How durable are tempered glass protectors compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max's original sapphire crystal lenses

Durability of Sapphire Crystal Lenses:
- The search results indicate that the iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera lenses are made of sapphire crystal, which is a very hard and scratch-resistant material.
- Sapphire crystal is rated at 9H on the Mohs hardness scale, making it highly resistant to scratches and damage.
- Several users noted that the sapphire lenses on their previous iPhones have held up very well, even after drops and impacts, without significant scratching.

Drawbacks of Tempered Glass Protectors:
- While tempered glass protectors can provide some physical protection, the search results suggest they may not be as durable as the original sapphire lenses.
- Some users reported that the tempered glass protectors can degrade image and video quality to some degree, introducing issues like lens flare, glare, and reduced sharpness.
- Compatibility issues were also mentioned, where the protectors may not fit properly with certain phone cases.
- Experts generally advise against using tempered glass camera lens protectors, as the iPhone's built-in sapphire lenses are already highly scratch-resistant.

Recommendation:
The search results indicate that for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the original sapphire crystal camera lenses are likely more durable and offer better image quality compared to using a tempered glass camera lens protector. Unless the user has experienced significant damage to the lenses, the consensus is that additional lens protectors are unnecessary and may even degrade the camera's performance.