Cinematic Mode represents a new era in Computational Photography. Photo: Apple
Of all the things Apple revealed Tuesday, to me the most impressive was the iPhone 13’s new Cinematic mode. The depth-of-field effect creates amazing focus transitions between subjects.
Apple basically built an AI cinematographer into the iPhone 13.
The iPhone SE can take a 2D image and make it into a Portrait Mode picture with the bokeh effect. Photo: Apple
The 2020 iPhone SE is the first Apple smartphone to offer Portrait Mode photos created entirely with software techniques rather than hardware. That’s not true of any previous iOS device, not even the one you think it is.
Lux Optics, maker of Halide, examined how Apple’s new budget phone adds the bokeh effect to 2D pictures.
Google has a bunch of new hardware coming down the pipeline. Photo: Google
Google is gunning for Apple with a wave of new products designed to compete with everything from the iPhone to AirPods.
During its hour-long event this morning, Google revealed its best smartphone ever in the Pixel 4 and we must say, it actually looks pretty awesome. Google also came out with new smart speakers, WiFi routers, a new MacBook competitor and much more.
For a company that makes most of its money off of search engine ads, Google’s hardware game is finally looking like a worthy Apple challenger.
You could go into the studio – or tap High-Key Mono on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. Photo: Apple
Fashion and portrait photographer Richard Avedon produced a legendary body of black-and-white work, much of which involved isolating subjects against a pure, shadowless white backdrop.
He shot many of his photos in a studio, where assistants would carefully position large studio lights. Search this technique online and you will find scores of articles and videos on how to light both subject and background for the Avedon look.
The iPhone now lets you do this with a single finger tap, thanks to Portrait mode advances.
The Pixel 3 camera has an eye on the competition. Photo: Google
Google called its new Pixel 3 “the best end-to-end photography experience” Tuesday and has adopted features and marketing strategies that made the iPhone a global success and camera industry game-changer.
But marketing and megapixels will not be where these two smartphone cameras do battle. The competition shifts to artificial intelligence and how it makes each phone camera perform.
Apple busted out three new iPhones at its keynote. Photo: Apple
Apple’s big 2018 iPhone keynote was short on surprises this morning thanks to the bevy of leaks that came out ahead of the show.
About the only truly shocking moment was Tim Cook’s mysterious tweet before the event that turned out to be a bunch of hullabaloo about his missing slideshow clicker. Despite the lack of shocking new products, there was a lot to love at the iPhone XS event, from electrocardiograms to Liquid Retina displays.
These are the biggest takeaways from the Gather Round keynote