Usually when I get a new iPhone, you can expect two or three iPhone diary pieces from me, reporting my experiences of the photo and video capabilities of the new model. Sure enough, one piece followed quickly – testing the 5x telephoto lens for portraits.
I’d expected to quickly follow up with another piece on using the same lens for cityscape photos. Only … it hasn’t actually proven very useful for these …
5x telephoto lens
The 5x telephoto lens is the headline feature of the iPhone 15 Pro Max of the previous model. When I first took delivery of the phone, I presented a quick comparison with the 3x zoom of its predecessor.
I said at the time I wasn’t sure how much use I’d make of it, and that did indeed turn out to be a prescient question. Because since then I’ve been looking for opportunities to use it while wandering around London, and honestly have found very few. Most of the time, it’s just too tight.
I mean, it does create opportunities for some semi-abstract architecture close-ups.
I can remember when I was about 15 or 16 I took a lot of this sort of shot, and found it interesting.
You can certainly get some close shots from a distance, as in this example shooting across a very wide stretch of the Thames.
Or this shot of a the HSBC tower in Canary Wharf from around half a mile away.
And maybe casual planespotters would find it useful.
But the bottom line is that I wasn’t really finding these types of shots very, well, interesting.
Android fans spent a long time teasing Apple for not having produced an iPhone with a longer lens, even after competitors like Samsung were offering 10x lenses. Even when the iPhone 15 Pro Max was announced, there were complaints that it was “only” 5x, rather than 6x or 10x.
But honestly, in my experience, 5x zoom is not only enough – in most cases it’s too much. Yes, I had fun with the 5x portraits, and was impressed by the natural bokeh, but I honestly think the 3x zoom of the iPhone 14 Pro Max was a more useful focal length.
My jury is currently out on the upgrade
Ever since I switched to annual upgrades, the improved photo and video features have justified the purchase. But this time – given that I’m not finding the longer lens useful – what we really have is an upgrade which can really only be justified by serious video work.
Top comment by Tom
That’s a very unique take. Plenty of dedicated cameras and lenses with far more zoom than 5x. So stating it’s not useful seems to be saying more about the author than the equipment.
I mean, sure, there are a few other benefits. It does feel significantly lighter, even if it isn’t, much. The Action Button is nice, though I could certainly happily live without it. The switch to USB-C charging is more convenient when travelling.
But the big differences are the serious video ones. Much faster transfer, thanks to the USB 3 support. ProRes Log recording. The ability to shoot to an external SSD.
Essentially, if I use the iPhone for longer video projects – as either an A-cam for something more casual, or a B-cam for more serious work – then it will have justified the expense. If I don’t, then not so much.
None of which is a commentary on the upgrades, of course. It’s more a case of whether my personal usage will turn out to take advantage of them. Time will tell …
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