Recently, Apple released iOS 172 updates, which are expected to be widely rolled out by mid-December. According to the update notes, the update will bring "improved focusing speed for capturing distant objects" to the telephoto cameras of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, which means that users will get faster focusing speed and accuracy when shooting portraits or moving objects. It's unclear if this telephoto update is a fix for a known issue or a fine-tuning of the iPhone 15 Pro series zoom lenses. In our iPhone 15 Pro Max review, we found no focus issues, while a handful of users reported close-up issues in the Apple Support Forum. But it's a positive upgrade for both camera phones, and it also comes with the ability to shoot space**. Although the space is very niche at the moment and mainly on the Apple Vision Pro, the device won't be launched until early 2024, but it could be a fun toy during the Christmas holidays.
As a former camera editor at TechRadar, I once wrote about why I chose to skip the upgrade after the iPhone 15 Pro Max was released. One of the main reasons is the suspicion that Apple will need time to perfect its flagship's 4x zoom lens. While the iPhone 15 Pro Max is undoubtedly a great camera phone, with impressive sensor shift stabilization technology capable of maintaining zoom** sharpness, I think it might be better to wait until the iPhone 16 Pro series is released to upgrade, especially if you're keen on using a 5x zoom lens frequently.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max's 120mm focal length is ideal for shooting portraits and isolated details**. As Apple begins rolling out zoom software improvements for the iPhone 15 Pro series, Apple will be even better in the zoom field by September 2024.
Apple iOS 172 iPhone 15 Pro Max telephoto camera focusing speed has been updated to enhance shooting capabilities, and the spatial** feature has also been launched.
post by tech