Apple’siPhone 16lineup is here . Though the pedestal modeling iPhone 16 has taken a lot of the spot this year with the redesign camera layout and awe-inspiring colors , theiPhone 16 Prois a bit more reiterative in term of upgrades .
I personally bought an iPhone 16 Pro to upgrade from myiPhone 15 Pro . To be fair , though , if the iPhone 16 had a 1 TB storage option , I would have conk out that route . Since it does n’t , I had to go with the iPhone 16 Pro , as much as I wanted a pink phone . But storage was n’t the only rationality — I also wanted the improved telephoto tv camera that I miss out on last class .
So , was going to the iPhone 16 Pro from the iPhone 15 Pro worth it ? Let ’s find out .
iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: camera specs
f/1.78
f/2.2
f/2.8
5x opthalmic soar
3x optical rapid growth
f/1.9
As you’re able to see above , the cameras betweenthe iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Proare similar but with a few key differences .
For one , the iPhone 16 Pro now has the 5x optical zoom that was antecedently only on the iPhone 15 Pro Max model last year , as Apple made the camera systems on both models equal this time .
Apple also improved the ultrawide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro , run short to 48MP from the previous 12MP . This should mean better detail and resolution in your ultrawide shaft , and macros can now be in full 48MP , too .
Though the main tv camera on both phones stay on at 48MP , Apple rebranded the independent camera on the iPhone 16 Pro to a “ Fusion ” camera rather than just “ main ” like it did before . Does this actually mean anything ? We ’ll see .
Since Apple made no improvements to the TrueDepth front camera ( still 12MP and f/1.9 aperture on both ) , we ’ll just be looking at the triple - crystalline lens tv camera system in this compare . quick ? Let ’s get started .
iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: main camera
Again , the main tv camera on both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro is 48MP . But it ’s now called the Fusion camera on the iPhone 16 Pro , rather than just the “ chief ” photographic camera like on the iPhone 15 Pro .
Let ’s look at this image of a cute pumpkin coach display at the Anaheim Majestic Garden Hotel . The most obvious difference between the two is the blue luminance on the pumpkin rig . With the iPhone 15 Pro image , the blue light run into the orange of the pumpkin , making it count more blue than it really is . The iPhone 16 Pro handles the ignitor well , as the depressed light does n’t bleed out to the orange , and there ’s more contrast .
The leaves at the bottom of the pram and the green stem on top are also more vibrant in the iPhone 16 Pro , but the glittery leafage is more textured with the iPhone 15 professional .
Here ’s a cunning minuscule Halloween tree display at the hotel . frankly , there is n’t a prominent dispute between these two figure of speech . The iPhone 16 Pro may have get a bit more of the tree point in the trace at the bottom of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ( the silvern corpuscle ) and have less bleed for the lights , but the iPhone 15 Pro did a better job of making the colors at the top of the tree a shade more vibrant . Otherwise , they ’re both pretty equal .
This is a fancy chef ’s omakase plate I capture for my marriage day of remembrance dinner party at Hanagi Japanese Restaurant ( highly commend ! ) in Anaheim . Both paradigm are very similar , but when you look close , the iPhone 16 Pro is better . More of the nigiri sushi pieces are sharp and in focus , stool it easier to see the grain . The colouring is also well with the iPhone 16 Pro , as evident with the tuna and salmon roe . But again , the differences are minimal unless youreallyscrutinize them .
This is a low - light shot featuring a unagitated little koi pool in the garden field of the Anaheim Majestic Garden Hotel . I take the photograph around 8 p.m. , and there were only a few of those lamp outside . Both images wait just , but the iPhone 16 Pro is a bit more brilliant with the color , especially the greenery in the desktop . Overall , they ’re pretty equal .
succeeder : iPhone 16 Pro ( barely )
iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: ultrawide camera
This year , Apple made fully grown improvement to the ultrawide camera , bumping it up to 48MP , which is what many flagship Android sound have nowadays . Apple also improve the sensor , which means it should be able to capture better ultrawide shots in low light . But does it really ?
I used the ultrawide tv camera to fascinate the full spooky armor and dress display . Both photos expect the same on the surface , aside from the slight difference in overall feeling . The details are interchangeable even when you soar in to examine it nearer . I was gestate more from the iPhone 16 Pro here , but that did n’t turn out to be the face .
