Update iPhone lines This year it turned out strange. We told you in detail about the iPhone 7 Plus, where we described the situation with the disappearing headset jack, the appearance of a second rear camera, and the new color of the case... In general, the situation with the younger model is similar, but it would be wrong to ignore it completely. Usually we test both new models almost simultaneously, but this time it turned out that it was the iPhone 7 that was in short supply. And just recently we managed to get a copy for quite a long time, allowing us to carefully study all aspects of this gadget.

Let's take a look at the characteristics of the device.

Technical specifications of Apple iPhone 7

• SoC Apple A10 Fusion (4 cores, 2 of which operate at 2.34 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture)
• Apple A10 Fusion GPU
• Apple M10 motion coprocessor including barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope and compass
• RAM 2 GB
• Flash memory 32/128/256 GB
• No memory card support
• operating system iOS 10
• Touch display IPS, 4.7″, 1334×750 (326 ppi), capacitive, multi-touch, support for 3D Touch technologies and Taptic Engine response
• Cameras: front (7 MP, video 1080p 30 fps, 720p 240 fps) and rear (12 MP, video shooting 4K 30 fps and 60 fps)
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
• cellular: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, support LTE Advanced
• Bluetooth 4.2 A2DP LE
• Touch ID fingerprint scanner version 3
• NFC (only for Apple Pay)
• Universal Lightning Connector
• Li-polymer battery 1960 mAh, non-removable
• GPS / A-GPS, Glonass
• Dimensions 138×67×7.1 mm
• Weight 138 g (our measurement)

For clarity, let’s compare the characteristics of the new product with the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 6s.

			Apple iPhone 6s
Screen	4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi	5.5″, IPS, 1920×1080, 401 ppi	4.7″, IPS, 1334×750, 326 ppi
SoC (processor)		Apple A10 Fusion (4 cores, 2 of which operate at 2.34 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture)	Apple A9 (2 cores @1.8 GHz, 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture)
GPU	Apple A10 Fusion	Apple A10 Fusion	Apple A9
Flash memory	32/128/256 GB	32/128/256 GB	16/64/128 GB
Connectors		universal Lightning connector	Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headset jack
Memory card support	No	No	No
RAM	2 GB	3 GB	2 GB
Cameras	main (12 MP; 4K video) and front (7 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video)	main (12 MP; 4K video) with two lenses and front (7 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video)	main (12 MP; 4K video) and front (5 MP; shooting and transmitting Full HD video)
User identification sensors	Fingerprint's scanner	Fingerprint's scanner	Fingerprint's scanner
Housing protection	IP67 (water and dust protection)	IP67 (water and dust protection)	No
Battery capacity (mAh)	1960	2900	1715
operating system	Apple iOS 10	Apple iOS 10	Apple iOS 9 (upgrade to iOS 10 available)
Dimensions (mm)*	138×67×7.1	158×78×7.3	138×67×7.1
Weight (g)**	138	189	143
Average price (for version with minimum flash memory)	T-14206636	T-14206637	T-12858631
iPhone 7 (32GB) Retail Deals	L-14206636-10
iPhone 7 (128GB) Retail Deals	L-14206682-10
iPhone 7 (256GB) Retail Deals	L-14206684-10

*according to manufacturer information
** our measurement

As we can see, the differences in the characteristics of the iPhone 7 from the iPhone 7 Plus are minimal. In addition to the obvious (dimensions and display size/resolution), this is a smaller volume random access memory(2 GB instead of three for the iPhone 7 Plus), as well as a smaller battery capacity and the absence of a second lens for the camera. At the same time, compared to its immediate predecessor - the iPhone 6s - the new product has slightly less weight (with the same dimensions) and a larger battery capacity.

Let's get acquainted with the smartphone in person and understand how these features affect the user qualities of the model.

Packaging and accessories

The box and equipment of the iPhone 7 are similar to the older model.

Let us remind you that the main thing here is new headphones (with a Lightning connector instead of a 3.5 mm Mini-jack) and an adapter from Lightning to a mini-jack. Thanks to this adapter, you can use your iPhone with traditional headphones or speakers.

Otherwise, everything is the same as before: leaflets, charger (5 V 1 A), Lightning cable, stickers and a key for removing the SIM card cradle.

Design

Externally, the new iPhone, like its older brother, is very similar to its predecessor. Dimensions and basic design elements remain unchanged. We tested the gold version, and in this version the iPhone 7 is even more difficult to distinguish from the iPhone 6/6s than in the case of the new “black” and “black onyx” colors.

By the way, the “black onyx” option, which was especially scarce in the first days of sales, can now be purchased without problems, but it has its drawbacks, which we wrote about in the article about the iPhone 7 Plus, so this is not an amateur solution. Not everyone likes golden color either, but it is more practical and familiar.

