The iPhone 17 Professional has an superior digital camera system, having held its personal in opposition to the Galaxy S25 Extremely and fought its nook admirably in a video shootout in opposition to knowledgeable cinema digital camera. The three rear lenses can seize stunning pictures in pristine high quality, and whereas I do like latest options such because the Photographic Kinds and Apple’s ProRaw picture format, there’s extra I believe Apple must do to assist its telephones enchantment much more to professional and beginner photographers alike.
I’ve spent over 14 years reviewing iPhones and Android telephones from all manufacturers for CNET, and as knowledgeable photographer, I’ve at all times had a watch towards testing the cameras of high fashions like the brand new Xiaomi Leica Leitzphone, which I awarded an Editors’ Alternative award for being the perfect digital camera telephone I’ve ever used. The competitors stays fierce, and Apple must push the boat out greater than ever. These are a wide range of options I would like to see Apple incorporate into the upcoming iPhone 18 Professional.
Many of the Xiaomi Leica Leitzphone’s digital camera
In my overview of the Leitzphone — made in collaboration between Xiaomi and iconic digital camera maker Leica — I referred to as it “the perfect, most enjoyable digital camera telephone I’ve ever used.” And I meant it. This telephone has taken a few of my favourite pictures I’ve ever taken on a telephone, and Apple would do properly to see this as its benchmark for imagery prowess. There are a number of most important parts that I believe Apple ought to steal.
First, the primary digital camera picture sensor. It is bodily a lot bigger than the sensors present in most different telephones — together with the iPhone — which permits it to seize extra mild and due to this fact ship higher dynamic vary. However it additionally makes use of one thing referred to as LOFIC know-how. Standing for Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor, these nonsense phrases mainly imply it is capable of seize higher dynamic vary in a single picture, quite than combining a number of exposures into one ultimate picture — as Apple presently does with its Deep Fusion software program processing. Xiaomi’s most important sensor is great, delivering pristine pictures with stunning exposures. Apple is rumored to be experimenting with LOFIC picture sensors, although whether or not we see one on the following mannequin is not recognized.
The Photographs I’ve Taken on Xiaomi’s Leica Telephone Are A few of My Finest Ever
However that is not all; the Leitzphone can also be among the many first digital camera telephones to function a steady telephoto zoom that makes use of precise shifting parts, similar to an actual digital camera zoom lens. It permits for higher high quality telephoto pictures because it depends much less on digital cropping to zoom in additional. Once more, Apple has been rumored to be engaged on comparable tech for no less than the final couple of generations, so possibly the iPhone 18 is the place we’ll lastly see it deployed.
There’s loads extra I really like in regards to the Leitzphone’s digital camera expertise, however the sensor and the zoom are the details I would like to see Apple steal. Past that, I completely adore the built-in Leica colour profiles — particularly Leica Chrome — and whereas I would like to see them constructed into Apple’s digital camera, these are Leica-specific presets that will not be accessible on something with no Leica purple dot brand close by. If you would like them in your iPhone, you will have to pay individually to make use of the Leica Lux iPhone app.
Samsung’s My Filters colour filter clone
Leica’s filters apart, Samsung’s My Filters is a device hidden inside latest Galaxy digital camera telephones that primarily helps you to steal the colour tones from one picture and apply them to a different. Say you discovered a beautiful photograph on-line with dreamy pastel tones and heat highlights. It can save you that picture to your telephone (even a screenshot of it is going to do), load it into the filter creation device inside the digital camera app, and it’ll then create a brand new filter that goals to copy the tones of that picture. That filter will then be saved to your telephone so that you can apply to all of your pictures afterward.
The unique picture (left) and the edited model utilizing my customized filter (proper). I really like the hotter tones, the teal sky and the movie grain. It is given it a really classic look and I actually prefer it.
Whereas the filters it creates will not be at all times particularly correct to the supply picture (generally the results may be fairly delicate), I do just like the outcomes you will get from it. I have been capable of create some beautiful filmic seems to be that I’ve personalized to attempt to give the impression of outdated Kodak movie shares.
Apple’s Photographic Kinds is the closest factor the iPhone has, and whereas a number of the seems to be are good sufficient, there’s not loads of scope for getting actually artistic with colours, movie grain and different results. I would like to see Apple develop on its Photographic Kinds device to provide the kind of filmic seems to be Fujifilm has achieved so properly with its customizable “recipes” on its ever-popular cameras just like the X100VI.
The Nothing Telephone 3 has a fantastic macro mode.
Nothing Telephone 3’s Macro Mode
I wasn’t all that impressed with the Nothing Telephone 3 in my full overview, and a big a part of that was all the way down to the general disappointing digital camera efficiency. However it does have one saving grace in its macro mode. As somebody who runs a pictures YouTube channel specializing in macro pictures, I really feel I’ve a excessive bar for what seems to be good relating to close-up pictures of tiny issues like bugs or flowers. However even I’ve to confess that this telephone takes excellent close-up pictures.
The iPhone 17 Professional additionally has a macro operate that makes use of the ultrawide lens to attain close-up focusing. And whereas it actually succeeds in getting up shut and private with no matter insect you occur to search out, pictures do not at all times look nice from it. I’ve discovered colours to look somewhat drab, although. And whereas it could possibly focus near the lens, it ends in a wide-angle view. This implies you will have to get your telephone proper up near an insect, probably scaring it off.
