I compared the iPhone 16 against Apple’s 4-year-old iPhone 12 to see how much the camera has improved. The results speak for themselves.
I compared the iPhone 16 against Apple’s 4-year-old iPhone 12 to see how much the camera has improved. The results speak for themselves.
To say the iPhone 16 camera is a big leap over the iPhone 12 might be an understatement. From its higher-resolution 48-megapixel main camera compared to the iPhone 12’s 12-megapixel shooter, to its support for macro photography and significantly closer zoom, the iPhone’s camera has certainly come a long way over the past four years.
Since getting a better camera is one of the most popular reasons people upgrade their phones, according to CNET’s survey in partnership with YouGov, I decided to put the latest iPhone’s camera to the test against the iPhone 12 to see how dramatic Apple’s changes have been. Suffice it to say that if you’re upgrading from an iPhone 12 or earlier, you’ll notice a big jump in camera quality. I’m not even including new features like Photographic Styles or the Camera Control button; the sheer difference in general image quality is enough to make the iPhone 16 a worthwhile camera upgrade over the iPhone 12.
Each photo below was taken in the same place, at the same time with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 12. None of the photos have been edited. Except for where otherwise noted, each iPhone 16 photo was taken at the iPhone 16’s default 24-megapixel resolution.iPhone 16 24MP vs. iPhone 12 12MP
The iPhone 16 photo looks brighter, sharper and much more colorful. You can really see the softness in the iPhone 12 image when looking at the grass, leaves and flowers near the lower left edge of the photo.iPhone 16
This photo taken on the iPhone 16 is crisper and has more detail. iPhone 12
This photo taken on the iPhone 12 isn’t as detailed as the same one taken on the iPhone 16. iPhone 16 48-megapixel vs. iPhone 12 12-megapixel
The iPhone 16 photo below was taken at the sensor’s full 48-megapixel resolution. At first glance, these photos might look similar. When you zoom in, you can see that the iPhone 16 preserves so much more detail in everything from the bricks to the roof’s red lining even down to the plants in the lower left corner.
