iPhone 11's Built-In Ultra-Wide vs. Moment Wide 18mm Lens

One big question still prevails: is there even a point to attaching a Moment M-Series Wide Lens to the 11 or 11 Pro? Well, let's see.

We've been getting many questions regarding the compatibility between the iPhone's beloved flagship model (the 11 and 11 Pro) with Moment lenses. This holds remarkably faithful to the M-Series Moment Wide 18mm lens, as the iPhone 11 stealthily built in its version of an ultra-wide. So — one big question still prevails: is there even a point to attaching a Moment Wide Lens to the 11 or 11 Pro? The short answer is yes. Yes, you do.

Within this article, I want to review all of this and more to exemplify Moment's capabilities. We'll dive deep into specs and show you the difference between how it looks on the native lens versus our own.

So, let's get to it.

Moment Wide 18mm Lens 01

Moment

18mm Wide Mobile Lens | M-Series

Arguably our most recognized product. The Moment 18mm Wide Lens captures beautiful clear wide images and video on iPhone, Pixel, or Galaxy camera phones.

Buy for $99.00

Taylor working the Wide angle like magic.

Studio lighting + iPhone 11 = compelling.

Let’s Talk About the iPhone 11 Camera.

Much like what was compared to the iPhone XS Max, the iPhone 11 Pro’s camera upgrades seem to come from the updated software Apple put inside their latest flagships. The technical aspects seem only marginally better, yet the highly accounted better results from the ISO capabilities bring intelligent shooting modes to the phone’s native camera. Highly-anticipated features, like Smart HDR and Night Mode, highly surface image-boosting computational photography topics that most devices are now known for (this goes for the Pixels). No matter the situation, Apple’s latest software brings a more pleasing and realistic rendering to most of the images produced, regardless of the camera's megapixel count or stated aperture.

But, the SHARPNESS!

Let’s not argue with how increasingly sharp the camera’s production value has become. Although the main camera retains its 12-megapixel count, every sensor seems brand new (and it surely shows). The standard wide camera’s ISO increased by nearly 33%, and the tele camera’s aperture and ISO gains bring its light sensitivity up to a fantastical 42%. This means sharper photographs with faster shutter speeds that allow the photographer less blurry, grainy images. When showcasing night photography, the software improvements, as stated above, boast a higher digestion to lower night, making the images in Night Mode crisp and sound.

Capturing stunning dynamic range.

Wave and say hi!

Capturing motion blur in the Moment App.

iPhone 11 + Superfish lens. A full 15mm!

Why Use Moment's Wide 18mm Lens Instead of the Built-in Ultra-Wide

The new built-in Ultra-Wide on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro is a beautiful component of the latest build. It's incredibly fun for simple iPhone creatives and makes shooting easy with a quick focal length on the fly. However, if image quality is your number one concern for creating great imagery, that's where our lenses play in. The native f/2.4 aperture on the Ultra-Wide means significant light is lost in your photo or video, especially compared to the phone's primary wide camera at an f/1.8 aperture. When compared side-by-side, there is a noticeable visual difference in noise level between the two.

Therefore, throwing Moment's 18mm Wide Lens over the primary camera allows you to shoot in low light situations with a much better result at a similar focal length as the phone's built-in Ultra-Wide. If you want to go even more comprehensive, try using our Superfish 15mm lens, which improves the focal length significantly by an extra 3mm.

Moment Wide on iPhone 11's main camera with Night Mode.

The iPhone 11's ultra wide NOT in Night Mode.

Night Mode Just Got Better...

The latest Night Mode upgrade is another massive benefit to using our Wide Lens. Apple's built-in Ultra-Wide lens does NOT allow users to shoot in Night Mode, which is perhaps one of the most significant features of this new phone! If you wish to use our Wide or Fisheye lens over the primary f/1.8 camera, you can still capture a beautiful night mode photo with a supremely wide field of view.

Yellow seamless backgrounds are kind of the best.

Can you tell this was taken on a phone?

Shoot In RAW For Added Advantage

RAW is a particular image file that captures all data the camera's sensor records when the photographer takes an image. Alternatively, when shooting in a format like JPEG, the image information is compressed and lost, often resulting in lower-quality imagery. Because no information is compressed under RAW format, you can create better quality photographs and correct problem areas that would otherwise be unrecoverable if shot in JPEG.

This file format has become a prominent feature of mobile devices, allowing you to capture professional-level photos right from the camera you always keep in your pocket.

It's worth noting that the Ultra-Wide lens on the iPhone 11 does NOT support RAW, so if you'd like to shoot in the Moment Pro Camera App and want to take advantage of RAW image processing to obtain the best possible image from your phone, you'll want to stick to the primary camera or the built-in 2x lens.

If your device supports RAW, then use it! You may take up more space than a standard photo, but you'll thank yourself later when editing.

In the Moment - Pro Camera App, tap the JPG icon on the top of the screen to cycle to RAW format.

iPhone 11 Pro with the Moment Wide 18mm.

💌 There's More!

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