We all love a good soft news story, and at its heart, that’s what this is. Apple has shared details about the miraculous feat performed over the past weekend, when an iPhone 17 Pro captured an entire major professional live sporting event broadcast.

However, what the company isn’t telling you is that, while this is true, it was only accomplished because of the high-end broadcast-grade zoom lens, which isn’t readily available to most film and video professionals.

Still, with that huge caveat accepted, it is a feat worth checking out.

The First iPhone Used to Capture an Entire Major Sporting Event

Much in the same way that Major League Soccer can be playfully referred to as a “major” pro sport in the United States, this accomplishment by an Apple iPhone 17 Pro was a “major” step forward for the company’s smartphone legacy.

On Saturday, May 23, Apple TV presented a special live MLS match captured exclusively on the iPhone 17 Pro, a first for the iPhone and a fun gimmick for all the companies and organizations involved.

It was also technically the first time an iPhone was used for a live sports broadcast, as Apple TV used an iPhone to capture parts of a Friday Night Baseball game last fall. However, this was the first time the entirety of a match’s coverage, including warm-ups, intros, full coverage, in-net goal angles, and more shots from across the stadium, was all on iPhones.

The Real MVP

Credit: BandPro

While not a major scandal or anything by any means, the fact that the broadcast-grade lens was largely ignored in Apple’s marketing posts over the weekend was quickly picked up by commenters calling out the company for omitting this very relevant information.

According to “reader added context” added to one of the posts regarding this feat, users have pointed out that the iPhone 17 Pro used for the most impressive broadcast elements was really powered by the insane range and capabilities of the Fujinon Duvo HZK 25-1000mm f/2.8-5 Cine Zoom Lens, a broadcast-grade zoom lens that retails for well over $200,000.

Still, while this omission was a bit embarrassing, it wasn’t entirely damning, as the iPhone handled the recording and broadcast of the footage with its three 48MP Fusion cameras and the versatility of Apple Log 2 recording.

For more info on the story, you can find the full breakdown on Apple’s website here.

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