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plaid-knight t1_j630y5q wrote

iPhone lenses have been getting larger over time, which means they can gather more light and produce better images, but the trade-off is that they can’t focus quite as close as smaller lenses can. However, recent Pro models can do macro shots — focusing extremely close to the subject — with the ultrawide lens.

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gettheboom t1_j63ui6m wrote

This is the answer. The new phone has more tools and you’re using the wrong one for the job.

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Tabard18 t1_j6f2p1p wrote

Is it better to use ultra wide even on standard phones for closeup?

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plaid-knight t1_j6g0uxz wrote

Use whichever camera produces a better photo. The ultrawide lens on regular iPhones is not good at close-up shots because it lacks autofocus.

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mustangs-and-macs t1_j63jfp4 wrote

This is just incorrect. Lens size has nothing to do with minimum focus distance. Each of the 3 cameras has a different MFD, but it’s not because of size.

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Decent-Squirrel-6316 t1_j64n8f3 wrote

The closer you want to focus, the further the elements have to be from the sensor.

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mustangs-and-macs t1_j69etp0 wrote

Closer than the other guy, but still entirely true. If that were the only factor in focus distance, you wouldn’t have 100mm macro lenses and 100mm tele lenses with wildly different focus distances.

Minimum focus distance is a factor of the focal length of the lens (not the “size” of the lens) combined with the nodal distance of the lens. This in turn determines your magnification ratio, which will distinguish a “macro” lens from a standard lens.

This is Reddit though, so it’s probably fair to say all the downvotes are from people who have absolutely zero clue how optics work.

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