May 05

iPhone 3.0 Firmware takes better pictures?

The iPhone camera resolution is already acceptable to many with descent picture resolution, but there’s more to image quality than just resolution. According to one series of tests, the firmware 3.0 is taking better photos than its predecessor 2.2.1.

Side by side photos were taken by Phones.ru with new iPhone firmware and old iPhone firmware. That lead comparison photo is not the result of a single snapshot, but 30 that produced similar results: Firmware 2.2.1 blurred the cat, then 3.0 blurred the cat, but so slightly less.

In the 2 pictures below, you’ll see an even more striking example at full resolution. Here, dark detail is still fairly grainy (but clearly improved), the firmware seems worlds better at exposing the bright light sources of the soda machine and street light.

The dark detail in the 3.0 shot is still not satisfactory, but updated firmware could easily be better at handling bright light by recognizing when overexposures/blow-outs were happening.

Updated firmware, in general, can make a massive difference in the SLR world, so the theory isn’t complete science, yet. We are watching for tests conducted elsewhere to confirm or deny this improvment. If anyone running iPhone OS 3.0, they are welcome to share their comments with some pictures, whenever possible.

iPhone 3.0 vs 2.2.1 picture