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iPhone 11 Pro Max: The Camera
13 October 2019
I went to the ballet last night. Don Quixote. There's been a lot of that fantastical Spaniard in my life lately. One of my all-time favorite "travel artifacts" is a hand-carved statue of Don Quixote, picked up in Havana, Cuba. Then there was Terry Gilliam's long-delayed production of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. Last month, Salman Rushdie published his latest novel, the Quixote-inspired Quichotte. So, I decided to check out the Colorado Ballet's production (20% off tickets sweetened the deal).
It was also an opportunity to check out the iPhone 11 Pro Max camera; I'm pleased with this photo of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House lighting. The magic is in the details of the full-size photo, particularly around the center chandelier — the focal point of the image.
It was an upgrade from the iPhone 7 Plus, which gave me a full three years of service. There's a lot to savor in that leap: face recognition instead of the thumb print; a full-width, energy-efficient OLED Super Retina XDR display; snappy processing and a remarkable battery. I had been in a daily routine of charging the battery. Now I can go four or five days between charges — without changing my usage patterns. If anything, I'm using the phone more now because of the improved battery. And it's a quick charge, too.
As for the ballet, it was good. It takes some adjusting to the lack of dialogue, but I can most certainly appreciate the athleticism of the performers. So, from that point of view, it was a nice change of pace.
UPDATED 28 APRIL 2020
One of the top attractions of upgrading to the iPhone 11 Pro Max was the prospect of using its camera to help document the massive adventure Mattopia Jones and the Jaws of Life. I chose wisely. Here is a small selection of what developed.
Getting a selfie with a Quokka on Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth, Australia, is a “thing.”
A Swan River cruise with a view: Optus Stadium and the Swan Bridge by night
The stars shine bright late at night deep in the heart of the Pinnacles Desert, outside Perth, Australia.
Saluting Yoko Ono during Ultraviolet: U2 in Saitama, Japan
Staying cozy with a view at the bar in the Fraser Place Namdaemun hotel, Seoul, South Korea
Taking in an exhibit of artifacts related to Nurhaci at Gyeonbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea
A panaromic view of an exhibit at a Buddhist temple in Kamakura, Japan (the full-size image measures 16,382 px x 3,628 px and is 45 MB)
Sunset over Sukhumvit in Bangkok, Thailand
Lounging by the pool at the Arte Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand
And here's a video (the 4K resolution lowered to be web-friendly), taken from the vantage point of my dinner table at the Sassy Spoon in Mumbai, India. The billing was for Delraaz and Joash, but they shared the stage with several of their friends. They were all remarkably talented. This is a cover of the Cranberries’ Zombie.
Pleased with the results, but it'd be nice to have some features set as favorites, so they don't have to be reselected each time the camera is opened. In particular, I’m fond of shooting in 16:9. Not a big deal to make a couple swipes, but when out in the thick of the action on the road, every moment of swiping and adjusting counts.
UPDATED 4 MAY 2020
Okay. Here’s one for Star Wars Day. May the Fourth be with you!
