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This device reminds me a bit of the 7 Plus (minus adding extra RAM)...The first time another lens was introduced, but it isn't quite the quality desired, leaving the obvious room for next years inevitable upgrade of a better ultra wide lens...
 
In low light environments, the OPs comments are true.

For outdoor daytime shots and well lit indoors, I completely disagree. I’ve found myself using the ultra-wilde more and more, and been very impressed with the image quality. I agree it doesn’t compete with the other two lenses, but it certainly not a “complete failure” as the OP suggests. For landscape shots, it’s fantastic.

Here’s a photo I shot over the weekend using the ultra-wide....
This is a really nice photo!
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Funny you should post these. While the content in the photo is beautiful, the photos themselves look poor. They clearly lack detail and are grainy. Do you not see that or do you choose to ignore it?
Choose to willfully ignore it and posts it thinking it's a great shot.
 
I am not a professional photographer or anything. But how is this supposed to be amazing? I find it quite unreastic and not true to life.

It is also lacks alot of details based on my amateur eyes.
I'm not a professional photographer either. That's why I don't walk around Six Flags with a DSLR with multiple lenses. I am able to use the camera in my pocket to take a photo that looks like that. It's something that would otherwise not be captured. As the saying goes, the best camera is the one in your pocket. Think about where we are in 2019 compared to 10 years ago, as far as phones, cameras etc. We live in amazing times. And its only going to get better. For me, that photo is amazing, sorry.
 
Can’t help but feel people have unrealistic expectations.

Im not aware of any phones with ultra wide lenses which are as good as their main lenses pound for pound. That’s not the point of the lens in the first place.

I agree to a certain degree, although the iPhone does have "pro" on the name the ultra wide-angle lens on this mobile phone will not compete with full-frame DSLR's using an ultra wide-angle lens. Many of the "regret" posts have me thinking of people that feel the better camera you have the better pictures you'll take. When used in the proper setting the ultra wide angle lens can and has taken quality pictures and not just in a "sharp" way.
 
I apologize for the mistake it was late, yes both phones have the ultra wide lens. As far as having unrealistic expectations... I expected the image quality to be equal between cameras in daylight. It’s not. I actually thought my phone has a defective camera so I went to the Apple store to test out the display model to make sure, that’s how different the quality is. Additionally the lack of IOS and the F2.4 further hurt the quality in anything but daylight. Like I said I was super excited when it was announced, but the quality just doesn’t hold up in 2019. I think Apple should have waited until 2020 for better tech.
 
but the quality just doesn’t hold up in 2019.
Based on what 2019 standard? What camera do you feel it should be competing with?

I’m not saying you’re wrong for feeling how you feel I’m just curious what you’re comparing it to.
 
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I’m not going to argue with people, if you think the ultra wide angle is great, excellent enjoy it. I just think people should know of the drastic difference in image quality between the cameras. That’s all.
 
Based on what 2019 standard? What camera do you feel it should be competing with?

I’m saying you’re wrong for feeling how you feel I’m just curious what you’re comparing it to.
He has to find something to be disappointed with. It's the best reviewed iPhone this generation, so...
 
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The wide angle is great in bright light (ISO 400 and lower). Beyond that, the image quality does degrade in low light. It’s the tiny optics. Not much resolution with wide angle lenses, even on my Sony A7rIII and wide lenses, distant objects will look less sharp. Otherwise the wide angle is very used and sharp. I like it... but don’t use it natively at night. If I want the wide to be sharp At night, I use nightcap app with long exposures (need Tripod) and then adjust the sharpness and details. 62994459-7118-40E0-8AFE-BFDEDB8493B4.jpeg0CC9A98F-8232-4508-BCA9-178353A7FE4E.jpeg6B7A89E7-A26F-4561-9570-60C9CBE3207A.jpeg8843B64D-2532-4FA6-8736-05009F3F6666.jpeg
 
Here is NightCap for 10 seconds at iso 400 vs single shot from default camera iso 1000
The nightcap images was sharpened to 25 and definition set to 16 in the Apple photo editor. Enjoy the ultra wide with NightCap
0AF9353D-1C4E-4888-80FE-C5B6C834F48D.jpeg667D8755-8CA4-46AF-88E0-0B7C29DA4926.jpeg
 
In low light environments, the OPs comments are true.

