We tested the iPhone 16 Pro camera system, and it's highly underrated - with one tragic flaw

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET

More people around the world take photos with an iPhone than any other camera -- 3 trillion per year, according to Apple's internal data. And every time Apple announces the latest iPhone, the new camera features on the Pro model are one of the most anticipated parts of the whole spectacle -- and one of the things Apple usually saves for the end of the event. 

The cameras in this year's iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max haven't gotten much love from users or product reviewers. Some of that may be due to the bugginess of the iPhone 16 Pro models prior to the iOS 18.1 update. However, in ZDNET's testing, the new iPhone 16 Pro camera system provides a very clear step up and a welcome fix for one of the biggest problems with the iPhone camera over the past several years. 

Also: iPhone 16 Pro upgrade: If you have a 3 year-old iPhone, here are all the new features you'll get

For this article, we've blended two different approaches to iPhone photography into this evaluation of the iPhone 16 Pro cameras. Sabrina Ortiz, who upgraded from the iPhone 14 to the iPhone 16 Pro, regularly shoots a ton of photos and videos, especially in portrait mode, to post on social media. That includes lots of shots of people, pets, and food. She's taken so many photos and videos over the past five years that she's filled up terabytes of storage.

Jason Hiner upgraded from the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the iPhone 16 Pro Max and has been using the iPhone as his primary camera since 2009. Jason also regularly shoots with a Sony Alpha mirrorless camera. He often captures product shots, landscapes, sunsets, buildings, nature shots, zoo animals, and selfies with people he volunteers with -- and the vast majority are in landscape mode. Jason has taken over 85,000 iPhone photos since 2007.

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

So, between the two of us, you get multiple perspectives and a lot of experience hitting the shutter button on an iPhone. Now let's dig into our take on this year's upgrades.  

For 2024, Apple announced the following new features for the cameras in the iPhone 16 Pro models:

A new hardware button that Apple named Camera Control to trigger the camera, take photos and video, and adjust various camera settingsNew Photographic Styles let you customize the color and lighting of your photos and fix the problems with Apple's aggressive computational photographyAn upgraded 48MP (from 12MP) ultra-wide angle lens to match the 48MP lens in the main camera4K video at 120fps to make slow-motion captures even more cinematicThe smaller iPhone 16 Pro model now gets the 5x zoom lens (which was limited to the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max last year while the iPhone 15 Pro zoom was stuck at 3x)Apple upgraded the microphone system in the 16 Pro models to a 4-microphone "studio-quality" array from last year's three-mic systemThere's also new audio-mixing settings that you can adjust to make the audio of your videos sound more like a studio mic or a professional film

'Photographic Styles' fix Apple's computational photography

by Sabrina Ortiz

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET

If you've used previous iPhone models and taken many photos, you're probably familiar with Apple's aggressive computational photography, often finding the output altered in your photo album with different lighting and color than what you initially saw on camera. 

Apple's computational photography uses the camera's sensors to analyze elements like tone mapping, lighting, color balance, and HDR. The phone then processes the image to optimize quality by artificially compensating for any imbalances. However, this processing can sometimes result in images that deviate from the actual scene or what you intended to capture -- and it can get super frustrating.

Also: We've used every iPhone 16 model and here's our best buying advice for 2024

The differences between the original photo and the processed result can be significant, with overprocessing often leading to altered skin tones, background lighting, and more. This is a concern for content creators relying on their phone cameras for consistent, accurate production. Many have even turned to social media to voice their complaints about this issue, posting videos that depict the inconsistency. 

In the photo below, which was taken at the same time by both phones, my face is overexposed on the left, and my skin has a bit of a yellow tone. 

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET

While you can work around this by enabling the RAW option in settings (on iPhone 14 Pro and later Pro models only), it makes taking photos on an iPhone less intuitive and can diminish the experience. Plus, turning on this feature isn't always ideal since some adjustments are helpful. That's why Photographic Styles offers the best of both worlds.

The iPhone 16 lineup features a new version of Photographic Styles that allows users to scroll through different "styles" or subtle filters that adjust the colors and tone in a photo before taking it. As you scroll through Photographic Styles to pick one, you can see it applied in real-time and, therefore, have a more accurate understanding of the result. In the video below, I scrolled through the filters as I took a selfie to find my preferred appearance. 

The options include cool rose, neutral, gold, amber, standard, vibrant, luminous, dramatic, and ethereal. You can access these palettes by navigating on Camera Control or the icon in the upper right-hand corner. Ultimately, Photographic Styles lets you take advantage of the iPhone's advanced camera system and processing without altering the end results that you expect to see. 

