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Photo by Mariko Sakai
iPhone 13 series released in September. High-end models now have macro photography as a new feature. [Photo] There is a clear difference when comparing the actual shots.On the other hand, 100-yen shops and Amazon also sell external macro lenses. Will there be any difference between macro photography with these lenses and the photos you can take with the iPhone's new features? I actually compared them. Of the iPhones released this year, the "iPhone 13 Pro" and "iPhone 13 Pro Max", which are the top models, are capable of macro photography. It is not equipped with a lens dedicated to macro photography, and is a mechanism for macro photography using the "ultra-wide-angle camera" that can shoot the widest range. There is no need to switch modes when shooting, and if you get close to the subject with the normal wide-angle camera activated, it will automatically switch to macro shooting mode, so you can use it without thinking about difficult things. On the other hand, if you use an external macro lens, you can take macro photos even with a smartphone that does not have a macro mode. The external lens from Daiso, which was reviewed in a previous article, is a reasonably priced set of 3 types of lenses, including a macro lens, at 110 yen. Amazon also sells external smartphone lenses. This time, I used a product from a manufacturer called ActyGo. This was about 3000 yen for a set of four types of lenses: telephoto, macro, wide-angle, and fisheye. Let's attach these external lenses to a low-priced smartphone in the 20,000 yen range and compare it with the macro photography of the iPhone 13 Pro. > First, take a picture of the figure. In both cases, the camera is taken as close as possible to the closest position (shortest shooting distance) where a picture can be taken without blurring. With macro photography using an iPhone, I was able to take pictures that clearly show even the unevenness of the figure's surface. Also, the range of focus (depth of field) is relatively wide, and the entire face of the cheetah is captured without blurring. Next, I took a picture with Daiso's macro lens. You can see that the range of focus is narrower than the iPhone's macro shooting. Overall, it gives a brighter and softer impression than the one taken with the iPhone. Even the photos taken with Amazon's external lens have a narrow range of focus. Also, I was a little worried about the slightly darker finish compared to Daiso's lenses. On the other hand, I felt that the stability of the clip for attaching to the smartphone was better than Daiso's lens. ＞ Next, I tried taking pictures of the food. Earlier, I took a close-up shot of the subject, but in the case of food photos, it is better to shoot a little further away, so that the overall image of the food can be seen and the photos look better. With macro photography on the iPhone, I was able to take shots that show the texture of the ingredients and the shine of the sauce. On the other hand, with Daiso's external lens, you can only take in-focus photos when you are as close as possible. Also, since the focus range is narrow, it is difficult to tell what the photograph is about. It's the same with Amazon's lenses, and you have to get close enough to shoot with your smartphone close enough to touch the food. It seems difficult to take a picture that conveys the whole picture of the dish like an iPhone. Comparing the iPhone's macro shooting function with Daiso's and Amazon's external lenses, the iPhone seems to be more flexible in shooting. The distance from the smartphone to the subject can be adjusted to some extent, and the range of focus is wider than with an external lens, so it is easy to devise a shooting method according to the subject. On the other hand, in the case of an external lens, the "distance from the lens to the subject that is in focus" is the pinpoint, so it seems difficult to adjust the shooting angle. If you want to shoot while adjusting the distance to the subject and the shooting angle, such as food photography, the iPhone's macro photography is superior. However, if you want to capture a specific part of the subject, such as a close-up of a small flower, you should be able to shoot with an external lens without any problems. If you're interested in macro photography, it might be a good idea to first use an inexpensive external lens, and then consider purchasing a smartphone that supports macro photography when you want to shoot something that you can't shoot with that.
Mariko Sakai
Last Update: Real Sound
