again to return to the default wide angle camera. Alternatively, you can set up a Smart Function Key with the Toggle Wide Mode function (the exact same way you do with a wide converter accessory lens). The latter method is what I use personally.

Version 1.6 is a free update for existing Technical Camera owners. New users can purchase the app in the App Store.

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