RDanziger Loc: Chicago, IL

When you use 3x telephoto on the iPhone 14, is it always 12 MP and not 48MP? If so, are photos with a DSLR/Digital camera using a telephoto lens superior due to a higher MP. Also, what is 3x equivalent to in DSLR/Digital lenses?

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

Digital camera be it DSLR or Mirrorless will be better due to the larger sensor size. 3X is just a number. It varies depending on where you are starting from.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

When I went to Yellowstone this year I saw more use of iPhones attached to spotting scopes. Even the telephoto advantage of ILCs is diminishing! The smaller sensor of the phone coupled with the physically smaller scopes seemed to be getting closer to the distant animals.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Have the 14 Pro Max and have just started experimenting with it. Really neat smartphone. It has 3 cameras: 1) 13mm 12mp ultra wide camera; 2) 24MM 48mp quad Bayer filter main camera; 3) 77mm 12mp telephoto camera. The 2x mode uses the center of the main 48mp camera, i.e., it's a 2.0 crop factor.

If you use the 24mm 48mp main camera in jpg mode (default), it produces a 12mp file. You have to use it in pro-res (raw) mode to get the larger file. Remember, the raw file requires demosiacing to be useful.

As far as quality goes, I haven't finished playing around, but so far, my D850 (45.7mp) with Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 Art seems to produce far better results.

Red6

I am not sure why everyone feels compelled to compare iPhone photos with higher-end DSLR or mirrorless kits. It is really an apples vs oranges comparison. If the iPhone produces images that meet your needs and wants, then use it. If you want or have the need to have the larger MILCs with multiple lenses then have at it. For the majority of us that spend lots of money and still shoot mediocre family and travel snapshots with those expensive DSLRs and MILCs, the iPhone is probably all we need. It does meet the criteria that the best camera is the one you have with you.

Not everyone wants or needs to learn and labor over settings, exposures, etc in photography. The majority just want a decent photo image of the subject in front of them. The iPhones do a great job of this quickly and efficiently.

In the early days of autos, the cars had multiple controls that the driver had to master. In addition to the normal brake and throttle, cars also had a clutch, choke, spark advance/retard, and a starter switch or manual crank. Today we basically have only the brakes, throttle, and transmission gear selector. A computer has taken over all the mundane engine and transmission operations and provides easier and more efficient operation.

Photography and other hobbies are seeing computers, much like in autos, take over the fundamental controls while providing the operator with a more enjoyable experience. The majority of consumers simply want an image of good quality without all the fuss of settings and adjustments. Even today, few photographers would opt for a camera without some automatic features such as auto-focus or semi-auto aperture and shutter speed controls.

Computational photography is really changing photography. In another decade manual controls on a camera may be as strange and unusual as a manual choke or spark adjustment on an auto.

trackmag

Wonderful analysis.

shieldsadvert

Excellent observation. I've been shooting both professionally and today on an amateur basis and actually prefer using my iphone sometimes under ideal circumstances. It's the photographer behind the camera not the camera in front of the photographer that most often determines the quality of the photo.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

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bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Well written Red6!

Have you reviewed the "automatic" features newly released in Photoshop and Lightroom this week?

kenArchi Loc: Seal Beach, CA

Sounds like an unsmart phone? Is it or is not a 48mp camera.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Neither am I.
They're all cameras.
(Some cameras can do A & B things;
Some can do A, B, C, D, & E things;
Yet others can do A to P things.)

Maybe some people just put their DSLR/MICL up on pedestals.....
Or their neck is stuck, from looking that their cameras on the pedestals.
Ahmmmm....

All1317

Cell phones don't have telephoto capabilities they have enlarge and crop capabilities, prove to urself take pic of the moon with ur cell phone now with ur DSLR now zoom in with each notice the lack of detail with that item designed to make calls and how much better a real camera looks remember a phone is small and has a small sensor a real cameras only purpose is to take photos it's cpu does only photo stuff it may not help u look up a number or call someone that's what phones r for but DSLRs r made to take photos and do that very well because that's all they do

kenArchi Loc: Seal Beach, CA

Why using the different lenses change the mp's? Are there different sensors for each lens?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Each camera has its limits.

For some they are totally unacceptable.....

I accept and work within the limitations of each camera I have.
I accept them for what they are.
If one won't do what I want for a shot, I use another.
eg. my bridge camera focuses down to 2cm, without extension tubes or a "macro" lens. Handy!

pego101

Wrong s22ultra has optical telephoto zoom