iPHONE 13
intrusive backlighting, and that the 13
mini’s improvements are more about
reducing the dazzle of the light source
while maintaining foreground detail,
rather than improving detail.
However, just to reiterate that the
13 mini’s sensors are superior and
produce larger images that are better
able to stand up to extreme crops,
above is a hard close-up of the leaf in
the previous picture.
Note that the 13 mini doesn’t get
the new macro capabilities offered by
the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, so don’t
expect to take world-beating close-
ups of ants.PORTRAIT MODE
The 13 mini offers Portrait Mode on
both front and rear cameras, and I
found its depth perception decent intesting. As you’d expect, it renders a
more accurate bokeh effect with the
twin rear lenses. Even with a bright
sun behind the subject the 13 mini
produced a clean and defined edge,
and an artistically pleasing treatment
of stray locks of hair: in focus, but with
a softer edge.
Using the front camera for a Portrait
selfie with two subjects the 13 mini
struggled a little more with the fine
details, although the overall effect
was pleasing. When I zoomed in I
noticed that this time stray hair was
lost in the blurred background – an
understandable failing given that in
this context the effect is produced
through software rather than glassware,
but still mildly disappointing.
I’m a fan of Portrait Mode in
general but it doesn’t feel like it’sSmart HDR camera test 4.