This issue seems to be a growing complaint with the 13 Pro series. It seems like the main problems are caused by the extreme conservatism in switching to the telephoto lens and excessive sharpening and processing due to smart HDR (and unlike older models, it can’t be turned off unless you use a third party app and shoot RAW). Some of this can be chalked up to software problems that might be fixed in the future. On the other hand, there are some hardware causes to your observations as well. The main lens on the 13 Pro is a new f/1.5 lens, which IIRC is the biggest aperture on an iPhone yet (the regular 13 is 1.6). Given that apertures are fixed on most smartphone cameras, I’d assume this is what explains the softness (lower f-stop number = bigger aperture = generally softer images). In exchange, you’d mainly get better low light performance, which might be why you get better results in your 13 Pro in most conditions except in bright light—in conditions with lots of light, you usually don’t want or need a huge aperture to collect more light, and smaller apertures (generally) give sharper (i.e. more things in focus in the frame) results. The 11 Pro had an f/2.0 lens which would be much sharper since the opening is smaller. EDIT: I also see from the DP review article that the telephoto lens on the 13 Pro/Max actually has a slower (smaller) aperture than the 12 Pro series since it’s much more zoomed in, as you’ve observed. Because of this, the telephoto lens in the 13 Pro has worse low light performance than the telephoto in the 12 Pro series. This is probably why the 13 Pro keeps preferring the main lens more often, given that the main lens gathers more light. Answer from jennesp on reddit.com
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DXOMARK
dxomark.com › apple-iphone-13-pro-max-camera-test-retested
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max Camera test - DXOMARK
September 20, 2022 - Like the 13 Pro, the 13 Pro Max comes with an excellent autofocus system. The camera focuses accurately and very quickly, thanks to a negative shutter lag; the image is captured even slightly before the shutter is triggered.
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GSMArena
gsmarena.com › apple_iphone_13_pro_max-review-2326p6.php
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max review: Camera: Photo quality
We're talking accurate if somewhat unexciting colors, and wide dynamic range, but not in-your-face HDR - iPhones prefer a more contrasty look. Detail is good - as good as any other 12MP main camera, really.
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Apple Community
discussions.apple.com › thread › 253678023
iPhone 13 Pro Max Camera Quality - Apple Community
There are real issues with the iPhone 13 Pro Max camera. This is actually the reason I came here, to ask for help and find answers. Phophi19, the only solution I’ve found to good camera quality is to use the “.5”, “1”, and “3” zoom levels.
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DXOMARK
dxomark.com › apple-iphone-13-pro-camera-test-retested
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Camera test - DXOMARK
September 28, 2022 - Exposure tests evaluate the brightness of the main subject and the dynamic range, eg. the ability to render visible details in both bright and dark areas of the image. Stability and temporal adaption of the exposure are also analyzed. Apple iPhone 13 Pro, stable exposure, wide dynamic range · Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max, slight instabilities, limited dynamic range · Huawei P50 Pro, low face exposure, limited dynamic range ... Image-quality color analysis looks at color rendering, skin-tone rendering, white balance, color shading, stability of the white balance and its adaption when light is changing.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/apple › i hate the iphone 13 pro max's camera. am i the only one ?
r/apple on Reddit: i hate the iPhone 13 Pro Max's camera. am i the only one ?
March 7, 2022 -

it’s mostly due to the tele-lens

I always loved the 52mm equivalent on my 8+, XS Max and 11 Pro Max cause, it gives me a similar f.o.v. than the lensesd i use the most often on my different cameras. But now it’s a 77mm and it’s just too long to take almost every type of photos. Too long to shoot people, too long for animals, too long for landscape and architecture. the only time were i’ve been happy with this longer lens is the few times where i actually wished it was way longer like for filming the weird drone that was going around my building the other day.

But when i subjectively hate this 77mm, it’s also objectively bad, like, it’s very poor in low light and apple are not confident in it, so with most apps, like the default one, if you try zoomig 3x there’s like 75% chances it won’t actually use the tele lens, but instead digitally zoom on the main lens reducing it’s resolution to barely better than 1 megapixel (720p pictures and videos basically)

I’ve spoken with apple about it on the phone, spent hours trying to diagnose my iPhone of not behaving like it should but, the sad truth is that, my iPhone does totally behave as planned by apple. And i’m mad.

My partner still has his 11 Pro Max, and now everytime we go out together and i see a picture than could be taken i borrow his iPhone then airdrop myself the picture.

Also ! The main lens, has a much much bigger sensor, but the lens is actually much worse. In most situations i do take better photos with the main lens with the 13 Pro Max than the 11 Pro Max, but there are some situations, especially closer to the subject and in good light conditions, where the 11 Pro Max takes much sharper pictures.

And globally i also find the 13 Pro Max to use too much noise reduction and especially way too much Sharpening but that can be fixed by shooting RAW.

