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IPhone 6 Plus reviews

DPReview smartphone reviews are written with the needs of photographers in mind. We focus on camera features, performance, and image quality.

Introduction

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are Apple's latest contributions to the smartphone world and joint successors to the iPhone 5S. On the surface, both new models are very similar in terms of specification and differ only in screen size and the addition of an optical image stabilization system in the larger Plus model. The latter, which is the subject of this review, comes with a 5.5-inch IPS screen and a 1080p full-HD resolution. The screen is protected by what Apple calls "Ion-strengthened glass". Apple's iOS 8 operating system is powered by the new A8 chipset which offers 25% more power than the A7 predecessor in the iPhone 5S.
In terms of camera specification Apple sticks with the 8MP resolution that dates back to the iPhone 4S. The F2.2 aperture remains the same as on the iPhone 5S. However, autofocus performance has been improved with the addition of on-sensor phase detection which Apple calls "focus pixels". Apple claims this makes the AF on the new models twice as fast as the previous generation. The iPhone 6 Plus is also the first Apple smartphone to offer an optical image stabilization system.
Other camera feature highlights include a panorama mode that produces images up to 43MP large, 1080p video at 60fps and a 240 fps slow-motion mode at 720p resolution. Overall though the latest iPhone's camera specification has not changed too much compared to the predecessor. Read our comprehensive review to find out what impact the refinements have on image quality and camera operation. 

Key Photographic / Video Specifications:

  • 8MP camera
  • F2.2 maximum aperture
  • Five elements lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1080p video
  • 120/240 fps slow motion
  • 1.2MP / F2.2 front camera

Other Specifications:

  • Apple A8 SoC, dual-core 1.4 GHz
  • 1GB of RAM
  • iOS 8
  • 16, 64 or 128 GB storage
  • 5.5-inch IPS LCD display, 1080p (401 ppi) 
  • 2915 mAh battery

Design & Hardware

With its 5.5-inch 1080p screen the iPhone 6 Plus is by far the largest iPhone ever made but despite the new dimensions Apple has managed to retain its design language and there is no doubt the iPhone 6 Plus is an attractive looking device. The edges are more rounded than on the previous generation and at 7.1mm the 6 Plus is very thin as well. The aluminium frame and back give it a premium feel and the tapered edges of the scratch-proof front glass feel very pleasant when holding the device and swiping across the screen.
Despite reports on the iPhone 6 Plus' "bendability" in the first weeks after launch the phone feels very sturdy in the hand and we had no problems with build-quality or ruggedness during our testing. In terms of controls the new model remains unchanged. There’s still no dedicated shutter button but you can use the volume buttons on the left edge to trigger the shutter button. This doesn't offer the half-press of a real shutter button though, and you need to press fairly hard which increases the chance of camera-shake.
The large 5.5-inch screen is great for viewing images or videos.
Camera lens and the dual-LED flash unit are located in the top left corner.
On the front the Home button is still the only control and the power button can be found on the right side of the device. While the rounded edges and glass feel pleasant in the hand they don't offer the best grip when using the iPhone 6 Plus as a camera and a case might be a sound investment. The location of the camera lens in the top-left corner means you need to be careful to not shade it with a finger of your left hand when shooting in portrait orientation. 
Volume rockers and the switch to put the phone into silent mode can be found on the left edge.
At the bottom edge are the headphone jack, lightning connector and speaker.
In terms of camera hardware the new model comes with two interesting new features. The iPhone 6 Plus is the first Apple smartphone to offer an optical image stabilization system and autofocus speed has been improved with the addition of an on-sensor phase detection system. Apple calls the latter "focus pixels" in its promotional materials. Otherwise the camera specification remains the same as on the iPhone 5s and images are still captured on a 1/3-inch 8MP backside-illuminated CMOS sensor. As before the lens offers an F2.2 aperture and approximate focal equivalent length of 31mm. The latter is little less wide than the 28mm lenses found on some high-end Android competitors.
At the heart of the iPhone 6 Plus is Apple's new A8 processor and 1GB RAM, which, like the camera specs above, might not look too impressive next to the high-powered Android competition.  It's the end result that counts though and, like on previous device generations, it appears Apple's OS simply requires less processor power and memory to run smoothly and responsively.


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