The iPhone 5s Review
by Anand Lal Shimpi on September 17, 2013 9:01 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Apple
- Mobile
- iPhone
- iPhone 5S
Video
Apple’s new H6 ISP brings with it a modernization of the video recording options for the iPhone 5s. The default video record mode is still 1080p at 30 fps, but there’s also a new 720p 120 fps “slo-mo” mode as well. In the latter, video is captured at 120 fps but optionally played back at 30 fps in order to achieve a high speed camera/slow motion effect. The result is pretty cool:
In the camera UI you can select what portions of the video you want to play back at 30 fps and what portions you want to leave at full speed. The .mov file is stored on NAND as a ~27Mbps 720p120 without any customizations, however when you share it the entire video is transcoded into a 30 fps format which preserves the slow motion effect.
The slo-mo mode is separate from the standard video recording mode, it’s the next stop on the dial in the new iOS 7 camera app. Video preview in slo-mo mode also happens at 60 fps compared to 30 fps for the standard video record and still image capture modes.
Camera preview frame rate, toggling between slo-mo and normal modes
Adding high speed camera modes to smartphones is a great step in my opinion and a wonderful use of increases in ISP and SoC performance. I would like to see Apple expose a 1080p60 mode as well. Technically 1080p60 does require slightly more bandwidth than 720p120, but I’d hope that Apple targeted both in the design of H6 and simply chose to expose 720p120 as it’s an easier feature to market.
Standard 1080p30 recording is also available:
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
464 Comments
View All Comments
dylan522p - Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - link
Adreno has a larger thermal headroom. If Apple moves to 5" they would be able to scale performance much much higher.blanarahul - Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - link
The key word is "if". I would be really happy if they do move to 5 inch.BTW, these chips = Snapdragon 800.
tuxRoller - Wednesday, September 18, 2013 - link
Yes, though the battery performance seems quite good for snapdragon 800.robbertbobbertson - Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - link
So going off these theoretical numbers, the new iPhone 5S GPU is 4.36% as powerful as the one in the Playstation 4, and thats considered a weak GPU from the enthusiasts perspective. How is this is a "desktop" class chip. People thinking mobile will overtake everything are dreaming.dylan522p - Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - link
You do realize that a Core Duo from years back is more than enough for most people on GPU and CPU, not the PS4 or some mid or high end chip now. Desktop class was simply marketing referring to 64-bit though.ScienceNOW - Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - link
Are you kidding me? We are almost there. 4,36% is less than 5 doublings from 100% (PS4 GPU performance). In 5 years mobile GPU will be 40% MORE powerful than PS4. 8-9 years, and it'll equal todays' GTX 780lowlymarine - Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - link
Obligatory XKCD: http://xkcd.com/605/You're assuming that mobile GPU performance will continue to double each year indefinitely, which is patently absurd. There was a time each year's new desktop GPU doubled performance, too, but you reach a point where the laws of physics make that impractical.
dylan522p - Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - link
True, but mobile GPU has been doubling-trippling every year for the past like 6 years. It shows no indication of slowing down either. or dropping below doubling. No doubt though, the mobile industry will be above the PS4 performance before it's update.A5 - Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - link
A lot of that has been fueled by catching up on process tech. That party is almost over - 20/22nm class parts are still a year+ away, and ~14nm parts for anyone that isn't Intel are even farther out.melgross - Tuesday, September 17, 2013 - link
Well, if Intel's mobile line is now at 22nm, and Apple's is at 28nm, that a problem for Intel. With the A7 proving to be about equal to what Intel is producing, going by Anand's tests here, then Intel's tech isn't all that great.Indeed, Intel has always depended upon its better process fabrication, and being a generation ahead for its superior performance. It's not just chip design. So if Apple can catch up in performance being a half generation behind in node, then Apple's designs are superior to Intel's. and then, Intel had better watch out.