iPhone 15 Pro could get 5x optical zoom, but thats not good enough

Date:
Fri, 21 Jan 2022 09:58:53 +0000

Description:
A report suggests that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will get a periscope camera offering 5x optical zoom.

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While the iPhone 14 range hasnt even launched yet, weve already repeatedly heard something about the iPhone 15 family, and thats that the Pro models
will apparently have a periscope camera for long-range zoom. Now were hearing that again, and this time with a bit more specificity.

According to Jeff Pu (an analyst with a mixed track record for Apple information) in a report seen by 9to5Mac , the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15
Pro Max will offer 5x optical zoom up from 3x on the current models.

Supposedly Apple is in negotiations with Lante Optics for these periscope
zoom lenses, with the latter company likely to supply more than 100 million components to Apple if a deal is reached. So it sounds like theres still a chance this wont happen.

Apple has reportedly received component samples from Lante Optics and will apparently reach a final decision by May. If a deal isnt done, wed expect Apple would look for a different supplier, but whether one could be found in time for the iPhone 15 range isnt clear.

Still, a periscope zoom is a logical upgrade for the iPhone range, as its a camera design that allows for much longer distance zoom than standard telephoto lenses like those found in current iPhones. So wed think sooner or later its near-certain that Apple will offer this. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra zooms twice as far (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri) Opinion: 5x is a start, but its not enough

Most of the leaks about periscope zoom coming to the iPhone 15 Pro havent talked about a specific zoom distance, leaving me to hope that wed see 10x optical zoom, but this latest report suggests that the iPhone 15 Pro will
only be capable of 5x optical zoom.

Thats not a huge jump on the 3x optical zoom that Apples top phones are already capable of, so it will lack the wow factor of 10x zoom. And while it could work well for, say, portrait photography, it wont be as beneficial as 10x would be for photographing wildlife and other distant subjects that you cant easily get close to (such as details high up on buildings or ships out
at sea).

If the iPhone 15 Pro range really does offer 5x optical zoom that also suggests it will probably only have one optical zoom lens, since thats a middle ground between 3x and 10x. Thats a shame too, as Id much rather see
the versatility of two (or more) optical zoom distances, like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra offers with both 3x and 10x, giving users the best of both worlds.

Of course, the iPhone 15 range is still more than 18 months away, so its too soon to be confident of anything yet. Hopefully Apple will get zoom right. Want the latest Apple news and rumors? Sign up for our newsletter



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/iphone-15-pro-could-get-5x-optical-zoom-but-tha ts-not-good-enough/


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