iPhone 16 Series Camera Upgrades: 48MP Main Camera, 5x Telephoto, and New Camera Button

iPhone 16 Series Camera Upgrades: 48MP Main Camera, 5x Telephoto, and New Camera ButtonTech outlet AppleInsider recently published a blog post detailing the camera specs of the four upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models, including the much-anticipated camera button and the new JPEG-XL image format.iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 PlusThe iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will continue to sport a dual-camera setup, with the wide-angle main camera offering 1-2x zoom and the ultra-wide-angle secondary camera offering 0

iPhone 16 Series Camera Upgrades: 48MP Main Camera, 5x Telephoto, and New Camera Button

Tech outlet AppleInsider recently published a blog post detailing the camera specs of the four upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models, including the much-anticipated camera button and the new JPEG-XL image format.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will continue to sport a dual-camera setup, with the wide-angle main camera offering 1-2x zoom and the ultra-wide-angle secondary camera offering 0.5x zoom. Unlike before, the cameras will be arranged vertically, replacing the previous diagonal arrangement.

Sources revealed that Apple will maintain the main camera specs for the standard and Plus iPhone models until 2026, therefore, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will continue to feature a 48MP main camera with an f/1.6 aperture and 2x telephoto function.

While the main camera specs remain unchanged, Apple has upgraded the ultra-wide-angle camera for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, increasing the aperture from the previous f/2.4 to a faster f/2.2. The larger aperture means that more light can enter the sensor, effectively improving low-light shooting performance.

Notably, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will support macro photography for the first time, providing users with more shooting options.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will see substantial upgrades in the camera department. Both models will retain the triple-camera setup, including a wide-angle camera, an ultra-wide-angle camera, and a telephoto camera.

The main sensor will also remain at 48MP, with an f/1.78 aperture and the ability to capture 12MP telephoto photos at 2x optical quality, with a pixel size of 1.22m.

Both Pro models will be equipped with a 5x telephoto camera, also with 12MP resolution and an f/2.8 aperture.

The ultra-wide-angle lens will also receive an upgrade, with Apple increasing it to 48MP and featuring the same pixel binning capabilities as the main camera. When shooting at full resolution, the pixel size is 0.7m; during quadpixel shooting, the pixel size is 1.4m.

It is rumored that Apple might support shooting 48MP ProRaw photos, providing more image data and offering users richer post-processing options.

Other Camera Changes in the iPhone 16 Series

In addition to the aforementioned upgrades, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro series will introduce a new JPEG-XL image format, joining the existing HEIF, JPEG, HEIFMax, ProRaw, and ProRAWMax formats.

Reportedly, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will support 3K video recording at 120 frames per second and feature DolbyVision capability.

New Camera Button

Reports suggest that all four models in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro series will be equipped with a new camera button. This button will be located on the lower right side of the body. When holding the phone horizontally, the camera bump will be at the top, allowing users to easily reach the new button with their index finger.

The camera button is said to be capacitive, requiring a finger touch to activate, preventing accidental presses in a pocket. Designed specifically for the camera app, users can choose to use any camera application, including both Apples official apps and third-party applications.

Within the camera app, the button will be a force-sensitive half-button, tied to a developer API. For instance, users can lock exposure and focus before fully pressing the camera button.

As the button is capacitive, it can act as a kind of trackpad. Sliding a finger along the button can perform different actions. AppleInsider speculates that Apple might leverage it for zooming in and out of pictures. Other options might include switching filters, adjusting exposure levels, or adjusting background blur in portrait mode while shooting.

Conclusion

The iPhone 16 series brings several significant upgrades to the camera department, including a more powerful main camera, a stronger ultra-wide-angle lens, a new camera button, and the JPEG-XL image format. These upgrades will further enhance the iPhone's shooting experience, offering users richer shooting options and higher-quality image results.