iPhone 11 Pro Wide angle versus telephoto quality

[M33-1]

Is it just me or is the wide angle zoomed in the exact same quality as the telephoto which is optical. I’ve taken two pictures and compared them side-by-side and zooming in 2x on the wide angle is the exact same quality as the telephoto which is optical. Is the wide-angle lens that much better that zooming in 2x yields the same results as the telephoto using optical on daylight...not night mode?

if this is the case, the telephoto really isn’t necessary and more of a gimmick or marketing piece.

 

[masciam]

In my experience most of the times you’re using the telephoto, what you’re really getting is a crop of the wide angle. The iPhone will only use the telephoto in very very bright sunlight.
It’s a little better on the iPhone 11 pro due to the faster lens, but deep fusion is what will probably make the biggest difference.

 

[psac]

I've been under the assumption that when you zoom in past 2x, the Pro is automatically switching to the telephoto lens by itself. Is that not the case??

 

[adamgbiggs]

I've been under the assumption that when you zoom in past 2x, the Pro is automatically switching to the telephoto lens by itself. Is that not the case??

Yes that’s how it works, it auto switches to the telephoto once it reaches the 2x point.

Adam.

 

[masciam]

Yes that’s how it works, it auto switches to the telephoto once it reaches the 2x point.

Adam.

Only if lighting is good. If it’s poor you’re actually getting a zoomed in version of the wide angle. Exception is when you switch to portrait mode, as in this mode you’re always getting the view from the telephoto.

 

[adamgbiggs]

Only if lighting is good. If it’s poor you’re actually getting a zoomed in version of the wide angle. Exception is when you switch to portrait mode, as in this mode you’re always getting the view from the telephoto.

Thanks for the info, I didn’t know this, I though it always used the telephoto after the 2x point was reached.

Adam.

 

[masciam]

Thanks for the info, I didn’t know this, I though it always used the telephoto after the 2x point was reached.

Adam.

You can do a quick test by selecting 2x zoom while in a poorly lit room and then switching to portrait mode. You’ll notice the shift due to to the phone changing lenses.

 

[alpi123]

If you want to make sure you're utilizing the telephoto lens, just shoot in portrait mode. You can disable the portrait effect at any time.

 

[fred98tj]

Is it just me or is the wide angle zoomed in the exact same quality as the telephoto which is optical. I’ve taken two pictures and compared them side-by-side and zooming in 2x on the wide angle is the exact same quality as the telephoto which is optical. Is the wide-angle lens that much better that zooming in 2x yields the same results as the telephoto using optical on daylight...not night mode?

if this is the case, the telephoto really isn’t necessary and more of a gimmick or marketing piece.

“Telephoto using optical“. The telephoto cam doesn’t have optical zoom. None of the cameras on the phone has optical zoom. That’s just a bunch of BS from marketing and it’s not unique to Apple. All of the cell phone companies do that BS marketing to make the non-photography aware people (and there is nothing wrong with being non-photography aware ) think that they are getting some that’s “wow, zip zam pop”.
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However, as others have already stated, switching to the “tele” camera doesn’t always actually physically use the tele camera (with the exception of going into portrait mode). It depends on the available light.

 

[ToddH]

In my experience most of the times you’re using the telephoto, what you’re really getting is a crop of the wide angle. The iPhone will only use the telephoto in very very bright sunlight.
It’s a little better on the iPhone 11 pro due to the faster lens, but deep fusion is what will probably make the biggest difference.

Actually I just used my telephoto (11 pro max) and it did fine, iso 1250 and it was not a crop of the wide. Exif shows f/2 not 1.8. I had to sharpen it some though. You can cover the wide lens with your finger to verify the 2x is working or in use. Or use a
Third party app like Halide or pro camera to take control of the individual cameras your way. The higher the iso is, the softer the image will be. I like using nightcap app and manually setting the iso and shutter. Halide will allow that as well.

 

[numberfour]

I'm always using Halide when i want to use the telephoto lens since the app forces the use of the telephoto lens when using 2x

 

[M33-1]

This is really great information! Thank you everyone.

 

[jagolden]

I'm always using Halide when i want to use the telephoto lens since the app forces the use of the telephoto lens when using 2x

Similar here. I use ProCam to choose as it’s needed for use of most of the Sandmarc lenses.

 

[M33-1]

Actually I just used my telephoto (11 pro max) and it did fine, iso 1250 and it was not a crop of the wide. Exif shows f/2 not 1.8. I had to sharpen it some though. You can cover the wide lens with your finger to verify the 2x is working or in use. Or use a
Third party app like Halide or pro camera to take control of the individual cameras your way. The higher the iso is, the softer the image will be. I like using nightcap app and manually setting the iso and shutter. Halide will allow that as well.

Such a simple thing that you mention but I never ever thought of. Simply covering the lens with your finger to verify which it’s using. I was scratching my head trying to figure out how to know which lens it was using without looking at the EXIF data. Sometimes the simple things are the easiest. Thanks for pointing out the obvious!!

 

[JohnnyEL]

“Telephoto using optical“. The telephoto cam doesn’t have optical zoom. None of the cameras on the phone has optical zoom. That’s just a bunch of BS from marketing and it’s not unique to Apple. All of the cell phone companies do that BS marketing to make the non-photography aware people (and there is nothing wrong with being non-photography aware ) think that they are getting some that’s “wow, zip zam pop”.
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However, as others have already stated, switching to the “tele” camera doesn’t always actually physically use the tele camera (with the exception of going into portrait mode). It depends on the available light.

Absolutely right. Smartphones cannot interchange lenses to alter focal length like with a SLR camera. It is however possible to vary the focal length with afocal attachments fitted in front of the native lens. This is a bit like using a fixed lens camera to take photos through a telescope eyepiece. Afocal attachments of the telescopic type are created by the separation of a pair of lens elements by a distance numerically equal to the sum of their focal lengths. This modifies the principal planes to infinity, i.e. the device has no focal length. Incident parallel light emerges parallel but the diameter of the beam is changed (see picture).

John and Vasili