In general, the design of the iPhone 7 is identical to the iPhone 7 Plus. The location of the connectors, the shape of the case, moisture resistance, the new Home button (touch, not physical) - everything is the same. So here we'll focus on comparing the iPhone 7 with the iPhone 6, in order to notice some subtle changes.

Firstly, the plastic inserts are now placed differently. They pass only along the edges, without climbing onto the back surface. However, we note that in the case of the golden version they are still too conspicuous. And in this regard, the silver and black versions seem more successful to us.

Secondly, the rear camera is now larger and more convex. But, unlike the iPhone 7 Plus, there is only one. And finally, the third difference is the second row of holes on the bottom edge. However, don't think there's another speaker! Most likely there is a microphone there.

In general, in terms of appearance, the differences between the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 6s are minimal. However, despite this, Apple has not ensured the compatibility of protective accessories. Cases for iPhone 6s will not fit iPhone 7 due to the changed camera eye. This is, of course, a very strange and offensive decision. But for the iPhone 7, new color options for leather cases are available: almond, “stormy sky” and “blue sea”. We were able to evaluate the last of them live.

It combines rather strangely with the golden color, but you can’t deny this shade a certain charm. It doesn’t seem to be blue, but at the same time it’s not blue either, but something in between. However, here we note the traditional problem of Apple leather cases: they quickly become covered with scratches and lose their presentable appearance. Therefore, if you perceive the case as an element of style, and not just as protection for your smartphone, you should handle it with care.

Summarizing our impressions of the design, we can simply repeat what was said earlier about the iPhone 7 Plus and wish that in the next version iPhone functional the features of the current generation have been preserved (moisture protection, first of all), and appearance still updated more significantly.

Screen

Options iPhone screen 7 are no different from those of the iPhone 6s: 4.7-inch diagonal, IPS matrix with a resolution of 1134×750. By modern standards - average parameters.

The editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections will tell you about the quality of the display. Alexey Kudryavtsev.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Apple iPhone 7, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of the Apple iPhone 7 is slightly darker (brightness according to photographs is 110 versus 118 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the Apple iPhone 7 screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, much like the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.

At manual control brightness and when displaying a white field in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 560 cd/m², the minimum was 4.8 cd/m². The maximum brightness is very high, and, given the excellent anti-glare properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors will be at a good level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located above the front speaker slot). IN automatic mode When external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider - the user uses it to set the desired brightness level for the current conditions. If you don’t change anything, then in complete darkness the brightness drops to 2.6 cd/m² (very dark), in an artificially lit office (about 550 lux) the screen brightness is set to 120 cd/m² (acceptable), in a very bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) rises to 650 cd/m² (even higher than with manual adjustment). We were not entirely satisfied with the result, so in the dark we slightly moved the brightness slider to the right, and for the three conditions indicated above we got 16, 100-170 and 650 cd/m² (ideal). It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately, and it is possible to adjust the nature of the brightness change to suit the user's requirements. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

IN this smartphone An IPS type matrix is ​​used. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

Traditionally, for the iPhone, a lot of dust particles are found in the layer of filler adhesive between the outer glass and the matrix; we won’t even demonstrate this.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Apple iPhone 7 and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (over a white field in the entire screen), and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.

And a test picture:

Color balance varies slightly, color saturation is normal. Recall that photography can not serve as a reliable source of information about color rendering quality and are provided for illustrative purposes only. In this case, apparently due to the characteristics of the screen’s emission spectrum, the color balance and brightness of colors in the photographs Apple screen iPhone 7 is somewhat different from what is visible to the eye and determined by a spectrophotometer.

Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens and the contrast remained at a high level.

And a white field:

The brightness at an angle of the screens decreased (by at least 4 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Apple iPhone 7 the drop in brightness is less. When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened to a medium degree and acquires a purple tint. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is approximately the same!):

And from another angle:

When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is good, although not ideal:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 1375:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 23 ms (12 ms on + 11 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (according to the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 30 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The power function fitting exponent is 1.76, which is lower than the standard value of 2.2, so the image is slightly brightened. In this case, the real gamma curve noticeably deviates from the power-law dependence:

Color gamut is sRGB:

Let's look at the spectra:

Such spectra are found in top mobile devices Sony and other manufacturers. Apparently, this screen uses LEDs with a blue emitter and green and red phosphor (usually a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor), which, in combination with special matrix filters, allows for a wide color gamut. Yes, and the red phosphor apparently uses so-called quantum dots. For a consumer device, a wide color gamut is not an advantage, but a significant disadvantage, since as a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and the vast majority of them) have an unnatural saturation. This is especially noticeable on recognizable shades, such as skin tones. But unlike many famous and not so famous companies, Apple knows what the color gamut should be, and therefore carefully adjusts it to the sRGB boundaries. As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation.

This applies to those images that have an sRGB profile or no profile at all. However, native to modern devices Apple (at least for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, iPad Pro 9.7 and MacBook Pro) is the color space Display P3 with slightly richer greens and reds. Space Display P3 based on SMPTE DCI-P3, but has a D65 white point and a gamma curve of approximately 2.2. In addition, the manufacturer states that starting with iOS 9.3, color management is supported at the system level, which makes it easier for iOS applications to correctly display images with a specified color profile. Indeed, by supplementing the test images (JPG and PNG files) with the Display P3 profile, we obtained a color gamut wider than sRGB (output in Safari):

Note that the coordinates of the primary colors coincide almost exactly with those specified for the DCI-P3 standard. This coverage is different from Adobe RGB, red in Display P3 slightly more saturated, and green can be considered less saturated:

We look at the spectra in the case of test images with a profile Display P3:

It can be seen that in this case no cross-mixing of components occurs, that is, this color space is native to the Apple iPhone 7 screen. The most important question is whether the support provides Display P3 at least some significant advantage, and doubts are associated primarily with the fact that there is practically no content with a coverage wider than sRGB, and when it appears, it is not a fact that it will be in the variant Display P3, and all current devices will be hopelessly outdated by that time. However, you have to start somewhere, and the wide screen coverage, as well as the color management built into the OS, contribute to this. In the meantime, content can be created by the user himself, since a profile is written in photos from iPhone 7/7 Plus cameras Display P3(however, we do not know about the real color gamut of these cameras).

The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is close to the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. The nature of the change in values ​​from hue to hue indirectly shows that software color correction is used. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

Like the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and iPhone SE, this Apple device there is a function Night Shift, which makes the picture warmer at night (the user specifies how much warmer). A description of why such a correction may be useful is given in the specified article about the iPad Pro 9.7. In any case, when having fun with a tablet or smartphone at night, it is better to reduce the screen brightness to a minimum, but still comfortable level, and only then, to calm your own paranoia, turn the screen yellow with the setting Night Shift.

Let's summarize. The screen has a very high maximum brightness and has excellent anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems, even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. It is also possible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen and flicker, good black stability to deviation of the gaze from perpendicular to the screen plane, high contrast, as well as support for the sRGB color gamut (with the participation of the OS) and good color balance. There are no significant shortcomings. At the moment, this is perhaps one of the best displays among all smartphones.

Performance

The iPhone 7, like the iPhone 7 Plus, runs on the new Apple A10 Fusion SoC (we talked about it in detail in iPhone review 7 Plus, so we won't repeat ourselves). However, the RAM capacity of the younger model is less. Let's see how this affects performance!

Let's start with browser tests: SunSpider 1.0.2, Octane Benchmark and Kraken Benchmark. We will also add to our standard set is a new browser benchmark recommended by the creators of SunSpider as a replacement. The Safari browser was used.

As we can see, the iPhone 7 not only kept up with the iPhone 7 Plus, but even slightly surpassed it. However, the difference is so small that it can be attributed to measurement error.

Now let's see how the iPhone 7 Plus performs in the comprehensive AnTuTu benchmark (we've recently been using it on iOS) and Geekbench 4, which measures CPU performance.

And here's the first surprise: the iPhone 7 lost heavily to the older iPhone 7 Plus in AnTuTu. Moreover, what’s interesting is that it’s not just about RAM, although it’s about memory scores too. But in the Geekbench 4 processor benchmark, the results were already almost identical.

The last group of benchmarks is dedicated to testing GPU performance. We used 3DMark and GFXBench Metal.

Let us remind you that off-screen tests mean displaying a 1080p image on the screen, regardless of the actual screen resolution. And Onscreen tests mean displaying a picture in the resolution that matches the device screen resolution. That is, Offscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the abstract performance of the SoC, and Onscreen tests are indicative from the point of view of the comfort of the game on a specific device.

	(Apple A10)	(Apple A10)
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.3.1 (1440р)	22.7 fps	18.3 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1	59.4 fps	26.1 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan 3.1 (Off Screen)	38.8 fps	26.1 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan	59.8 fps	41.1 fps
GFXBenchmark Manhattan (1080p Offscreen)	58.3 fps	41.0 fps

And here's the mystery: iPhone 7 beats iPhone 7 Plus not only in real-resolution tests, which is quite logical, but also in off-screen tests! At the same time, the same version of the program and identical versions of the OS were installed on both smartphones. Miracles, and that’s all!

Here the results are more plausible, although somewhat contradictory, but the difference is not so great, so it is quite possible to say that the rivals are equal.

As a result, we can admit that the iPhone 7, even despite the smaller amount of RAM, is practically not inferior to the iPhone 7 Plus in performance. In most benchmarks, including those using real 3D scenes, it performed similarly to the older model. Of course, we can assume that one day the user will feel a lack of RAM. But this will not happen soon, but for now you don’t have to worry too much about the numbers in technical specifications and choose between iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus without regard to performance parameters.

Cameras

The iPhone 7 does not have the main feature of the iPhone 7 Plus - the second rear camera. However, unlike the iPhone 6s, there is optical stabilization when shooting video (in the previous generation only the iPhone 6s Plus had it), and other camera parameters (front and rear) are identical to the iPhone 7 Plus.

Now let's evaluate the photo capabilities. Below are examples of pictures taken with the rear camera with comments from our expert. Anton Solovyov.

It looks like the camera didn't get any better with the firmware update. She still often makes mistakes with focus, and the pictures are full of artifacts, albeit small ones. However, the camera can also take good pictures, but you have to try hard to get good pictures. Based on the results of bench shooting, the camera did not improve the results too much, but now the curve on the graph is quite consistent with reality. Previously, despite the low actual resolution, the images were clean and neat. Now they are lost among the pictures of top smartphones, and are noticeably inferior to some. As it turns out, the camera is inferior even to the older model. Well, perhaps all is not lost yet. And in any case, the camera will cope with many scenes even in its current form.

Autonomous operation and heating

As with the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple has kept the iPhone 7's battery life similar to the previous generation. In real everyday use, this is about a day, with active use - even less.

In 3D games, the smartphone is completely discharged in seven and a half hours, which is very good and indicates the high energy efficiency of the SoC, but in reading modes and playing videos from YouTube, the result is not much better, that is, the battery is consumed not so much due to the load on the SoC, but due to the screen. And here everything depends on the small battery capacity.

Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after two consecutive runs (about 10 minutes of work) of the Basemark Metal test:

It can be seen that the heating is highly localized in the upper right part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat camera, the maximum heating was 44 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), which is 3 degrees more than in the case of the iPhone 7 Plus.

conclusions

Let's not be afraid to play the role of Captain Obvious and simply admit: the iPhone 7 is one of the best compact smartphones on the market. Highest performance (despite only 2 GB of RAM), an excellent screen (albeit not impressive in the specifications), water resistance, a camera with optical stabilization (albeit with imperfect firmware, which is evident when taking photos) - these are the main advantages of the iPhone 7.

On the other hand, there is nothing revolutionary in this model, and due to the lack of a second rear camera, it turned out to be even more boring than its “big brother”. Therefore, upgrading to it from an iPhone 6s or even an iPhone 6 definitely does not make sense (if you are generally satisfied with how your current smartphone works). Well, maybe because of the moisture resistance. However, we hope that future iPhone models will retain moisture protection, and in addition to it will receive many other interesting innovations.

I recently bought myself a film camera - large, heavy and incredibly beautiful. Having tested it in action, I noticed a curious phenomenon: standing on the street and photographing strangers, I suddenly noticed that passers-by no longer perceived a person with a camera as a photographer. No one covers their face, no one walks around me so as not to ruin the shot, no one even pays attention to the thing in my hands. And then I took out my phone and began filming people in the same way as I had filmed before. The reaction was completely different. Some smiled, others turned away, others walked around me in a circle, trying not to spoil the shot - in general, they behaved in a completely natural way towards a street photographer.

While we were figuring out which is better - Nikon or Canon, more than one generation of people has grown up in the world who perceive photography only as a function of a smartphone. Compact cameras have long been consigned to the dustbin of history, and this does not sadden me at all, but the change in the perception of photography as a process makes me think. On the other hand, some things still remain the same. People still argue about which is better (Sony or LG? Galaxy or iPhone?), and there is still no clear answer to this question. So today we'll compare six flagship smartphones to find out which one still shoots better.

⇡ Input data

A number of smartphones today have two cameras at once, and the very logic of having a second lens and sensor is different. Other smartphones still use a single-camera module. Some of my fellow journalists rightfully believe that single modules show the best results in shooting.

Phone camera ranking:
1. U11
2. Pixel
3.GS8

Never known Apple to be this far behind, but guess this is the price of dual-camera focus.

— Vlad Savov (@vladsavov) July 28, 2017

So, for the purity of the experiment, the second cameras did not participate in the comparison at all - today we will only talk about the normal shooting mode. The fancy portrait mode of the iPhone 7 Plus was not used, nor was the wide-angle camera in the LG G6 or the simulated shallow depth of field in the Huawei P10 Plus.

⇡ Testing

We'll evaluate results based on different criteria in different tests, but the key factors will be sharpness and detail. In addition, the result is affected by the correct exposure setting and white balance. In each test, a smartphone can score 0, 1 or 2 points. The smartphone with the most points will be named the best. Go.

⇡ Shooting through glass

No one, of course, will admit it, but this is one of the most popular genres of shooting. The view from a hotel window, the landscape through the windshield of a car, the view from an airplane - we often photograph this. At first glance, nothing complicated, but since the windows are often tinted, this pretty much confuses the automatic white balance. So in the first test, in addition to the overall picture quality, we will also evaluate correct installation color temperature.

The same scene in full size from cameras , And

This is quite a difficult scene to mobile cameras. Shooting against the sun (which, however, is in the haze and does not fall into the frame) in this case could give three different results. In the first, the sky was exposed correctly, but all the objects in the lower half of the frame were too dark. In the second, the bottom half of the frame is well-developed, but the top half looks too light. Well, the third option is the average between the first two.

