iPhone Air Spent weekend w/ Air + 17 Pro, settled on the Pro

[Webcat86]

Ok I go to take a picture, the preview looks beautiful and crystal clear, I press the camera button suddenly apple decides just kidding lets use one of the other lenses such as one my finger was on, or some blurry disgusting mess. Or as I am previewing a shot I feel like I am getting a seizure because it will randomly change and shift lenses without asking me.

Half of my photos on my iPhone 14 pro max are duplicates due to this issue. And when I looked online to complain about this it was apparently a known issue. I hated my 14 pro max camera so much I would use my iPad half the time for camera purposes.

Huh, I wonder if this is a device issue? I’ve literally never encountered it on my 16 Pro

 

[mjpearce023]

I haven't seen any reviews yet that compare the cameras between the air and pro. Could someone post some comparison pictures? I have a 2 year old so getting great pictures is important to me. So far the pictures Ive taken with the Air are as good or better than what I took with my 15pro.

 

[Hajj.david]

Huh, I wonder if this is a device issue? I’ve literally never encountered it on my 16 Pro

IIRC it was an issue specific to the 14 but the fact that the AIR was one really good lens is good enough for me and gives me security in the sense that I know I will not have this issue ever lol.

 

[Spinarelo]

As a mini fan, the Air is going in the wrong direction (size wise) despite the premium look and feel, svelte profile, and reduced weight. Despite the brickish nature of my 15 Pro (and won't consider another Pro model until I see what Apple unveils for the 20th Anniversary), the 6.1" screen and 187g weight now makes it the "smallest" Pro phone. I bought a new case, screen protector, changed the wallpaper, and tinted the icons, and it's like a new phone all over again.

The iPhone mini cult lol.... every chance they get they have to remind everyone how big phones are getting

 

[crouch]

Huh, I wonder if this is a device issue? I’ve literally never encountered it on my 16 Pro

Same. I use the camera control button all the time, using it to instantly turn on the camera, then zoom, and then autofocus — no issues. Works like a charm!

I posted this is another thread, but I highly recommend the Apple Store classes for folks having difficulty with new technologies. Really helped out my mother-in-law.

 

[thatJohann]

After trying the 17 Pro and Air for a few days, I decided on keeping the Air. I don’t need a perfect camera to feel inspired, I need a phone that makes me want to take the shot. And every time I pick up the Air, it feels right. And keeping the 17 Pro would cost me daily comfort, joy, and ease. Not worth it.

I’m not chasing the best device, I’m choosing the best experience. And the Air is it. 😃

 

[Hajj.david]

Same. I use the camera control button all the time, using it to instantly turn on the camera, then zoom, and then autofocus — no issues. Works like a charm!

I posted this is another thread, but I highly recommend the Apple Store classes for folks having difficulty with new technologies. Really helped out my mother-in-law.

The 14 doesn't have a camera control button.

 

[Webcat86]

The 14 doesn't have a camera control button.

It has multiple cameras though

 

[metacove1]

I haven't seen any reviews yet that compare the cameras between the air and pro. Could someone post some comparison pictures? I have a 2 year old so getting great pictures is important to me. So far the pictures Ive taken with the Air are as good or better than what I took with my 15pro.

I've tested the cameras of the iPhone Air and the iPhone Pro Max. The camera is a tool on either device and you work with what you have. They are both capable of taking amazing photos.

The Air is more than capable for taking family photos and specifically portraits. I honestly think the standard lens is one of the best choices on the iphone for this kind of work. Specifically with younger kids that will normally be close by the telephoto will not come into play that the Max offers. Ultrawide photos of people at close range can distort figures and make them less flattering so you would avoid that with your young one as well I imagine.

The Pro cameras are definitely more capable by adding the ultrawide and telephoto. The main camera which most people use for portrait work is fantastic on either model. You can take amazing shots of most every day things and side by side they are very very similar from Air to Pro concerning the main lens.

The telephoto and zoom capabilities offer quite a leap on the Pro Max. I've included a quickly made shot to show how details are retained on the optical zoom of the pro vs the digital zoom of the air. Pixel Peepers will notice, some people still won't care for every day photos.

