Apple's recent Wonderlust event debuted the iPhone 15 in four different flavors. The biggest, most expensive model, the Pro Max has many useful features for pro and enthusiast photographers. Let's take a look.

The 5X Telephoto Camera

No doubt that Apple had to increase the reach of its flagship phone. Competitors already have telephotos in the 10X range.

Personally, I'm OK with the 5X version on the Pro Max. Its 120mm focal length at f/2.8 provides plenty of magnification for iPhone photography. Since I am a pro, if I need more, I'm going to use an interchangeable lens camera.

This is a new feature that I've been waiting for. My current iPhone 12 Pro Max doesn't have enough reach, so the new telephoto is definitely a check in the plus column.

Presets for Different Focal Lengths

Maybe because I've used prime lenses for so many years, I do think in terms of focal lengths, especially for my starting position when I initially frame a scene.

My iPhone 12 starts at the wide end, 26mm, which is a bit too much for me. With the iPhone 15, I can start at 35mm focal length that's far more comfortable.

USB 3 vs USB 2

Not all USB-C ports transfer at the same speed. So yes, we're getting the new I/O on the iPhone 15. But the A17 Pro chip, which is only in the two Pro models, supports USB 3 when using a compatible USB cable. The non-pro models will still be at USB 2.

This can make a noticeable difference, especially if you're going to do things like tether the iPhone to Capture One Pro, which you can now do with the new model.

Speaking of under the hood, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will have 8 GBs of RAM compared to 6 GBs in the standard models.

All of this, plus faster processing and better battery life - Gotta love the A17 Pro.

The Action Button

Personally, I would have added to Action Button to all four iPhone models, but as it turns out, we only get it on the Pros. And I think it's a big deal.

I know about the other tricks for quickly enabling the camera, such as setting up two taps on the back. But none of these will work as well or be as convenient as the Action Button.

Long press and you're in camera mode. Done. Plus, you can program it to enable other features too.

Rolling It All Up

iPhone photographers already know about the other great features, such as automatic iCloud backup, beautiful portraits, and excellent low-light performance. Add what's new with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and we have a camera that we can depend on to augment our interchangeable lens model.

Apple is taking orders now. I'm going to trade in my iPhone 12 Pro Max (for $450!) and buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Illustrations complements of Apple from the Wonderlust event.