Finally got my iPhone 15 Pro Max and I love it

[maverick786us]

After impatiently waiting for 2 weeks I finally got my iPhone 15 Pro Max. I bought Titanium blue color. I love this device. Moments after buying it, I got a TPU soft case and tempered glass protection, I believe something premium like an iPhone 15 Pro Max without a case and tempered glass protection is like a motorcycle raider without helmet and gears . It came with iOS 17.03 so while doing intense sync with cloud.

With the camera there are few things that I am puzzled.

1. Focal Length: I am not a professional photographer, iPhone 15 PM provides 3 different focal length. Can someone guide if I am taking photographs of landscapes, and mostly outdoor, which focal length settings will be best for me? and for Indoor photography, which focal length should I use?

2. Cinematic Video: 15PM has up to 5X Optical zoom. However, while taking Cinematic Videos, I can only zoom up to. Cinematic Video quality is the best, if I am shooting a video in an auditorium and the stage is too far, I will need 5X zoom to take close up look. How can I unlock 5X optical zoom while taking videos at cinematic mode? I also noticed, that in Cinematic mode, I cannot take 4K video beyond 30 FPS. I am sure that A17 Pro is capable of taking 4k Cinematic videos at 60 FPS. How can I unlock it? Is this a limitation provided by stock camera app?

 

[Mad Maxx]

Nice! Mine won't be delivered until 10/16. Any of the widely-reported overheating? I read that the 17.03 update was supposed to solve that problem. If I keep it, I'll put it in a dbrand Grip case. At $45 bux it ain't cheap, but it's the best case I've ever used.

 

[UnknownSouljer]

1. Focal Length: I am not a professional photographer, iPhone 15 PM provides 3 different focal length. Can someone guide if I am taking photographs of landscapes, and mostly outdoor, which focal length settings will be best for me? and for Indoor photography, which focal length should I use?

Use the focal length to get the shot you want. There is no “set it and forget it”. The options exist so that you can use them.

Past that it would be about learning composition principles and what looks good. And that’s a function of either copying other people, and/or doing the book work followed by experience.

EDIT: to be more explicit, in your one request of “shooting landscapes”; are you trying to shoot the entire view? Maybe pick wide or mid. Is there something in the landscape that you want to focus on? (A tree, the sunset, distant mountains, etc, literally any object) maybe try the telephoto or mid. Want to photograph a person in said landscape? It could be any of the lenses depending again on what aspect of it you want people to see.

The point I’m making is that even for “one subject matter” you could use any focal length. It depends on your artistic intent and what exactly it is your trying to capture and why.

2. Cinematic Video: 15PM has up to 5X Optical zoom. However, while taking Cinematic Videos, I can only zoom up to. Cinematic Video quality is the best, if I am shooting a video in an auditorium and the stage is too far, I will need 5X zoom to take close up look. How can I unlock 5X optical zoom while taking videos at cinematic mode?

I’m going to guess it doesn’t exit. Likely because cinematic mode “isn’t real” in the sense that it isn’t using optics to achieve shallow depth of field. It’s using multiple cameras to use computational photography to figure out depth information.

There is only one lens that reaches that far and the other two cannot adequately give depth information. Theoretically they could do training to help. But shooting telephoto in the first place should help at least slightly with “real” depth of field.

I also noticed, that in Cinematic mode, I cannot take 4K video beyond 30 FPS. I am sure that A17 Pro is capable of taking 4k Cinematic videos at 60 FPS. How can I unlock it? Is this a limitation provided by stock camera app?

EDIT: I didn’t look into it yet, but perhaps it’s a function of which video format you’re using. I don’t know if ProRes is limited to 4k/30 or not. I don’t see why it would be, other than the fact that 4k/60fps ProRes is absolutely massive. Frankly even 4k/24fps ProRes is massive and 60 would require 2.5x the data rate vs 24.

 

[maverick786us]

Use the focal length to get the shot you want. There is no “set it and forget it”. The options exist so that you can use them.

Past that it would be about learning composition principles and what looks good. And that’s a function of either copying other people, and/or doing the book work followed by experience.

EDIT: to be more explicit, in your one request of “shooting landscapes”; are you trying to shoot the entire view? Maybe pick wide or mid. Is there something in the landscape that you want to focus on? (A tree, the sunset, distant mountains, etc, literally any object) maybe try the telephoto or mid. Want to photograph a person in said landscape? It could be any of the lenses depending again on what aspect of it you want people to see.

The point I’m making is that even for “one subject matter” you could use any focal length. It depends on your artistic intent and what exactly it is your trying to capture and why.


I’m going to guess it doesn’t exit. Likely because cinematic mode “isn’t real” in the sense that it isn’t using optics to achieve shallow depth of field. It’s using multiple cameras to use computational photography to figure out depth information.