It is a compromise by going with the Air. Mostly with Battery and Cameras. You have to be willing to say, I value the portablility and convenience this is to hold and transport and I'm willing to lose some camera capabilities as well as battery life to get there. Those are the main compromises in my world.

The air is a great device. The Pro Max is a great device. The Pro Max feels very familiar. Better cameras, worse materials. The Air Feels like something totally new and different as far as iPhones go and it's a welcome change. It truly feels like something new helping justify the cost to some extent. Hard choice overall.

All this from a previous 15 Pro Max Owner.

iPhone Air Main Camera

iPhone 17 Pro Max Main Camera

 

[coachgq]

In case anybody else is on the fence like me, I figured this might be helpful.

TL;DR: it's the cameras.

Upgrading from the 16 Pro Min. I couldn't decide between the Air (black) and the 17 Pro (Blue) and ended up ordering both of them to compare. I set them both up, restoring from backup without porting my number. (Yes, I realize this is pretty deranged fanboy behavior in these latter days of Apple, but that's where my head was at.)

I spent way too much time switching back and forth over the weekend, and it was a REALLY REALLY tough call. You all know the thought process: form factor of the Air + slightly larger screen is so nice. But oh, the battery/cameras/monospeaker/random-assortment-of-other-things-that-probably-don't-matter. Blue vs black. Scratchgate. Etc.

Ultimately, it came down to the cameras for me. How big is the difference in practice?

To assess, I took both phones to the park with my kids on Sunday, one in each front pocket, and took a bunch of photos and videos as they ran around.

Here's the verdict from a not professional photographer, not tech influencer, etc. Just a dad who wants the best photos of his kids.

• Main cameras are basically equivalent when the subject is stable and you’ve got focus locked in. However, the lack of lidar on the Air seems to result in slower focus pulling and more quick/impromptu shots ended up out of focus. E.g., running children. I suspect this would actually matter over the long haul.
• Apart from that, the lack of cinematic video and telephoto (which—the new 4x is a much better camera than the old 16 pro 5x, and took some of the best portraits of the day) were big. I just found I had a lot more flexibility to get good shots at varying distances with the Pro. And consequently, I found myself reaching for it much more often than the Air.

I looked at everything on a Studio Display later. Overall, the set from the Pro came out significantly better. Totally unscientific, but that was my experience. Fewer blurry shots, some great portraits and action shots from the 4x/8x, and the cinematic videos were standout.

So I say, that’s the dealbreaker for me!

And yeah, the Pro body feels really nice in the hand, it’s maybe slightly snappier for general use than the Air because the CPUs aren’t throttled (could be my imagination). Overall, it’s not worse enough in terms of form factor to make me give up the photography benefits.

All that being said, if photography isn't a big concern, I'd say the Air is a no brainer. That thing is so sweet.

Thanks for this. I think I'm in the same boat though I may just stick with my 16 pro until the Air 2 comes out. I was all in to buy the Air and the Bumper case (I mean, who doesn't love those!) until I started finding out about the cameras. I definitely wish they had put two lenses for better optical zoom. I like taking photos of my kids doing their extra curriculars. The mono speaker wouldn't matter for me. I use headphones for nearly everything and the battery really isn't an issue. I have charging capability almost everywhere I'm at. It's the dang cameras!! Maybe next year.

 

[Webcat86]

Thanks for this. I think I'm in the same boat though I may just stick with my 16 pro until the Air 2 comes out. I was all in to buy the Air and the Bumper case (I mean, who doesn't love those!) until I started finding out about the cameras. I definitely wish they had put two lenses for better optical zoom. I like taking photos of my kids doing their extra curriculars. The mono speaker wouldn't matter for me. I use headphones for nearly everything and the battery really isn't an issue. I have charging capability almost everywhere I'm at. It's the dang cameras!! Maybe next year.

Have you got an Air yet? I got one to use in the 14 day return period. The camera is more limited, but the actual quality is superb, especially on 48mp. Here’s a photo I took using the 2x mode. Plus, the front camera improvements are legit.

