Posted by Tim Hardwick
As we await the release of Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 series, there are rumors swirling about some potential camera upgrades that could change the way we use our iPhones for photography.
The camera system has always been the cornerstone of Apple's iPhone, and this year Apple appears committed to push the boundaries of what is possible even further. As the iPhone 16 launch approaches in September, all eyes will be on how the following changes can keep Apple competitive in an increasingly crowded market.
1. Vertical camera position
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 base models will have a vertical camera layout with a pill-shaped bump instead of a diagonal camera layout like the iPhone 15. The new camera bump has two separate rings for the wide and ultra-wide cameras. The vertical camera position is expected to enable spatial video recording, which is currently only available on iPhone 15 Pro models.
2. Ultra Wide Angle Lens Update
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature an upgraded 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera lens that will capture more light, resulting in better quality photos when shooting. Shooting in 0.5x mode, especially in low light conditions. This also means iPhone 16 Pro models will be able to shoot 48MP ProRAW photos in Ultra Wide mode. These photos retain more detail in the image file, allowing for greater editing flexibility, and can be printed at larger sizes.
3. Super telephoto lens
iPhone 16 Pro Max
The iPhone 16 Pro Max could be the first iPhone with a super-telephoto periscope camera, allowing for significantly increased optical zoom. A “super” or “ultra” telephoto lens usually refers to cameras with a focal length greater than 300mm. The current telephoto lens is equivalent to a 77mm lens, so if it's accurate the zoom capabilities could increase significantly. Super telephoto lenses are often used for sports and wildlife photography, but the extremely soft backgrounds they create also make them useful for portrait photography, as long as there is sufficient distance between the subject and the photographer.
4. Tetraprism lens
iPhone 16 Pro
Both iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to feature 5x optical zoom, which is currently an exclusive feature of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple's tetraprism lens system has a “foldable” design that allows it to fit inside a smartphone, providing up to 5x optical zoom and up to 25x digital zoom. In contrast, the current smaller iPhone 15 Pro is limited to 3x optical zoom, which is the same as the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
5; Reduce glare
All iPhone 16 models
Apple is reportedly testing a new anti-reflective optical coating technology for its iPhone cameras that could improve the quality of photos by reducing such artifacts. like flare and ghosting. Apple plans to introduce new atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment into its iPhone camera lens coating process. The materials used by ALD can also protect the camera lens system from environmental influences without affecting the sensor's ability. effectively capture light.
6. Capture button
All iPhone 16 models
All iPhone 16 models will have a new Camera-based Capture button designed to quickly trigger an image or The button will add features such as the ability to zoom in and out by swiping left and right, focus on an object with a light press, and activate recording with a firmer press. The Capture button will be located on the bottom right side of the iPhone 16 and will replace the mmWave antenna on iPhone models. in the US, which will move the antenna to the left side of the device under the volume and action buttons.
Related Reviews: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 ProTag: Photography [36 comments]
