The iPhone 15 Pro Max is currently the only model from Apple to ship with a periscope zoom lens. However, where the 6.7-inch flagship has competitors like the Galaxy S23 Ultra with a 10x optical zoom upgrade, the company has limited its top-end version to a 5x zoom camera. In a recent interview, an Apple executive explained that not giving the handset a higher optical zoom limit was intentional due to various issues, including terrible image stabilization that users would experience when they toggle a 10x zoom mode on an Android device.
At a 10x zoom level, a smartphone user would need to have the steadiest hands or a tripod to get decent image stabilization
Jon McCormack is Apple’s Vice President of camera software engineering, and the executive sat down with French media outlet Numerama to discuss the iPhone 15 Pro Max camera, including the exclusive 5x optical zoom addition. According to the details spotted by MacRumors, this model sports a combination of OIS (optical image stabilization) and a 3D sensor-shift module, making it one of the most advanced camera systems in a mobile phone.
Compared to a 10x zoom, McCormack claims that the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x zoom is incredible regarding image stabilization. While having a 10x lens can give users the ability to further zoom in on an object of focus, it comes with certain drawbacks. The company executive says that users either need to have the steadiest hands in the world or they will need to carry around a tripod with them because image stabilization at that magnification will be compromised.
That does not mean that Apple will limit the zoom level to 5x on future models because, according to earlier reports, there are more upgrades arriving to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. For starters, both ‘Pro’ versions slated to arrive next year are said to be upgraded to periscope zoom cameras, but there is a possibility that the iPhone 16 Pro Max continues to be treated with exclusive upgrades.
For instance, one rumor claims that a ‘super telephoto’ camera might debut on Apple’s top-tier model in 2024, potentially giving it higher levels of lossless zoom than the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, we will have to wait several months to see which rumors made the cut and which were nothing but noise. For now, we recommend checking out the entire interview by checking out the link below, as an interesting conversation is happening regarding the iPhone 15 Pro Max camera.
News Source: Numerama
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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