iMac M4 and MacBook Pro M4: What the new cameras can do
A small detail, but very useful: Apple has improved the quality of its video chat cameras for the Mac and added a feature.
MacBook Pro M4 with new camera: more megapixels.
(Image: Apple)
Buyers of the iMac M4 and the new MacBook Pro models with M4 receive a little goodie: the integrated FaceTime camera has been technically upgraded. Instead of a 1080p HD camera, which is no longer state of the art, there is now a 12-megapixel model in the screens. Here is all the information already known about the new webcam.
12 megapixels, but 1080p HD recording
Until now, you had to go for the Apple Studio Display if you wanted the best Mac camera. In addition to the aforementioned 12 megapixels, this also offers an ultra-wide field of view of 122 degrees and an aperture value of 2.4. No information has been provided on the field of view and aperture of the iMac M4 and MacBook Pro M4, only the 12 megapixels have been officially confirmed. These should generally ensure sharper images. However, there is one restriction. Officially, only 1080p HD recordings are possible for video recordings – why is still unclear.
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An "advanced image signal processor with computational video" is supposed to do the rest of the image enhancement work. What is new is that both the iMac M4 and MacBook Pro M4 support the center-stage function. This is familiar from the Studio Display and several iPad models and ensures that a person can (largely) move around the room and the camera remains focused on them.
Show the desk for a change
Both M4 Macs also support Desk View. This allows FaceTime and other apps to show the area in front of the Mac on video –, for example, if you want to demonstrate something. This is simply done with the integrated camera, and software then smoothes the recording. Apple also emphasizes that the new camera hardware enables "improved video quality even in challenging lighting conditions".
Apple's webcams have been considered a problem for years, as they deliver significantly poorer quality images than alternative methods. Apple has therefore long made it possible to connect an iPhone as a webcam. The Continuity Camera function ("integration camera") is implemented using suitable mounts, which are available for a wide variety of computer and screen models. Initial tests must now show how well the new cameras in the M4 Macs really perform without such a crutch. The new devices will be launched on the market next week.
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