This is a best font for the improvements to the ultrawide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro . I snap this ultrawide guess of the koi pond at the hotel at night , and the iPhone 16 Pro edition captured more abstemious . The iPhone 16 Pro also handles the light better , as it does n’t appear bollix up out like the iPhone 15 Pro range .
Here ’s an ultrawide shot of Monstro on the Storybook Canals devolve on at Disneyland . Both iPhones handled the scene likewise , but the people of colour are a bit more vivacious in the iPhone 15 Pro prototype than the iPhone 16 Pro . It ’s evident in the trees , the pee , and Monstro himself . In footing of detail , both are about equal .
Now , let ’s render some macro exposure . Here ’s a closeup of a flower ’s pistil . The iPhone 16 Pro image is much clearer and vivid with the vividness . However , the iPhone 15 Pro reading handled the contrast better , which I opt a bit more . But as far as how everything is in focus , the iPhone 16 Pro take up the patty .
Let ’s try another macro stab of a different prime . The difference between these two images is much more apparent . Once again , the iPhone 16 Pro version is quartz glass clear and in focal point , while the iPhone 15 Pro image has a lot of distortion and softness . you could even see a bug on the bottom petal much more well with the iPhone 16 Pro .
succeeder : iPhone 16 professional
iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: telephoto camera
Last year , only the iPhone 15 Pro Max got the 5x optical zoom telephoto camera , as the iPhone 15 Pro had just up to 3x . But this year , Apple made the two Pro model equal in terms of camera features , so does that 5x optical zoom really make that much of a difference ?
Here ’s a 5x zoomed - in shot of some building I can see across the street from the green . Since the iPhone 15 Pro uses a digital harvest for its 5x rapid climb , the loss of detail is middling clear when you count closely at it . For example , the texture in the wall of the beige townhomes is barely visible , whereas you could distinctly see it with the iPhone 16 Pro ’s 5x rapid growth . Other detail , like the tree , also seem soft in the iPhone 15 professional , while they ’re percipient with the iPhone 16 Pro .
I click another agile 5x zoom shot of some laurel wreath trees in my neighborhood . Both image look similar , but if you await a little closer , you ’ll be able to see the sharpness of the leaves in the iPhone 16 Pro reading , whereas they come along soft in the other . It looks like the iPhone 15 Pro also made the sky appear a more vibrant blue , which you may or may not favor .
A half - lunation was still out this morning , so I adjudicate to endeavor to see how well the soar on both iPhones would do with it . Of course , the 5x zoom does n’t give you a ton of detail of the moon , but you may at least make out the moon ’s surface as best you may on the iPhone 16 Pro . With the iPhone 15 Pro , it ’s much more fuzzy and harder to make out the unlike surface tad .
This is an interesting one . I make up one’s mind to essay a 3x zoom simulacrum since that ’s the maximum optical soar range for the iPhone 15 Pro . Since the iPhone 16 Pro only has 2x or 5x optical rapid growth , but up to 25x digital zoom , it uses digital zoom for 3x . For the iPhone 15 Pro , it has 3x optic soar but not 5x . So this time , the table have turned — the iPhone 16 Pro ’s digital 3x rapid climb is not great compared to the iPhone 15 Pro ’s 3x optical rapid climb . The unexpended side of the rosaceous garden looks dull and exanimate on the iPhone 16 Pro but is vivacious and crisp on the iPhone 15 Pro .
iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: verdict
If you ’re still using an iPhone 15 Pro , this is n’t a good word to supervene upon it the right way now with an iPhone 16 Pro . While the cameras are an improvement over last year , it ’s still a fairly iterative ascent , and unless you really care about the tiny detail , it ’s likely not deserving it ( for most hoi polloi ) .
However , if you really want the 5x optical rapid growth that was overleap last yr and you enjoy taking ultrawide and macro shots , then the iPhone 16 Pro is deserving consider . But for the main tv camera , which is probable to be the one that most people use the most , there ’s very petty difference , and not enough to justify the money to promote .
So , what ’s the conclusion ? If the telephoto and ultrawide camera are your top priority , there ’s a shell for upgrading . But if you could do without those upgrades , and the chief photographic camera is yourmainconcern , you could safely model this one out .
