Since iPhone 4 can now capture 720p videos, I wondered if uploading them directly from the Camera app to YouTube would result in any loss of quality compared to syncing the iPhone with a Mac and then uploading from there. The short answer is that yes, they do.
I shot a quick test video and uploaded it from my iPhone. Even though the original source was shot at 720p, the resulting YouTube video maxes out at 360p:
I then transferred the same movie from my iPhone to my Mac with iTunes and uploaded it to YouTube via their web interface. The resulting video can be shown at the full 720p resolution:
So if you want your iPhone videos to look best on YouTube, don’t upload them directly from the device. Instead, sync them to your Mac or PC and upload them from there.
Anyone know if any video hosting services allow full-fidelity 720p uploads directly from the iPhone?
(Cross-posted @ Moonwatcher)
Great observation! With the iPhone 3GS, before the iOS 4, if you take a video and then try to MMS it to someone, the quality or size of the video was automatically reduced I supposed to make it easier to send over the airwaves. As a work around, I’d use the copy function instead and email it. It sounds to me like the same thing is going on here. Is it? Is Apple automatically downsizing the video with the “upload to youtube” functionality? If so, in that case, wouldn’t it be better to give users a choice (actual size, large, medium, small) because transferring through wifi is certainly not as much a concern as through the cell network?
Yes, your iPhone compresses he movie before uploading it. (You can see a “Compressing movie…” message during the process.) I agree that it would be much better if they gave you the option to upload it uncompressed. Sounds like a good opportunity for a third-party app.
-c
Yes, your iPhone compresses the movie before uploading it. (You can see a “Compressing movie…” message during the process.) I agree that it would be much better if they gave you the option to upload it uncompressed. Sounds like a good opportunity for a third-party app.
-c
Well, just to clarify, I think there is a little more than compression going on. I believe the iPhone is actually reducing the size of the video, translating it if you will, into a smaller size (360p), after which it is then compressed. I would think sending HD video over the airwaves is just too data intensive to do at full quality.
Best Regards,
You’re absolutely right. In addition to compressing the video, the Camera app reduces its resolution form 720p to 360p. Bummer! A “Upload original file” option would be most welcome, even if it were only available when connected via WiFi.
-c
[...] Charlie Wood: You’re absolutely right. In… [...]
This issue is annoying. Here are a couple other blogs that have made mention of it:
http://www.donmartelli.com/blog/2010/6/25/dear-apple-i-want-my-iphone-4-720p.html
http://enterdialogue.com/2010/06/25/facetime-with-steve-jobs-dont-mislead-your-customers/
The frustrating part is that it isn’t a bug. Apple Support actually makes mention of the compression in multiple places (here’s an example: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4233)
At a minimum we should be able to upload w/o compression when we’re on a WiFi network. I hope the community can build some momentum and get this fixed in a future OS update!
-Chad
Here’s a more expanded description of this problem:
http://www.resourcesforlife.com/docs/item3483
That’s apple for you. I’m on a high speed network with a new ipad and the videos upload to YouTube at 360. Apple, it’s nearly 2013. What’s with this Mickey Mouse shit?
Pathetic.
If you want something done right, get android. Or windows. Or anything non-Apple.