Reviewing iPhone 14 Pro Camera: Elevating Image Quality with 48 MP, Impressive Video Recording

The Dynamic Island display emerges as a notable highlight on the iPhone 14 Pro post-launch. However, in terms of specifications and real-world experience, I believe the camera system of this iPhone stands out as the most significant upgrade. For the first time in years, Apple has departed from the conventional 12 MP sensor and upgraded the main camera resolution to 48 MP. So, does the iPhone 14 Pro capture beautiful photos? How does the iPhone 14 Pro perform in video recording? Let's review the iPhone 14 Pro camera together to find the answers!

Note: You can click here to view more details about all the captured photos in this article.

Learn more: Review of iPhone 14 Pro Battery: Long-lasting Battery, Continuous Usage for Over 7 Hours

Highlighted Specs of iPhone 14 Pro Camera with 48 MP Main Sensor

Before delving into the detailed photos of the iPhone 14 Pro, let's quickly review the hardware specifications of this phone's camera, as follows:

• Main camera: 48 MP with f/1.78 aperture, 2nd generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization.
• Ultra-wide camera: 12 MP with f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree field of view.
• Telephoto camera: 12 MP with f/2.8 aperture, 3x digital zoom, OIS.
• Front camera: 12 MP with f/1.9 aperture, 4K video recording, 60 FPS frame rate.

According to Apple's announcement, the main camera of the iPhone 14 Pro features a sensor that is 65% larger than its predecessor and boasts a resolution of 48 MP. Even though in regular mode, the device still produces images at 12 MP, Apple utilizes a technique of combining four pixels into one, enhancing both light capture capability and detail compared to the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Additionally, Apple offers the ProRaw option for advanced users, a high-quality 3x optical zoom camera, and a sensor for an ultra-wide angle that is nearly double the size of the previous generation. As a result, the output quality of zoomed images on the iPhone 14 Pro is Optical Quality - high-resolution images without any digital zoom quality from a wide-angle photo with a resolution of 48MP. In other words, despite sharing the same sensor and lens, we now have two focal lengths for capturing images with equivalent quality.

iPhone 14 Pro captures stunning photos effortlessly in well-lit conditions

The latest iPhone models from Apple offer various shooting modes such as HDR and night mode, yet users sometimes overlook their presence (including myself). This is because the device excels at scene recognition, requiring us only to raise and press the button to capture the perfect shot.

One of the standout features I appreciate in the iPhone 14 Pro camera this year is its ability to automatically detect and enable HDR mode. In harsh sunlight, the device autonomously brightens the subject while preserving a well-lit scene. This is a common scenario where conventional smartphones often struggle with subject underexposure.

When I first started using the iPhone 14 Pro to take test shots, at first glance, the photos didn't seem significantly different from the previous generation. However, in more challenging conditions such as low light, backlighting, or complex color environments, we can truly appreciate the device's exceptional color reproduction and remarkable detail. As a result, this phone demonstrates a clear advantage over high-end Android smartphones without the need for manual mode adjustments.

Additionally, I personally believe that Apple's addition of a 2X focal length to the iPhone 14 Pro is entirely justified and very useful in real-world scenarios. The phone's 1x camera has a wider focal length than before, which means the frame will have more distortion, making it difficult to focus on a specific scene within the frame.

To compensate for that minor flaw on the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple has introduced a 2x camera with equivalent image quality because it does not involve digital zoom. In many situations or different circumstances, the 2x camera will help us focus on the subject we want to capture, reduce optical distortion, and produce a higher-quality image.

Compared to the previous generation, the selfie camera of the iPhone 14 Pro still maintains a 1/3.6-inch sensor size, a 23mm focal length, but increases the aperture from f/2.2 to f/1.9, allowing users to capture better low-light shots. This is also one of the few smartphones on the market with features like autofocus and optical image stabilization (OIS) on the front camera.

Selfie photos from iPhones until now have not smoothed or enhanced pink tones for the skin, but the level of detail is very good. The device only processes brightness, slight color saturation for selfie photos, and slightly enhances these adjustments when portrait mode is activated with the front camera. Additionally, I really appreciate the new autofocus feature, which allows us to take closer shots without losing focus when capturing group photos.

The iPhone 14 Pro camera enhances low-light performance

With night mode, the iPhone 14 Pro camera also detects low-light scenes and provides appropriate exposure times. In fact, for exposures of about one second and even when users cannot hold the device steady, the photos still achieve relatively good quality. Similarly, when shooting macro shots, the iPhone 14 Pro camera automatically switches to the ultra-wide camera so users can operate at the closest distance to the subject.

The upgraded sensor and new algorithms result in better low-light performance for the iPhone 14 Pro camera, thanks to a larger sensor (no need for exposure mode). This phone can take a photo in more challenging conditions such as while moving or in low-light environments while still delivering good quality.

The new sensor also helps the iPhone 14 Pro capture better in low-light conditions compared to Android competitors in the same segment. Night shots from the iPhone 14 Pro have less yellowish tone, more brightness, and notably good detail. In situations where using a maximum exposure time of about one second, the scenery is reproduced with very little noise, accurate colors, and minimal loss of detail. Additionally, the device uses a sensor shift to stabilize images, making it very effective for night photography.

Based on my previous experience with the 3x lens (77mm) on the iPhone 13 Pro, this focal length produced unsatisfactory image quality, poor color reproduction in low light, and inadequate noise processing. With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple has correctly focused on upgrading this lens, improving image quality, and reducing noise in low-light conditions. I rarely took photos with the 3x lens in low-light conditions (even slightly dim lighting like in the evening). However, now with the iPhone 14 Pro, I can be more confident using the 3x lens in the dark, and the resulting photos are quite satisfying.

The video recording feature on the iPhone in general, and the iPhone 14 Pro in particular, is something I highly appreciate due to its true-to-life colors, good contrast, and accurate color reproduction. I rarely need to use video recording for work, usually only capturing short videos to keep as memories, and the iPhone 14 Pro's camera fully meets that need. You can watch a detailed review of the video recording capabilities on the iPhone 14 Pro through the video below!

In case you are serious about video recording, you can also take advantage of the useful professional recording features on the iPhone 14 Pro. For example, the Action Mode feature will be useful for sports enthusiasts, runners, or cyclists.

Summary

Overall, I find the photos taken by the iPhone 14 Pro this year to be improved compared to its predecessor, largely due to the sensor upgrades. If you are using older iPhone models and are looking for higher quality experiences beyond the camera, such as the Dynamic Island display, new chip, new colors, etc., then the iPhone 14 Pro is a worthy consideration for you.

So, what are your thoughts on the iPhone 14 Pro camera? Leave a comment below for me and everyone else to know! Thank you for your interest and for following my article.

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See more: 

• iPhone 14 vs iPhone 14 Pro Comparison: Which version suits you?
• iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 13 Pro Comparison: Is it worth upgrading?