How to Use Optical Zoom on the iPhone XS
The iPhone XS and iPhone X sport dual-lens cameras that take stunning portraits with lighting effects. But the secondary telephoto lenses in both of these handsets are also capable of ultra-zoomed-in shots. You can get 10 times closer to a subject with a combination of optical and digital zoom.
Here’s how take advantage of the camera’s zoom feature in the iPhone XS and iPhone X. (You can ignore this tip if you've got a single-lens iPhone XR.)—Caitlin McGarry
1. Open the Camera app.
2. Aim the lens at what you want to capture. Zoom in by tapping the 1X button hovering at the bottom of the camera preview. That’s the optical zoom.
3. You’re using optical zoom when the button now reads 2X. If you want to zoom in on your subject without physically moving toward it, you can use digital zoom by pinching to zoom in closer.
The digital zoom lets you zoom in up to 10 times.