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This might be for different uses, but I'd rather Apple bring their iPhone front camera to the MacBooks. It's crazy that MacBook cameras still top out at 720p.

dylan604 6y ago
That still misses the point. People want the look of a larger sensor that the tiny ones in a phone's camera. Shallow depth of field, different lenses, filters, etc that a fixed lens fixed aperture lens on a small sensor does not allow.
- rektide 6y ago
  I'd cite portrait mode as counter-example. The optics are irrelevant if the software can emulate the look. And thus far, from what I understand, portrait mode systems have not had to use the depth sensors/lidar that's available!!! I would be very wary of assuming the larger format optics are necessary or helpful! The look can be done. There are some advantages retained by the larger sensor but it's a category that will shrink.
  - rektide 6y ago
    This post is obviously wrong, in that you cannot hack the same quality out of a smaller cheaper lighter sensor. There's a lot that will remain out of reach. Yet still, there's a lot that can be done to bring the appeal of one to the other.
    - tupputuppu 6y ago
      I think the post is half right. Right now the macbook webcams get zero help from any computational photography unless your video call software has something like that (e.g. Zoom's background blur). Apple could do a lot more with both the physically design as well as with drivers, which they aren't doing today.
samatman 6y ago
I don't think they can, is the thing. My iPhone is at least three times as thick as the screen of my MacBook, and I'd be surprised if they aren't using at least some of that depth on the front camera. What I would like to see is official support for using the back iPhone cameras as a webcam, but I don't expect to: it looks like Apple wants to remove the last port on the phones, no matter how dumb an idea that might be, and then they'd have to deprecate this feature, which would draw attention to the loss of functionality such a silly move would entail. I really hope I'm wrong about this implication of the new MacSafe, the idea of owning a phone with no wired connection just makes me nervous. But it would be in character for the company.
- fossuser 6y ago
  The port is definitely going, but maybe they'll put a magnet in the MBP lid so you can snap your iPhone onto the lid with the camera facing you over the top? Not really their style though.
- wlesieutre 6y ago
  Not official, and no personal experience with it, but it sounds like this is what you want: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/epoccam-webcam-for-mac-and-pc/id449133483 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/epoccam-webcam-for-mac-and-pc/... > Just download drivers to your PC/Mac and you're ready to go! Connection is fully automatic, no need for manual setup. You can connect wirelessly over WiFi network or with with a USB-cable.
  - jiofih 6y ago
    I use this. It kinda sucks, and the battery goes way too quickly.
    - vosper 6y ago
      I agree it kinda sucks. I found it (and alternatives) to be flaky, and had an audio delay when I had them running. Plus the setup experience each time you want to use it (put iPhone in tripod, position in correctly [because you moved the tripod], plug it in, launch app, check focus etc..) is enough of a pain that a dedicated webcam is just way better even if the picture quality is lower.

dylan604 6y ago

That still misses the point. People want the look of a larger sensor that the tiny ones in a phone's camera. Shallow depth of field, different lenses, filters, etc that a fixed lens fixed aperture lens on a small sensor does not allow.

rektide 6y ago
I'd cite portrait mode as counter-example. The optics are irrelevant if the software can emulate the look. And thus far, from what I understand, portrait mode systems have not had to use the depth sensors/lidar that's available!!! I would be very wary of assuming the larger format optics are necessary or helpful! The look can be done. There are some advantages retained by the larger sensor but it's a category that will shrink.
- rektide 6y ago
  This post is obviously wrong, in that you cannot hack the same quality out of a smaller cheaper lighter sensor. There's a lot that will remain out of reach. Yet still, there's a lot that can be done to bring the appeal of one to the other.
  - tupputuppu 6y ago
    I think the post is half right. Right now the macbook webcams get zero help from any computational photography unless your video call software has something like that (e.g. Zoom's background blur). Apple could do a lot more with both the physically design as well as with drivers, which they aren't doing today.

samatman 6y ago

I don't think they can, is the thing. My iPhone is at least three times as thick as the screen of my MacBook, and I'd be surprised if they aren't using at least some of that depth on the front camera. What I would like to see is official support for using the back iPhone cameras as a webcam, but I don't expect to: it looks like Apple wants to remove the last port on the phones, no matter how dumb an idea that might be, and then they'd have to deprecate this feature, which would draw attention to the loss of functionality such a silly move would entail. I really hope I'm wrong about this implication of the new MacSafe, the idea of owning a phone with no wired connection just makes me nervous. But it would be in character for the company.

fossuser 6y ago
The port is definitely going, but maybe they'll put a magnet in the MBP lid so you can snap your iPhone onto the lid with the camera facing you over the top? Not really their style though.
wlesieutre 6y ago
Not official, and no personal experience with it, but it sounds like this is what you want: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/epoccam-webcam-for-mac-and-pc/id449133483 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/epoccam-webcam-for-mac-and-pc/... > Just download drivers to your PC/Mac and you're ready to go! Connection is fully automatic, no need for manual setup. You can connect wirelessly over WiFi network or with with a USB-cable.
- jiofih 6y ago
  I use this. It kinda sucks, and the battery goes way too quickly.
  - vosper 6y ago
    I agree it kinda sucks. I found it (and alternatives) to be flaky, and had an audio delay when I had them running. Plus the setup experience each time you want to use it (put iPhone in tripod, position in correctly [because you moved the tripod], plug it in, launch app, check focus etc..) is enough of a pain that a dedicated webcam is just way better even if the picture quality is lower.