Apple's annual event in which they announce their new line of phones is scheduled for September 9. You can pre-order the new 17 iPhones on September 12 and they should be available for purchase in stores by September 19.

The big question is: Should you upgrade or not? 

My philosophy is that life is short and we should purchase the iPhone that will provide us the most options for doing the photography we love. I'm not one to suggest waiting until next year. I recommend getting the best phone your budget will allow.

Here are some of the new features of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max that might help you make a decision.

Keep in mind most of these things are rumored at this time but seem to be fairly consistent predictions across a lot of sites. Still, we will not know for sure until the September 9 announcement.

• Larger battery, longer battery life, faster charging
• Faster A19 Pro chip to accelerate machine learning tasks for Apple Intelligence 
• New design (this could be a pro or a con; it means accessories like cases and filter mounts will need to be replaced)
• Shift from titanium to part aluminum frame for lighter weight
• Reverse wireless charging (this is more questionable than other predictions)
• 24mp selfie Camera 
• Improved optical zoom to 8x (192mm vs 5x at 120mm)
• All three lenses to be 48mp
• Anti-reflective display with matt finish (this is more questionable than other predictions)
• Dual Video Recording with front and rear cameras (this is more questionable than other predictions)
• 8K Video Recording

So, here's my take.

If you feel like you can't live without any of the features of the new iPhone, and your budget won't scream bloody murder, then upgrade, regardless of which iPhone you currently have. Like I said, life is short!

If, however, you're not all that wowed by the new features, and you have an iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max or a 16 Pro/Pro Max, the benefits of getting the 17 Pro/Pro Max are minimal.

Both of the 15 and 16 Pro iPhones produce up to 5x optical zoom and yield a 48mp file when using the 1x (24mm) lens. Sure, it would be nice to have the 48mp file size from all the lenses, but do you need that to continue making worthy photos? Probably not, and, there may be a downside to weigh this against.

The 17 Pro/Pro Max has a new design, which, while very cool, means that you will require a new case and other accessories such as attachable lenses or filter mounts that may not work on the 17 iPhones.

If you are using your iPhone to create infrared photos, your current filter mount is not likely to work with the 17 and it may take a while before there is a replacement. The companies that make these, like us, are just getting the new iPhones and must start the design/manufacturing process for a new filter mount.

Tiffen and JJC currently make the best magnetic filter mounts for the iPhones 13-16 Pro and Pro Max. Tiffen has indicated that they have plans to update their filter mount for the 17, but they don't yet have a timeline. I've not yet heard back from JJC about their plans for an updated version of their mount.

If, however, you have an iPhone 14 or earlier, upgrading to the 17 Pro/Pro Max will be huge. All your lenses will be able to create 48mp files, you'll have a larger and much better display, a bigger battery with longer life, 8x optical zoom and many other advances like the faster chip and features like the very good Clean Up tool in the Photo Editor that doesn't work on the 14 phones.

If you decide to upgrade, here are some things to consider:

• Get the Pro or Pro Max model. The iPhone 17 and the new iPhone 17 Air that replaces the Plus model may be less expensive than the Pro model phones, but they do not have the camera features that you will want as a photographer. The Air has only one lens and the 17 has only two. As a photographer, you'll want the benefit of these other lenses as well as their ability to create 48mp files.
   
• Don't skimp on storage. Get the most storage space your budget will allow. Why? You may be creating more RAW photos and videos which take up two to three times more storage space. I've never regretted getting the most storage space available. I recommend at least 500 megabytes of storage for heavy users.
  
  
• If your current iPhone has performance issues like slow operation or poor battery life, the advances provided by the 17 Pro/Pro Max may justify upgrading.
  
• If your budget is a major factor in your decision to upgrade or not, and you have a 14 or earlier iPhone, you might want to consider getting a 16 Pro/Pro Max after the 17 iPhones are released. Often prices on earlier models drop when the new iPhones come out. 

Above all, as you're thinking this through, remember what Ansel Adams said:

The single most important part of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.

Your unique vision and all you bring to the image making experience is far more important than a few extra megapixels or a faster processor.