Lucky coincidence, for the last 2 years Apple has been kind enough to upgrade the iPhone right before my trips to Japan. This time around I’ve opted to go big in Japan (sorry) with the iPhone 8 Plus. Having used the regular size for the past 5 versions I was apprehensive about changing the form factor for something that feels like an extension of my hand. So far I’ve enjoyed the larger screen and camera gadgets (portrait lighting), the speed and also just the weight and feel. Previously I always felt like the Plus was just waiting to flop out of my hands. It was also slow on the draw when I need my camera the most, that time from inspiration to execution, the delicate ballet of front pocket phone retrieval fumbling to home screen button to swipe to bring up the camera app. In true gunslinger tests, my iPhone 7 could beat the plus on every trial. But now that the plus has improved the cameras and chip once again it’s becoming more of a moot point. The best camera you have is the one you have with you, let’s hope I picked the right one for this trip.