Torries

HANDS-ON SAILOR

102

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are now available, and they off er

some of the most advanced smartphone camera hardware and

software.

Short list of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus features:

• Twin cameras (Plus only)


• Brighter screen


• Improved stereo sound for shooting video


• Expanded internal storage, up to 256 GB


• 12-megapixel sensor


• f/1.8 aperture


• Optical image stabilization
  
  
  • Ability to shoot in RAW format
  
  
  • 7-megapixel front camera
  
  
  
  

The Camera System

Many manufacturers have off ered or will soon off er a twin

camera system. The iPhone 7 Plus has two cameras. Both are

12 megapixels, but each has a diff erent focal length, 28mm and

56mm, respectively. With these dual cameras, the 7 Plus now

off ers a 2x optical zoom and a 10x digital zoom, so now you can

capture not only the deck of your sailboat, but also the crazy

guy at the masthead searching for land!

LATEST AND GREATEST

january/february 2017

cruisingworld.com

app: time-lapse, slo-mo, video,

photo, square and pano.

Tablets may not include all

these functions. On some

Android models, you will fi nd

these options located within

your photography submenu.

Time-Lapse: With this option,

the frame rate consists of a

series of single pictures shot at

a speed that’s slower than nor-

mal video. When the video is

played back, time seems to be

moving faster, or lapsing. Use

time-lapse to shorten a long

sequence or capture an event

such as docking a sailboat.

Slo-Mo: This tool essentially

slows down the motion of

the subject. When I teach

sailing, I use slow motion

to visually explain wrapping

a winch, tacking or jibing,

or other complex functions

where errors can be seen

more clearly when the view is

slowed down.

Video: Lights, camera, action!

You use video to document

your best and worst sailing

experiences: dolphins swim-

ming along the bow, whales

breaching, or crewmembers

swimming, sailing or enjoying

a destination.

Photo: This is the standard of

photography. The 4-to-3 aspect

ratio allows photos taken in

this mode to be copied, edited,

posted and emailed.

Square: The square mode

works the same way as the

photo mode except that the

aspect ratio (normally 4-to-3)

and shape of the image are no

longer rectangular, but square

(1-to-1).

Pano: The panoramic

function is a bit tricky to use

on a moving boat or dock, as

it requires you to rotate the

phone while holding it level.

In this mode, the camera

takes a series of sequential

images that are stitched

together via a software

function. Once saved, a

panoramic photo can be

shared the same way as any

other image. This image size

works great for landscapes,

photographing your boat

while on a dock or mooring,

or for nearly any other “long”

item or subject. When

taking the photo, you need

to be aware of your tracking

speed, the movement to

the left or right, and the

movement of the camera up

or down — all tough on a

moving sailboat.

Using the digital zoom (left) on the iPhone is easy — just

slide the yellow circle, or you can pinch to zoom. To focus

on a specifi c spot in the photo, double-tap on the area. You

can also adjust the brightness at this time by sliding the sun

icon up or down.

SMARTPHONE TIP

Android systems have more

complex camera settings,

such as adjustable shutter

speed, aperture, white

balance, ISO and much

more, via the gear-shaped

Quick Settings icon.

JEN BRETT (TOP ROW); THADDEUS KUBIS

Another benefi t that smartphones have over traditional

cameras is the ability to immediately email or message

photos to your friends and family. Or when you’re

anchored in a new place (left), you can easily post photos

on social media.

CRW0217_HOS2_Smartphone.indd 102 11/22/16 1:53 PM