Apple's iPod Touch (2010) Review, Not a Poor Man's iPhone 4
by Anand Lal Shimpi on September 9, 2010 12:38 AM EST- Posted in
- Gadgets
- Apple
- iPod Touch
The Camera
The iPod Touch ships with not one, but two integrated cameras for the first time in its life. There’s a VGA camera up front and a 960 x 720 (0.7MP) camera on the back. The rear camera is a significant reduction from the 5MP sensor that ships with the iPhone 4.
Apple advertises the rear facing camera as being able to record 720p video, however that’s not exactly true. Photos are shot at 960 x 720 but video is shot at 1280 x 720. Apple appears to be using a 960 x 720 sensor to cut costs, but upscaling video to 1280 x 720. Apple’s scaler seems pretty good, the bigger problem is the sensitivity of the image sensor.
Comparing videos shot on the new iPod Touch vs. the iPhone 4 the Touch just looks more dim (see the stills below taken from videos shot at the exact same time).
iPhone 4
iPod Touch
The camera sensor on the new Touch just isn’t as sensitive as what’s on the iPhone 4, which makes sense as the 4 shipped with a very expensive sensor.
Video quality is actually quite good provided there’s sufficient light. The new iPod Touch is definitely an acceptable video camera for use in well lit situations.
As a still camera, the iPod Touch is ok for web use, once again provided that you’re shooting in well lit situations. It just doesn’t compare to what Apple used in the iPhone 4.
Compared to lesser smartphone cameras the sensor isn’t bad if you can get over the resolution. Images captured by the iPod Touch rivaled those of the Epic 4G I just reviewed, but only at lower resolutions. I put together a comparison gallery to help illustrate what I'm talking about:
The new iPod lacks an LED flash. Combine that with the less sensitive imaging sensor and low light photography is basically out of the question. Even shots taken indoors with room lighting can appear grainy.
White balance continues to be an issue for Apple’s cameras. The slam ball pictured below should be yellow like the shot from the Epic 4G, not green as captured by the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch.
iPhone 4
iPod Touch (2010)
Samsung Epic 4G
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coldpower27 - Friday, September 10, 2010 - link
I agree to some extent, though it is refreshing to see a review not praise the iPod touch as the second coming again.It's the previous generation that is for sure, but not without limitations..
Using CDN pricing.
iPod Touch 32GB - $319
Advantages
Cheaper
Thinner
Disadvantages
Weak Camera (960x720)
Lower RAM (256MB)
no Phone
Earbuds w/Mic Sold Seperately
iPhone 4 32GB - $779 (Unlocked)
Advantages
-Screen:
Better Contrast, Better Blacks
Better Viewing Angles
-RAM 512MB
-Protective Hardened Glass Back
-Has Phoning Capabilities
Camera
5.0 MP w/HDR
HD Video Recording
Earbuds w/Mic Included
Phoning Capabilities
Disadvantage
-MUCH more expensive
-Thicker
Though each is intended for different markets, at least Apple gives us a choice...
Watwatwat - Friday, September 10, 2010 - link
yea....the other issue i have was about the microphone. Sure it only works in quiet environments, on the other hand, its inadvertently a good thing. The last thing we need are more people barking at their phones in public places...add children shouting at ipod touches face time and its just obnoxiousness. i can understand them not including it, its just not something i see myself using much at all in reality.
yjagota - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - link
...but the question is, is this device enough to switch from the old iPod to this new one? I think there isn't too much difference from the last generation so there is hardly any incentive for upgrading. I am giving this one a miss!coldpower27 - Friday, September 10, 2010 - link
Depends on which Gen your coming from.iPod Touch Gen 1 (Definitely)
iPod Touch Gen 2 (Good Upgrade)
iPod Touch Gen 3 (Not so much..)
Affectionate-Bed-980 - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - link
Would this then negate the need to rely on the rear mic?I do have my own better earbuds (Ultimate Ears with the .vi cord which has a built in mic), so I would probably use that for Facetime. If this means I can just set my iPod on my desk or not worry about that terribly positioned mic, then I will be satisfied.
Remember the price bump isn't that bad. We're back to the 2nd gen iPod touch price (introduced at 8gb for $229), but let's not forget the iPod Touch 3rd Gen 8gb, while priced cheaper at $199, was really a marked down 2nd gen iPod. While this new iPod is at the same price point as we saw 2 years ago, we get a far faster processor that is 1 generation ahead, double the RAM, a better display, Facetime, and near-iPhone features with two cameras now.
I think it's sufficient to say that this price bump was necessary. If anything the dropping price of the Touch was hurting the Nano. And now with the Nano losing its camera that it previously gained, I can see why Apple needs to maintain this differentiation between the two lines and keep some sort of price disparity. After all, the iPod Touch is the "elite" device.
Anand Lal Shimpi - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - link
Correct, the apple earbuds + mic works fine on the new iPod Touch.The pricing makes sense in Apple's stack, but it feels too expensive for what you're getting :)
Take care,
Anand
Calin - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - link
I think it's wrong to compare its price versus the iPhone subsidised with a contract. If you compare it with the "no strings attached" price for the iPhone, it's looking much better (even though it might still not look good enough)crimson117 - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - link
If you're going to be limited to wifi, and you're going to be carrying around a phone plus some device, then why not just use a netbook? Other than facetime there are many better apps for a PC than for an iPod Touch. The only reason iPhone has killer apps is because they are usable on the road where you only have a cellular connection.Sanada - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - link
I personally carry a cell phone plus an itouch. Addtionally carrying a laptop/netbook is much less portable and comfortable than carrying an itouch. Itouch is just convenient to get the most basic tasks done since it's small and goes into a pocket.futurepastnow - Thursday, September 9, 2010 - link
Can an external mic be used for audio during video recording?