What ‘1X’ Means On Your iPhone Camera

While the camera application on an iPhone is pretty straightforward, users who upgrade from older iPhone models might have trouble figuring out the 1x zoom option. To understand, users should know that different iPhone models come with different camera configurations. Some have two lenses as a part of the rear camera setup while some have three.

These lenses are designed for capturing images from different perspectives. For instance, the wide-angle lens on the iPhone X and newer models captures a larger field of view. The wide lens on iPhone is the standard lens and can be used in almost all scenarios. The telephoto lens on iPhone 12 and 13 Pro models is used for zooming into the image for making the subject larger.

With iPhone 11, Apple refreshed its camera application to include zoom controls. These zoom controls are displayed above the shutter button as 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 2.5x, and 3x, depending on the model. For instance, the iPhone 11 has the first three zoom controls, while the latest iPhone 13 Pro Max has the first two and the 3x zoom button – as it has a dedicated telephoto lens. While these numbers themselves indicate the amount of zoom, they might be confusing at times. The simplest way to distinguish between the numbers is to relate them with the type of lens and its purpose.

Different Camera Zoom Levels On iPhone

All models, including iPhone 11 and later, have the 0.5x zoom option, which represents an ultra-wide field of view. Users should switch to their ultra-wide lens when trying to capture a large subject in the frame. The 1x represents the normal field of view from the primary lens on an iPhone. This is the default zoom amount in iPhone’s camera. At 1x, an iPhone takes photos that are equivalent to those clicked with a 26mm lens. Additionally, 1x is the most common camera setting as it can be used in almost all scenarios. On iPhones with a dedicated telephoto lens, the 2x zoom option allows users to get closer to their subject and take photos equivalent to those clicked with a 56mm lens.

For reference, the iPhone 12 Pro launched in 2020 and has a 12MP telephoto lens for 2x optical zoom, the iPhone 12 Pro Max has a dedicated 2.5x telephoto lens, and the latest iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have a 3x optical zoom lens. Once again, the number written before ‘x’ is there to indicate the amount of zoom. Unless an iPhone user is shooting in macro mode or clicking a distant subject, 1x can be considered as the normal zoom option.

Source: Apple