 

[lococroco]

[deleted]

 

[lococroco]

I've tested the cameras of the iPhone Air and the iPhone Pro Max. The camera is a tool on either device and you work with what you have. They are both capable of taking amazing photos.

The Air is more than capable for taking family photos and specifically portraits. I honestly think the standard lens is one of the best choices on the iphone for this kind of work. Specifically with younger kids that will normally be close by the telephoto will not come into play that the Max offers. Ultrawide photos of people at close range can distort figures and make them less flattering so you would avoid that with your young one as well I imagine.

The Pro cameras are definitely more capable by adding the ultrawide and telephoto. The main camera which most people use for portrait work is fantastic on either model. You can take amazing shots of most every day things and side by side they are very very similar from Air to Pro concerning the main lens.

The telephoto and zoom capabilities offer quite a leap on the Pro Max. I've included a quickly made shot to show how details are retained on the optical zoom of the pro vs the digital zoom of the air. Pixel Peepers will notice, some people still won't care for every day photos.

It is a compromise by going with the Air. Mostly with Battery and Cameras. You have to be willing to say, I value the portablility and convenience this is to hold and transport and I'm willing to lose some camera capabilities as well as battery life to get there. Those are the main compromises in my world.

The air is a great device. The Pro Max is a great device. The Pro Max feels very familiar. Better cameras, worse materials. The Air Feels like something totally new and different as far as iPhones go and it's a welcome change. It truly feels like something new helping justify the cost to some extent. Hard choice overall.

All this from a previous 15 Pro Max Owner.

Thank your for these great comparison photos! This was actually more helpful than most reviews I saw. The difference on the main camera seems to be really hard to spot, at least in good lighting conditions. I assume that because of the bigger main camera sensor in the Pro (Max), the difference could be bigger in low light. But yeah, 4x zoom is not even close on these two. Would you mind posting a comparison shot with the 2x zoom on both?

 

[mjpearce023]

I've tested the cameras of the iPhone Air and the iPhone Pro Max. The camera is a tool on either device and you work with what you have. They are both capable of taking amazing photos.

The Air is more than capable for taking family photos and specifically portraits. I honestly think the standard lens is one of the best choices on the iphone for this kind of work. Specifically with younger kids that will normally be close by the telephoto will not come into play that the Max offers. Ultrawide photos of people at close range can distort figures and make them less flattering so you would avoid that with your young one as well I imagine.

The Pro cameras are definitely more capable by adding the ultrawide and telephoto. The main camera which most people use for portrait work is fantastic on either model. You can take amazing shots of most every day things and side by side they are very very similar from Air to Pro concerning the main lens.

The telephoto and zoom capabilities offer quite a leap on the Pro Max. I've included a quickly made shot to show how details are retained on the optical zoom of the pro vs the digital zoom of the air. Pixel Peepers will notice, some people still won't care for every day photos.

It is a compromise by going with the Air. Mostly with Battery and Cameras. You have to be willing to say, I value the portablility and convenience this is to hold and transport and I'm willing to lose some camera capabilities as well as battery life to get there. Those are the main compromises in my world.

The air is a great device. The Pro Max is a great device. The Pro Max feels very familiar. Better cameras, worse materials. The Air Feels like something totally new and different as far as iPhones go and it's a welcome change. It truly feels like something new helping justify the cost to some extent. Hard choice overall.

All this from a previous 15 Pro Max Owner.

I really appreciate it. I think the Air will be good enough for me. I dont typically use pro raw because its so hard to get a good picture of a 2 year old without having the live photo to choose the best shot. The new pro cameras do look impressive for zoom.

 

[metacove1]

I really appreciate it. I think the Air will be good enough for me. I dont typically use pro raw because its so hard to get a good picture of a 2 year old without having the live photo to choose the best shot. The new pro cameras do look impressive for zoom.