Anyway, anybody noticed apple not going the right decision with this iPhone ? I get that most of you will disagree with me. It’s okay.

I don’t think the 13 pro max is actually bad, i think for some (maybe even most) people it’s the best iPhone. But it’s not for me, and i really want to get back on the 11 Pro Max and seriously hope apple Brings back the "52mm or so" lens with the next iPhone.

Have a nice day everyone !

Top answer
1 of 56
196
Both my 12 Pro Max and 13 Pro Max way overprocess images and I'm surprised people haven't complained about it more.
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131
This issue seems to be a growing complaint with the 13 Pro series. It seems like the main problems are caused by the extreme conservatism in switching to the telephoto lens and excessive sharpening and processing due to smart HDR (and unlike older models, it can’t be turned off unless you use a third party app and shoot RAW). Some of this can be chalked up to software problems that might be fixed in the future. On the other hand, there are some hardware causes to your observations as well. The main lens on the 13 Pro is a new f/1.5 lens, which IIRC is the biggest aperture on an iPhone yet (the regular 13 is 1.6). Given that apertures are fixed on most smartphone cameras, I’d assume this is what explains the softness (lower f-stop number = bigger aperture = generally softer images). In exchange, you’d mainly get better low light performance, which might be why you get better results in your 13 Pro in most conditions except in bright light—in conditions with lots of light, you usually don’t want or need a huge aperture to collect more light, and smaller apertures (generally) give sharper (i.e. more things in focus in the frame) results. The 11 Pro had an f/2.0 lens which would be much sharper since the opening is smaller. EDIT: I also see from the DP review article that the telephoto lens on the 13 Pro/Max actually has a slower (smaller) aperture than the 12 Pro series since it’s much more zoomed in, as you’ve observed. Because of this, the telephoto lens in the 13 Pro has worse low light performance than the telephoto in the 12 Pro series. This is probably why the 13 Pro keeps preferring the main lens more often, given that the main lens gathers more light.
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YouTube
youtube.com › watch
iphone 13 pro max camera test cinematic - Detailed Camera Review in 2025🔥 - YouTube
iPhone 13 Pro Max Camera Test Cinematic 🎬 | Full Camera Review in 2025 🔥The iPhone 13 Pro Max might be a few years old, but how does its camera system hold...
Published   June 28, 2025
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Digital Camera World
digitalcameraworld.com › tech › phones › iphones
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max review | Digital Camera World
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max review
The iPhone 13 Pro Max has a lot going for it as a phone, a phablet and an everyday companion that can manage almost every aspect of your life. But we’re taking a particularly close look at its camera features to see if the reality lives up to the hype. And you know what? It does. It might not replace your DSLR or mirrorless camera, but it really raises the bar for image quality... The iPhone 13 Pro Max is Apple’s biggest, boldest and best new iPhone... and could cost you as much as a MacBook (gasp)
Rating: 4.5 ​
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The Sweet Setup
thesweetsetup.com › blog › the iphone 13 pro camera review
The iPhone 13 Pro Camera Review – The Sweet Setup
October 29, 2021 - The ultra-wide camera can capture 92% more light than its predecessor, dramatically impacting the sharpness, detail, and noise control in ultra-wide photos. This is due to the improved f/1.8 aperture lens.
Find elsewhere
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DXOMARK
dxomark.com › smartphones › Apple › iPhone-13-Pro-Max
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max - DXOMARK
Overall Camera Score i · 141 · 45 Xiaomi Redmi A3 · BEST 175 · Top score Huawei Pura 80 Ultra · Photo i · 140 · 111 Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G · BEST 180 · Top score Huawei Pura 80 Ultra · Video i · 146 · 90 Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G · BEST 172 · Top score Apple iPhone 17 Pro · Read the test results Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max camera ·
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Julia Trottie
blog.juliatrotti.com › pictures › iphone-13-pro-camera-review-download-sample-photos
iPhone 13 Pro Max Photo and Video Camera Review + Download Sample Photos — JULIA TROTTI | Photography Tutorials + Camera and Lens Reviews
September 30, 2021 - In this iPhone 13 Pro Max camera review, we are testing portrait photography, video and low light photos. During our portrait photoshoot with the iPhone 13 Pro, I use a continuous light in a bright studio to test the quality and sharpness of the standard camera, wide angle lens, zoom functions and portrait camera.
Address   sydney australia
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The Verge
theverge.com › tech › featured videos › apple
iPhone 13 Pro review: a better display, the best camera, and incredible battery life | The Verge
We used this word last year in our 12 Pro Max review, but I think it applies even more this year. The camera on the 13 Pro is confident. As computational photography has become the norm over the past few years, I have seen lots of camera systems — including on the iPhone — just sort of panic and do the wrong things with exposure or tone. The iPhone 13 Pro has almost never done that in my testing...
