Cameras on iPhone 16 Pro Max are fourth-best in the world

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited 8:55AM

The camera system in the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the fourth-best of its kind in the world, but it manages to top the list when it comes to video capabilities.

Close-up of a golden smartphone with three camera lenses and a sleek design, highlighted by a reflective light beam.
The cameras of the iPhone 16 Pro models



Following the release of the iPhone 16 generation, testing on its various features and components have commenced. In one of the more important tests it could undertake, the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera has been given a great set of results.

According to Monday's testing by DxOMark, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has scored 157 points overall, giving it a global ranking of fourth place. It lags behind the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra (163), the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (158), and the Honor Magic6 Pro (158).

Its fourth-place ranking for the global table is matched by its fourth-place result for the Ultra-Premium ranking, for devices valued at more than $800.

In terms of smaller categories, the iPhone 16 Pro Max acieved 159, the top score, for video. It "delivered exceptional results," with consistent exposure and color accuracy across a range of conditions, and it had the best texture-noise trade-off of any device the testers had seen to date.

Its video features aimed at professionals also impressed, including ProRes profiles in Log and HDR modes, and the new 4K120fps mode.

As well as its "class-leading overall video quality," praise was also given to its color performance for images using an "extensive range of bright and vivid hues" and customizable image color options. The wide array of editing options, "extremely accurate image preview," and zero shutter lag were also welcomed.

The only "con" in the results relates to the zoom function, which now uses the Tetraprism lens system to increase its magnification. The results determined there were inconsistencies between the 2x range and 5x range, with images "losing some detail."

This may be due to the fact that it is two different sensors in use for each point of the range. At 2x, it's actually using a 12MP crop of the 48MP Fusion camera, while 5x is using the Telephoto version.


The DXO results are a continuation of the high scores Apple's camera system typically receives for its new mobile devices. For 2023, the iPhone 15 Pro Max had the second-best camera system in the world, with a score of 154 points.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,957member
    the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera has been given a great set of results
    Fourth is not a great set of results. Being not as good as Google, or Huawei, and Honor (whoever THAT is) is not a great result. Sure they are close, but there was a time when Apple’s cell phone cameras were head and shoulders above the rest. Now they are mid pack. 
    sflagel
  • Reply 2 of 8
    quakerotisquakerotis Posts: 84member
    Yeah, sure. And this matters how?

    No one makes a living from test charts.

    Regarding smartphone cameras:

    They all suck the same.
  • Reply 3 of 8
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,523member
    These scores are incredibly close. If this was a CPU benchmark I think the top four would be characterized as tied. Of course it’s not a CPU benchmark, and I’m not really sure how to interpret the numbers. But I’d be surprised if there’s a real world difference.

    im wondering how the iPhone compares in “camera” features beyond image quality because those also matter. Is there any lag between taking a picture and then taking another? How do the camera apps compare in terms of features and ease of use? 
  • Reply 4 of 8
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,962member
    DAalseth said:
    the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera has been given a great set of results
    Fourth is not a great set of results. Being not as good as Google, or Huawei, and Honor (whoever THAT is) is not a great result. Sure they are close, but there was a time when Apple’s cell phone cameras were head and shoulders above the rest. Now they are mid pack. 
    The time when Apple's cameras were head and shoulders above the rest was a very long time ago. Save four video of course. 

    Over the last couple of years there have been welcome improvements from Apple except for the year they finally upgraded the sensors and then the computational side needed tweaking to get things back into sync.

    HONOR was Huawei's 'low cost' subsidiary until it was spun off as an independent entity and now its own range of premium phones. It has Huawei's pedigree in imaging.

    The Huawei Mate 70 series will be released before the end of the year and is rumoured to come with a new sensor and imaging capabilities. That will be followed early next year by the following P series flagships (which are photography focused) and of course two new Honor flagships.

    Competition is tough in smartphone photography but most output from even midrange phones is great for most people. 

  • Reply 5 of 8
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,396member
    Been looking at their scores for years. First started with SLR cameras and lenses. The testing protocols are very robust and repeatable with both objective and subjective interpretations.

    In my case, the one thing that has always been my highest priority is color accuracy, including skin tones. This is where I have felt that iPhones always shined and it received the highest score in this category.
    sflagel
  • Reply 6 of 8
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,574member
    mike1 said:
    Been looking at their scores for years. First started with SLR cameras and lenses. The testing protocols are very robust and repeatable with both objective and subjective interpretations.

    In my case, the one thing that has always been my highest priority is color accuracy, including skin tones. This is where I have felt that iPhones always shined and it received the highest score in this category.
    While Apple has long been excellent with overall color, traditionally iPhone photo processing algorithms have not properly rendered accurate skin tones unless the subject was a Caucasian. Other cameras, one example being the Pixels, have been doing noticeably better the past few years. Did that change with the series 16? I hadn't seen that particular test yet. 
    edited 10:23AM sflagel
  • Reply 7 of 8
    sflagelsflagel Posts: 839member
    Nothing to be proud of, son. Nothing to be proud of. 

    But then again, does it really matter at this level? They are all great smartphone cameras, and they all suck as cameras. 

    It’s like comparing First Class flying. Yes there are differences but it’s still overall a sad experience; compared to private. 
    edited 10:49AM
  • Reply 8 of 8
    boboliciousbobolicious Posts: 1,164member
    Thank you for this review...

    As I feared:

    "Despite a nominally higher 48MP pixel count on the ultra-wide camera, our testers could not observe any improvements in detail, neither in the lab nor in real-life scenes, at ultra-wide settings"

    I guess I'll be waiting another year, sigh...
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