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Introduction
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01.Product Tour
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02.Colour & Noise Performance
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03.Motion & Sharpness Performance
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04.Low Light Performance
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05.Compression & Media
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06.Manual Controls
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07.Still Features
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08.Handling & Use
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09.Playback & Connectivity
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10.Audio & Other Features
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11.Samsung Omnia Comparison
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12.Flip UltraHD Comparison
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13.Sony MHS-PM1 Comparison
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14.Conclusion
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15.Photo Gallery
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16.Specs and Ratings
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17.Photo Gallery
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18.Specs and Ratings
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19.Comments
Apple iPhone 3G S
Previous:
IntroductionNext: Part 2
Colour & Noise Performance
Product Tour Summary
• The lens and sensor seem to be about the same as what you find in ultra compact camcorders like the Flip UltraHD and others
• The iPhone looks like neither a cellphone nor a camcorder—good if you are a bit technophobic, but bad if you are more comfortable with familiarity
• Most people will find the iPhone to be an attractive piece of hardware
• No tripod mount (or image stabilisation) means shaky video
Lens & Imaging System
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| The lens is tiny, but offers a wide angle for recording |
Even though the iPhone 3G S has a tiny lens, it was able to capture video at a very wide angle. We tested the phone's wide angle at 49 degrees, which is significantly wider than the Flip UltraHD (42 degrees) and far wider than the Sony MHS-PM1 (34 degrees). The lens is not fixed, as the phone utilizes an autofocus system before recording begins. Once you start shooting, however, the lens locks and focus doesn't change. The lens has no optical or digital zoom.
| Lens | Sensor | |||
| Filter Diameter | none | Type | unknown | |
| Focal Range | 3.85mm | Size | unknown | |
| Focal Range (35mm equiv.) | 37mm | Pixel Count (Gross) | 3,000,000 | |
| Aperture | f/2.8 | Pixel Count (Effective) | unknown | |
| Lab Tested Wide Angle* | 49° | |||
| * How We Test Wide Angle | ||||
Front
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| The heart of it all, for our purposes. The lens has a fixed f/2.8 aperture. According to our estimations, the focus | |||
| The 'front' of the iPhone, at least when considering it as a camera. | |||
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Right
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| Not a blessed thing on this side. | ![]() |
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Back
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| Speaker (for the ear) for phone conversations. A separate speaker on the bottom is used for rings, music, etc. | ||
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| The Home button is used for multiple functions. | ||
Left
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Ringer/silent mode switch | |||
| Volume up/down | ![]() |
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Top
| Power on/off | Headphone jack | ||||
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SIM card tray | ![]() |
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Bottom
| Dock/data connector | ||||||
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Loudspeaker | ![]() |
Microphone | ![]() |
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Latest News & Reviews
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29-Apr-2011
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10-Mar-2011
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Canon Legria HF G10
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JVC Everio GZ-HM1
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£966.505Canon Legria HF S21
Canon's new flagship model, the HF S21, has a lot of exciting new features and controls. Its 64GB of internal flash memory, two SD/SDHC memory card slots, and the touchscreen LCD make the HF S21 one of the most appealing camcorders of 2010. Read full 17-part review
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