iPhone XR Camera Versus XS and XS Max Camera

Like the iPhone XS and XS Max, the iPhone XR has a wide-angle camera; yet, it’s cheaper. In case you are considering between the iPhone XR and XS (the XS Max’s camera is exact the same with XS), not clear about the difference among the two phones, here you go.

Specifications for iphone series

Firstly, these are the mutual information:

The XR and XS both have wide-angle camera at 12MP (26mm at f1.8) which optimize image stabilization for videos and photos.

The front camera is 7MP, True Depth at f2.2, offering cinematic video stabilization with resolution of 1080p/720p.

The phones can feature videos’ resolution up to 4K (24, 30, 60 frames per second) along with stereo recording.

Both phones come with smart HDR, which a new way from Apple to process HDR images.

The features mentioned above seem pretty common. Both the XS and XR run computational photography pipeline, which use image signal processor and Bionic chip A12.

However, the major difference lies in the 12MP rear camera at f2.4 featured in the XS and XS Max, the camera allows 2x optical zoom. The telephoto lens helps generate a depth map for identifying the subject’s position on the background, which is important in the portrait mode.

The XR’s portrait mode may have its own limitations

As it does not have a second telephoto lens, the XR generates its portrait photos using software and a single rear camera. This method for portrait is also used on other single-len phones such as Google Pixel 3.

Read more: Google Pixel 3 Just Barely Beats The iPhone XR In A Drop Test

There’s nothing to be sure till the XR is tested, but there may be slight differences between portrait photos taken by the XR and the XS.

You can apply Portrait lightning when taking portrait photos, before or after taking the pictures.

Like previous iPhones with portrait mode, the iPhone XS and XS Max offer five distinct lighting effects, namely Stage Light, Stage Light Mono, Studio, Contour and Natural. Shots are taken with Natural light if the phone is on default mode.

The XR comer with only three effects including Studio, Contour and Natural. Yet, the background blur can still be adjusted in the same way as the XS and XS Max using sliders. The bokeh can be changed anywhere from f1.4 to f16, which simulates the shallow depth-of-field effect that you get by adjusting the aperture on DSLR lens.

It is not likely that the portrait mode on the XR will work on subjects instead of people as suggested by a reaction.

Single-len phones can still render the background blur on subjects, not only people. Nevertheless, we cannot be sure whether or not the XR can do the same till we test it on our own.

It's the same selfie camera as the iPhone XS and XS Max

All three phones have 7MP TrueDepth camera, hence it’s not surprising how the camera renders selfies. You can still use the front camera to take portraits, as well as all five lighting effects offered by the portrait mode selfies.

The TrueDepth camera also allows you to make Memoji and Animoji to your heart’s content on the XR.

There is more limit to zoom

The XS and XS Max both have 2x optical zoom from the telephoto lens, yet they can reach to 10x digital zoom. But on the XR, there is a limit of 5x digital zoom for still photos. So you cannot get as close but digital zoom is likely to mess the photo a little bit and the more you raise the magnification, the more it may over-process the photo.

There is also a limit of 3x digital zoom for videos, as opposed to 2x optical zoom which can extend to 6x digital zoom that features on the XS and XS Max.

There is no 3D touch on the XR

As a result, there is no quick access to open the camera in different modes if you are used to using 3D touch. On the iPhone XS Max and XS, you can press and hold the camera icon to launch the camera immediately in video recording mode, selfie mode, take a portrait photo or scan a QR code.

Once the phone is out, there will be reality test on the XR camera for further assessments.