Compare and contrast: Apple's iPhone 5s and 5c cameras

Just in case you've not had quite enough of your fill of Apple news over the past day or so, here's a run-down of the camera spec for the new iPhone 5s and 5c.

iPhone 5s

• All-new 8 megapixel rear-facing camera - I've heard plenty of people bemoaning the fact that it's 'only 8 megapixels' but do you really need any more on a sensor that's about the size of my little fingernail?
• Speaking of which, the size of the sensor has been increased - with luck that will help to improve low-light performance and noise levels
• ƒ/2.2 aperture - a touch brighter than the ƒ/2.4 of old
• The new processor in the A7 chip should help with faster auto-focusing, faster image capture (thanks-be), automatic image and video stabilisation, and increased dynamic range
• True Tone flash - a flash with in excess of 1,000 variants in colour and intensity to help produce more natural colours
• Burst mode - that's going to be reliant on the new faster image capture
• 120 frames-per-second slow-motion video

iPhone 5c

This camera is more akin to the iPhone 5's. It has an 8 megapixel sensor, but not the larger one of the 5s, and it is powered by the A6 chip so won't be as fast as the A7 version. It has an ƒ/2.4 lens, an LED flash, and no burst mode or slow-motion video.

And?

I'm not the kind of person to go out and upgrade my phone on the basis of its camera alone, especially not when you're looking at paying $199 for the 16GB 5s, $299 for the 32GB version, and $399 for the 64GB 5s (if you qualify). If you're an iPhone 4s owner, you're not looking at any major camera upgrade by hopping to the 5c, so it really isn't worth the $99 for the 16GB model or $199 for the 32GB model, again, if you 'qualify'. If you're in need of a whole new phone, however, it might be a different matter.

Olympus E-P5: first impressions

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go hands-on with an Olympus E-P5 last night. The E-P5 is Olympus' new wi-fi-enabled flagship PEN, with a 1/8000 second maximum shutter speed and a 16 megapixel sensor that is reputed to offer the same image quality as the OM-D. But what did I think?

• I loved having individual control dials, one for shutter speed and another for aperture, that can be altered to adjust ISO and white balance at the flick of a lever
• The auto-focus seemed entirely capable in conditions that were less than optimal
• Tilting touch-screens are always fun
• It felt comfortable in the hand and looked stylish on the eye
• I'm looking forward to trying out that 1/8000 second shutter speed!

The Olympus E-P5 should be available towards the end of June 2013. Body-only, it will cost around £900; kits start around £1000 for the 14-42mm lens while the ultimate kit, with a 17mm f1.8 prime lens and new VF-4 high resolution viewfinder, is in the region of £1350.

Sony joins the party at CES

It might not be as impressive as the 16 new cameras that FujiFilm unleashed at CES, but Sony has brought 11 new cameras to the party, along with three Bloggie cameras, and not forgetting its range of TVs, computers, and BluRay players. That’s quite a bit of shininess that they’re hoping will tempt us to part with some, okay, quite a lot, of our hard-earned pennies. Shall we see how tempting it all is?

Starting things off are the three new cameras in the W-series: W510, W530, and W570. They’re designed to be lightweight and easy-to-use, with intelligent automode and an in-camera guide to help the user along. They’ve also Sony’s new Sweep Panorama technology, which all the new cameras have. It creates a panorama by automatically stitching together a series of images made by holding down the shutter and sweeping the camera across the scene.

Sony Cyber-shot W570

Next up is the new T110. The swish-looking one. It has a 16 megapixel sensor, can take 720p HD movies, and has a touch screen.

T110

Onwards to the H70. It has the same 16 megapixel sensor and movie-making capabilities as the T110, but it also has a 25mm wide angle lens with a 10x optical zoom.

H70

And then there’s the J10. It also has a 16 megapixel sensor (enough with the megapixels already?), but it’s piece-de-resistence is its integral USB arm that is stowed away inside the camera. How cute!

Sony Cyber-shot J10 with a retractable USB cable.

Then, heaven help us, come the cameras with 3D capability. I know, you can hear me groaning. There are five of them available: DSC-TX100V, DSC-TX10, DSC-HX7V, DSC-WX10 and DSC-WX7. Whoever decided on that naming convention needs some help, but perhaps not as much as my eyes will. Yep, five cameras that can take 3D stills at 16 megapixel resolution.

The TX10, one of five 3D-capable cameras from Sony

There’s more information over at Sony.