iPhone X: Camera Review

Last Updated on August 1, 2021

iPhone X: Camera Review

The iPhone X boasts of dual 12-megapixel cameras on the rear side, making it the smallest iPhone yet to have two sensors. The primary camera still has an f/1.8 aperture which is the same on other 2017 iPhones.

However, the telephoto lens has received an upgrade. 

iPhone X Camera Review

**Images Credit Aaron Yoo

Read more:  Smartphone Photography Courses

Aperture f/2.4

In the past, the iPhone has not quite met the standard of other phones in its league when it came to low-light photos. However, Apple has corrected this by widening the camera aperture from f/2.8 to f/2.4, making it a much better performer in poor lighting.

Apple says that its sensor has been completely rebuilt, making it faster and larger and incorporating a new Image Signal Processor (ISP) for better colours and textures.

Photos taken with the phone’s primary camera are only comparable to the Google Pixel 2 and Huawei’s best P20 PRO.

The iPhone X produces excellent photos, with pictures being more saturated compared to previous versions, making it excellent for landscape shots, giving a fantastic feeling of depth.

iPhone X Camera Review

Read more: Baby Photoshoot Home Ideas

Key Features of the iPhone X Camera

  • It gives excellent contrast and range between light and dark colours
  • Colours look natural and have a popping effect without being overexposed
  • Depth in photos is achieved, with a lot noticeable even in the distance
  • Stunning landscape shots
  • Deals well when there are competing light sources or when there is low lighting
  • Plenty of detail even in the dark
  • Zoom still holds detail in the dark

iPhone X does well in multiple situations. Even in low light, it produces crisp images with very minimal noise and does not overexpose light sources.

It also takes great portrait shots with an improved secondary camera and added OIS. All these features make the iPhone X a great phone to buy when it comes to camera specifications and abilities.

Its camera can only be rivalled by that of Samsung as it stands.

iPhone X Camera Review

Read more: Portrait Photography for Beginners

Stage Light and Contour Light

What Apple could work on with their next release is the range of lighting options which add special effects to photos. Of the ones present, ‘Contour light’ is best as it adds minor flecks of light around the cheekbone area and the eyes.

However, the two ‘Stage light’ options are just as they have been described – ‘beta’.

What these do is they cut out the figure and replace the background with a black canvas. In terms of ideas, this was excellent, but when it comes to actual execution, the feature is amateurish.

The actual cut-out often is inaccurate, and you can see a definite disconnect between where the shadows start and the colour finishes.

iPhone X Camera Review

Read more: DSLR Cameras

The iPhone X and iPhone 8 were the first phones were the first to offer 4K video at a ridiculously smooth 60fps. Videos can also be captured on the phone in 240fps slo-mo at 1080p.

These features can now be found on Androids phones such as the Galaxy S9 and LG G7as well now. To be able to fully utilize 4K 60, you would have to switch to Apple HVEC format.

Read more: How to do Professional Photos for eBay

iPhone X Camera Specs:

  • 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras
  • Wide-angle: ƒ/1.8 aperture
  • Telephoto: ƒ/2.4 aperture
  • Optical zoom; digital zoom up to 10x
  • Portrait mode
  • Portrait Lighting (beta)
  • Dual optical image stabilisation
  • Six-element lens
  • Quad-LED True Tone flash with slow sync
  • Panorama (up to 63MP)
  • Sapphire crystal lens cover
  • Backside illumination sensor
  • Hybrid IR filter
  • Autofocus with Focus Pixels
  • Tap to focus with Focus Pixels
  • Live Photos with stabilisation
  • Wide colour capture for photos and Live Photos
  • Improved local tone mapping
  • Body and face detection
  • Exposure control
  • Noise reduction
  • Auto HDR for photos
  • Auto image stabilisation
  • Burst mode
  • Timer mode
  • Photo geotagging
  • Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG

iPhone X Camera Review

Video Recording

  • 4K video recording at 24 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps
  • 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps
  • 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
  • Optical image stabilisation for video
  • Optical zoom; 6x digital zoom
  • Quad-LED True Tone flash
  • Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
  • Time‑lapse video with stabilisation
  • Cinematic video stabilisation (1080p and 720p)
  • Continuous autofocus video
  • Body and face detection
  • Noise reduction
  • Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
  • Playback zoom
  • Video geotagging
  • Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264