Also: 12 iPhone 16 Camera Control secrets for better photos and videos - faster

The best part is that you can now adjust them with an intuitive control pad that allows you to quickly customize any of the Photographic Styles by swiping up and down to control the tone and left and right to control the color. You can also tweak the settings after the shot if you change your mind.

The Camera Control button is a big swing - and a miss

by Jason Hiner

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

I was thrilled when I learned that Apple was adding a dedicated camera button to the iPhone. As I've mentioned before, I also carry an Android phone -- usually a Samsung flagship, and I have loved that you can simply double-click the power button on Samsung with your right thumb, flip the phone to landscape, and then use your left index finger to tap the volume up button and snap a photo. The photography ergonomics work perfectly on today's Galaxy S24 Ultra and its predecessors. And because of that, I've often used my Samsung phone instead of my iPhone for years when I needed to get a quick shot.

However, I still prefer the iPhone for most kinds of photos, and I take many more photos on my iPhone overall. So, I was one of the prime candidates to get a lot of use out of a dedicated camera button. Unfortunately, there's good news and bad news about the way Apple brought this feature to the iPhone 16 models. 

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

The good news is that Apple got seriously ambitious and took a risk. It didn't just make a button; It created a technological marvel. You can tap it once to open the camera, and then tap again to take a photo or hold down the button to capture a quick video clip -- and let it go to stop recording. 

But the real magic happens when you do a half-press on the button. Then, you can swipe left or right with your finger (still in a half-press) to zoom in or out. You can also do a double half-press to swipe between different camera settings (Exposure, Depth, Zoom, Cameras, Styles, Tone). Then, while you're in those modes, you can continue to half-press and swipe between the various settings in each of the modes. This button is far more capable than anything on my Samsung phone or any other phone. 

Also: I want to be excited about the iPhone 16's new camera button, but can't (for now)

The bad news is that it's a bit of an ergonomic nightmare and can get pretty frustrating to use. The first problem is that the button itself sits more flush than other buttons, so it can be hard to locate when you're quickly fumbling with your phone to take a photo. The other problem is that the half-press, touch-sensitive functionality gets triggered too easily, so you can end up accidentally zooming in or out when you're just trying to use it as a shutter button. 

My recommendation is to actually turn off the half-press -- Apple calls it "Light-Press" -- as well as the swiping function. You can do this by going to Settings, Accessibility, Camera Control, and switching the toggles off for both Light-Press and Swipe.

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

As a button to simply trigger the camera quickly and snap a timely photo, Camera Control is fine, and I'm glad it's there. It's an upgrade, and it's essentially as fast as my Samsung phone now for getting quick shots. We can only hope that Apple will use future software updates to fix the issues with the touch controls and put more useful settings at your fingertips. 

Why the iPhone 16 Pro is near-perfect for social media

by Sabrina Ortiz

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET

Whether it's because I'm Gen Z, love photography, or live life pretending to be a content creator, I take photos of everything every day. That's why I want to highlight specific aspects of the iPhone 16 Pro camera that have made my social media life easier, including accessibility, selfies, and good photos in all lighting.

If you had one of last year's iPhone 15 Pro models with an Action Button, this might not seem as impressive, but the Camera Control button has made it incredibly easy to open the camera app on the go, ensuring I never miss a moment -- like when my partner and I appeared on the jumbotron at a Knicks season tip-off game.

Also: iPhone 16 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro: Consider these reasons before upgrading

That leads me to my next point: Camera Control is positioned so conveniently that if you are taking selfies using the back camera, which is my go-to because of the higher quality and resolution, you can easily click on the button as opposed to contorting your hand to reach the volume button or blind-tapping the shutter. 

The accessibility, paired with the adjustments to Apple's computational photography, makes for a more efficient and enjoyable selfie experience, which, again, may be a menial need to some but is very important to me.

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

Lastly, the iPhone impressed me with its low-light performance, which is ideal if you rely on your phone constantly for lifestyle shots. You don't have to skip out on taking a picture at a bar, moody restaurant, concert, or evening outing. And you certainly no longer have to rely on turning on the dreaded flash.

The Pro video features that you should use

by Sabrina Ortiz

Taking videos used to be reserved for special or planned moments, but with the skyrocketing popularity of short-form video and vlogging, the need to capture footage instantly is more than necessary. Thankfully, the iPhone 16 Pro is even more professional for videos than it is for photos. 

