Apple’s latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone XS Max, has earned an overall DxOMark of 105, making it the photography lab’s second highest rated mobile camera to date.
DxO awarded the iPhone XS Max’s camera and video capabilities scores of 110 and 96, respectively.
Currently, the only camera that’s more capable according to DxO is the Huawei P20 Pro, which holds an overall score of 109. That said, it’s important to keep in mind that there are certain areas where the iPhone XS Max excels over the P20 Pro.
Similarly, there are also areas in which lower overall rated cameras such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 beat out the iPhone.
For instance, speaking to the iPhone XS Max’s depth of field simulation, DxO writes: “The iPhone XS Max comes with one of the best bokeh simulation modes in the business.”
DxO goes on to add, “The new iPhone’s bokeh images also show better detail in the face and hair of portrait subjects than some direct rivals, such as the Huawei P20 Pro.”
The website also gave notable praise to Apple’s new Smart HDR algorithm, noting that it “does a great job” and that images shot with the iPhone XS Max show “very good target exposure and wide dynamic range in bright light and indoor conditions alike.”
Some of the high-contrast shots DxO shared, particularly those that involved challenging backlit scenes, are especially impressive.
One notable area of weakness for the iPhone’s camera was noise in low-light situations. In scenes where there was little light, the iPhone XS Max produced “considerably more grain than its rivals,” according to DxO’s testing.
Similarly, zoom was another area where the devices like the P20 Pro and Galaxy Note 9 fared better than the iPhone. DxOMark says it noticed a loss of detail and harsh noise in some of the shots it took with the XS Max’s telephoto lens.
Visit DxOMark’s website to read its full review of the iPhone XS Max’s camera.
Additionally, for a more detailed explanation on how DxOMark scores work, check out the article I wrote on the Galaxy S9 then top camera score.
Source: DxOMark
