iPhone 11 Pro camera is so good, it’s changing the way cameras are tested

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iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max
iOS 13.2 will make switching frame rates and resolution for your video shooting much easier.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews for the iPhone 11 cameras are in, and you would think photography is about to be reinvented.

Tech reviewers sound especially impressed with two features, the ultra-wide lens and the new Night mode for low-light photography. Neither feature is new to smartphones, but when Apple adopts a piece of existing technology, the news is greeted as if Cupertino invented it.

Still, there’s no denying the impact Apple products have on popular culture and the company’s ability through advertising to drum up up excitement for “new” features.

Apple happily shared some of the reviews Tuesday in a press release containing excerpts from various tech publications.

DxOMark changes testing protocol for iPhone 11 cameras

Now, independent camera-testing lab DxOMark says it expanded its protocol to include ultra-wide lenses and low-light shooting modes.

As it preps to put the new iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro through their paces, DxOMark also revised scores on the phones it previously tested to include these two features.

In recent years, tech observers pointed to DxOMark’s rankings for smartphone cameras, which began in 2012, as a sign that the iPhone was falling below a bar it had once set. The iPhone XS Max and XR scored very well in the technical review by DxOMark. However, other phones achieved higher scores, thanks to new features only now showing up on the iPhone.

The LG G5 brought the first ultra-wide lens (which brings a wider perspective than the standard 28mm view). And Google’s Pixel 3 became the first to seemingly conquer low-light photography through software with its Night Sight.

Two Samsung Galaxy 10 models currently enjoy the highest scores on the chart. Huawei, the first to implement a three-camera array, also fields two models with scores higher than Apple’s top performer, the iPhone XS Max.

About smartphone camera tests

The scores matter little to the average consumer, who does not upgrade so quickly these days. The best iPhone is the one that is in your pocket.

But serious mobile photographers seem excited to see how new iPhones compare to Android phones with strong camera game.

Apple can still count on deeply loyal iPhone customers to stick with its brand. But Apple’s camera team undoubtedly would love to see the iPhone on top again.

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