There is only one lens that reaches that far and the other two cannot adequately give depth information. Theoretically they could do training to help. But shooting telephoto in the first place should help at least slightly with “real” depth of field.


View attachment 605168

EDIT: I didn’t look into it yet, but perhaps it’s a function of which video format you’re using. I don’t know if ProRes is limited to 4k/30 or not. I don’t see why it would be, other than the fact that 4k/60fps ProRes is absolutely massive. Frankly even 4k/24fps ProRes is massive and 60 would require 2.5x the data rate vs 24.

Shooting a video at 4K 60FPS and ProRes at 4K 60FPS isn't the same as recording at Cinematic Mode. Cinematic mode is all about shooting video in portrait mode where the actual subject is shrap and background is blur. I have tried it many times, in Cinematic mode, there is no option of 4K 60FPS and you can only use 1x and 2X lens.

ProRes at 4K 60 FPS is achievable if you have an external SSD connected with your iPhone 15 Pro Max using USB 3.2 cable. The size of Pro Res at 4K 60FPS is enormous, with 1TB you can record only 72 minutes of video. So saving it in internal HD is out of question

 

[maverick786us]

Use the focal length to get the shot you want. There is no “set it and forget it”. The options exist so that you can use them.

Past that it would be about learning composition principles and what looks good. And that’s a function of either copying other people, and/or doing the book work followed by experience.

EDIT: to be more explicit, in your one request of “shooting landscapes”; are you trying to shoot the entire view? Maybe pick wide or mid. Is there something in the landscape that you want to focus on? (A tree, the sunset, distant mountains, etc, literally any object) maybe try the telephoto or mid. Want to photograph a person in said landscape? It could be any of the lenses depending again on what aspect of it you want people to see.

The point I’m making is that even for “one subject matter” you could use any focal length. It depends on your artistic intent and what exactly it is your trying to capture and why.


I’m going to guess it doesn’t exit. Likely because cinematic mode “isn’t real” in the sense that it isn’t using optics to achieve shallow depth of field. It’s using multiple cameras to use computational photography to figure out depth information.

There is only one lens that reaches that far and the other two cannot adequately give depth information. Theoretically they could do training to help. But shooting telephoto in the first place should help at least slightly with “real” depth of field.


View attachment 605168

EDIT: I didn’t look into it yet, but perhaps it’s a function of which video format you’re using. I don’t know if ProRes is limited to 4k/30 or not. I don’t see why it would be, other than the fact that 4k/60fps ProRes is absolutely massive. Frankly even 4k/24fps ProRes is massive and 60 would require 2.5x the data rate vs 24.

Shooting a video at 4K 60FPS and ProRes at 4K 60FPS isn't the same as recording at Cinematic Mode. Cinematic mode is all about shooting video in portrait mode where the actual subject is shrap and background is blur. I have tried it many times, in Cinematic mode, there is no option of 4K 60FPS and you can only use 1

Nice! Mine won't be delivered until 10/16. Any of the widely-reported overheating? I read that the 17.03 update was supposed to solve that problem. If I keep it, I'll put it in a dbrand Grip case. At $45 bux it ain't cheap, but it's the best case I've ever used.

I can understand your pain. I was in a similar situation, on September 22, I went to the nearest dealer, who had few iPhone 15 Pro Max demo units. He was offering me a good deal for 15 PM and a very good exchange offer. But he said that 15 PM is not in stock, and I have to wait for next week. Next week when I went to his shop he said I have to wait for minimum 4-5 weeks. I was like WTF!!! I went to few more shops nearby, they gave same answer, 4-5 weeks, one idiot said after December. I got paranoid and couldn't wait. So I went to Apple store, and bought my Titanium blue 15 Pro Max with exchange offer. In Apple Store there was no discount, but I was loosing patience so went for it.

 

[UnknownSouljer]

Shooting a video at 4K 60FPS and ProRes at 4K 60FPS isn't the same as recording at Cinematic Mode. Cinematic mode is all about shooting video in portrait mode where the actual subject is shrap and background is blur. I have tried it many times, in Cinematic mode, there is no option of 4K 60FPS and you can only use 1

I understood the context of your question.

I specifically brought up system limitations. And you’re likely hitting them on one or more fronts.

Either from cinematic mode/internal processing, or writing capabilities. My guess is the former.

 

[UnknownSouljer]

ProRes at 4K 60 FPS is achievable if you have an external SSD connected with your iPhone 15 Pro Max using USB 3.2 cable. The size of Pro Res at 4K 60FPS is enormous, with 1TB you can record only 72 minutes of video. So saving it in internal HD is out of question

I am keenly aware of the data rates. I’ve been shooting for 10 years. Including 6k ProRes and RAW. You can see my gear in the sig and the website.

ProRes scales linearly too. Each frame is the same amount of data even if the cap is on and it’s pure black. 6k, being double the resolution of 4k also doubles the data rate. Or, 4k 120, which also would halve that 72 minute recording time.