Published   October 6, 2021
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Fstoppers
fstoppers.com › home › gear reviews › landscapes
$5,000 Pro Camera vs iPhone 13 Pro: Can You See the Difference? | Fstoppers
October 19, 2021 - Apple Announces iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus: Enhanced Camera, Apple Intelligence, and Improved Durability ... Pretty impressive, the only slight give away is the tonality in the shadows, but that might be how they are edited ... Proof positive that my iPhone 13 Max (1TB) is very weak when it comes to dynamic range and sharpness.
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Lynxotic
lynxotic.com › home › deeper dive into iphone 13 pro max cameras after 48 hours of testing
Deeper Dive into iPhone 13 Pro Max Cameras after 48 Hours of Testing - Lynxotic
September 26, 2021 - The screen appears far larger due to the new specs and it is a bit of a shock at first, but the level of quality is the biggest and most noticeable feature. The changes to the three cameras are significant. After two years of using the 2019 11 Pro Max the framing options, based on the three lenses is a complete new experience. The ultra wide 13mm equivalent is a bit of a bold and crazy choice.
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YouTube
youtube.com › watch
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra CAMERA TEST 🔥 - YouTube
Camera Test comparison - iPhone 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra! Sign up here https://cen.yt/mbmrwhosetheboss3 for your free daily newslette...
Published   September 22, 2021
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DXOMARK
dxomark.com › apple-iphone-13-pro-camera-review-outstanding-video
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Camera review: Outstanding video - DXOMARK
September 20, 2022 - Noise comparison (smaller value is better): slight noise is visible in all conditions and quite similar to the 12 Pro Max. The competitors manage lower noise levels except in extreme low light where all devices are very close. These samples show the Apple iPhone 13 Pro’s noise performance in indoor conditions. ... For these tests we switch to the camera’s bokeh or portrait mode and analyze depth estimation, bokeh shape, blur gradient, and repeatability, as well as all other general image quality attributes mentioned above.
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TikTok
tiktok.com › discover › iphone-13-pro-max-camera-settings-for-best-quality
Iphone 13 Pro Max Camera Settings for Best Quality | TikTok
1 week ago - I use the iPhone 13 Pro Max. This mixed with different editing techniques has helped me dial in my style. It’s a lot of trial and error, and depending on what phone you have it could be a little different for you. I hope this helps! #tutorial #videotutorial #iphonetips #camerasettings ... I phone 13pro max camera setting for best quality ✨ #fyp#trickiphone#apple#für#foryou#tutorial#shortcut#iphonetricks#trending #viral#foryoupa iPhone 13 Pro Max Camera Settings for Best Quality.
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Austin Mann
austinmann.com › trek › iphone-13-pro-camera-review-tanzania
iPhone 13 Pro Camera Review: Tanzania — Travel Photographer - Austin Mann
September 14, 2022 - Think of macro as a fourth lens that offers an entirely new camera capability, not just an iterative increase. If you’re a non-Max user, remember this year is a more substantial upgrade to the 13 Pro as you make a leap to a bigger sensor and the 33% increase in the Telephoto lens. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max camera systems are identical, so you don’t need to debate between them based on camera capabilities.
Address   New York NY 10128 USA
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Quora
quora.com › How-good-is-the-iPhone-13-Pro-Max-camera
How good is the iPhone 13 Pro Max camera? - Quora
Answer: Somewhat other worldly combination of hardware and software, and it is that combination that makes it special. Good enough to shoot a movie! Well, nearly, but very good. However, if the main objective of your outing is to take lots of pictures, and videos, buy a good used mirrorless camer...
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Quora
quora.com › If-you-own-the-new-iPhone-13-Pro-Max-do-you-feel-the-camera-quality-is-comparable-to-the-12-or-do-you-think-it-is-worth-the-upgrade
If you own the new iPhone 13 Pro Max, do you feel the camera quality is comparable to the 12, or do you think it is worth the upgrade? - Quora
Answer (1 of 4): With the release of the IPhone 13 Pro Max, with it came new lenses and more features. But as an average consumer you wouldn’t really notice the difference, only if you were into photography which if you are, I assure you that the Iphone 13 pro max has better camera specs.
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GSMArena
gsmarena.com › apple_iphone_13_pro-review-2331p5.php
Apple iPhone 13 Pro review: Camera: Hardware, app, photo quality
The iPhone 13 Pro's Auto Night mode on the main camera will deliver excellent low-light images, though not quite as Night mode-y as other makers' Night modes. There's no dramatic highlight restoration or shadow brightening, and it's instead a more contrasty look, closer to what your eyes are seeing, some say. White balance and color saturation are really good, and we seemed to experience less of the orange cast we saw on the Pro Max with certain street lights.