- Joined
- Mar 22, 2011
- Messages
- 209
- Reaction score
- 18
EDIT: After further testing it appears the volume issue is just an Airplay issue. When I uploaded to Youtube and played back on my computer and on my Apple TV through the Youtube channel, the volume/sound was perfect and normal (though Youtube only gives me the option to play back at 240p, despite uploading in HD...?). So combine that with #2, and it looks like they just have some minor Airplay bugs with the native videos on the 5S.
Video Issues:
#1 - Video recording audio is incredibly low. At first I thought it was just on slow-motion, but it's all videos. Is this just me? Can someone else with a 5S test? Videos of me talking at a normal volume in a silent room require me to turn up my stereo's volume about 30-40% higher than normal to hear me clearly.
#2 - Slow-motion videos won't airplay anything but the sound. Hopefully this will be worked out and fixed soon with an update, since I can do this (though not at 120fps) with the SloMo app with no problem.
I remember video recording volume being low on an early beta of iOS 7 on my 5, but don't recall if it was this bad or if it was fixed after the fact (my wife won't let me install 7 on her 5 yet!!).
Camera Notes
Overall the camera seems to be a marginal, but solid, improvement (vs. the iPhone 5 on iOS 7). It's faster overall, not that the 5 was slow, but it really never hangs up after a shot or anything like that. I haven't been able to test in good light, but that didn't need much improvement before. The flash is more balanced now and you can definitely tell a difference on faces vs. flash shots on the 5. It's not perfect all the time, but definitely doesn't wash out faces and keeps things balanced more than on the 5. However, it also seems to take a good bit longer to focus at times when using the flash - but given what the software is probably doing to calibrate the flash to the environment, that's to be expected (I would think), even with the A7.
Rabbit trail...
I'm also a bit concerned about something based solely on my usage of other phones and seeing the picture comparisons here - this "trend" towards fewer larger pixels, instead of packing in more small pixels, that started with the HTC One, and now the Moto X / Droid lineup, and now the 5S... The HTC One and Moto X both tend to blow out portions of photos with lots of white or with bright lights - the X being the worst by far. Those larger pixels bring in more light which helps in low-light scenarios, but causes issues at times in well-lit or mixed-light scenarios. I'm really hoping this isn't a problem on the 5S, but a few of those samples in that link have me a bit worried (though what I'm seeing is subtle). I appreciate what HTC tried to do by starting all of this... but low-light shots suck no matter what - some just suck less than others. Give me a phone that can use a flash and keep the shot balanced and I'll take that ANY day over a still-crappy-yet-improved low light shot. I will say, unlike most other phones, the camera preview on the 5S is awesome, never lagging, even in low light shots. Makes for a much better camera experience overall...
Edit: After reading a few more reviews and looking at more samples, hopefully my "rabbit trail" is an unnecessary worry!
Video Issues:
#1 - Video recording audio is incredibly low. At first I thought it was just on slow-motion, but it's all videos. Is this just me? Can someone else with a 5S test? Videos of me talking at a normal volume in a silent room require me to turn up my stereo's volume about 30-40% higher than normal to hear me clearly.
#2 - Slow-motion videos won't airplay anything but the sound. Hopefully this will be worked out and fixed soon with an update, since I can do this (though not at 120fps) with the SloMo app with no problem.
I remember video recording volume being low on an early beta of iOS 7 on my 5, but don't recall if it was this bad or if it was fixed after the fact (my wife won't let me install 7 on her 5 yet!!).
Camera Notes
Overall the camera seems to be a marginal, but solid, improvement (vs. the iPhone 5 on iOS 7). It's faster overall, not that the 5 was slow, but it really never hangs up after a shot or anything like that. I haven't been able to test in good light, but that didn't need much improvement before. The flash is more balanced now and you can definitely tell a difference on faces vs. flash shots on the 5. It's not perfect all the time, but definitely doesn't wash out faces and keeps things balanced more than on the 5. However, it also seems to take a good bit longer to focus at times when using the flash - but given what the software is probably doing to calibrate the flash to the environment, that's to be expected (I would think), even with the A7.
Rabbit trail...
I'm also a bit concerned about something based solely on my usage of other phones and seeing the picture comparisons here - this "trend" towards fewer larger pixels, instead of packing in more small pixels, that started with the HTC One, and now the Moto X / Droid lineup, and now the 5S... The HTC One and Moto X both tend to blow out portions of photos with lots of white or with bright lights - the X being the worst by far. Those larger pixels bring in more light which helps in low-light scenarios, but causes issues at times in well-lit or mixed-light scenarios. I'm really hoping this isn't a problem on the 5S, but a few of those samples in that link have me a bit worried (though what I'm seeing is subtle). I appreciate what HTC tried to do by starting all of this... but low-light shots suck no matter what - some just suck less than others. Give me a phone that can use a flash and keep the shot balanced and I'll take that ANY day over a still-crappy-yet-improved low light shot. I will say, unlike most other phones, the camera preview on the 5S is awesome, never lagging, even in low light shots. Makes for a much better camera experience overall...
Edit: After reading a few more reviews and looking at more samples, hopefully my "rabbit trail" is an unnecessary worry!
Last edited:
(once my kids discovered it, they LOVE playing with it then watching it on our TV)
