Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

Apple iPhone 11

Pro Max

Price: £1,149 / $1,099

The specs only tell half the story: it’s the real-world

results from this triple-camera phone that matter

Apple didn’t set the world alight when

it announced the camera setups on

the new iPhone 11 series. Compared

to what rival phone makers were doing already,

the three-camera array on the iPhone 11 Pro

and the two cameras on the regular iPhone 11

looked simply adequate.

What Apple camera phones have always

been good at, though, is results. The specs

may look ordinary, but they don’t tell

the whole story. In case you’re

confused by the specs and

options, here’s a quick recap.

The standard iPhone 11

comes in just one size and

has a two-camera array

that includes a regular

‘wide’ 26mm f/1.8 camera

and a ‘superwide’ 13mm

f/2.4 camera, both with

12 million pixels. The iPhone

11 Pro adds a third 52mm f/2.0

camera, again with a 12MP sensor.

The screen on this model is actually

slightly smaller than the one on the standard

iPhone 11 (5.8 inches versus 6.1 inches), but

then the larger iPhone 11 Pro Max has the

biggest screen of all at 6.5 inches. This review

focusses on the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

In terms of build, there’s little to surprise

seasoned iPhone users, although if you’ve

been using an older generation of iPhone with

a physical Home button you’ll have to get used

to the virtual version and the upward swipe

needed to see app icons.

The Camera app has a couple of changes,

however, to reflect the new camera tech. First,

when you’re using the regular ‘wide’ lens, the

iPhone will preview the ‘superwide’ view either

side so that you can see what you’re missing.

This is more useful than it sounds, as you

might see a better shot or composition that

you’d otherwise have missed.

But while this ‘see what you could be

capturing if you switched to the ultra-wide

camera’ preview when you shoot with the

main camera can be useful, in bright light

it isn’t always easy to see the boundary

between the active image frame and the ultra-

wide preview, making framing trickier than it

otherwise would be.

The triple camera setup itself is

very good – all three cameras

produce identical colour

vibrancy and exposure

metering. The 11 Pro

Max’s lenses are also very

resistant to lens flare, and

the ultra-wide camera

resists chromatic aberration

slightly better than other

models we’ve recently tested –

though fringing is still visible on

high-contrast boundaries.

While it would be nice to have the

greater optical zoom range of a Huawei P30

Pro, that’s about the only issue we have with

the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Judged on pure image

quality from its three rear-facing cameras (as

opposed to the number of features), it’s the

best camera phone on the market.

The iPhone 11 Pro is brilliant, but it’s

expensive for the size of the screen. The

iPhone 11 Pro Max is more expensive, but if

you’re going all out for the best camera phone

there is, it really delivers, with a 6.5-inch

screen that does its picture quality justice.

Don’t get it if you want the best and longest

list of camera phone features on the market,

the most cameras or the longest zoom. But do

get it if you’re more concerned about image

quality and features you will use all the time.

WHY THREE

LENSES?

The new ultra-wide-angle

lens has an f/2.4 aperture and a

120-degree field of view. The main

f/1.8 sensor is your standard wide-

angle, and the telephoto lens

now has a wider f/2 aperture

for better low-light

photography.

Left

Night mode

This new automatic feature

improves the camera’s

performance in low light

Above top

Changing cameras

In Photo mode, you tap 5 or

2x to select the superwide or

telephoto camera

r

NORMAL NIGHT MODE

HDR ENABLED

REVIEWS

Apple iPhone 11

Pro Max

Price: £1,149 / $1,099

The specs only tell half the story: it’s the real-world

results from this triple-cameraphonethatmatter

Apple didn’t set the world alight when

it announced the camera setups on

the new iPhone 11 series. Compared

to what rival phone makers were doing already,

the three-camera array on the iPhone 11 Pro

and the two cameras on the regular iPhone 11

looked simply adequate.

What Apple camera phones have always

been good at, though, is results. The specs

may look ordinary, but they don’t tell

thewholestory.Incaseyou’re

confusedbythespecsand

options,here’sa quickrecap.

ThestandardiPhone 11

comesinjustonesizeand

hasa two-cameraarray

thatincludesa regular

‘wide’26mmf/1.8camera

anda ‘superwide’13mm

f/2.4camera,bothwith

12 millionpixels.TheiPhone

11 Proaddsa third52mmf/2.0

camera,againwitha 12MPsensor.

Thescreenonthismodelisactually

slightlysmallerthantheoneonthestandard

iPhone 11 (5.8inchesversus6.1inches),but

thenthelargeriPhone 11 ProMaxhasthe

biggestscreenofallat6.5inches.Thisreview

focussesontheiPhone 11 ProMax.

Intermsofbuild,there’slittletosurprise

seasonediPhoneusers,althoughif you’ve

beenusinganoldergenerationofiPhonewith

a physicalHomebuttonyou’llhavetogetused

tothevirtualversionandtheupwardswipe

neededtoseeappicons.

TheCameraapphasa coupleofchanges,

however,toreflectthenewcameratech.First,

whenyou’reusingtheregular‘wide’lens,the

iPhonewillpreviewthe‘superwide’vieweither

sidesothatyoucanseewhatyou’remissing.

Thisismoreusefulthanit sounds,asyou

might see a better shot or composition that

you’d otherwise have missed.

But while this ‘see what you could be

capturing if you switched to the ultra-wide

camera’ preview when you shoot with the

main camera can be useful, in bright light

it isn’t always easy to see the boundary

between the active image frame and the ultra-

wide preview, making framing trickier than it

otherwise would be.

Thetriple camera setup itself is

very good – all three cameras

produce identical colour

vibrancy and exposure

metering. The 11 Pro

Max’s lenses are also very

resistant to lens flare, and

the ultra-wide camera

resists chromatic aberration

slightly better than other

models we’ve recently tested –

though fringing is still visible on

high-contrast boundaries.

Whileit would be nice to have the

greateropticalzoom range of a Huawei P30

Pro,that’saboutthe only issue we have with

theiPhone 11 Pro Max. Judged on pure image

qualityfromitsthree rear-facing cameras (as

opposedtothenumber of features), it’s the

bestcameraphone on the market.

TheiPhone 11 Pro is brilliant, but it’s

expensiveforthe size of the screen. The

iPhone 11 ProMax is more expensive, but if

you’regoingallout for the best camera phone

thereis,it reallydelivers, with a 6.5-inch

screenthatdoesits picture quality justice.

Don’tgetit if you want the best and longest

listofcameraphone features on the market,

themostcameras or the longest zoom. But do

getit if you’remore concerned about image

qualityandfeatures you will use all the time.

WHY THREE

LENSES?

The new ultra-wide-angle

lens has an f/2.4 aperture and a

120-degree field of view. The main

f/1.8 sensor is your standard wide-

angle, and the telephoto lens

now has a wider f/2 aperture

for better low-light

photography.

Left

Night mode

This new automatic feature

improves the camera’s

performance in low light

Above top

Changing cameras

In Photo mode, you tap 5or

2x to select the superwideo

telephoto camera

r

NORMAL NIGHT MODE

HDR ENABLED

REVIEWS