The iPhone 17 Pro Max brought the biggest camera update Apple's Pro phones have had in years: three 48MP rear cameras, a new 4x telephoto and a square selfie sensor. I normally shoot portraits on mirrorless cameras, but I've used iPhones in my workflow for years, so I took the 17 Pro Max to a real portrait photo shoot in Sydney to see what it can do.
In this iPhone 17 Pro camera review I share real photo samples from every camera, from 0.5x all the way to 8x, unedited and edited, plus what you need to know about the selfie camera, ProRes video and Apple Log 2. You can see the 100% crops, the side-by-side comparisons with the 16 Pro Max and all the video tests in my full review below.
iPhone 17 Pro Max camera specs and price
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
|---|---|
| Main (1x) | 24mm equivalent, 48MP, shoots full 48MP JPEG or RAW |
| 2x | 48mm equivalent, a 12MP crop from the main sensor |
| Ultrawide (0.5x) | 14mm equivalent, 48MP |
| Telephoto (4x) | 100mm equivalent, 48MP (up from 12MP on the 16 Pro) |
| 8x | 200mm equivalent, a 12MP crop from the telephoto sensor |
| Selfie camera | 18MP square sensor with Center Stage, shoots horizontal or vertical without turning the phone |
| Video | 4K up to 120fps on the main camera, 4K 120fps ProRes on every camera, Apple Log 2, ProRes needs an external SSD |
| Screen | Up to 3,000 nits peak outdoor brightness (2,000 nits on the 16 Pro) |
| Launch price (US) | US$1,099 for the 17 Pro and US$1,199 for the 17 Pro Max (256GB) |
| Launch price (Australia) | A$1,999 for the 17 Pro and A$2,199 for the 17 Pro Max (256GB) |
All the edited photos in this post were edited with my Dulce Lightroom preset pack, and I've labelled the unedited photos straight from the phone so you can compare.
Main camera (1x) photo samples
The 1x camera is a 24mm full-frame equivalent, which I find is a great everyday focal length for both photo and video. The photos are nice and sharp with lots of clarity, and the colours look great straight out of camera. It seems like Apple has toned down the sharpening on JPEGs a little this year, and the RAW files look absolutely beautiful.
Unedited
Edited with Dulce
1x camera: unedited (left) and edited with my Dulce preset (right).
There's also a new photo menu where you can choose your resolution and other settings, which means you can finally shoot full 48MP JPEGs. I took comparison photos with my 16 Pro Max at every focal length, and the 1x results surprised me. See the 16 vs 17 side by side in the video.
1x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
More 1x photos, edited with my Dulce preset.
1x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
2x camera photo samples
The 2x option is a 48mm equivalent, but it isn't a separate lens. It crops into the main sensor, so you get a 12MP image instead of 48MP. It's decent, especially in bright sun, and the colours are really vibrant, but it isn't as sharp as 1x, so I tend to avoid it for anything important.
2x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
2x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
Ultrawide camera (0.5x) photo samples
The 48MP ultrawide is a 14mm equivalent, and it's honestly been my most used camera over the past year or so. It looks like you're standing really close, but you can fit someone's whole body in the frame, which makes for fun, dramatic portraits.
0.5x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
While shooting ultrawide, I noticed the brighter screen straight away. The 17 Pro goes up to 3,000 nits compared to 2,000 on the 16 Pro, and as someone who uses her phone outdoors on shoots and while travelling, it makes a real difference.
0.5x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
Telephoto camera (4x) photo samples
The telephoto has finally been upgraded from 12MP to 48MP, and Apple moved from 5x back to 4x, a 100mm equivalent. I always felt 3x was the sweet spot, and with the 16 Pro I kept using 2x because 5x was too zoomed in, so 4x feels much more usable for portraits.
Unedited
Edited with Dulce
4x camera: unedited (left) and edited with my Dulce preset (right).
