Apple has published new Studio Display beta firmware, which is accessible to Studio Display users who have the macOS Monterey 12.4 beta installed on their Macs.
We thought we’d have a look at the adjustments in action since the revised firmware contains a fix for the webcam.
Reviewers noticed that the webcam was not operating as intended before the Studio Display was released.
It was regarded as faded out, grainy, noisy, and of low quality in general.
Following the outpouring of complaints, Apple announced that it had “found an issue where the system is not working as expected,” pledging to solve the problem in a future software update.
The patch is now available, and Apple claims to have fine-tuned the camera’s noise reduction, contrast, and framing.
In practice, as you can see in the video above, there are clear quality improvements, but they are minor. Colors aren’t as pale, contrast is better, and the overall effect is more colorful.
There isn’t much of a difference in sharpness depending on the illumination, but the modifications appear to be a net improvement.
The ‘Six Colors’ Jason Snell submitted a set of photographs and a video that show the differences between the new and old firmware, including a noticeable change in the framing.
When using Center Stage or not using it, there is less zoom, which means video capturing is less cropped overall.
Apple’s modifications appear to be for the better in general, however those expecting something drastic may be disappointed.
Skin tones and general color are better, and there looks to be more contrast and less de-noising for more clarity, but this is still the same 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, so Apple’s improvements are restricted to software modifications.
To read our blog on “Repair parts of Apple’s DIY are cheaper than its repairement prices,” click here