Which iPhone is best for facial motion capture ?? march 2022

[sunnyviewtech]

We have a free webcam-based facial capture program here,

Dollars EGAO - Dollars MoCap - AI-Powered Full-body Motion Capture Solution

And this is a video comparing ARkit and webcam,

MediaPipe Powered Face Capture vs ARKit Face Capture

[ElodH]

Any news on this? I just bought the 16 Pro because it made sense to me that … the better the camera, the better the results… but now I`m unsure whether I really needed to buy this really expensive new 16 Pro or a 13 Pro would have produced the exact same results…?

[MostHost_LA]

Accoeding to the specs apple puts out its the exact same camera format/definition for the depth reader (which is what matters).
So yes, probably wasted money if you use the phone like a paperweight (and occasionally app development) as I do…

[ElodH]

Hm, I did read somewhere that Megapixel counts as well when it comes to captured data accuracy and the 16 Pro capture more raw data in general. So, I`m still unsure whether there would be a relevant quality difference between let’s say a 13 Pro and a 16 Pro.

[MostHost_LA]

Up after a certain mp count you dont really get much of a difference.
Consider it like a photographer with full frame DSLR…

[ElodH]

It really seems that I have bought the new 16 Pro unnecessarily then . I still have 4 weeks to send it back for a full refund if I don’t want the phone. I`ll do some tests and then get my hands on a 13 Pro as well and compare them.

[ElodH]

It’s just really surprising that there is almost 0 info about this in general. I mean it’s a great technology and one would obviously want to know if newer Iphones produce better results. I can’t even contact Epic about this…

[marekduda3]

@JimmyPlatige

Hi there <3

I assume Livelink and facial motion capture became avaible to us since iPhoneX.
Do You know if Apple upgraded their dot projector or IR sensor or whatever True Depth is responsible for facial motion capture since model X ??
12+ got LIDAR upgrade, but im not sure if this supports capture quality in live link or other mocap systems.

Extra MINI question would be, is there any difference between MAX PRO verions and MINI versions - (facial capture wise) ?? I assume mini would behave better on helmet boom stick due to smaller weight.

Many thanks for Your interest and answers <3
Jim

Hey Jim!

So, the facial motion capture tech (TrueDepth) hasn’t really seen major upgrades in terms of the dot projector/IR sensor since the iPhone X, at least not for mocap purposes. The LiDAR in 12+ models is mainly for depth mapping, but it doesn’t really boost facial capture quality for Live Link or other systems.

As for the Mini vs. Max Pro versions—facial capture-wise, there’s no difference in performance. The Mini might be a better fit for helmet rigs due to the lighter weight, like you said. Hope that helps!

[Some]

Go mini whenever possible (same depth sensors in-generation, lighter weight, lower cost, good battery). I don’t think cam specs matter as much as that generation’s hardware sensors do. I’d decide between 12 mini & 13 mini, depending on your opinion on the depth sensor nerf & other needs.

[ElodH]

Thanks for the info. So, you are saying that an Iphone 12/13 Mini would produce the exact same results in terms of quality with the Livelink app as a 16 Pro?

[Some]

No one has determined this yet.

[FaceDotCamera]

Here’s more information about the various iPhones that have TrueDepth sensors: Which is the best iPhone model for use with MetaHuman Animator? – Radical Variance.

TLDR; yes, if you’re doing facial mocap that leverages iPhone X through 16’s TrueDepth camera, 12 is definitely the way to go. Mini will save your neck. A good counterweight system will benefit any of the heavier phones. Also preferred by a lot of iPhone 12 mini users.