Archie wrote:
If I’m correct this aperture lets in 30% more light compared to the previous f/1.7…?
Close enough, but to build a lens that would have a similar rendering as a normal focal length on say a DSLR or even bigger, would be very expensive if not actually impossible. On the flip side, the latest star wars was shot on film, and Dunkirk was shot on 70mm, so there is still an interest in good quality imagery, that is a bit different than facebook/instagram.
To have awesome portrait pictures utilizing depth of field.
You could argue that both ways. Some like it all in focus, some like the background out of focus. However, a smaller f number makes things more in focus, so while having the option is obviously useful, I would think that it is a bit like that eye operation (not valid for aviation AFAIK) which makes you see sharper by reducing the aperture 
Here is another little example of using RAW from a phone:
From stock camera app – contrast and sharpening (unsharp mask) tweaked well up, but fails to capture the yellow, while washing out the highlights
RAW → Lightroom, +25% on “vibrance”, nothing else. Less sharp but that’s because of no artificial sharpening applied
Peter wrote:
You could argue that both ways.
Yes, but in reality it’s much more complex than that, choice of focal length in combination with F stop and format size of the medium, are one of the most basic fundamental photographic controls. Not everyone cares of course, or is able to explain it in simple terms, though they often express a preference when making a comparison even if the difference is subtle (and no mention of the technical differences are made).
It is essentially impossible to mimic what the human eye sees because we have a sophisticated image processor between our ears. (OK not everyone…)
How the various planes within an image are rendered, is one way to “simulate” what we think we see, phones get poor marks in this area.
Peter wrote:
Some like it all in focus, some like the background out of focus. However, a smaller f number makes things more in focus
What I mean with awesome portait photo’s is shallow DOF like this
(example from inet)
This used to be DSLR territory only, with the background blurred (“bokeh”).
Only recently smartphones have had this feature added with “portrait mode” since iPhone 7+. Granted it’s achieved using two lenses instead of the traditional one.
Aperture and f-number are related; both affect the DOF. But obviously you know that, so we must have wires crossed
I naturally thought your example was a GA pilot 
There is also the relationship between focal length and image area/negative size. Medium and large format have a different image feel to 35mm, and only pro DSLR shoot with a full frame. There was a golden age when folding 6 × 6, and 6 × 9 produced beautiful snapshots which are not replicable with the micro sensors and focal lengths of today.
Raw processing is sooo definitely the way to go with a phone (Samsung S7, Footej camera app). A good demo of the available dynamic range:
Of course a good DSLR (K1 + Zeiss Milvus 18mm) does it better, and there is much more dynamic range to play with in Lightroom, but at what cost? 1.8kg, needs a waist bag, and don’t ask how much money…
I think both above pics have a slightly dodgy white balance…
I’ve been using RAW with iPhone 7 for a little while now, and fully agree.
Recently made a portrait photo where the sky was blown out. The phone-processed JPEG looks like this. Note this is with Lightroom highlights already at -100. Even though the subject was lit pretty well, this would ruin your photo.
Using the RAW I was able to pull back like this. Pretty reasonable.
Using ProCamera with saves RAW+JPEG.
Edited: uploaded wrong version of shot. Fixed now both the same.
Apple offers look at the development of Portrait Lighting camera feature in new video
The Pixel 2 is claimed to have the best camera at present.
I wonder if the stock camera app (which is usually the only app which can be opened with some button operation, even while the phone is locked) supports RAW properly and has decent controls to avoid over-sharpened images?
