A macro look at the iPhone 5 in micro-fine detail

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iMore iPhone iPad Forums Apps Accessories Reviews How-To Podcasts Free wallpapers: iPhone & iPad Guides: iOS, iCloud, Siri, photography, jailbreak Free: iPhone apps & games, iPad apps & games Shop Online Cases Chargers Screen protectors Headsets & More Free shipping on orders over $50 A macro look at the iPhone 5 in micro-fine detail By Rene Ritchie, Saturday, Sep 22, 2012 a 12:09 pm 19

Getting up close and extremely personal with the new iPhone 5 iSight and FaceTime camera, in-cell display, nano-SIM card, and Lightning connector

We've already shown you just how stunning the new design looks in our iPhone 5 gallery but we also want to go in for a much closer look at all the little details. Apple is manufacturing the iPhone 5 using some incredibly advanced equipment and tolerances measured in microns. The backing is anodized 6000 series aluminum with ceramic or pigmented glass inlays. The iSight camera is covered by sapphire crystal and the beveled edges are cut by crystalline diamond. It's been said the iPhone 5 is closer in kind to a luxury time piece than what's traditionally passed for consumer electronics.

How much of that is just marketing and ad copy, and how much is reality undistorted? If the details matter that much to Apple, how well did they execute on those details? Let's take a really close look...

8mp iSight rear camera, the new rear mic, and flash.

720p FaceTime front camera and speaker.

The in-cell display.

The pixels of the new in-cell display.

The new Lightning port, new speaker and mic grills, and the newly repositioned 3.5mm headphone jack.

The pins inside the new Lightning port.

The new nano-SIM in the card tray.

All shots taken with a Canon 5D Mark III and an EF 100mm F2.8 L IS USM Macro lens, embedded at HiDPI for iPhones, iPad 3, and Retina MacBook Pro.

Rene Ritchie

Editor-in-Chief of iMore,co-host of Iterate and ZEN and TECH podcasts. Cook, grappler, photon wrangler.

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More of: Iphone 5, iphone 5 gallery, Macro ? PreviouslyApple airs four new ads, Thumb, Cheese and Physics for the iPhone 5, Ears for EarPods Next up ?iPhone 5 vs. iPhone 4S vs. iPhone 3GS vs. iPhone design gallery There are 19 comments. Add yours. KJowers says: Sep 22, 2012 at 12:30 pm - 1 day ago

I'd agree with comparison to a fine time piece. The attention to detail is remarkable. I've always liked that about apple products. When my nano has more aluminum than my old fascinate had...... anyhow good article with lots of iporn! Lol.

Reply redraider133 says: Sep 22, 2012 at 12:35 pm - 1 day ago

Should say nano Sim in the title not non-sim

Reply KDors says: Sep 22, 2012 at 1:01 pm - 1 day ago

Beautiful shots.

Reply walkingsad says: Sep 22, 2012 at 1:24 pm - 1 day ago

am I the only one that did not ejaculate all over the monitor?

Reply Bobbymaz says: Sep 22, 2012 at 3:43 pm - 1 day ago

Some of you people really need to get lives.

Reply johnmarki says: Sep 22, 2012 at 2:38 pm - 1 day ago

Great shots, really nice detail. Thanks.

Reply A-m-B says: Sep 22, 2012 at 3:25 pm - 1 day ago

the shots are very nice.thanks

Reply Tomw093 says: Sep 22, 2012 at 4:10 pm - 1 day ago

Instead of designing a watch, they should have spend that time and money on the maps app.

Reply cstephens18 says: Sep 22, 2012 at 4:42 pm - 1 day ago

I'm just curious, why do you dislike Apple's Maps? I have nothing but good things to say about it. I feel that it's much better than the Google Maps app on iOS that it is replacing. But, I can definitely understand that some people are upset that there aren't public transit directions in the new Maps app, at least for right now away. I live in Raleigh, NC, so that doesn't effect in the slightest bit. But anyway, what do you feel like Apple could have done better on?

Reply noberrynomo says: Sep 22, 2012 at 7:47 pm - 1 day ago

Are you serious or taking a survey? Lets see. I dropped a pin and it landed in my neighbors backyard. Am I the only one that noticed that the maps are like 3 years old? A lot of things around my home are not even on them. NO STREET VIEW. That was a very nice function. You could SEE the place you were trying to find before you got there. No transit info, which really makes no sense considering Apple is practically in San Francisco. The public transportation capital of the world. I can't understand them pulling Google until this was ready to fly. And, have you seen some the screen shots people are sending from overseas? Entire cities under cloud cover. Not Apples best work.........

Reply JPiLLa says: Sep 22, 2012 at 9:22 pm - 1 day ago

Yes because Google got everything right their first time. Check your Apple Maps expectations at the door please.

Reply ichorus says: Sep 23, 2012 at 2:36 am - 22 hours ago

Yes Apple Maps are amazing in comparison to Googles 1st, but look at what they are replacing. Anything wanting to compete or replace has to be better or just as good. Especially when it was a key part of the software and 3rd party apps!

Reply Bobbymaz says: Sep 22, 2012 at 11:10 pm - 1 day ago

noberrynomore is right. I live in NYC and the maps are horrible, not to mention that it isnt very accurate. My parents live in the suburbs in New Jersey and some of the newer roads are missing.

Reply Carioca32 says: Sep 23, 2012 at 7:21 pm - 5 hours ago

I have to agree, maps where I live are old and with plenty of errors, not to mention that bus schedules are now an in app purchase. I have set up the Google Maps shortcut and even that is much better than Apple Maps.

Reply iFancruze says: Sep 23, 2012 at 1:54 am - 22 hours ago

Please pick me imore! Goodluck to everyone! ;)

Reply nickvoy says: Sep 23, 2012 at 3:30 am - 21 hours ago

This only makes me want an iPhone 5 even more

Reply Srikar D R says: Sep 23, 2012 at 8:14 am - 16 hours ago

Brilliant Stuff! I haven't seen anybody else on the web doing this....Well Done!

Reply aallison1882 says: Sep 23, 2012 at 2:03 pm - 10 hours ago

Why is everyone trying to compare the new iPhone 5 to luxury watches? Apple did NOT redesign the phone, they modified the design from the iPhone 4/4S. Don't get me wrong the iPhone 5 is a nice looking phone but there is nothing new about the design minus being slightly taller and a smidge thinner. Other than that is looks just like an iPhone 4.

A 50 year old Rolex, Omega or Tag Heuer is still a beautiful watch... the iPhone design won't last another 3 years before it is obsolete.

Reply LCW says: Sep 23, 2012 at 8:30 pm - 4 hours ago

The problem is that you'r e comparing things like classic mechanical wrist watches with a modern piece of electronics - which is really more like a small computer. Unfortunately, or fortunately - depends how you look at it, the iPhone 5 will become obsolete due to its internals (chip, memory, etc) which are constantly evolving due to the industry pushing forward, but NOT because of its design. The iPhone 5 is a design that will be far more 'timeless', and without a doubt outlast the likes of Samsung GSIII or Nokia Lumia 920.

To me, the iPhone 5 design is reminiscent of something like a Leica camera. You can call the old film versions "obsolete", but that design still thrives today in the form of a digital version.

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