On September 9, Apple spoke for nearly 99 minutes about two new Watches, two AirPods, and—in fact—the 4 new iPhones. A whopping 14 minutes of that night had been dedicated to the brand new digital camera within the iPhone 16 Professional alone. However what has truly improved right here? We check out the brand new {hardware} and present you the place the brand new digital camera has improved—and the place it is even worse.
Let’s begin with a have a look at the information sheet. Like its predecessor, the iPhone 16 Professional has three cameras: Extremely-wide-angle, important, and telephoto. Nonetheless, there are two new options right here in comparison with the iPhone 15 Professional.
- Apple has prolonged the telephoto digital camera from 3x to 5x—i.e. from 77 to 120 mm focal size.
- Apple has elevated the decision of the ultra-wide-angle digital camera from 12 to 48 megapixels.
This leads to the next setup:
| Apple iPhone 15 Professional | Apple iPhone 16 Professional | |
|---|---|---|
| Extremely vast angle | 0.5x – 13 mm 12 megapixel f/2.2 |
0.5x – 13 mm 48 megapixel f/2.2 |
| Foremost digital camera | 1x – 24 mm 48 megapixel f/1.78 |
1x – 24 mm 48 megapixel f/1.78 |
| Telephoto digital camera | 3x – 77 mm 12 megapixel f/2.8 |
5x – 120 mm 12 megapixel f/2.8 |
There are two methods of wanting on the impact of the modifications: virtually and theoretically. We begin with the latter, however in fact we additionally test our assumptions in observe with check pictures.
From the technical knowledge, two factors particularly have a significant impression on picture high quality:
- The dimensions of the built-in picture sensor: The bigger the picture sensor, the extra gentle or knowledge it captures. Extra knowledge means a extra correct outcome and due to this fact higher picture high quality.
- The decision of the sensor: The upper the decision, the finer particulars the sensor can seize.
When switching via the totally different focal lengths or zoom ranges, the smartphone at all times accesses essentially the most appropriate sensor—and will need to digitally zoom into the photographs. By way of decision, a direct comparability between the iPhone 15 Professional and iPhone 16 Professional seems like this.
At ultra-wide angle, the iPhone 16 Professional now has a transparent decision benefit with 48 megapixels. In case you zoom in a bit—for instance from 0.5x to 0.8x, the cellphone selects a bit from the middle of the ultra-wide-angle sensor for the photograph—and the efficient decision drops.
At a focal size of 24 mm—i.e. 1x—each iPhones swap to the principle digital camera and every have 48 megapixels accessible once more. Digital zooming then behaves identically till shortly earlier than “3x”: the decision drops.
Nonetheless, the iPhone 15 Professional switches to the 3x telephoto sensor at 77 mm and thus has 12 megapixels accessible once more. The iPhone 16 Professional, then again, nonetheless has to “endure” as much as 5x or 120 mm—and at “4.9x” generate the pictures from a small middle part from the principle digital camera sensor, which nonetheless has a decision of simply 2 megapixels.
In fact, at focal lengths of 120 mm and above, the sport is reversed and the iPhone 16 Professional is clearly forward once more.
A really related image emerges when wanting on the sensor sizes. The iPhone 16 Professional reveals an infinite hole within the focal size vary between the principle digital camera and the 5x telephoto digital camera.
iPhone 16 Professional vs iPhone 15 Professional in a sensible check: Which cellphone has the higher digital camera?
With a view to verify—or refute—the conduct described above, we now have to exit and take footage of ourselves in Berlin and Cologne.
Only for the sake of completeness: With a view to exclude particular person outliers, we at all times {photograph} every of those footage thrice after which choose the perfect one afterwards. We additionally took pictures with each iPhone fashions with the usual settings and in 12 megapixels.
Motif 1: Cologne Cathedral at night time
Let’s begin with a problem instantly. Cologne Cathedral provides quite a few positive particulars, and to seize these properly at night time, the 2 iPhones need to take advantage of the residual gentle. We photographed via the next zoom ranges: 0.5x, 1x, 2, 3x and 5x.
Motif 2: Tv tower in Berlin
Admittedly, the second motif now not holds any surprises. Our zoom sequence from 3x to 10x with the Berlin TV tower by day reveals the identical image once more. The iPhone 15 Professional delivers extra element at 3x, from 5x the iPhone 16 Professional is stronger. And naturally the brand new iPhone mannequin can also be forward at 10x.
Motif 3: Cross spider in macro
One final level considerations the ultra-wide-angle digital camera, which the iPhone historically makes use of to take macro pictures. Although the picture sensor has not modified in dimension, the decision has quadrupled. However what use is that in observe?
Based on first impressions, sadly not very a lot. In direct comparability, the photograph from the iPhone 16 Professional seems clearer and fewer noisy than that of the iPhone 15 Professional. Nonetheless, in our macro sequence of at the least 5 pictures of this spider, we didn’t handle to tease out a sharper picture from the brand new Professional iPhone.
Sure, along with pure pictures, there are different facets during which the iPhone 16 Professional differs from the iPhone 15 Professional. For instance, Apple guarantees to have sped up the sensor of the principle digital camera—and certainly, the shutter lag is noticeably shorter on the brand new Professional iPhone. And I am not even going to say the numerous new video options right here. We’ll dedicate a separate article to them.
What do you consider the brand new digital camera within the iPhone 16 Professional: Do you like the brand new 5x zoom or would Apple have most well-liked to stay with the 3x lens? Or are you want me and might’t perceive why Apple would not simply lastly embody each 3x and 5x in its Professional sequence?