Our new app, 645 PRO, delivers different output options compares to most iPhone camera apps, including “developed RAW”—dRAW—TIFFs. But what difference—if any—does this make to the images you end up processing?

Chris Poole, a professional photographer from Tennessee, decided to find out, and published his conclusions on the discussion board of the hugely-popular iPhoneography blog.

Not only that, he also uploaded his test images to box.com so that you can make your own mind up. Look at the images and use the supplied tools to zoom in to very high levels of magnification.

Personally, I think the results are quite significant. With Chris’s permission, here are some highly-cropped and then enlarged (300%) portions of his test images taken with 645 PRO (dRAW TIFF) and the standard iPhone 4S Camera.app. Note that Chris took the shots in low light to push the small iPhone image sensor and Apple’s native “development” process to their limits and thus magnify any weaknesses.

Here’s the 645 PRO output:

There’s definite noise from the sensor (which is to be expected from a small sensor working in low light), but it’s really not bad. Compare it with the output from the standard camera:

The artefacts introduced by JPEG compression are clear. And the information that has been changed during that compression process can never be recovered.

We’re well aware that for most people, sharing their images at relatively low resolution on the Web or via e-mail, this really doesn’t matter.

But to those for whom it is important, 645 PRO provides a way of getting greater initial image integrity and thus greater control over their final image quality.

Its small sensor and quite basic optics mean the underlying image quality delivered by iPhone doesn’t come close to rivalling that of DSLRs or even the better compact cameras—it can’t. However, when “the best camera is the one that’s with you”, we’re determined to help you get the best output from it for your needs!

(NOTE: Chris’s analysis also includes output from 645 PRO’s MAX-quality JPEG option. It’s worth noting that, while this lacks JPEG compression artefacts, it has been subject to processing in order to provide the best-looking final output at print resolution—rather than output with the highest integrity in the image editor—so it is noticeably different to the dRAW TIFF. The JPEG is the option for photographers who subscribe to the Henri Cartier-Bresson view: “Once the picture is in the box, I’m not all that interested in what happens next. Hunters, after all, aren’t cooks.” The dRAW TIFFS are for those who like to cook…)

Mike Hardaker
Founder, Jag.gr