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iPhone 12 mini 12 mini without telephoto zoom lens... how do You deal with it, if You came from 11 pro or 12 pro series?

cub4bearin

cub4bearin

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 20, 2009
341
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Hey guys and girls. I love photography and I am always happy to have phone with me for these situations when I want take pictures. However, as much as I like the 12 mini... I noticed the lack of telephoto lens and its becoming somewhat annoying. I have the 12 pro here as well, and snapped some pictured during daylight with the 12 pro and 2x zoom and then the same frame with 12 mini but with 2x digital zoom and I can see difference... the 12 mini has more noise and blurriness. The 12 pro comes crispy and clear. The bokeh behind 12 pro on 2x is also much nicer...

Whats the point of my post? Well, I love the 12 mini size and handling... it feels amazing to grab that phone and go. Its tiny and manageable. 12 pro isn't far behind but with added weight and size its just not the same.
How was your experience, if You are like me photography hobbyist? Thanks
 
Phone Junky said:
The lack of telephoto is one thing you sacrifice to have the smaller device. If telephoto is important to you, the Mini is not for you.
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important perhaps not.... useable, yes and in those moments when You just want to get closer to the subject. 1x zoom just feels so much not enough
 
ps camera more zoom 10x...lightroom dng...it ok & work good for mee...kaa:)
 
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No matter the camera, getting closer to the subject always has better results. If you are using the telephoto for other effects (besides convenience), it is time to step up your hobby to a real camera and interchangeable lenses.
 
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cub4bearin said:
Hey guys and girls. I love photography and I am always happy to have phone with me for these situations when I want take pictures. However, as much as I like the 12 mini... I noticed the lack of telephoto lens and its becoming somewhat annoying. I have the 12 pro here as well, and snapped some pictured during daylight with the 12 pro and 2x zoom and then the same frame with 12 mini but with 2x digital zoom and I can see difference... the 12 mini has more noise and blurriness. The 12 pro comes crispy and clear. The bokeh behind 12 pro on 2x is also much nicer...

Whats the point of my post? Well, I love the 12 mini size and handling... it feels amazing to grab that phone and go. Its tiny and manageable. 12 pro isn't far behind but with added weight and size its just not the same.
How was your experience, if You are like me photography hobbyist? Thanks
Click to expand...
Not a photography person per se, but I do have a puppy and want to get the best shots wherever possible. The telephoto helps for that if I snap an ad hoc picture. It’s also nice not having some of my apps reload after taking a picture, which happens a bit on the mini.

The mini definitely feels better form factor wise but the lack of telephoto is annoying. Undecided which phone to keep.
 
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I do miss it from my X, but the mini’s camera quality in general (especially in low light) is still an upgrade, at least from that particular model. I understand that the 11/12 Pro (Max) have better cameras than the mini (and X/XS) of course. Still the mini’s camera appears to be good enough for my use so far.
 
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mg51015bb said:
Not a photography person per se, but I do have a puppy and want to get the best shots wherever possible. The telephoto helps for that if I snap an ad hoc picture. It’s also nice not having some of my apps reload after taking a picture, which happens a bit on the mini.

The mini definitely feels better form factor wise but the lack of telephoto is annoying. Undecided which phone to keep.
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Me and you 🤦🏻‍♂️😂
 
yticolev said:
No matter the camera, getting closer to the subject always has better results. If you are using the telephoto for other effects (besides convenience), it is time to step up your hobby to a real camera and interchangeable lenses.
Click to expand...
This is true, but i find sometimes there are situations where i can’t get closer or i just want to see how the framing looks like at 2x so its nice to quickly tap the button and see the composition.

as a recent example last night went to visit the vessel building in NYC, and as i walked around framing some architecture i clicked on the 2x to zoom and frame the buildings. From the ground it’s impossible to walk closer to the subject In this case - tall buildings far from my position.

