iPhone 7 video stability

[Sonertial]

Hi, first post. Thanks Harry for the app, it's become my most used since getting this iphone 7.

I've been looking pretty hard at some of the issues with the new iphones. I have been struggling with this for a long time, and hope this post will help others, or at least raise the awareness of this problem across the wider iphone using community.

I may have a solution, but it's very much do this at your own risk. The consequences are a bit of an unknown quantity, but may involve increased battery consumption or heating issues. I have not observed this, but would anticipate it as a possible side effect. I have reported this to Apple, but I don't know if anything will come of it.

-I've set up a track nearby my home.
-I have custom made what I think is an extremely stable mount for the iPhone. (Ram suction cup, short arm and custom holder).
-I've tested all variations of locked autofocus, Image stabilization.
-I've found that the Front selfie camera is basically perfectly stable, but the iPhone's main camera is utterly unusable.
-The reason for the main camera instability, as observed and stated by Harry and others, is the Rolling Shutter technique used by apple for 720 HD and 1080 fHD, the defocussing caused by bumps and most of all the Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) which we are unable to turn off.

I've found a way to lock it. The results are pretty good.

Details in this youtube clip.

https://youtu.be/4QF_wh-NYnI

[Harry]

This a very interesting observation and clearly identifies image stabilization as the root cause for the video issue. It will probably make that (mechanic) part inoperable - but good to have the issue identified.

Thanks for sharing!

Harry

[Sonertial]

No problem Harry:)

I've been experimenting a bit more to figure out if the magnet has any bad side effects.


I've tested running the video, both recording and simply displaying, for long periods up to an hour in direct (through the windscreen) sunlight. The magnet gets warm, as does the iPhone itself, but nothing alarming.

I see no noticeable increase in battery consumption. However, it is very obvious that something in the system is working against the magnet. When recording in a silent environment, using the the iPhone's internal microphone, a low buzzing clicking can be heard on playback. This sounds very mechanical, but there are no signs, after many hours of this, that the phone is suffering in any way. The system works exactly as normal upon removal of the magnet, and works as observed (stable) with it attached.


Using Neodymium magnets is very convenient. I've found that they are strong enough to hold themselves on without the inconvenience of tape. I've tried 12mm and 8mm magnets, the small one I glued onto a small plastic washer, both to prevent scratching and because I am not sure if stronger magnets have more chance of harming the phone's IOS/focusing system.

This can be seen here https://youtu.be/AMjPzD8nOVw

The magnet's polarity is important. There is an orientation where the magnet will "want" to be behind the lens, and one where it wants to spring away, either flipping itself or attaching in some other weakly magnetic position on the iPhone front face.

There seem to be four stable positions that the image jumps to if you move the magnet in a circular motion (this can be seen in the video linked above). One of them is extremely stable, but interferes with the focusing system. In my case, this state is provoked by moving the magnet towards the upper right as seen in the video. I have best results just clipping the magnet on and letting it find it's own position. I am using the small, 8mm magnet with glued on washer.

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who is game to try this. A colleague has tried it with an iPhone 7 Plus with good results.

[Harry]

Please have a look into https://www.facebook.com/HarrysLapTimer ... 9557745155 too.
I assume the magnet influences the mic.

- Harry