DxO have released the ONE camera for use with an iPhone or iPad, and here is our review.
This is how the DxO ONE is described:
With a fast, high-quality prime lens and a large 1-inch format, the DxO ONE excels in low-light conditions, allowing you to take pictures that are of strikingly higher quality than on your smartphone alone. With the higher resolution, bigger pixels and wider lens aperture offered by the DxO ONE, it seems the era of shoddy night-time photography is finally behind us!
Smaller than a deck of cards, this handy device connects to your iPhone or iPad, meaning that professional quality snaps can be instantly shared with friends using all the usual sharing functions of your smart device.
Here is a short video showing the DxO ONE:
Specifications
|
Sensor type |
CMOS – BSI |
|
Focal length |
11.9mm (equivalent to 32mm in full frame) |
|
Lens cover |
Integrated, sliding (on/off) |
|
Aperture |
f/1.8 adjustable down to f/11 (6 blade iris) |
|
Shutter button |
2-stage |
|
OLED |
Settings display, touch control |
|
ISO range |
From ISO 100 to ISO 51200 (Hi 2) |
|
Shutter speed |
From 1/20000 to 30s |
|
Image stabilization |
Electronic (for video) |
|
Camera modes |
Auto, Sports, Portrait, Landscape, Night, Program, Aperture Priority, Speed Priority, Manual |
|
Video modes |
1080p (30 fps), 720p (120fps), Manual 1080p (30 fps) |
|
File formats |
.JPG, .DNG, .DXO (SuperRAW™), .MOV (H.264) |
|
Focus range |
20cm – infinity |
|
Autofocus |
Contrast detect, using face-detection |
|
Focus modes |
Single-shot, continuous, tap-to-focus, manual focus |
|
Metering modes |
Spot, center weighted, multi-zone |
|
Zoom |
Digital 3x |
|
Micro USB port |
USB 2 (power charging, mass storage connection) |
|
Lightning connector |
Retractable/collapsible, +/- 60º rotation |
|
Screen size |
Varies, function of connected iDevice between 4” and 9.7” |
|
Screen resolution |
Varies, function of connected iDevice between 727,040 and 3,145,728 dots |
|
Storage type |
microSD UHS-I U3 (not included) |
|
Orientation |
Gyroscope + accelerometer |
|
Battery type |
Integrated lithium ion |
|
Battery life |
~200 photos |
|
Weight |
3.8oz (108g) |
|
Dimensions |
67.5 x 48.85 x 26.25 mm |
|
Compatible with |
iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad (4th gen), iOS 8 or later |
What’s in the box?
The box contains the DxO ONE, a charger and cable, and some paperwork.
A Closer Look
Here is where the Micro SD card sits.
Using the DxO ONE
Here is the DxO connected up to my iPhone 6S.
You can actually take pictures with the DxO when its not actually connected to your iPhone. You can also see information such as remaining battery, number of shots left, etc.
Here is a picture taken with the DxO.
You can easily see the images stored on the camera.
The DxO Connect software is very useful and easy to use.
The software even shows you the Original RAW image and a processed JPEG so you can see the differences.
Final Thoughts
The first thing you notice when you open the box is just how small and light the DxO ONE actually is. It’s really easy to slip it into your pocket or bag and have it with you at all times and not really notice it’s there.
Once it’s charged and ready to go, you install the DxO app on your iPhone and connect the camera and the phone, and away you go!
You can choose settings on the app and start taking pictures, it’s that easy, although it may take you a little time to get used to holding both the DxO ONE and the iPhone!
The camera produces some amazing quality pictures and you can manipulate these pictures within the software provided with the camera. The DxO ONE has a 1″ sensor delivering 20.2 megapixels.
Just one thing to be aware of, the Micro SD card that comes with the DxO ONE is fairly small in terms of storage size so you might want to buy a bigger card or two, especially if you are taking pictures in the highest quality mode.
You can even take pictures with the DxO ONE without it being connected to your iPhone or iPad, just point and shoot. There is a very small image displayed on the back that is really only useful to help line up your shot, but if you really need to get that picture quickly, being able to pull out the DxO ONE and just shoot saves a bit of time and means you won’t miss that all important picture.
The app and the software that comes with the DxO ONE is very good and is packed with various features to help make your pictures look as good as they can be. Occasionally the app can be a bit of pain when trying to tap on areas of the screen to focus on, with that focus going back to the centre after about 15 seconds. But you do get used it and you can work around it.
Do spend a bit of time with the software to get the most of it, your pictures will certainly look better for it.
So if you want to be able to take DSLR quality pictures with your iPhone then you really should check out the DxO ONE.
The DxO One is £399 and there is also a DxO ONE bundled with DxO OpticsPro ELITE Edition and DxO FilmPack ELITE Edition for £449.
