How does the camera in the iPhone 3GS compare to the camera in earlier iPhone models?

An improved camera was one of the touted new features of the iPhone 3GS.

The original iPhone and iPhone 3G both have the same 2.0 megapixel "fixed focus" camera whereas the iPhone 3G has an improved 3.0 megapixel camera with autofocus, macro, and white balance support, as well as a "tap to focus" feature (simply tap on the display where you want the camera to focus when using the camera and it refocuses where you tapped).

The iPhone 3GS also supports VGA video recording at 30 FPS with basic "video editing" capabilities (you can cut the beginning and end of a clip "in camera"). The original iPhone and iPhone 3G hardware is capable of shooting video but cannot do so without third-party "jailbroken" hacks.

Third-Party iPhone 3GS Camera Reviews

With improved specs, one would expect the camera in the iPhone 3GS to be better than the one used by its predecessors, but this really can only be revealed by independent testing. Each of the following reviews should be read in its entirety for the full perspective provided by the author as well as to view side-by-side comparison photos.

In its review, complete with a companion slideshow, C|Net found that:

On the whole, the iPhone 3GS' photo quality looks better than the 3G camera's quality, but it depends on the shot. Outdoor shots and photos taken in natural light looked less blurry in our tests, with brighter colors. Photos taken during cloudy days were less likely to be blown out, and photos in low-light conditions looked brighter and had less of an orange tint. Indoor shots without natural light showed little change, however. The iPhone's camera is not optimized for fluorescent light. For a full gallery of shots taken with the camera, see our iPhone 3GS camera slideshow.

After first acknowledging that the autofocus, "tap to focus", and macro support are huge improvements, ArsTechnica reported:

The less good news is that the quality of the photos is not that much improved under the conditions where it needed the most improvement. Don't get us wrong -- the iPhone 3GS is certainly capable of taking some beautiful pictures under ideal lighting conditions (just look at the iPhone 3GS Flickr group to see the evidence). However, one of the most common criticisms of the original iPhone and iPhone 3G's camera is that it performs rather poorly in medium- and low-light scenarios. Not only does the camera in the 3GS sometimes perform just as poorly, there are some circumstances in which it may actually perform worse than the 3G.

Bob Levitus, writing for Mac Observer, also noted low light issues and concluded:

The bottom line is that the iPhone 3GS camera is a lot better than in previous generations in many ways. I feel that almost every picture I shoot is better than it would have been had I used my iPhone 3G. That being said, there are certain situations where the older iPhones will capture better pictures in low light situations.

Finally, in an extensive review with excellent side-by-side comparison photos, the always objective iLounge declared that:

Overall, the iPhone 3GS offers a markedly improved photography experience over the iPhone and iPhone 3G, creating better still pictures and now videos, as well. That having been said, its overall performance in both regards is not enough to recommend it to serious or even semi-serious photographers as anything other than an instantly Internet-ready backup for a real camera; unfortunately, the lack of better Internet-ready real cameras may well wind up winning the iPhone 3GS more screen time than its limited lens and sensor combination would otherwise deserve.

This video clip of tourists in yellow raincoats at Niagara Falls -- also courtesy of iLounge -- provides a quick and basic demonstration of the video capabilities of the iPhone 3GS:

iPhone 3GS Camera Summary

Ultimately, low light issues notwithstanding, the camera in the iPhone 3GS is a significant improvement compared to the camera in earlier iPhone models and the video functionality is a great addition. However, as one would expect, it still pales in comparison to basic "point and shoot" digital cameras.