View: https://youtu.be/6PK6bV4MT64?feature=shared

 

[maverick786us]

I am keenly aware of the data rates. I’ve been shooting for 10 years. Including 6k ProRes and RAW. You can see my gear in the sig and the website.

ProRes scales linearly too. Each frame is the same amount of data even if the cap is on and it’s pure black. 6k, being double the resolution of 4k also doubles the data rate. Or, 4k 120, which also would halve that 72 minute recording time.


View: https://youtu.be/6PK6bV4MT64?feature=shared

Lol 6K resolution, and 4K @ 120 FPS, I think A17 pro is capable, though I am not sure. The only place where I would need 6K recording is if I am taking a video from a distance, and them crop the background.

 

[maverick786us]

I am keenly aware of the data rates. I’ve been shooting for 10 years. Including 6k ProRes and RAW. You can see my gear in the sig and the website.

ProRes scales linearly too. Each frame is the same amount of data even if the cap is on and it’s pure black. 6k, being double the resolution of 4k also doubles the data rate. Or, 4k 120, which also would halve that 72 minute recording time.


View: https://youtu.be/6PK6bV4MT64?feature=shared

You are a professional Photographer. I have a question, if I am shooting Pro Res at 4k 60FPS, and compare it with normal 4K 60FPS, will it there be a significant difference between the quality of both the videos, clearly noticeable when I watch both the videos in 16 inch MacBook Pro, or the purpose of Pro Res is only for post processing or editing?

 

[UnknownSouljer]

You are a professional Photographer. I have a question, if I am shooting Pro Res at 4k 60FPS, and compare it with normal 4K 60FPS, will it there be a significant difference between the quality of both the videos, clearly noticeable when I watch both the videos in 16 inch MacBook Pro, or the purpose of Pro Res is only for post processing or editing?

It's kind of a loaded question.

The purpose of ProRes is that it's a "lightly compressed" codec that is easy to work on and keeps as much of the original decision data as possible while also suffering no generational loss. ( I won't get into the history here, that wasn't it's original purpose)
I'll submit to you that you probably don't want to bother shooting in ProRes unless: you are also shooting in Apple's new log format, AND you plan on doing a lot of post processing work (which technically will also be required if you shoot Apple's log format, but I mean actually doing color dev work). In other words, for people mostly that will be editing said footage on a desktop.

If you choose to shoot in "standard" (as in some variant of Rec709 and not in log), there will be incredibly quick diminishing returns; as all of the contrast in the image will already baked in and you won't have the latitude for post anyway. You won't have control over Apple's "auto-HDR" feature. etc etc. But again, doing any of this, all of this is unequivocally NOT for casual shooting. I would only do this if you're shooting on a rig, will Filmic Pro, and using custom lenses (like the Moment anamorphic adapter or the moment telephoto adapter or if it's once in a life-time documentary footage). Or if you're crazy enough to use one of the full sized lens EF adapters. In other words, I would probably not bother shooting in ProRes if you're at all interested in shooting your phone like a phone.

The big use case for ProRes on a phone, is mostly for documentary film workers that are comfortable working with log and are trying to capture once in a lifetime shots for their films. Apple will make their show pieces with it shooting narrative and/or music videos with it, but most general users will not have a reasonable use case to actually use it. And of course as you're finding out, most general users will find the file sizes to be... restrictive. Certainly only people shooting docs would be willing to shoot people talking for long periods in Apple LOG + ProRes.

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As for the other part of your question, will you notice the difference in compression? Honestly, you might. But would it be worth using 10x the disc space to avoid? Again, for most people I would say no. There is always a tradeoff between compression and image quality, and on a phone I honestly wouldn't bother, unless again you're shooting docs on your phone. Otherwise, as annoying as this may sound: I would probably invest in a hybrid camera that can shoot stills and video (for any photos and videos that "actually matter"), and only shoot the phone for non-critical work. Which again is the whole point of a phone; convenience, because it's always with you. I shoot zero things "seriously" with my phone. It's only for Facebook/Instagram or when I don't have my camera.

Otherwise I use a "real" camera, because even a camera with half the MP will shoot images with better image quality owing to the fact that the physical sensor sizes are bigger, they have significantly larger optics, and the physical controls are obviously built for purpose.

 

[UnknownSouljer]

Here is a quick review of the iPhone 15 Pros Dynamic Range. The short version is it's excellent. But as Gerald Undone demonstrates here, you have to shoot in log, use a VND filter, and shoot in manual to eek out all of the performance. If you don't want to do all of that, then again, the diminishing returns drop like a rock, really quick. Which again shows that ProRes in a phone is "cool" but not useful for most people in most situations.


View: https://youtu.be/RNd74wyVtKw?feature=shared