Many of the differences between the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro come down to the new camera systems. As the name suggests, the Pro devices offer the most advanced cameras, but the 15 and 15 Plus still have very powerful systems. However, new this year, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the only model with 5x optical zoom. Let's dive into all the differences between the iPhone 15 camera and the iPhone 15 Pro camera.
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- Camera iPhone 15 and 15 Pro Camera
- Rear Cameras
- TruDepth Selfie Camera
- Video Recording
- iPhone 15 or 15 Pro I/O
- iPhone 15 or 15 Pro camera: which is better for you?
- Rear Cameras
- TruDepth Selfie Camera
- Video Recording
- iPhone 15 or 15 Pro I/O
iPhone 15 camera and iPhone 15 Pro camera
Rear camera
All iPhone 15 devices feature a new 48MP main rear camera, next-gen Portrait with focus and depth control, Smart HDR 5, and more.
However, the 15 Pro and Pro Max models stand out as the most powerful camera systems. There's also a new change this year: the 15 Pro Max will have the most powerful camera ever, with a telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. This lens is limited to 3x zoom on the 15 Pro, as the 14 Pro, and the 15 and 15 Plus have 2x optical zoom.
iPhone 15 Pro left, iPhone 15 right
15 Pro and Pro Max main cameras also feature more powerful sensors, although all iPhone 15 devices now feature 48MP sensors. Namely, these are four-pixel sensors with a size of 2.44 microns for Pro devices and four-pixel sensors with a size of 2.44 microns for 15 and 15 Plus.
This year, all iPhone 15 models support 24MP and 48MP photography and ultra-high-resolution photography. and there's a new 48-megapixel HEIF Max that allows users to capture detailed images without large ProRAW file sizes (the iPhone 14 Pro also supports HEIF Max).
| iPhone 15 | iPhone 15 Plus | iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro Max | |
| Main lens | 48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture | 48 MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture | 48 MP, ƒ/1.78 aperture | 48MP, ƒ/1.78 aperture |
| Main sensor lens | 2 µm, four-pixel | 2 micron four-pixel | four-pixel 2.44 micron | Four pixels 2.44 microns |
| Primary focal length of the lens | 26 mm | 26 mm | 24, 28, 35 mm | 24, 28, 35 mm |
| Ultra-wide-angle lens | 12MP, aperture ƒ/2.4 | 12MP, aperture ƒ/2.4 | 12MP, ƒ/Aperture 2.2 | 12 MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture |
| Telephoto | ❌ | ❌ | 12 MP, ƒ/2.8 aperture | 12 MP, ƒ/2.8 aperture |
| Stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization | 2nd generation sensor – sensor-shift optical image stabilization | 2nd generation optical image stabilization with sensor shift |
| Optical zoom | 0.5x, 1x and 2x | 0.5x, 1x and 2x | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x |
| Digital zoom | Up to 10x | Up to 10x | Up to 15x | Up to 25 times |
| Flash | True Tone Flash | True Tone Flash | Adaptive True Tone Flash | True Tone Adaptive Flash |
| Photonic Engine | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Deep Fusion | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Smart HDR 5 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Next generation portraits with focus and depth control | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Portrait lighting with six effects | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Night mode portraits | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Photo styles | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Macro photography | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Apple ProRAW | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | item |
| Sapphire crystal lens cover | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Another standout new feature on the Pro models is the ability to quickly change (and set a default) different focal lengths for the main camera. – 24, 28 and 35mm.
And for the 15 Pro Max you have a 10x zoom range from 0.5x to 5x – with focal lengths from 13mm to 120mm.
And features like macro photography and support for Apple ProRAW remain exclusive to Pro models.