The most correct white balance is given Sony Xperia XZ Premium and iPhone 7 Plus, but according to subjective feelings, the photo with Samsung Galaxy S8+. The result of Huawei P10 Plus also looks good, but the white balance is incorrect. Things are much worse for HTC U11 and LG G6. The latter excessively increases the contrast during software processing of the image after shooting. Probably, the company believes that the end user likes contrasting pictures more, but the technique itself is rather stupid. Let's change the shooting point and look at the result in more “correct” lighting.

There is plenty of light, there is a shadow in the frame, by which you can evaluate the breadth of the dynamic range. The only difficulty is the presence of tinted glass, which often confuses the algorithm automatic detection color temperature.

The Samsung Galaxy S8+ produces an excellent picture with no gaps in the shadows and highlights on the aircraft fuselage and in the sky, but the white balance is far from correct. The HTC U11 performed best here, and if we talk about the overall sharpness and detail of the picture, then there will be two leaders - these are Samsung and HTC devices. The higher camera resolution in the Sony Xperia XZ Premium doesn't add any sharpness or detail, and the LG G6 again overdoes it with contrast.

• Apple iPhone 7 Plus - 1 point,
• HTC U11 - 1 point,
• Samsung Galaxy S8+ - 2 points,
• LG G6 - 0 points,
• Huawei P10 Plus - 1 point,

⇡ Macro photography

Smartphone manufacturers rarely specify a minimum focusing distance in the specifications of built-in cameras, so here I had to start close to the subject and then gradually move the smartphone back to the point where it could focus. The end result was about the same, but to be on the safe side I shot two scenes: flowers in a well-lit room and coffee beans in a home environment with daylight from a window in cloudy weather.

This seemingly simple scene caused difficulties for several smartphones at once. It seemed that there was enough light in the room, but when the “look” of the lens was directed at one small point, it turned out that the lighting for macro photography was insufficient.

Some photos (HTC U11 and Sony Xperia XZ Premium) show slight noise. Color reproduction is good for all, but the G6 again increases the contrast. In terms of sharpness, the Galaxy S8+ is again in the lead, LG has the second result, pictures from the iPhone 7 Plus and HTC U11 look a little worse, the outsiders are Huawei P10 Plus and Sony Xperia XZ Premium.

Huawei P10 Plus - 1 point,

Sony Xperia XZ Premium - 1 point.

During the testing process, a number of comparative tests were carried out in various conditions and modes.

In contact with

What's the difference between the Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus cameras?

iPhone 7 Plus has a dual main camera with a wide-angle (ƒ/1.8 aperture) and a telephoto lens (ƒ/2.8 aperture). This solution allows you to receive and also use 10x digital zoom. Both cameras have a 12-megapixel sensor. A 7-megapixel sensor (ƒ/2.2 aperture) is responsible for taking selfies (front camera).

The Samsung Galaxy S8 has a 12-megapixel main camera (ƒ/1.7 aperture) and an 8 MP front camera (ƒ/1.7 aperture).

The main camera housing of the Samsung Galaxy S8 does not protrude beyond the rear panel of the smartphone, like the iPhone.

Taking photos with Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus cameras

Color rendition

When it comes to taking photos, both flagships show excellent quality of mobile photography, and the final result largely depends on the scene and the software settings of the camera.

In most cases, the image of the Galaxy S8 is more contrasty, bright and saturated, while the 7 Plus is softened, realistic and natural.

The HDR mode is definitely better on the Galaxy S8. For those unaware, a smartphone with HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology takes multiple photos at different exposures and then combines the best features of the two photos to create a single image.

In most cases, in the test, the iPhone's picture turned out to be too dark, while the Samsung flagship's photos turned out to be lighter and more contrasty.

Zoom and portrait photography

But in portrait photography, the iPhone 7 Plus is the leader. Thanks to the second camera with a telephoto lens, there is a 2x optical zoom, which will allow you to zoom in on the image without loss of quality, while the Galaxy S8 only has digital zoom. Also, thanks to the dual camera, the iPhone has the ability to capture images with the “Bokeh” effect (a clear figure remains in focus, and the background becomes blurred, just like in DSLR cameras). However, here you need to get the hang of it: the exposure does not always allow you to achieve the desired effect, the edges are not always clear, and the light and distance must be maintained. Also, do not forget that the “Portrait” mode is a software feature of iOS.

Taking photos in motion

When the subject moves intensely, both cameras capture excellent images. Of course, flaws may appear in both representatives, and here a lot depends on the time you press the “shutter”.

Photos in low light conditions

In low-light conditions, the iPhone 7 Plus lags behind the South Korean flagship “thanks” to more noise.

Photo on the front camera

The front camera of the Galaxy S8 is slightly blurry and overly softens the image when taking a selfie. But the main advantage of the “galaxy” is a wider viewing angle of the lens, which allows you to capture more space with a minimum distance from the smartphone.

