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When Apple announced the iPhone 16 Pro, I was really hoping for some major camera upgrades. But after having seen what Tim & Co have Cook-ed, I’m starting to feel like they forgot to hit “save” on some of those groundbreaking new features.
Some examples are the ultra-wide camera, which finally got a new 48MP sensor, but instead of wowing anyone, the photos have this weird dark vignetting around the edges, and the sensor size didn’t even change?! It’s like Apple’s sprinkled more megapixels on the same old sensor.
Oh, and remember how iPhone 15 Pro fixed the infamous oversharpening issue with the iPhone 14 Pro? Yeah, well, it’s sort of back - and worse in Night mode.
So, there’s nothing left but to dive into what’s gone wrong with the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera, and why Apple really needs to step it up with iPhone 17 Pro before Android fans start making memes again.
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Lazy iPhone 16 Pro camera upgrades prove Apple took some obvious steps back, and played it too cheap
The new ultra-wide-angle camera is not the upgrade iPhone users deserve after waiting for years
Weird vignetting effect in the new 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera, which was expected to be much better than the 12MP UWA snapper Apple’s been using for ages. However, as it turns out, the gains are minimal, which isn’t that surprising when you realize the sensor size has stayed the same. Very cheap move, Tim.
Oversharpened photos make a return with iPhone 16 Pro - please, tell me it’s a “bug”
I’m noticing the return of oversharpened photos on iPhone 16 Pro compared to the likes of the Pixel 9 Pro and even the iPhone 15 Pro, which is hugely disappointing after Apple received so much praise from every reviewer for finally dialling down the sharpening with iPhone 15.
It’s not that bad as it used to be with older iPhones but the oversharpened look is especially noticeable in Night Mode photos - particularly those taken with the primary camera.
Apple’s video quality lead over Android is the smallest it's ever been, and iPhone 16 Pro doesn’t do much to change that
Apple’s lead in video quality is the smallest it's ever been and iPhone 16 Pro doesn’t do much to extend it. In fact, save for the new 120fps 4K video option, video quality is largely identical to that of the iPhone 15 Pro, which is similar to that of the iPhone 14 Pro.
What this means is that 2025 might be the year when the competition truly catches up to Apple in the area of video, which should be pretty telling since this is the one area iPhone has historically dominated over Android.
Pixel 9 Pro has revealed exactly how old the iPhone 16 Pro’s selfie camera sensor is
The 12MP selfie camera Apple’s been using for ages is, well… showing its age.
It’s absolutely dominated by the 42MP lens in the Pixel 9 Pro, and pictures taken with it look particularly bad in low light, making the iPhone 16 Pro seem like a mid-range phone.
iPhone 16’s Camera Control key might turn out to be the biggest Apple blunder in years (unless Apple Intelligence can make it useful)
And I almost forgot the Camera control key, which (as everyone seems to agree) is more of a miss than it is a hit. Most people who’ve used it agree it makes the experience of taking photos and videos more complicated, less reliable, and even outright worse since pressing the key shakes the phone, which makes for blurry photos.
Despite that, I think the “Camera Control” key is here to stay since Apple has plans to use it for certain Apple Intelligence features (coming soon). But since no one seems to like it as a “Camera Control”, we might need a new name for it, Apple. Better start coming up with catchy names ASAP!
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iPhone 16 Pro’s ageing camera hardware makes it is an easy target for upcoming Android camera monsters
Premium Chinese flagships will dominate the iPhone 16 Pro in the camera hardware department.
All of this, together with the same 5x zoom lens and the relatively marginal (but meaningful) improvements to the primary camera (which does use a new sensor of the same size) makes the iPhone 16 Pro a very easy target for upcoming camera monsters.
Of course, these “camera monsters” that threaten to make iPhone 16 Pro look bad include the upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra, but if I was Apple, I’d be more worried about the likes of the Oppo Find X8 Ultra, Vivo X200 Ultra, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra.
The reason is simple - Samsung is following a very Apple-like trajectory when it comes to camera hardware upgrades, and I’m not expecting the Galaxy S25 Ultra to give us any groundbreaking new hardware - just like the iPhone 16 Pro.
Chinese flagships, on the other hand, tend to go all-in on camera upgrades, while their software and image processing is also catching up, and this could result in something very embarrassing for Apple (and to an extent, Samsung - but that’s a different story).
“Consistent” camera doesn’t mean “the best” camera - Apple should try harder with iPhone 17
What does this mean for the regular consumer? Well, it means that if you don’t have a tight affiliation with one or the other operating system, you might want to consider the fact that it’s very likely major Android flagships will have a better camera than the iPhone 16 Pro - at least in certain aspects (if not in most).
Don’t get me wrong - the iPhone 16 Pro has an excellent camera system, and despite all, I’m still willing to bet it’s the most consistent smartphone camera you can get. However consistent doesn’t equal “good” - let alone “the best”.
I’d advise all iPhone users who want to stick to Apple to wait for iPhone 17 Pro, which is rumored to get a new zoom sensor, which should help it take better long-range zoom snaps. It is also rumored to (finally) get a new 24MP selfie shooter, while I won’t be surprised if we see another bump in the sensor size of the primary camera - perhaps something closer to the 1-inch standard in Chinese “Ultra” flagships.
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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.
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