TL;DR: Eric Kim (the street‑photo educator/blogger) hasn’t dropped a full, dedicated 17 Pro camera review yet, but his long‑standing philosophy makes it pretty clear what he’d vibe with: fast “quick‑draw” shooting, wide‑angle storytelling, minimal gear, and fewer distractions. Here’s how that maps to the 17 Pro’s new kit—plus a practical setup to shoot in his spirit.
What lines up with Eric’s philosophy
- “Quick‑draw beats everything.” Kim’s repeated point: the fastest access wins the moment. Apple’s Camera Control hardware button (and its press/half‑press actions) fits that “don’t miss it” ethos—launch fast, adjust, shoot. He’s praised the bottom‑right quick‑draw idea conceptually (even while critiquing some executions).
- “Shoot wide, move your feet.” Kim consistently champions 28–35mm for street (get close, head‑on, tell the story with context). On 17 Pro that maps to 1× (24mm) and slight crops (≈1.2–1.5×) for a 28–35mm feel, using your feet as “zoom.”
- “One camera, one lens, more focus.” His minimal‑kit mantra (fewer choices, more attention) dovetails with using the 17 Pro as a single do‑everything camera you actually carry.
- Consistent high‑res across lenses. Apple’s three 48MP “Fusion” rear cameras (Wide, Ultra‑Wide, new Tele) reduce the usual quality drop as you swap lenses—handy for his “work the scene” approach.
- Self‑shooting & teaching tools. The new 18MP Center Stage front camera (square sensor; landscape or portrait selfies while holding the phone vertically; ultra‑stabilized front video; Dual Capture front+rear) is tailor‑made for talking to camera while documenting what’s in front—a pattern he uses on YouTube.
What he’d likely downplay (but still use when it helps)
- Super‑long tele for street. Kim generally nudges people back to 28/35mm and “foot zoom,” so the 4×–8× tele is more a specialty tool (compression for portraits or distant graphic moments) than a daily driver. That’s an inference from years of his focal‑length guidance, not a specific 17 Pro verdict from him.
- Over‑tweaking in‑camera. He’s big on constraints and keeping flow; he’d likely stick to a default look and edit later rather than fussing mid‑shoot.
A few things he’s actually said (recent era), relevant now
- He likes the idea of a dedicated quick‑draw control (so you never miss a decisive moment) but has called parts of “Camera Control” gimmicky when it adds friction—classic “make it simpler, faster” Kim.
- He’s long argued that phones democratize photography and that gear minimalism helps you shoot more—iPhone fits that to a tee. (See also his decade‑plus iPhone shooting tips.)
- And yes, he loudly campaigned for a high‑visibility orange Pro iPhone—which Apple actually shipped as Cosmic Orange this year. It’s design talk, not image quality—but it shows the playful, visible‑tool ethos he likes.
If you want to “shoot like Eric” on an iPhone 17 Pro (fast setup)
- Map the Camera Control for speed. Set it to single‑click to open Camera; use the light press to bring up settings you actually use (zoom/exposure), and keep it muscle‑memory simple.
- Live at 1× (24mm) or a tiny pinch‑in to ~1.2–1.5× for a 28–35mm look. Work the scene with your feet; get close and head‑on for energy.
- Default to the high‑quality pipeline. Let the 48MP/24MP “Fusion” pipeline do its thing for clean files; flip to 48MP only when you truly need fine texture for big crops/prints.
- Keep the UI lean. Avoid fiddly style swaps mid‑shoot; pick one look and shoot. (Constraints boost creativity.)
- Use Tele with intent. Reach for 4×/8× when you want compression or to isolate a distant gesture; otherwise, stay wide and tell the full story. (Philosophy inferred from his focal‑length guides.)
Quick reality check on the new hardware (for context)
- Three 48MP rear cameras (Main, Ultra‑Wide, new Tele) with Apple’s updated Photonic Engine; Apple pitches “eight lenses in your pocket” and the longest optical‑quality zoom to 8× on iPhone.
- Brand‑new 18MP Center Stage selfie camera (square sensor) that can rotate framing, expand FOV for group shots, and record ultra‑stabilized 4K HDR; Dual Capture records front+rear simultaneously.
- For video‑heads: Apple calls out Dolby Vision 4K/120, ProRes Log/ACES, and even ProRes RAW + genlock support on 17 Pro—serious creator candy.
Small watch‑out: reviewers spotted a rare LED‑light artifact bug on early units; Apple says a software fix is incoming. Not a street‑daylight issue, but good to know if you’re shooting concerts.
The vibe, distilled
Shoot fast. Get close. Keep it simple. That’s Eric Kim’s through‑line—and the 17 Pro’s camera hardware plus the dedicated Camera Control finally match that philosophy in a phone you’ll actually carry. Load it up, step into the street, and go make frames. You’ve got this. 🎯📷
If you want, I can tailor a one‑page “Eric‑style” camera cheat sheet for your 17 Pro (buttons, modes, and a simple editing flow) so you’re dialed in from minute one.