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The average shopper is a dumb animal and when they see the number 5 they foolishly assume it’s a 5 and not some other number like 2, or 20 or 2.5.

The enlightened shopper (aka Apple fanboy), knows better.
 
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*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.

Your title is also Misleading. You are talking about 12 Pro Max? But the title says 12? There is no HUGE iphone 12 camera flaw.

FIX THE TITLE AND STOP SCAMMING!!
 
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.

Poorly educated people could. And you’re encouraging that misconception with your click-bait video.

Bad YouTuber, no biscuit.
 
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.

The fact that you haven’t heard of something doesn’t make it obscure. It’s a standard term in compact camera and smartphone marketing.
 
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.
The vast majority of people won’t be studying the specs in detail and will buy a phone based on price and aesthetics. Anybody looking into this aspect in any detail will be able to read what the camera offers.
 
Widest optical length is 13mm. Longest optical length is 65mm. 65 is five times bigger than 13. Are you trying to say 13mm doesn't count for some arbitrary reason? I agree the way they're measuring it is dumb and should be a thing of the point-and-shoot industry past, but why does it have to measure from the middle length? If the default camera app opened to the 13mm first would it then be okay?

I also think it's on you if you spend $1400 on something you don't fully understand when it's a two minute google search away, and will be even more evident by reading just one of the hundreds of reviews that will be out in the next couple of weeks.
 
I suppose if they are saying ‘5X optical zoom range’ then that’s claiming it can zoom five times in using an optical lens mechanism. If that terminology actually means ‘in and out’, then that is misleading. Camera lenses are specified by their optional zooming capabilities in the photography industry, but don’t specify the reverse zoom to double the figure.

My iPhone 8+ has a 2X optical zoom, so could they now claim that’s 4X because they are counting the reverse zoom? I doubt the average joe will notice it question this though.
 
I'm in my 80s .. an old guy .. I'm interested in the iPhone 12 so I've been researching it. At no time was I led to believe that I could zoom out by 5X. I understood the +/- 2.5X or 5X zoom range. What did you conspiracy folks think was meant by that 2.5X that kept showing up as you read up on these iPhones? Anyone, including ***** **** who actually believed after doing their research, that any of these cameras had this '5X zoom flaw' just aren't being very careful in their research.

edit .. Sorry for being so critical. Years ago, before retiring, when money was easier to come by, and I had less time for research like this, chances are I'd have gotten caught up in this issue too. Please forgive an old man and his grumpy old ways of being.
 
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They can go by mm and crop factor if that makes it easier for you 😁

5x optical zoom range is perfectly understandable.
 
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I guess it depends what you think "x" means too... i.e. the widest the phone's camera will go, or compared to a standard 50mm focal length equivalent perspective (i.e. same field of view you would have got with a 35mm film camera at 50mm focal length, albeit in this complex world of smaller varied sensor sizes).

Maybe we should have a look at a comparison and facts... Having read this compared to main competitor Samsung, then in my view Apple are being, if anything, more transparent than Samsung at least quoting "optical zoom range" and the relative zoom of each lens rather than just Samsung's "optical zoom" and also "hybrid optical zoom" to get to 10x i.e. not purely optical.

Apple 12 Pro Max

Apple marketing: "5x optical zoom range"
(source https://www.apple.com/uk/iphone-12-pro/specs/)

Manufacturer camera specs:
- Ultra Wide: ƒ/2.4 aperture and 120° field of view
- Wide: ƒ/1.6 aperture
- Telephoto: ƒ/2.2 aperture (iPhone 12 Pro Max)
- 2.5x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 5x optical zoom range (iPhone 12 Pro Max)
- Digital zoom up to 12x (iPhone 12 Pro Max)
(source as above)

Review source (off spec):
- 12 Megapixels, 26mm (wide), 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, f/1.6 aperture
- 12 Mega pixels, 65mm (telephoto), 1/3.4"، 1.4µm ، PDAF، OIS, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom, f/2.2
- 12 Megapixels, 120˚, 13mm (very wide), f/2.4 aperture
(source https://specs-tech.com/en/apple-iphone-12-pro-max/)

Samsung S20 Ultra

Samsing marketing: "10x hybrid optic zoom"
(source https://www.samsung.com/uk/smartphones/galaxy-s20/specs/)

Manufacturer camera specs:
- Rear Camera - Resolution (Multiple) 108.0 MP + 12.0 MP + 48.0 MP
- Rear Camera - F Number (Multiple) F1.8 , F2.2 , F3.5
(source https://www.samsung.com/uk/smartphones/galaxy-s20/specs/)

Review source:
- Main camera: 25mm equivalent, f/1.8, 108MP
- Super-wide camera: 13mm equivalent, f/2.2, 12MP
- Telephoto camera: 103mm equivalent, f/2.2, 48MP
(source https://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/reviews/reviews/samsung-s20-ultra-camera-review)
"At lower levels of zoom, Samsung is relying on a “folded” 4x telephoto lens behind the hole in the back of the phone, which it’s combining with a 48-megapixel sensor. Then, between 4x and 10x zoom, the phone offers what Samsung is calling a “lossless hybrid optic” zoom, which relies on a combination of sensor cropping and binning where multiple pixels are combined into one big pixel. The use of the word “lossless” implies that Samsung doesn’t think you’ll see any loss of quality up to 10x zoom. Then, between 10x and 100x zoom, the phone is using similar methods, but it’s a digital zoom that will inevitably mean less detail as the zoom increases."
(source: https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/11/...m-100x-space-optical-hybrid-digital-periscope)
 
It is definitely misleading. Especially when you consider all the other competitors on the market don’t say “zoom range”
Nobody zooms in from the ultra wide, 99% of the time you zoom from the normal wide angle which is 2.5x on the new iPhone.
just be honest Apple, you don’t need to do this sneaky stuff. It just makes you look bad
 
While I agree OP may have been extra/clickbait with the title, calling it a "huge flaw", I don't understand why so many people here are defending this move by Apple.

Am I a huge Apple fan that's integrated in their ecosystem? Yes. Will I be upgrading? Yes.

However, I always thought of Apple as a company that can be trusted. If they claim something, we've always had good reason to believe it, because as a whole, Apple seems to understand that customer service and satisfaction is paramount above all.

However, this time, I've actually realised that this is not true. They want to save the environment and not include an adaptor? No problem, but they didn't even outright say that they won't include an adapter.
And for all of you arguing that anyone buying a 1400 dollar phone would do that research, I agree that for anyone who is buying it for the camera and knows the technicalities, it is not hidden. However, it is definitely sneaky that they've chosen this. I myself didn't know this till I read it here, and while I'm not buying the Max for the camera, I definitely feel it was misleading.

It's a shame to see Apple utilising such tactics to sell their products, pandemic or not, which is what I believe OP is trying to say too.

We love their products and the company, but we shouldn't be blind enough to justify every single move of theirs and put down those who are bringing out valid criticism.

I've not posted on here in 5 years, but I've seen this blind fanboyism to such an extent this time, I just wanted to put this out there.
 
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