First Impressions: iPhone 4S…This Changes Everything

Mark this day: October 14, 2011: The Day of the iPhone.

My partner and I finally purchased our first iPhones today. We couldn’t wait any longer, so we did it as soon as they were available. We didn’t pre-order them, and the whole process for three phones took about two hours. Relatively painless.

The timing was perfect, because my antique Motorola V.90 was in dire need of a new battery, and my two-year-old iPod touch wasn’t far behind. But more importantly, this release, the 4S, has increased speed and features with the same industrial design as the former. It’s likely that the iPhone 5, due next summer, will incorporate a major face lift, and I’m very happy with the current design. And, historically, this is Steve’s last iPhone, for which the “S” has been frequently attributed.

It’s not like I haven’t been following the development of the iPhone, but to hold it in one’s hand is a different story. It truly is a marvel of engineering.

First Impressions
It’s much thinner than I imagined. The build quality is impeccable. The stainless steel band around the outside, the buttons, even the tiny speaker and microphone grill have a gem-like quality. I gave a little cheer the when I had heard of the glass front and back when they first announced the iPhone 4. All of these are truly durable surfaces.

As for a case, there are so many options out there I could’t decide, so for now I opted instead for the “classic” Apple bumper. The cases seemed to add extra thickness that the bumper didn’t, and the glass back is far more durable than the highly polished stainless-steel back of the iPod touch. The bumper is also impeccably designed with matching stainless-steel buttons.

This is not merely a phone, but a Swiss Army knife for day-to-day existence. It was a guilt-free purchase for me, not only because I’ve held out so long, but because this replaces so many devices; cell phone, MP3 music player, camera, video camcorder, voice memo recorder, stopwatch, alarm clock, timer, calculator, etc., etc. And that’s not to mention all the apps that give you things like a compass, a level, a flashlight, etc., etc.

But of course, all this is leading up to the most exciting thing for me. An 8MP camera with a 5-element f/2.4 lens.

I found the camera to be very impressive. It’s simplicity itself really; you just point and shoot. The camera does actually autofocus (if you look closely you can actually see the lens moving in and out!) and the focus zones are selected simply by tapping on the screen. The LED “flash” has three modes, auto, on and off, and is quite helpful, although its coverage is a little narrow for the lens’s 35mm angle of view. There are selectable grid lines that follow the rule of thirds, and the HDR feature does an amazing job, not of creating images with a creative bent, but of extending the dynamic range of the image to include highlight and shadow detail that is usually lost.

Apple’s previous take on the digital camera, circa 1996

One thing I was very impressed with was that when you use the camera in the correct orientation (with the LED flash above the lens) the volume “+” button doubles as the shutter release. So, you can gradually squeeze it to take your shot. This promotes a much more stable holding position to ensure sharper images.

Don’t get me wrong. This can’t hold a candle to even the Canon SD780 IS. But, it’s still an amazing tool for reference, and to get that shot that you otherwise wouldn’t have if you forgot to pack your real camera.

There are dozens upon dozens of photo apps out there, but it’s unlikely that they will actually add any real functionality to the camera. It’s more likely that they will add a few features, like a self-timer, and allow you to modify existing images. But I will be looking closely at these, reviewing them from time to time. There will definitely be a new section of ATG devoted to the iPhone. Personally, I’m on the prowl for an app that can substitute as an exposure meter, and one to identify colors as L*a*b* values. Now those would be truly useful to me.

The iPhone is essentially a camera for the rest of us. There are many users who may never own a dedicated camera, and for them this a very capable photographic solution. Not only is it a camera, but also a lightroom and a photo album all in one.

It’s interesting to note that it took the iPhone for Apple to get back into the digital camera game. The QuickTake 200 shown above was discontinued in 1997, along with the Newton and LaserWriter, shortly after Steve Jobs returned to Apple in an attempt to streamline operations. It had a resolution of 640 x 480 (0.3MP), an 8mm (50mm equivalent) lens, and a shutter speed of 1/4 to 1/5000 sec. It retailed for $600.00, about the cost of a Nikon D3100 DSLR with zoom lens.