Just a small example where the 2x lens did come in handy for some shots =)

Also one thing I found lacking in the mini was that portrait photos can only be done with the wide lens of course, and I prefer the composition and look of the more compressed 52mm lens for portrait photos, that only the tele lens can do
 
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Lotuskid said:
This is true, but i find sometimes there are situations where i can’t get closer or i just want to see how the framing looks like at 2x so its nice to quickly tap the button and see the composition.

as a recent example last night went to visit the vessel building in NYC, and as i walked around framing some architecture i clicked on the 2x to zoom and frame the buildings. From the ground it’s impossible to walk closer to the subject In this case - tall buildings far from my position.

Just a small example where the 2x lens did come in handy for some shots =)

Also one thing I found lacking in the mini was that portrait photos can only be done with the wide lens of course, and I prefer the composition and look of the more compressed 52mm lens for portrait photos, that only the tele lens can do
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Thank you. This actually helps with the decision. I have a feeling that I can overcome the size and weight of 12 pro. But, I have a feeling I would hate myself later on when that 2x zoom would come handy in situations like yours.
 
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I’m a photography enthusiast and have been familiar with DSLR, mirrorless, and other digital cameras.
Lots of photographer always prefer wide lens over a telephoto lens when it comes to preference, because it’s mostly easier to reach closer for zooming an object than stepping back to get wider view.

As for reaching inapproachable objects, you can crop the image in post processing so that the object appear nearer / larger. But never do this by using the digital zoom, because it magnify an image by digitally cropping and enlarging, resulting a poor image quality. Always take a picture with zero digital zooming and then crop it afterward.

Yes technically a portrait style background blur / bokeh is much nicer when using telephoto lens, but we can achieve similar effect by using above technique when doing it properly.
Hope that helps.
 
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i kinda wish they'd just get rid of the whole pro/non pro feature matrix. let screen size/battery life be the distinguishing factors and just give us 3 sizes, and keep an SE model for "budget" compromises. i'd like a triple lens mini with 120hz screen.
 
I came from the 11 Pro, but I have the regular 12. I rarely used the telephoto zoom on the 11 Pro, so I don't miss it at all on my 12. Then again, I really only take quick photos of my kid on my phone -- any other time, I utilize my mirrorless camera and various lenses.
 
I rarely use the telephoto so it’d not a big deal (plus and max user) but now mini. It’s been great so far.
 
What is sad is since the 7+, forums and YouTube reviews have been saying how the telephoto wasn’t the way to go and would rather have the Ultrawide. Now it’s the opposite.
 
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JW313 said:
What is sad is since the 7+, forums and YouTube reviews have been saying how the telephoto wasn’t the way to go and would rather have the Ultrawide. Now it’s the opposite.
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Not for me. It’s general common sense in photography world that we can replicate telephoto result by cropping an image to certain extend but can not replicate ultra wide result (well, photo stitching might do, but most won’t bother).
If one lens needs to go in order to lower production cost, it’s the telephoto among those three.
 
The lack of a telephoto was one of the main factors that drove me to return my mini (the other being battery life). Went back to my 11 Pro for another year. Loved the mini form factor in daily use though. If Apple improves the battery life on the mini next year, I will probably go for it, even if doesn’t have a telephoto lens.
 
MICHAELSD said:
The funny part is that it has two lenses. I think the telephoto would be much more useful than the ultrawide.
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Same. If I had to choose I’d go with a telephoto. However I’ve leaned to like the wide angle. And I love the mini! Btw the regular iPhone 12 has no telephoto.
 
Couldnt do without either to be honest...once it gets periscope lens I will likely miss it too much
 
Coming from a XS Max, I missed having a telephoto lens so I ended up getting a 12 pro. I'm not a photographer, just a hobbyist, but did have a DSLR once, which was awesome but the only problem was I had to lug it around and intend to use it, so it got used rarely. My phone is always with me.

Still have the mini, the form factor is just great, my daughter uses it now. I just feel better having the 12 pro with the option of a telephoto. Also, I was intrigued by the proraw feature of the pro line.

If it was a mini pro, I would have stayed with the mini but I think at that point we are pushing the limits of physics fitting an additional lens in that tiny body.
 
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