This was very interesting to hear about the Annotation function downgrading the image. We just implemented a project and found that the annotated quality is sub-par. We actually started to use APPLE built in annotation features on the iOS and uploaded the photos. Thats where we discovered that we are pretty sure the unrestricted image quality is not being honored.
I just published two test surveys and attempted 3 different workflows.
Using an iphone 6s Plus and an iPad 6th generation
1) Upload image from Camera Roll
2) Take photo from Survey123
3) Using the annotation function.
Unrestricted it came in at
2.4 mb from Camera Roll
900kb to 1.2 mb using Survey123 Camera
106kb from Annotation.
its also inconsistent, in another attempt the uploaded photo from the camera roll was also downgraded.
Where a 2.5 MB image on the camera roll, is saved as a 1.2 mb.
I am submitting a bug ticket with ESRI, as we are certain that in March to June. We had a similar problem, where we then changed it to unrestricted. Back in APRIL. Our photos were consistently saved unrestricted with 2.4 to 3.6 mb. We then attempted to use the same SURVEY and upload/take new images that we created back in March but on the latest version of Survey123. We are finding that the images uploaded are NOT UNRESTRICTED and are being downgraded.
NOTE that this was before ESRI CHANGED the IMAGE SETTINGS (sometime in a may release i think)
Before it was
Low, Med, High, Unrestricted
Now its
320, 640, 1280, 1920, Unrestricted.