TruDepth selfie camera
The front-facing Apple TrueDepth camera on the iPhone 15 devices has received a number of upgrades that are shared with the main rear camera. The only feature missing from the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro models is ProRes support.
| iPhone 15 | iPhone 15 Plus | iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro Max | |||
| TrueDepth front camera | 12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture | 12 MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture | 12 MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture | 12 MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture | ||
| Retina Flash | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Photon Engine | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Deep Fusion | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Smart HDR 5 for photos | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Portraits of the new generation with focus and depth control | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Portrait lighting with six effects | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Animoji and Memoji | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Night mode | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Photographic styles | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| 4K recording | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30 or 60 frames per second | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30 or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30 or 60 frames per second | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30 or 60 frames per second | ||
| Cinematic mode | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at speed 30 frames per second | ✅ td> |
| HDR/Dolby Vision recording | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps | ||
| ProRes recording | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60fps with external recording | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps with external recording | ||
| Slow motion recording | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ||
| Quick video | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Cinematic video stabilization | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p |
Video recording
For iPhone 15V Pro and Pro Max, ProRes video recording resolution increases from 4K30 to 4K60. And USB-C 3 support at 10 Gbps on Pro models means the ability to shoot ProRes directly to external drives.
Log Encoding is also a new video recording feature on iPhone 15 Pro devices that allows for greater flexibility and range in color grading and visual effects.
- New iPhone 15 Logging and Why It Matters [Video]
| iPhone 15 | iPhone 15 Plus | iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro Max | |
| 4K Recording | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30 or 60 frames per second | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30 or 60 frames per second | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30 or 60 frames per second second | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30 or 60 frames per second |
| 1080p recording | ✅ – at 25, 30 or 60 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30 or 60 frames per second | ✅ – at 25, 30 or 60 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30 or 60 fps |
| Cinematic mode | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 30 fps |
| Action mode | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| HDR/Dolby Vision recording | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps second | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps |
| Recording in ProRes format | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps with external recording | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60fps with external recording |
| Record video to log | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Color Coding System Academy | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Macro video recording | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Spatial video recording | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Slow recording | ✅ –1080p at 120 or 240 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 or 240 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 or 240 frames per second | ✅ –1080p at 120 or 240 fps |
| Time-lapse with stabilization | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Night mode Time-lapse | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Quick video | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video | Sensor-Shift Optical Image Stabilization for Video | 2nd Generation Sensor-Shift Optical Image Stabilization for Video | 2nd generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video |
| Zoom sound | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Stereo recording | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
More One new feature for professional users is support for the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES). Apple says the 15 Pro devices are the first smartphones in the world to support this standard.
Finally, the ability to capture spatial video comes to the 15 Pro and Pro Max, which can be viewed in Apple Vision Pro.
iPhone 15 vs 15 Pro I/O
USB 3 on Pro models provides some useful new features, such as like shooting video directly to an external SSD and exporting large files faster. Keep in mind that you'll need a USB 3.1 gen 2 certified cable to do this.
- iPhone 15 Pro supports USB 3 10Gbps speeds and offers a lot of cool features.
All iPhone 15 devices come complete with the iPhone itself and a USB-C charging cable.
If you need a power adapter, choose a power rating of at least 20W to ensure your iPhone charges quickly. Good options:
- Anker 20W Nano Pro (Super Compact)
- Nomad 20W Power Adapter (Black Finish and Compact)
- Apple’ Official 20W adapter
iPhone 15 vs 15 Pro camera: which is better for you?
All iPhone 15 models have powerful cameras, but which one is best for you depends on how you want to use the camera and what features are most important.
Features cameras unique to iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
- Three rear lenses: main, ultra-wide and telephoto
- 5x optical zoom with 15 Pro Max and 3x with 15 Pro.
- Macro
- Nide portraits
- ProRAW and ProRes support
- Video macro, time-lapse, and time-lapse shooting.
- Log video encoding and ACES support.
- Recording to external storage.
iPhone 15 or 15 Plus Pro cameras
- If the features listed above aren't a big deal to you, save your money and get the iPhone 15, which includes two excellent rear cameras with a primary lens upgraded to 48MP. year and many more features such as next-gen portraits, night mode, Smart HDR 5 and more.
What do you think of the iPhone 15 camera compared to the iPhone 15 Pro camera? Does it make or break your decision? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Thanks for reading our guide to choosing the iPhone 15 camera vs. 15 Pro camera!
