It includes other tips that might be of interest to photographers.
If you rely on your iPhone for sharp, enlarged photos, then Apple’s $2,000-plus foldable probably isn’t for you. The new iPhone Duo has two rear cameras: a main sensor and an ultra-wide one. The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens won’t suit concert goers, nature photographers, or anyone else accustomed to the powerful zoom performance of the Pro series iPhones. It also doesn’t have the variable aperture controls that Apple introduced with the iPhone 18 Pro.
The iPhone Duo has a 48 MP Fusion main camera paired with a 48 MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera. Translated from Apple’s marketing speak, “Fusion” means they use software magic to give you multiple shooting options from each lens. But what neither will do is match the zoom capabilities of iPhone models with a dedicated telephoto lens.
To be clear, you can cover a lot of ground with digital zoom and a 48MP sensor. Apple describes the main camera’s zoom as “2X optical quality,” meaning it uses the high-resolution sensor to produce a closer shot without a dedicated zoom lens. However, it’s still not the same as having a telephoto lens, as the image quality decreases as you zoom in.
Given the foldable phone’s price tag of more than $2,000, this compromise could make it a tough sell for photography-loving iPhone buyers.
Foldable photography
Apple
Duo has some unique camera tricks that other iPhones don’t have. Its foldable design allows you to prop it up without a tripod for hands-free photos or 4K Dolby Vision time lapses. Its exterior screen can serve as a preview when taking selfies with the higher-resolution rear cameras. It also includes Duo Preview, which lets your subject see their framing while you hold the camera. Its main camera can shoot 4K videos at 120fps. And its 48 MP ultra-wide camera doubles as a macro camera.
It remains to be seen how important the lack of a telephoto lens or variable aperture is to potential buyers. For some people, having an iPhone that transforms into something like a small tablet will make up for the lack of dedicated zoom. But if long-distance photography or videography is your top priority, Pro still beats Duo.