But in low light conditions, selfies from the Galaxy S8 turned out to be brighter and more detailed. But don’t forget that in the iPhone 7 Plus the display can act as a flash, so this nuance is partially compensated.

Shooting video with the main camera of Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus

Color rendition

In practice, when shooting video, the picture in the Galaxy S8 turned out to have more contrast, although less clear (slightly blurred), but this moment very much depends on the available exposure and lighting. The Galaxy lens has a slightly larger viewing angle for the main camera.

In turn, the seven with the Plus prefix suffers from gray tones and dark areas. Despite this, color rendition when recording video on the 7 Plus is more pleasant, although not always realistic.

Optical stabilization

Image stabilization on the Galaxy S8 works somewhat the best way than in the top seven. In low light conditions, detail is better on the flagship of the South Korean giant. In good lighting, you won't notice much of a difference.

Autofocus speed

In terms of autofocus during dynamic zoom and zoom, the iPhone clearly wins. The S8's autofocusing process is slower. But when an object suddenly appears in the frame (for example, on the right or left side of the smartphone), the opposite is true - the Samsung Galaxy S8 copes with this task faster.

Shooting video in low light conditions

In low light conditions, the image is more detailed in the S8. There is also slightly less noise in the Samsung, and a larger number of minimally illuminated objects are included in the image. But in dynamic scenes, autofocus works better on the iPhone 7 Plus.

Underwater photography

Underwater shooting in poor conditions with muddy water without various accessories showed that the Samsung camera copes with this task better. Images are clearer and sharper.

In good lighting conditions and clear water, the image is equally good for both flagships.

Slow Motion Mode

Slow Motion mode is also good on both smartphones.

Macro photography

When shooting macro, the 7 Plus can focus closer to the subject.

Front camera video

If, when comparing the main camera of two flagships, not everything is so simple and the result largely depends on the scene, then with front camera everything is much more obvious. iPhone 7 Plus records richer, brighter images. The downside is a large number of dark areas. The iPhone focuses at a shorter distance, but the autofocus speed itself is higher in the Galaxy S8.

Bottom line

The cameras in both smartphones are really good. Every year, manufacturers take small steps to bring the resulting quality of mobile images to a new level. In terms of video shooting, it’s difficult to single out any of the flagships and you obviously won’t notice any obvious differences.

But when it comes to photos, the Samsung Galaxy S8 is clearly the leader. The images are of higher quality. The camera in the Galaxy works faster. There is access to RAW out of the box, while the iPhone only has access to . The front camera has higher resolution and slightly better stabilization and the ability to shoot in low light.

So, if we discard the features with portrait photography with the dual camera of the iPhone 7 Plus, then we give preference in taking photos to the Galaxy S8. Let's hope that in September Apple will rehabilitate itself and demonstrate a new technology milestone, but that will be a completely different story.

The release of a new iPhone always comes with great excitement. It was just presented, and everyone has already started discussing new colors, the abandonment of the minijack and other innovations. Immediately there are experts saying that the device is not worth the money, fans declaring that they are ready to upgrade right now, and many other people.

Equipment

• Smartphone
• Lightning cable
• Charger
• EarPods with Lightning
• Lightning to minijack adapter
• SIM eject tool

Apple has changed its packaging technology new iPhones, now to remove the packaging film from the box, just pull the special tab. The top cover is now also a little easier to remove.

Among the innovations, it is worth highlighting EarPods with Lightning and a 3.5 mm adapter. Please note that the adapter wire is very thin, so I still recommend getting separate headphones with Lightning support or using the included headphones. I myself don’t really like EarPods, because when I wear them I can’t shake the (misleading) feeling that the headphones are about to fall out of my ears. Plus, they play “outside,” so if someone wearing these headphones listens to music at high volume, then you can find out everything about your neighbor’s musical preferences.

On the other hand, I see a lot of positive reviews about these headphones from ordinary users, it is clear that the owners like them. If we talk about the sound, it has become a little more voluminous, the difference compared to the previous generation is audible.

Last modified connected with the headphone box. The plastic case was replaced with paper packaging, it looks simpler and is harder to open. However, for me, it would be better if the box looked like this, but included an adapter, rather than a plastic case, but without an adapter.

Appearance, body materials

In the new iPhones, the plastic strips for the antennas have been changed; they are hidden at the ends, thanks to which the appearance of the models has become more neat.

Two new colors have appeared on sale: matte black and glossy “black onyx” (Jet Black). The latter is sold only in 128 and 256 GB versions. I tested the matte version, it looks great: strict, practical, and the antenna strips are practically invisible.

An important innovation that for some reason few people remember. The new iPhones slip much less in the hand, and this is very cool, because carrying the “6s” without cases was simply scary. The tactile sensations have also changed; if the previous versions were very smooth and because of this they slipped out, the new generation has become rougher and more velvety. The material is perceived differently, and it is also more practical.

