We tested the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro through the PhoneArena Camera test, and it’s mixed news for Apple fans.
Apple’s new iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro are here, slowly evolving the iPhone photography capabilities with powerful new software features and hardware enhancements. Both devices feature familiar camera setups, with a ton of new features, functionalities, and software additions to the camera, as well as a whole new way to control the camera with the new Camera Control button.
The specs of both the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro are identical, and we have some notable changes on both models.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max camera retains its 48MP main camera but now introduces a new 48MP ultrawide camera with an f/2.4 aperture, a significant improvement over the previous 12MP ultrawide cameras found on earlier iPhones. For telephoto shots, it continues to use the same 5X telephoto camera as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, with no additional upgrades.
The iPhone 16 Pro scores two new cameras. A 48MP ultrawide with f/2.2 aperture that uses quad-pixel binning and the same 5X tetraprism telephoto with a 12MP resolution and f/2.8 as the iPhone 16 Pro Max/iPhone 15 Pro Max one.
SpecsiPhone 16 Pro Max / iPhone 16 Pro
Main camera 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS
Ultrawide camera 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 0.7µm, PDAF, macro mode
Telephoto camera 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm, 1/3.06″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom
Front camera 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/3.6″, PDAF, OIS
Additionally, the new Pro models bring 4K video recording at 120 fps in Dolby Vision, delivering the highest resolution and frame rate combination ever available on an iPhone. This allows you to capture cinematic video clips and edit them straight on the device.
The new devices also support enhanced Photographic Styles, which give you broader control over colors and tones, letting you fine-tune the appearance of your photos.
The two premium new iPhones have already gone through the paces of our dedicated PhoneArena Camera test, and the verdict is in––these two aren’t much better than their predecessors, the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 15 Pro. In some cases, we even witness the older devices still pulling slightly ahead.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
PhoneArena Camera Score
BEST 157
154
PhoneArena Photo Score
BEST 162
158
Main (wide)
BEST 85
82
Zoom
BEST 28
25
Ultra-wide
BEST 25
24
Selfie
BEST 30
28
PhoneArena Video Score
BEST 153
150
Main (wide)
BEST 79
76
Zoom
BEST 27
24
Ultra-wide
BEST 23
23
Selfie
BEST 28
27
Find out more details about photo and video scores for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Camera Score
page
iPhone 16 Pro Max / iPhone 16 Pro Camera Score compared to its rivals
Photo
Video
Phone Camera
Score Photo
Score Main
(wide) Ultra
Wide Selfie Zoom
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 156 162 83 24 28 28
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 155 157 82 23 25 25
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 154 158 82 24 28 25
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 151 159 84 23 26 27
Phone Camera
Score Video
Score Main
(wide) Ultra
Wide Selfie Zoom
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 156 151 77 21 28 24
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max 155 152 78 23 27 24
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max 154 150 76 23 27 24
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 151 142 76 20 25 21
Find out more details about photo and video scores for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Camera Score page
How does the new camera test score of the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro fare against its rivals and predecessors.