I discovered Nothing’s macro mode to look far more pure in its picture processing, with vibrant colours. Because it would not seem to depend on the ultrawide lens, it offers a more in-depth view of your topic with out the wide-angle distortion. Nice, macro pictures may be a distinct segment use, but it surely’s additionally one thing that anybody with a telephone can do (versus having devoted macro gear). I would nonetheless like to see Apple work on its close-up expertise.
With the grip connected you may maintain and use the Xiaomi 15 Extremely similar to a daily compact digital camera.
Xiaomi’s 15 Extremely digital camera grip
I cherished Xiaomi’s 14 Extremely and 15 Extremely telephones (to not point out the brand new Leitzphone), discovering them able to taking a number of the greatest pictures I’ve ever seen from telephone cameras. There are loads of the explanation why these telephones are nice for photographers, however one among my favourite issues about taking pictures with them is the Xiaomi-made equipment, together with the digital camera grip and filter mount.
The grip specifically is tremendous useful because it lets you maintain the telephone similar to a daily compact digital camera, whereas the built-in shutter button makes it simpler to snap away with out having to faucet the display. The filter mount, in the meantime, permits me to make use of the identical skilled screw-in filters (like pro-mist, round polarizers or impartial density filters) that I take advantage of with my skilled digital camera package. Whereas Xiaomi made one for its new 17 Extremely, it is oddly not natively suitable with the extra photography-focused Leitzphone. So I suppose Xiaomi must study this lesson too.
Apple would not make a digital camera grip for the iPhone, and whereas there are numerous third-party ones, I have not discovered many I actually love to make use of. The Leica Lux grip is as well-built as you’d count on from the enduring pictures model, but it surely depends on MagSafe, which feels dangerous trusting your telephone to carry in place solely with magnets, and it’ll solely work with the Leica app, not with the default iPhone digital camera app. (Oh, and it is a practically $400 accent.)
Leica’s Lux grip attaches solely utilizing MagSafe and I would not wish to belief it to carry my telephone in place whereas strolling shortly round city.
Xiaomi’s package, being made by the corporate itself and for the particular telephone, works seamlessly, connecting securely to the telephone and dealing as anticipated with the default digital camera app. The iPhone is wonderful as an everyday-carry digital camera, but it surely might be elevated even additional if Apple created {hardware} equipment particularly for photographers.
Xiaomi 14 Extremely’s variable aperture
Sure, I hold coming again to Xiaomi, however the firm’s 14 Extremely is unquestionably value stealing from. Specifically, the variable aperture in its most important digital camera that may go from extensive open at f/1.7 and shut all the way down to f/4. Most telephones have a set aperture, and whilst you’d hardly ever discover the distinction, relating to night-time pictures, the Xiaomi 14 Extremely was wonderful.
By closing down the aperture, I used to be capable of create genuine starburst results round factors of sunshine like streetlights in precisely the identical manner that you’d through the use of a slim aperture with a mirrorless digital camera and lens on a tripod. I cherished the photographs I captured with the telephone, as they appeared a lot extra skilled than the bizarre amorphous blobs seen round mild sources in evening pictures from different telephones.
The starburst on the streetlight makes this picture what it’s.
I will not maintain my breath on this one, as even Xiaomi did not keep on with the know-how for lengthy. Whereas the corporate made a giant deal about it on the 14 Extremely, when it launched the 15 Extremely a 12 months later, the variable aperture was nowhere to be seen, and it is not current on the newer 17 Extremely or Leitzphone. Maybe the mechanics make the telephone too costly to provide, or possibly there simply wasn’t sufficient profit — or demand — for starbursts in evening pictures.
Both manner, it was an actual spotlight for me, and it is one thing I would like to see Apple implement within the iPhone 18’s digital camera.
Xiaomi and Sony’s exterior lens cameras
No, I am nonetheless not completed speaking about Xiaomi. However I am additionally speaking Sony, so simmer down. At MWC final 12 months, Xiaomi confirmed off an idea for a digital camera and lens unit that attaches to your telephone however comprises its personal massive picture sensor and bigger, higher-quality optics. It harnesses the computing energy, picture processing and bigger show of your telephone, however provides significantly better total picture high quality than the tiny cameras in your telephone are capable of obtain.
Not like most telephone digital camera lenses, this lens has precise iris blades to open and shut the aperture.
Sony really had the same thought all the best way again in 2013, packing its QX100 and QX10 cameras with a big picture sensor and full zoom lens, however no display. Just like the Xiaomi idea, it related to a telephone that then acted because the show. Whereas Sony’s product did go on sale, it by no means actually took off, and the corporate did not return to the format. Xiaomi was launched firmly in “idea” territory, and sadly, I noticed no signal of it throughout this 12 months’s MWC.
I actually will not be alone in having daydreamed about what an precise Apple digital camera can be like. Pairing the top-end picture processing Apple is ready to obtain with its iPhones with a considerably bigger picture sensor and pro-standard lens optics might lead to an absolute pictures powerhouse for each informal snappers and execs alike.
And whereas I do not ever foresee the corporate launching a stand-alone digital camera — regardless of what some patents would possibly recommend — I would like to see it create a digital camera unit like Sony’s and Xiaomi’s that is designed to work in tandem with an iPhone. Do I count on to see this on the iPhone 18 launch? Completely not. Will I dream about it anyway? Rattling proper.
