iPhone 12 Pro WARNING before you buy: Apple is trying to hide a huge iPhone 12 camera flaw

[flyguy5]

*Full disclaimer, I upgraded from an iPhone 6S to a Samsung Galaxy Note Ultra 5G mainly because of the 5X optical zoom and because Samsung kept a fingerprint sensor during Covid-19*

Even though I just switched to Android about a month ago, I was still eagerly waiting to see if Apple would incorporate Touch ID back into the iPhone and add 5X optical zoom. Initially, while I was disappointed to see Touch ID miss the iPhone 12, I was excited to see the iPhone 12 Pro Max got 5X zoom, or so I thought. I was watching Brian Tong's recap of the iPhone 12 event, and decided to reserve my judgements on the event until after everything had been analyzed by knowledge people like Brian Tong. While watching his video, Brian mentioned that this was one of Apple's "sneakiest" (his words, not mine) events, not just because they didn't mention the dropped adapter but also because the 5X optical zoom they advertise is not actually "5X optical zoom" but 5X "zoom range." In other words, what everyone thinks Apple has is 5X zoom, but its actually 2.5X zoom because they're counting from the ultra-wide, not from the main sensor like Samsung or other companies that advertise 5X optical zoom. So beware if you're buying this phone for the optical zoom, it is less than what Apple claims. I have linked Brian's video below, everyone should watch it. Some people say 3X vs 5X zoom, small difference but in reality it is a huge difference and it does matter to people like me. Please don't get scammed by this.

 

[Cryates]

They don’t advertise it as 5x optical zoom in. See below, taken from their tech specs page.

 

[RetiredInFl]

Fake news (or lack of reading comprehension).

 

[flyguy5]

They don’t advertise it as 5x optical zoom in. See below, taken from their tech specs page.

View attachment 968247

Most people including Brian Tong himself said that he had assumed that 5X means 5X zoom in.

Vast majority of people won't even realize the difference between zoom range vs zoom in until they get their iPhone 12 and wonder why the camera doesn't look like 5X.

 

[flyguy5]

There is no clarification of the 2.5X zoom in vs the 5X zoom on their main page. Someone reading it would incorrectly assume that you can zoom in 5X from the main sensor. It's hardly accidental wording but it is deliberately misleading. I don't expect Apple to be a saint but this is unexpected even from them.
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[SegNerd]

A feature you wanted but didn’t get isn’t a “flaw.”

 

[flyguy5]

A feature you wanted but didn’t get isn’t a “flaw.”

I would agree if they were just honest and advertised it as 2.5X. But they are saying 5X which is pretty misleading. If you buy the phone on the basis of 5X and actually get 2.5X, definitely seems dishonest at best.

 

[dapa0s]

Can a mod just delete this thread?

 

[seezar]

How is this a “flaw” as the subject of this post suggests?

 

[Cryates]

I would agree if they were just honest and advertised it as 2.5X. But they are saying 5X which is pretty misleading. If you buy the phone on the basis of 5X and actually get 2.5X, definitely seems dishonest at best.

It’s right there, on the Apple website, on the iPhone 12 Pro page.

“5x Optical Zoom Range”

 

[flyguy5]

How is this a “flaw” as the subject of this post suggests?

Flaw or dishonest marketing, pick whatever term you like

 

[flyguy5]

It’s right there, on the Apple website, on the iPhone 12 Pro page.

“5x Optical Zoom Range”

View attachment 968259

So now we're going to blame the consumer for not knowing that 5X zoom is supposed to mean 2.5X whereas on every other OEM that says 5X means 5X?

 

[Cryates]

So now we're going to blame the consumer for not knowing that 5X zoom is supposed to mean 2.5X whereas on every other OEM that says 5X means 5X?

You’re blaming Apple for dishonest marketing, which is just flat-out not accurate, regardless of how you feel about the company. They are advertising the camera system precisely as it is.

 

[Robbosan]

How does 5X become 2.5X?

 

[flyguy5]

You’re blaming Apple for dishonest marketing, which is just flat-out not accurate, regardless of how you feel about the company. They are advertising the camera system precisely as it is.

If they were advertising honestly, they would not have even mentioned this misleading 4X/5X number in the first place because there is no scenario in which you could actually get 4X/5X zoom.

They would have said 2.5X and be done with it. I cannot think of any well intentioned reason why they would use "zoom range" instead of "zoom in"

No other OEM uses zoom range, everyone else uses zoom in for this figure.

 

[Devyn89]

So now we're going to blame the consumer for not knowing that 5X zoom is supposed to mean 2.5X whereas on every other OEM that says 5X means 5X?

Apple is expecting consumers to know what words like range mean yes.

 

[flyguy5]

How does 5X become 2.5X?

They are counting zoom from the ultrawide, not from the main sensor.
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Apple is expecting consumers to know what words like range mean yes.

Yeah ofc their misleading marketing is obvious now that people are calling it out.

 

[Devyn89]

I still fail to see how it’s misleading, but hey if you feel it is fair enough.

 

[Robbosan]

They are counting zoom from the ultrawide, not from the main sensor.

Well the average Joe would think 5X means 5X lol.

 

[Benz63amg]

A feature you wanted but didn’t get isn’t a “flaw.”

So true

 

[mnsportsgeek]

It is BS the way they’re stating it, and making it purposefully obscure in the tech specs to compare the Pro and Pro Max camera. Similar to how the left the U1 chip out of the HomePod vs. HomePod Mini comparison table.

Never heard “zoom range” in my life till now.

 

[Elwots]

It’s called marketing. Every company does it. They choose to advertise things that look better on paper. 5x optical zoom range isn’t a lie, or a cover up.

 

[flyguy5]

Well the average Joe would think 5X means 5X lol.

Reality is you cannot get 4X or 5X zoom in any scenario, why even mention it?

People could easily assume that zoom range means the zoom range from the telephoto to the main sensor and that definition is also correct.

Pretty much every other phone that advertises 5X means that you can actually get 5X from the main sensor to the telephoto. On those phones, if you count the ultrawide like Apple, you actually get even more than 5X.

 

[Elwots]

It is BS the way they’re stating it, and making it purposefully obscure in the tech specs.

Never heard “zoom range” in my life till now.

It’s the range of the zoom. It’s not meant to be a trademarked feature in and of itself.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

It’s the range of the zoom. It’s not meant to be a trademarked feature in and of itself.

It’s a made up term nobody else uses, but that Apple has decided is a good misleading marketing term to make their camera zoom sound more competitive with the competition.