The camera eye has changed a little, now it looks neater and does not cling to your pants pockets if you carry your iPhone without a case.

The device is waterproof according to the IP67 standard. That is, you can drop it into water without any consequences. However, here I agree with Sergei Kuzmin, if the manufacturer guarantees water resistance, this does not mean that you need to swim with the phone every day, dip it in cola, splash it in a glass, etc.

Control elements

Apple decided to abandon the 3.5 mm headphone jack, and at the presentation they did not hesitate to use the phrase “we had the courage to do it.” We had a separate article from Eldar Murtazin, in which he talks in detail about the reasons for such a step.

This is not the first time that the company has rebuilt the industry to suit itself; let us recall, for example, the different SIM card standards that all manufacturers eventually came to, or a laptop with a single port - this idea was also repeated by other companies. So, I’m sure that the abandonment of 3.5 mm will be repeated by other vendors in their flagships. Someone will immediately remember that Apple were not the first in their decision, but that doesn’t matter. The important thing is how widespread this approach will become after its application in the iPhone.

Another change is the transition to touch button Home with tactile feedback. The same Force Touch technology is used as in the company's new MacBooks, but some reviewers wrote that the implementation in the iPhone is still worse.

For my part, I can note that the sensations from pressing are now different, but I cannot say that it has become worse - it has become different. Now, when you “press” a button, it feels as if not only it is being pressed, but the entire bottom panel. Moreover, depending on the choice of intensity, these sensations change greatly; the average level of return seems most natural to me.

The mechanism for removing the SIM card tray has changed slightly. Now when you insert a paperclip, it feels like it won't go in any further, and the tray itself is a little harder to pull out. This is due to the appearance of moisture resistance, as I understand, a special plug is used inside to prevent water from entering. By the way, when connecting the Lightning cable, you also feel that it is harder to insert.

The device has stereo speakers, although they are implemented in a slightly unusual way. The right speaker is in its place, and the left one also doubles as a conversation speaker. In terms of volume and spaciousness, the sound has gotten better, but it's still not level portable speakers, keep in mind.

Dimensions

I've been using an iPhone 6 as my main phone for almost two years. What does it mean? This means that during the time that I am not using test devices, the main SIM card is inserted into the iPhone. I'm used to its dimensions, and it's always very inconvenient for me to switch to devices with a larger diagonal. They are large in width or thickness and are uncomfortable to hold in your hands. I've tested a lot of smartphones over two years, and in my opinion, the iPhone 6 (and, accordingly, its later versions) has the ideal dimensions. It fits well in the hand, thin and light, and, unlike the SE, it is comfortable to type with two hands.

Screen

Despite the fact that formally the characteristics have not changed, I would like to draw your attention to two important features of the screen in the iPhone 7. Firstly, it has an expanded color gamut; in photographs this is manifested in the fact that the image looks more voluminous. Secondly, if you compare the screen head-on with the iPhone 7, then the “seven” display has more warm colors.

I strongly support Apple's reluctance to increase display resolution. This doesn’t make much sense, and it would be a lot of hassle. Just remember the transition to new resolutions in the sixth iPhones; some developers needed a whole year to update their programs. It is also important to note that the fonts in iOS are selected in such a way as to minimize the disadvantages of “low” resolution.

Another plus of Apple screens is the excellent performance of automatic brightness adjustment. These are the only devices on which I use this function.

operating system

The smartphone runs iOS 10, which we have already described in detail in a separate article.

In the video introduction to the smartphone, I said that new system unlocking has become less convenient. You first need to turn on the smartphone screen, then hold your finger to unlock, and then press the Home button again. Commentators rightly noted that for more convenient unlocking, it is enough to hold your finger on the scanner literally half a second longer. But this is only required for old iPhones, since in the same “seven” the scanner works at lightning speed.

By the way, this new unlock works great in conjunction with the Raise to Wake feature - when you take your smartphone in your hand, the screen automatically turns on, and then just touch your finger to unlock it.

I didn't really like the new messages. If earlier you could lower the window with a message down and then swipe up and that was enough to mark it as read, now you need to specifically go to the notification line.

Performance

I switched to the “seven” from an old iPhone 6, and for me the increase in performance and the difference in operating speed looked noticeable. Desktops scrolled smoother, applications launched faster, the browser worked faster. However, upon closer acquaintance with the device, one could notice jerky animations when minimizing applications or switching between them. I have seen similar complaints from colleagues from other publications. I believe that all this will be corrected in more recent releases of iOS 10 and the problem here is clearly a software one, because on the hardware side of the iPhone 7 everything is great.

As for toys and benchmarks, there are no complaints here; after all, all games are App Store just optimized to work as quickly as possible on iPhones.