In good light the 4x photos are detailed and beautiful. In the shade, though, the results were a different story, and I have a theory about why. Watch the 4x section of the video to see the 100% crops and judge for yourself.
4x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
4x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
8x camera photo samples
Just like 2x, the 8x option crops into the telephoto sensor to give you a 12MP image at a 200mm equivalent. With the sun on her face it produced some lovely, compressed close-ups, but I'd only use it when I really need the reach.
8x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
8x camera, edited with my Dulce preset.
I also took one photo from the same spot at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x and 8x, so you can see the whole focal range of the phone in one go.
iPhone 17 Pro selfie camera
The big update on the front is the new 18MP square sensor. You can shoot horizontal or vertical selfies without turning your phone, and Center Stage automatically widens the frame when more people join in. In my testing the auto-framing was a bit hit and miss, and the video shows exactly how it behaved. The quality is good, but I still prefer the rear 0.5x camera when I can, because it's wider.
iPhone 17 Pro video, ProRes and Apple Log 2
In 4K you can record up to 120fps on the main camera and up to 60fps on the ultrawide and telephoto. In ProRes you can record 4K 120fps on every camera, in Apple Log 2 or HDR, but you need to record to an external SSD. ProRes is a big jump in quality: super crisp and detailed with very minimal post-processing. The 4x camera, which struggled at times in stills mode, really shines in ProRes video.
I graded all my Log footage with my LOG to Rec 709 Essentials preset for Premiere Pro, which is the same conversion I use for all my YouTube videos. You'll find it with my LUTs in the Video LUTs collection.
Stabilisation looks stable but still natural, without the jolting you sometimes get from phones. I also tried Action Mode at 8x while walking, and the result genuinely shocked me. Watch the Action Mode test, then the vlogging and microphone tests, where I switch from my lav mic to the iPhone mic just as the wind picks up.
Should you buy the iPhone 17 Pro?
The 17 Pro was a big step up for photographers, with a 48MP telephoto, a more usable 4x focal length, full 48MP JPEGs and much better ProRes video. It's not perfect, and the 2x, 4x and 8x photos are where you need to be the most careful. I also ran a battery test over an hour of heavy RAW shooting, screen recording and ProRes recording, and the result is at the end of the video.
The 17 Pro has now been replaced by the 18 Pro, so if you're deciding between them, read my iPhone 18 Pro Max camera review too. If you edit your phone photos, see my guide to the best Lightroom presets for iPhone and Pixel photos, and if you're comparing Android phones, read my Xiaomi 17 Ultra camera review.
iPhone 17 Pro camera review FAQ
Is the iPhone 17 Pro good for photography?
Yes. All three rear cameras are 48MP, you can shoot full 48MP JPEG or RAW, and the 4x telephoto is a great focal length for portraits. The 2x and 8x options are 12MP crops, so they're less sharp.
What is the zoom range of the iPhone 17 Pro?
It has a 0.5x ultrawide (14mm equivalent), a 1x main camera (24mm), a 2x crop (48mm), a 4x telephoto (100mm) and an 8x crop (200mm).
How much did the iPhone 17 Pro cost?
At launch the 17 Pro was US$1,099 and the 17 Pro Max was US$1,199 for 256GB. In Australia they were A$1,999 and A$2,199.
Can the iPhone 17 Pro record ProRes internally?
No. To record ProRes on the iPhone 17 Pro you need to plug in an external SSD. Standard 4K video records internally.
What is new on the iPhone 17 Pro selfie camera?
It has a new 18MP square sensor, so you can take horizontal or vertical selfies without turning the phone, plus Center Stage, which widens the frame when more people join.
What Lightroom preset did you use on the iPhone 17 Pro photos?
I edited the photos in this review with my Dulce Lightroom preset pack.
iPhone photos edit beautifully with presets. Every photo in this review was edited with Dulce. Browse all my packs in the Lightroom Presets for Portraits collection, and if you're stuck between a few, you can buy any 3 presets and save 10%.
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