Yesterday noticed the emergence of three rumors in regards to the iPhone 17 Professional digicam system. The supply for them has no track-record, so it’s solely potential that every one three are nonsense, nevertheless it’s at the least believable that they might have entry to the claimed info.
Two of the rumored options could be welcome, even when one sounds quite unlikely. However the third is one thing I’m very a lot hoping is lifeless flawed …
The supply claims to work for a video manufacturing firm which lists Apple amongst its purchasers, and to be basing their info on an iPhone 17 Professional video at present within the works.
The three options mentioned to be lined within the video are:
- A primary-party professional digicam app from Apple
- A second Digicam Management button on the highest fringe of the telephone
- The telephoto lens leaping from 5x optical zoom to 8x
Apple professional digicam app
In iOS 26, Apple simplifies the person interface for the Digicam app. Opening it now, you initially see simply Picture and Video choices, although the remainder of the options (time-lapse, slo-mop, cinematic video, portrait mode, spatial pictures, and panoramas) are nonetheless there once you swipe.
The tipster means that the corporate is balancing out this simplified UI for the primary digicam app with a separate ‘professional’ app. No particulars are offered, nevertheless it’s assumed this might replicate options accessible in third-party ‘professional’ digicam apps, like guide publicity and guide focusing.
I do see this as credible. Given that almost all iPhone customers desire a point-and-shoot expertise, and infrequently use any of the extra specialised options, then I can completely see sense in simplifying the primary app whereas making a extra subtle one accessible to extra area of interest customers.
We’ve already see Apple do that for video with the Closing Minimize Digicam app, so a separate professional app for nonetheless pictures is completely plausible.
Second Digicam Management button
That is described as being on the highest fringe of the telephone, making it accessible for portrait pictures.
This appears a bit more durable to consider. My anecdotal expertise is that hardly anybody continues to make use of the prevailing Digicam Management button on the iPhone 16 Professional as soon as the novelty wears off, so a comparatively costly {hardware} improve for quite area of interest use appears questionable to me.
All the identical, if it had been true, I’d welcome it – I’m one of many minority who does use the prevailing button.
8x telephoto lens
The third rumor says Apple is growing the telephoto lens from 5x optical zoom to 8x – and it’s this one I’m very a lot hoping isn’t true.
The telephoto lens initially began as a 2x optical zoom. This produced a helpful focal size that I used fairly often. When it was elevated to 3x, it created one thing near the 70mm focal size I take into account excellent for portraits, although I used it a bit much less for different pictures.
However when Apple swapped out the 3x lens for a 5x one, it grew to become nearly ineffective to me. Sure, it did present sufficient compression and optical depth of discipline management to offer some pure bokeh, however even for portraits 120mm equal was simply too tight more often than not, and I nearly by no means use it for anything.
An 8x telephoto would imply swapping out an already too-narrow 120mm lens for a ridiculous 192mm one! I’m certain some birdwatchers would possibly admire it, perhaps some sports activities followers too, however anybody critically into both makes use of a standalone digicam. For many of us, this might be absurdly tight.
Positive, some smartphone manufacturers chase numbers – with 10x lenses and extra, in addition to megapixel numbers that sound spectacular on the field however generate horrendous noise in real-life use. Apple resisted this recreation altogether for a really very long time. It has now began chasing the numbers to a far larger extent, however I actually hope it received’t do that.
That’s my view – what’s yours? Please share your ideas within the feedback.
Picture by Patrice Bouchard on Unsplash
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