I would like to talk separately about memory. Recently I was asked to help sell a couple of used iPhone 6 16 GB, and in the comments to the ad people asked how people survived with such a small memory capacity. Personally, this volume was enough for me: I rarely take photographs, I don’t play heavy games, and my media library fits perfectly into 3-4 GB. In this scenario, 16 GB was more than enough. However, I can only praise Apple's decision to double the memory capacity of all models. After all, videos are now shot in 4k, and live photos weigh quite a bit.

Regarding the clicking sound that some articles constantly talk about: if you put your ear close to the back cover, you will hear a quiet ticking, like a clockwork. If you move your smartphone one or two centimeters away from your ear, you can no longer hear it. In my opinion, the problem is overblown.

Autonomous operation

I had the new product in my hands for just a few days, but even this use was enough to understand that the iPhone 7 does not work much longer than previous generations. Accordingly, you can count on about three to four hours of screen time.

Camera

To describe the camera's capabilities, I asked Roman Belykh to look at photographs of the iPhone 7 in comparison with the iPhone 6; below is his comment:

"Front-camera. Due to the higher resolution and the new module, the photographs during the day differ greatly, naturally, in favor of the Apple iPhone 7. Under insufficient lighting conditions, the difference is minimal, basically the 6 exaggerates the colors and slightly less details.

Main cameras. Surprisingly, during the day the iPhone 6 often takes better photographs: less sharpness, nicer colors (they are more accurate and more saturated). Under normal lighting again better than iPhone 6 – oddly enough, but fewer artifacts. At night, the Apple iPhone 7 is the leader due to its faster optics and optical stabilizer: it is possible to set a lower ISO value and a longer shutter speed. In addition, background blur is better on the iPhone 7, after all, f=1.8. In general, the result of the new product from Apple is somewhat disappointing when compared with the “old man” iPhone 6.”

I, unlike Roma, am not such a fan of photography, but in all iPhones I was captivated by the ease of getting a great shot: point and shoot - that’s it, a good photo is ready. Their cameras are great for untrained amateurs or just those who don't like to bother with taking pictures. It is logical that Apple worked on the weak point of the camera - shooting in the dark. Plus added optical stabilization and increased focusing speed. As for the difference in good lighting with the previous generation, I didn’t really notice it. Plus, some people like to enlarge photos by x4 and look at what’s going on with the detail, etc. It seems to me that the average consumer will not do this; it is important for him that the picture looks good on the smartphone screen and on the PC screen, and the iPhone 7 has no problems with this.

iPhone 6	iPhone 7

Wireless interfaces

The set of wireless interfaces has remained virtually unchanged: latest technologies Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, fast GPS and NFC, working with Apple Pay.

Conclusion

I had no complaints about the quality of speech transmission; you and your interlocutor can hear each other perfectly.

• iPhone 7 32 GB - 57,000 rubles
• iPhone 7 128 GB - 66,000 rubles
• iPhone 7 256 GB - 75,000 rubles

The device in black onyx color is available only in 128 and 256 GB variants.

I know that some of our visitors only read the conclusion, so once again let's briefly go over the main innovations of the iPhone 7:

• Refusal of minijack and adapter included
• New colors: matte black and black onyx
• Changing the Home button, switching to a feedback sensor
• The advent of stereo speakers
• Expanded color gamut
• Optical stabilization in camera
• Changed design of antenna inserts
• Waterproof according to IP67 standard
• Double the memory capacity in all versions

I liked that Apple is working on the weak points of their smartphones. Judge for yourself: the minimum amount of memory was doubled, optical stabilization was added, the body materials were changed to more practical ones (Jet Black is still a different story), the antennas were hidden, and stereo speakers were added. From a business point of view, the abandonment of 3.5 mm for headphones looks like an excellent move, and the modified Home button is due to the desire to make it more reliable against moisture.

You'll definitely feel the difference if you upgrade to the 7 from the iPhone 6, and the move will be worth it. I don’t recommend rushing to 6s owners; you have an excellent device that can serve you well for at least another year.

The iPhone 7 Plus was considered one of the best camera phones. Most users were very happy with it for taking photos and videos. And, of course, the dual camera system played the main role here. Now that the iPhone 8 Plus has been released, many will want to give preference to it, especially since the dual camera has received a number of additional bells and whistles. Everyone is wondering how the iPhone 8 camera is Plus is better than iPhone 7 Plus. The comparison test was filmed - watch and evaluate the results!

Comparison of iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus camera

Bloggers from AllApplePro decided to answer this question - whose camera is better? They took the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus side-by-side and began shooting videos and taking photos in a variety of environmental conditions. All this was eventually recorded on video, so to speak, for convenient demonstration.

Something to note... The iPhone 8 Plus performed brilliantly during the portrait mode test. Unfortunately, the iPhone 7 Plus cannot take such spectacular shots. Also disappointing is the well-known iPhone problem 7 Plus with a camera shutter that causes judder when transitioning from a dark scene to a brighter one, which still persists on the iPhone 8 Plus. You can see all other results in the 12-minute video.

Don't forget that it will soon be available with a new front camera TrueDepth. We are confident that this flagship will show a more significant lead...