Apple is planning a significant upgrade to the telephoto camera in the iPhone 17 Pro, potentially improving usability despite seeming like a step back, according to a leaker. The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to be announced in September.
The iPhone 17 Pro will reportedly feature a 48MP telephoto lens, an upgrade from the 12MP sensor in the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, according to Majin Bu. This new lens will allegedly offer 3.5x optical zoom (85mm equivalent), differing from the 5x zoom (120mm equivalent) currently available.
The advantage lies in the 48MP sensor, allowing for digital cropping to simulate longer focal lengths with less quality loss than standard digital zoom. This is akin to the iPhone 16’s main Fusion camera, where the 48MP sensor enables a 2x digital crop – marketed as “Telephoto” – producing a 12MP image with minimal quality loss.
A 3.5x telephoto lens offers greater versatility, particularly for portrait photography, according to Bu. It facilitates easier composition at comfortable distances, especially indoors or in tight spaces.
This shift indicates Apple’s move towards using high-resolution sensors and computational processing to overcome traditional optics limitations. If accurate, the iPhone 17 Pro could provide more flexible zoom options and enhance user-friendliness for portrait photography without compromising image quality.
With the iPhone 16 Pro models already incorporating 48MP Fusion and Ultra Wide cameras, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max could feature a rear triple-camera array entirely composed of 48-megapixel lenses.