For outdoor daytime shots and well lit indoors, I completely disagree. I’ve found myself using the ultra-wilde more and more, and been very impressed with the image quality. I agree it doesn’t compete with the other two lenses, but it certainly not a “complete failure” as the OP suggests. For landscape shots, it’s fantastic.

Here’s a photo I shot over the weekend using the ultra-wide....

looks like Barton Springs
 
After much excitement about the ultra wide angle camera, It's a complete failure. The image quality compared to the standard camera is pretty awful, and if you combine the lack of OIS, and the F2.4 the camera is dead in low light. It also doesn't work in night mode. If you're planning on getting the PRO model for the Ultra Wide Camera, I would skip it and get the regular 11.
I don’t understand. The 11 has the exact same ultra wide camera as the 11 Pro. So if you are not happy with the ultra wide of the 11 Pro, you won’t be happy with the 11. And it is bad compared to..?

I have yet to see first hand on the image quality, but I can say the competitors are not any better. I have the Huawei P30, and the ultra wide camera is a different sensor altogether, with less resolution and more washed out color. At least Apple tried keeping the resolution consistent across all their cameras. So a comparison reference is probably needed.
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I don’t know that I give a rat’s ass about grain when the step back view is fun and enjoyable? If you want to pixel peep, have at it, but in the meantime, those who enjoy the use of the lens can go ahead and continue enjoying it :)

If that degree of sharpness is of any importance to you, then grabbing a true DSLR with wide lens can be your thing. I’ll take the convenience and casual quick photo taking that it enables me to do while enjoying the standard wide lens and the telephoto lens which I’ve always found enjoyable to use.
Some people like looking photos at pixel level. I don’t get it myself as I prefer looking at the picture itself instead of the pixels, but some people seems to enjoy the pixels more than the actual picture.

There are photographs from the olden days which are blurry, black n white, but they are iconic. Imagine if the pixel peepers existed back then. :D
 
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I’m not going to argue with people, if you think the ultra wide angle is great, excellent enjoy it. I just think people should know of the drastic difference in image quality between the cameras. That’s all.

i think Apple very clearly listed the stats of each lens and if you are going to dissect each lens down, the numbers are right there. Doesn’t change how fun it can be to shoot with.
 
The UW camera is cool. I don’t know if they stuck a fix in 13.1 but to me my UW shots look better than they did on 9/20 out the box.

Whenever I view a UW shot posted here I look at the picture as a whole I don’t zoom in to check pixels.

The composition of some these shots is fantastic.
 
Of course for serious cropping. But even just cropping to 16:9 and slight straightening/reframing reveals noisy images.

Like the rollercoaster picture posted above looks nice zoomed out in Safari, but zoom in even a tiny bit and you see the trees and rollercoaster are pixelated and full of noise.
Do you know if the forum software compressed the jpgs? If so your observations are not valid.
 
At the end of the day, sometimes the photo you want to take requires the ultra wide lens. For those occasions is brilliant and captures a shot that in a lot of circumstances, would be impossible with the other lenses.

When you don't need an ultra wide shot, then obviously, you would just use the primary lens.
 
Do you know if the forum software compressed the jpgs? If so your observations are not valid.

That's your pure speculation. Reviews I've seen all comment on the relatively low quality and provide original files to download. They're there for all to see.

Hopefully the next version includes a proper focus system and maybe some stabilisation.

The noise levels make the photos borderline unusable beyond Instagram style viewing in a small window.
 
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I’m not going to argue with people, if you think the ultra wide angle is great, excellent enjoy it. I just think people should know of the drastic difference in image quality between the cameras. That’s all.

Because Apple went 12 mp across the board (possibly so they could save money on both the camera lenses and by only providing 4GB RAM) then the ultra-wide starts with a quarter of the resolution of the standard wide. Add in no support for focus, stabilisation, and deep fusion, and it has no chance of competing.
 
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