Just a few years ago, video camera capabilities like shooting 4K video at 120 frames per second (up from 60fps) were exclusive to high-end cameras and Hollywood studios. Now, creators are producing cinematic-level videos using just their phones.

But what does this mean for the everyday video taker? The most significant advantage for someone like me, who frequently shoots videos for both work and personal use, is the ability to capture excellent footage even in less-than-ideal lighting conditions.

One of my biggest frustrations with shooting video on my iPhone 14 was the poor quality when filming in the evening or in dimmer environments. The output was often so subpar that I'd have to wait until the next day, when the sun was out, to try again.

Also: Every iPhone 16 model compared: Should you buy the standard, Plus, Pro, or Max?

However, the iPhone 16 Pro excels at shooting video even in those conditions because of its larger camera sensor, which captures more light, improving detail, sharpness, and noise reduction, especially in low-light conditions. This enhances dynamic range, color accuracy, and image quality, particularly in dim environments. 

The camera also leaves room for more creativity when creating video, with crisp shots guaranteed even when doing things that are typically limiting for mobile, such as zooming in far and shooting in slow motion. 

Beyond the visual elements, the mics on the iPhone 16 Pro were also upgraded. Users can now access advanced audio editing features such as the new Audio Mix software, which gives them more control over background noise and other frequency levels.

Overall photo and video quality

by Jason Hiner

The best thing about the iPhone 16 Pro camera system is that it has taken another meaningful step forward in its ability to create both photos and videos that are virtually indistinguishable from the ones captured by larger, more complex, and more expensive professional cameras.

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

As Sabrina explained so well, the most underrated upgrade in the iPhone 16 Pro is its ability to use Photographic Styles to preview and customize the way you want to apply Apple's computational photography to your photos. For the enthusiast who takes a ton of iPhone shots every day, this will make a huge difference in overcoming the frustrations that many have felt in recent years about Apple's computational photography being too heavy-handed in the way it deals with color and dynamic range. Everyday shooters will love this.

Screenshot by Jason Hiner/ZDNET

For more professional shooters, there's also a new upgrade that has gone under the radar. This one is also for bypassing Apple's computational photography in the iPhone 16 Pro, which you've been able to do previously by shooting in ProRAW. 

The problem is that the file sizes can be 10x as large for the DNG files created by shooting in ProRAW compared to the iPhone's standard HEIF files. For example, I shot a beautiful scene of fall leaves against the background of a blue sky, and the size of the standard HEIF file was 8.3 MB. A shot of the same scene shot in ProRAW was 102.4 MB.

 Also: Does your iPhone 14 Plus have a glitchy camera? How to get it fixed for free

That's where the new JPEG-XL Lossy format comes in. This new option based on an open standard provides all the benefits of lossless DNG raw shooting but with a compression algorithm that preserves all of the image quality but saves it as a JPG that is a third of the size of Apple's standard raw format. For example, in the shot I mentioned above, the JPEG-XL Lossy version of the same scene was only 31.5 MB -- with zero loss in quality. 

Everyone who shoots in ProRAW on the iPhone should turn this on. You can do that by going into Settings | Camera | Formats | Pro Default and selecting JPEG-XL Lossy. The iPhone doesn't save it in the natural.JXL format yet, but hopefully, that will come in the future.

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

We've already mentioned the surprising capability of the iPhone 16 Pro to now capture 4K 120fps video that rivals cinematic cameras. There's also the upgraded ultrawide angle (0.5) camera that can now shoot at 48 MP to match the phone's main camera. It shoots at f2.2 compared to f1.78 on the main camera, so it's still not quite on the same level, but it's a good step up in quality over the previous 12 MP ultrawide -- and that's a welcome upgrade since there are a lot of fun shots you can only get with that ultrawide. 

Also: Why I'm recommending the standard iPhone 16 over the Pro this year (and I'm not alone)

The iPhone 16 Pro's biggest weakness is still shooting anything in motion in low light -- it's simply going to be blurry. With the limited size of the sensor, there's only so much it can do. The low light captures of things that are stationary keep getting better and better. But if you need to shoot something in motion in a dark setting, then you'll need a different camera.

Nevertheless, taken altogether, the upgrades to the iPhone 16 Pro camera system make it faster to activate the camera on your phone, easier to customize Apple's AI photo processing, better for capturing super slow-mo cinematic video, and much improved for making professional raw image captures your default -- if you want full control over your photos. When you pair that with the portability of the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max and the great options for editing photos and videos straight from your phone, there's not one camera you can buy that is as versatile and capable as the iPhone 16 Pro. 

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET