iPhone 11 Pro Max Camera Test

The new iPhones were unveiled on September 10th and are already in the hands of consumers just ten days later. The phones have been redesigned with a stunning new frosted glass back, the most durable glass on a smartphone ever, spatial audio stereo speakers, and built with the new A13 Bionic chip to speed up virtually everything you do on your iPhone. There are so many other features to talk about, but what everyone wants to know about is the camera system. The iPhone 11 Pro is equipped with a wide angle lens, standard lens, and a telephoto lens. These cameras team up to perform as the best cameras on a smartphone, ever.

Three Lenses: Outside in Black and White

The following photographs were taken on East 23rd Street, focusing on the large scale billboard-like building advertisement. The three lenses each bring something new to the photo. The first embraces the entire scene, the second gives a real-life perspective, and the third hones in on the Balenciaga advertisement leaving some architectural interest below.

Three Lenses: Movement

The following photographs were shot at Grand Central Terminal, coincidentally right outside the massive Apple Store there. Take a look at how the cameras capture the natural and artificial light, freeze the tourists and New Yorkers, and hold a sharp focus.

Three Lenses: Outside in Low Light

The following photographs exhibit the low light performance of the iPhone 11 Pro cameras. These were shot outside of a comedy club on East 24th Street with bright neon lights lining the windows. In these photographs, you can see how well each lens focuses in low light. In the ultra-wide angle photo, you can see the start of a blur on the text, while the standard and telephoto lenses give them a crisp, bright look.

Night Mode v. Standard

The next two photos compare the power of Apple's new "Night Mode" to their standard low light camera. Night Mode lets the user open up the aperture of the camera much more than ever before. The camera must be completely still to use this feature though, it is essentially a long exposure. In my opinion, Night Mode can be very useful for indoor situations, but outdoors, especially in Manhattan, surrounding lights appear overexposed and fuzzy. In these photos, pay attention to how Night Mode brightens the scene while overexposing artificial light and how without Night Mode, artificial light is crisp, yet the scene is almost pitch black.

Stand Alone Photographs

So Should You Buy It?

As an Apple enthusiast, I cannot sit here and tell you not to buy an iPhone, but I can tell which one might be best for you. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is a wonderful smartphone, but it does not outdo the 11 or 11 Pro by much. It has features only people who really care about their tech will appreciate. If you are in the market for a new iPhone and you shoot often with you phone camera, I suggest the iPhone 11 Pro. If you just want the new phone for speed, longer battery life, improvements all around, and occasional photographs, I suggest the iPhone 11. Each model brings a lot of power to the table and any choice is a good one.