What are the real differences between the cameras of the new iPhone 12 Pro and last year's iPhone 11 Pro? And if in
Camera Comparison
Let's take a look at the specs: the iPhone 12 Pro has the same triple-camera system as last year's iPhone 11 Pro series. Well, of course, with some reservations.
The only differences are in boldHardware: The main camera uses a 7-element lens compared to last year's 6-element lens, and you also get a faster f / 1.6 aperture on the main lens compared to f / 1.8 on last year's model.
And yes, Apple also added this LiDAR sensor toiPhone 12 Pro family this year, but the only use of this sensor is for a specific camera — It's faster autofocus in low light, and it has no actual impact on image quality per se. With that in mind, let's look at images taken with these two iPhone models.
Example 1
This first photo is a good illustration.the direction Apple went with the iPhone 12: brighter photos, sharper details, slightly more saturated colors. It looks sharper and has more of that wow factor.
Example 2
The extra sharpness is especially noticeable atphotographs with many small details such as the trees on the right. Note the brighter and more cheerful exposure, which makes the photo overall more enjoyable.
Example 3
While these photos are very similar, it's easy to see how the foliage colors are enhanced on the iPhone 12 Pro, and this adds a fall-like feel to this landscape shot. This is a small but noticeable improvement.
Example 4
Although usually the iPhone 12 makes more contrastphoto, this picture turned out to be a little different. You can still notice brighter exposure on the iPhone 12, as well as less saturated skin tones, but a slightly darker image on the iPhone 11 Pro might look a little better in this case.
Example 5
There is usually not much difference in dynamicrange between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 11 lineup, but in this particular example, the iPhone 12 retains well-balanced highlights and also adds vibrancy to greens.
Example 6
What's interesting about this example is thathow obvious the difference in sharpness is. Lots of tiny leaves and twigs in the new phone, which last year's iPhone are sharp, but not too sharp. At the same time, the fountain below benefits from increased exposure and added contrast and looks more impressive in the focusing quality of this image.
Example 7
When it comes to cameras with zoom, specialno difference. Both the 12 Pro and 11 Pro have a 2x zoom lens with the same focal length and aperture. But notice, it seems that the brighter exposure is encoded in the algorithm on the iPhone 12, and in this very zoomed photo it is zoomed to the maximum. We've noticed this in several other zoomed shots too: zooming too much results in a noticeably overexposed shot on the 12 Pro line, and just watch that sweater noise!
Example 8
Ultra-wide-angle camera comparison
When it comes to ultra wide-angle cameras, the hardware hasn't changed at all, but the software has changed. Note the brighter greens and brighter exposure.
Example 9
Ultra wide-angle camera
In this picture, there really are almost no differences. However, if you look at the photo on the big screen, you will notice that the iPhone 12 has sharpened.
Example 10 Comparison of night shooting
Moving on to low-light photography, the higher aperture on the iPhone 12 Pro's main camera matters more. Photos become brighter and more beautiful.
The ultra-wide-angle camera of the iPhone 12 is now alsoSupports night mode, which automatically turns on when it gets dark. The iPhone 11's ultra-wide-angle camera does not have this capability, and is completely useless in very low light.
Example 11
Night photos
Another shot from the main camera on the iPhone 12 Pro at night, and you'll notice that the image on the iPhone 12 Pro is slightly brighter and sharper.
Example 12
Once again, the iPhone 12 Pro's ultra-wide-angle camera with built-in Night Mode delivers a difference in quality literally day and night.
Example 13
Low light portrait shooting
Portrait mode photo taken withlow light. The iPhone 12 Pro with a LiDAR sensor focused slightly faster, and you might also notice skin tones are slightly pinker and less saturated in the iPhone 12 Pro family.
Total
Move to a higher f / 1 aperture.6 on the primary lens caused a number of changes in the iPhone 12 lineup: Overall, photos on the iPhone 12 are noticeably sharper, with consistently brighter exposures and noticeable increases in contrast. Sometimes the colors are richer, and in many cases they just look better. But these are the differences that you notice most when looking at photos on the big screen, and they are not as dramatic improvements as the introduction of night mode last year.
However, these changes result in photos that look sharper, more attractive, and sometimes even look slightly better than they actually do.
So is it worth buying the iPhone 12 Pro if you havehave an iPhone 11 phone? If the photos you take with your phone are extremely important to you, then yes, you will get brighter images at night and can use the ultra wide-angle camera at night. But for most people, these subtle differences aren't the only compelling reason to upgrade.