How Good Is The Iphone 8 Camera

12MP camera is solid, like shooting fish in a barrel to use with decent results
Same camera feel as iPhone 7, new (small) video features

On paper the 12MP rear camera on the iPhone 8 is, like the screen, no dissimilar to the snapper on its predecessor.

That ways you get the same f/1.viii aperture, a 5X digital zoom, optical image stabilization and Live Photos support of the iPhone seven.

It does have a couple of new tricks up its sleeve though, every bit the iPhone eight can now shoot 4K video at sixty frames per 2d (fps) and also now offers 240fps wearisome motion recording at 1080p (Full HD) rather than merely 720p.

While such improvements are always welcome, there's actually not much between the cameras on the iPhone viii and the iPhone seven – yous'll become about exactly the aforementioned shooting experience from either handset.

A big plus point for all iPhone cameras is their ease of utilize, and that'southward no dissimilar with the iPhone eight.

The camera app is simple, keeping settings to a minimum, with the focus on great indicate-and-shoot snaps – and for the most office it performs well, especially outdoors during the twenty-four hour period.

Photos deliver a good level of detail and a colorful punch, and the ability to swipe sideways for instant admission to the Instagram-friendly square style no dubiety pleases the #instagood army.

Upwards close the iPhone 8 more often than not does well, with tap-to-focus enabling you lot to tell the photographic camera which part of a near-field subject field you want it to lock on to.

Things aren't quite equally positive when the lights go downwardly, though, with the camera sometimes struggling to deliver a high level of item in low-light shots, especially wider shots where there's no set focal point almost the camera.

Information technology'south more striking-and-miss than straight-up poor though, and if you take your fourth dimension and use tap-to-focus on an object nearby, the iPhone 8 can produce some impressive low-light shots.

Why aren't the camera settings in the camera app? — Why aren't the camera settings in the photographic camera app?

For all the positives almost the simplicity of the camera app on the iPhone viii, it also carries the same gremlins from previous iterations of iPhones. The major mumble we have is Apple tree's continued insistence on hiding key camera toggles in the main Settings app.

Slide over to the video mode in the camera app, meanwhile, and there's no way of telling the resolution and fps you'll be shooting at. You lot're forced to come out of the app and navigate to Settings > Photographic camera, where you lot'll see that video recording is set past default to 1080p at 30fps.

Tap this and y'all'll be given six different resolutions/fps combinations, with the headline 4K at 60fps selection at the bottom. You as well see a note at the bottom of the folio telling you how much storage space a infinitesimal of footage at each combination will take up.

Apple claims ane minute of 4K at 60fps will use around 400MB of space, which nosotros institute to be about right, with a three-minute xxx-second prune taking up 1.3GB.

You may want to keep an eye on your storage if you're doing a lot of 4K recording – if you've bought the 64GB iPhone 8, and with iOS 11 taking upward effectually 7GB, you could rapidly run out of infinite.

Meanwhile, on the front, Snapchatters and FaceTimers get the same 7MP camera as on the iPhone 7, giving you Full HD video recording and a screen wink to brighten upwardly your selfies.

It's more than adequate for the odd pouty pose and video chat with friends and family, and information technology's 1 expanse where we're not concerned that Apple hasn't done anything new.

Camera samples gallery

Image 1 of 13

Outdoors, in good light, the iPhone 8 shows just how good it is at point-and-shoot — Outdoors, in skilful low-cal, the iPhone 8 shows merely how practiced information technology is at point-and-shoot

Paradigm ii of thirteen

And it can cope with areas of shade, and highlights the church in great detail — And information technology can cope with areas of shade, and highlights the church in dandy particular

Image 3 of thirteen

Even busy scenes in good light are no trouble for the iPhone 8 — Fifty-fifty busy scenes in skilful light are no trouble for the iPhone 8

Paradigm 4 of 13

But as the light fades, these busy scenes become more muddy in photos — But every bit the low-cal fades, these busy scenes become more muddy in photos

Image v of xiii

Tap-to-focus on an object in low light though, and the iPhone 8 performs better — Tap-to-focus on an object in depression light though, and the iPhone 8 performs meliorate

Image 6 of 13

But firing off a quick shot in a dark bar can lead to out-of-focus photos — But firing off a quick shot in a dark bar tin lead to out-of-focus photos

Image 7 of 13

With indoor lighting the iPhone 8 doesn't do too badly, but photos can look a little washed out — With indoor lighting the iPhone 8 doesn't do too badly, but photos tin can look a little done out

Epitome 8 of 13

The fluorescent lighting of this train carriage isn't ideal to shoot with, but the iPhone 8 does okay — The fluorescent lighting of this train wagon isn't ideal to shoot with, simply the iPhone 8 does okay

Epitome nine of 13

Pointing your camera at the sun isn't recommended, and the washed-out results show you why — Pointing your camera at the dominicus isn't recommended, and the done-out results prove yous why

Image 10 of thirteen

More proof that a busy scene in good daylight is no trouble for the iPhone 8 — More than proof that a busy scene in skilful daylight is no trouble for the iPhone 8

Prototype 11 of thirteen

The focus on Grandpa here is excellent, with a high level of detail up close — The focus on Grandpa here is excellent, with a high level of detail up shut

Prototype 12 of xiii

But shifting that focus to Marge, the iPhone 8 struggles a little with the sunlight coming through the window — Simply shifting that focus to Marge, the iPhone 8 struggles a little with the sunlight coming through the window

Image thirteen of 13

A number of filters are available in the camera app, with Noir being our favorite — A number of filters are bachelor in the camera app, with Noir being our favorite

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Author for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast cognition of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world'south biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on alive Telly and radio, including Heaven News, BBC News, BBC Globe News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio four. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John as well looks afterward the day-to-solar day running of the site.