Photographer Austin Mann Shares iPhone 12 Pro Max Camera Review

When it comes to testing the camera features in new iPhone models, photographer Austin Mann's detailed reviews are second to none. iPhone 12 Pro Max reviews went live this morning, and Mann's in-depth camera test is also now available.

austin mann iphone 12 pro max night shot
Mann's review a must-read review for anyone who is interested in the ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ for its camera, because this is the first year in some time that Apple has introduced different cameras in the Pro and Pro Max models. The Pro Max has a larger sensor and larger pixels, plus a different telephoto lens.

Despite the improvements in the ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ over the Pro, Mann said that in his testing, he could "barely see a difference" between the two iPhones in most lighting conditions. The exception was semi-low-light scenes, such as just after sunset or in a night urban scene.

austin mann iphone 12 pro camera comparison low light
In these situations, the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro needed two seconds of Night Mode recording, while the ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ needed just one second because of the larger amount of light let in by the sensor. That resulted in better photos from the Pro Max because there's less shake and subject movement.

Mann also saw improvements when shooting in very low light scenes in Night mode with a tripod and a 30-second exposure, and there's also, of course, the 5x optical zoom range enabled by the 2.5x optical zoom lens in the ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌. The 12 Pro Max's telephoto lens has a longer focal length and a faster minimum shutter speed, so you can zoom in further.

austin mann iphone 12 pro max zoom
All in all, Mann said that while he came into the review expecting the ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ to notably outperform the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, the differences between the two were limited to "very specific scenes." He enjoyed the extra telephoto length of the ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ and the low light capabilities, but he wasn't a fan of the massive size that made it hard to operate as a single-handed camera.

Both models are a "massive jump in imaging capability" and Mann says that regardless of which model is selected, people will "thoroughly enjoy" shooting with the new camera.

Mann took a whole range of photos in all lighting conditions in Zion National Park in Utah, and it's well worth clicking over to his full review to see what the ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ camera is capable of.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.4.1 With Bug Fixes

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There have been complaints about ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone 6s MacRumors YouTube

Apple Says These Products Are Now Vintage

Tuesday April 15, 2025 9:53 am PDT by
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage. The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...

Top Rated Comments

Just sayin... Avatar
58 months ago
Doesn’t Austin Mann rave about every iPhone camera that comes down the pike? Is he a part of Apple marketing?

http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-6s-camera-review-switzerland
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-7-camera-review-rwanda
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-8-camera-review-india
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-x-camera-review-guatemala
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-xs-camera-review-zanzibar
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-11-pro-review-china
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Blackstick Avatar
58 months ago
To see cell phones doing astrophotography just baffles my mind!
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TroyBoy30 Avatar
58 months ago
its all about screen size baby! max or bust
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SHKLMRE Avatar
58 months ago
As a photographer, the larger pixels and extra image stabilization on the 12 pro max are doing exactly what they’re meant to do: offer extra performance in low light situations. I’m not sure what people were expecting beyond that, when the base camera operations are already best in class.

For me, the cameras could have been exactly the same as on the regular 12 pro and I’m still buying the pro max. You still get the larger screen size and extra battery life compared to smaller models.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sofila Avatar
58 months ago

Doesn’t Austin Mann rave about every iPhone camera that comes down the pike? Is he a part of Apple marketing?

http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-6s-camera-review-switzerland
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-7-camera-review-rwanda
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-8-camera-review-india
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-x-camera-review-guatemala
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-xs-camera-review-zanzibar
http://austinmann.com/trek/iphone-11-pro-review-china
"Magical", "amazing", "amazing"...imagine that
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FooArk Avatar
58 months ago
All in all, Mann said that while he came into the review expecting the iPhone 12 Pro Max to notably outperform the iPhone 12 Pro, the differences between the two were limited to "very specific scenes.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)