First pic with 17 Pro Max. 2x Zoom. ( better overall detail, highlights and shadow contrast)

iPhone Air Below. 2x Zoom. (Still a decent pic)

 

[metacove1]

Outdoor lighting 2x Pro Max 17

Outdoor Lighting 2x Air

 

[Htsi]

The novelty of the air made me sick to my choice. It is bigger than the regular pro but I’m used to it now. I would love to have LiDAR + cameras + speakers + battery. However the weight and thin ness + bigger screen + titanium are big enough draws. I may purchase the 18 pro next year if I miss these things too much

 

[turbineseaplane]

Outdoor lighting 2x Pro Max 17View attachment 2557101


Outdoor Lighting 2x Air
View attachment 2557098

Def prefer the image out of the Pro

 

[metacove1]

Def prefer the image out of the Pro

The 2x Zoom take a hit in dynamic range for sure on the air. 1x (26mm 28mm and 35mm) are very similar to the pro max though.

 

[myWatch]

I've tested the cameras of the iPhone Air and the iPhone Pro Max. The camera is a tool on either device and you work with what you have. They are both capable of taking amazing photos.

The Air is more than capable for taking family photos and specifically portraits. I honestly think the standard lens is one of the best choices on the iphone for this kind of work. Specifically with younger kids that will normally be close by the telephoto will not come into play that the Max offers. Ultrawide photos of people at close range can distort figures and make them less flattering so you would avoid that with your young one as well I imagine.

The Pro cameras are definitely more capable by adding the ultrawide and telephoto. The main camera which most people use for portrait work is fantastic on either model. You can take amazing shots of most every day things and side by side they are very very similar from Air to Pro concerning the main lens.

The telephoto and zoom capabilities offer quite a leap on the Pro Max. I've included a quickly made shot to show how details are retained on the optical zoom of the pro vs the digital zoom of the air. Pixel Peepers will notice, some people still won't care for every day photos.

It is a compromise by going with the Air. Mostly with Battery and Cameras. You have to be willing to say, I value the portablility and convenience this is to hold and transport and I'm willing to lose some camera capabilities as well as battery life to get there. Those are the main compromises in my world.

The air is a great device. The Pro Max is a great device. The Pro Max feels very familiar. Better cameras, worse materials. The Air Feels like something totally new and different as far as iPhones go and it's a welcome change. It truly feels like something new helping justify the cost to some extent. Hard choice overall.

All this from a previous 15 Pro Max Owner.

Are you sure the photos of the dog are different photos? They have the same exact framing. As in no difference at all. Even on a tripod that's extremely difficult. Especially because the cameras have different FOVs.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Are you sure the photos of the dog are different photos? They have the same exact framing. As in no difference at all. Even on a tripod that's extremely difficult.

Yeah, that one seems like maybe one of the pics was uploaded twice.

 

[ctbear]

Also spent the past few days comparing the Air and 17PM. I was really starting to lean towards the Air after convincing myself that 1) the speaker is usable, I'll be fine 2) the battery is acceptable, I'll be fine 3) I don't take that many pictures (caveat below), I'll be fine.

The camera part was the main hold up of why I haven't returned the 17PM yet. Yes I don't take a lot of pictures, but I do when I go on trips and I have a big one coming up soon. I was dreading how I would capture the memories with a gimped camera system (coming from 15 Pro and a Pixel 9 Pro).

The final straw was actually none of the above. It's the lack of USB video out support. I use that **a lot** and it's unacceptable that a $1000 phone in 2025 does not support it.

Any one of the compromises might be ok by itself, but there's just too many of them to make the purchase feel good. Remember it is still a $1000 phone, the same price as the 16 Pro just a year ago.

 

[surferfb]

After playing around with them in the store I think I am landing on "I'd rather compromise on the design than compromise on the cameras." But I'm really not happy about it, and the idea of returning the Air bums me out. So I'm still not sure what I'll end up doing.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The final straw was actually none of the above. It's the lack of USB video out support.

Can you elaborate? I missed this.

Does the Air not work with USB-C video out?

 

[ctbear]

Can you elaborate? I missed this.

Does the Air not work with USB-C video out?

It does not. Tried it on a USB monitor that worked with the 17PM.
Tom's Guide had an article about this: https://www.tomsguide.com/computing...major-flaw-and-ar-glasses-users-wont-be-happy