DXOMARK has delivered its final verdict regarding the photo and video capabilities of the iPhone 16. Although it stands out in both categories, it only reaches the twentieth position in the ranking.
The iPhone 16 is ultimate in video and very good in photos
After testing the photos and videos part of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, DXOMARK is now looking at the standard model. While the iPhone 16 Pro Max ranked first in video and fourth in photo, the standard model found itself much further down the rankings.
DXOMARK is renowned for its extremely rigorous testing in the industry, combining scientific laboratory testing with real-world shooting. Smartphone cameras are evaluated on 17 different criteria over several weeks.
In the official DXOMARK ranking, the iPhone 16 only comes in 20th position with a score of 147. The ranking is dominated by the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra (163), the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (158) and the Honor Magic6 Pro (158). Note that the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max from the previous year rank in 8th and 9th position respectively, while the iPhone 15 is in 26th place.
The positives of the iPhone 16 camera:
- Beautiful brightness and contrast with images seen on the HDR screen
- Pleasant skin tones and beautiful colors for photo and video
- High levels of detail in bright light and when shooting indoors
- Fast and generally accurate autofocus
- Smooth zoom in preview
- Vivid brightness and contrast with videos viewed on the HDR display
- Video noise is generally well controlled
- Quite effective video stabilization
The negative points of the iPhone 16 camera:
- Limited dynamic range may cause highlight clipping in photos and videos
- Flaring and color change artifacts in photos
- Limited long-range zoom capabilities
- Loss of fine detail in video, especially in low light
- Artifacts including reflections, moving texture in low light, and aliasing may be visible in the video
- Noise in shadowed parts of the frame and in low-light images
DXOMARK review for the iPhone 16 in photos:
In DXOMARK camera tests, Apple’s iPhone 16 delivered very good performance for its class. Except for improved autofocus and a faster ultra-wide camera lens, the new device uses almost identical camera hardware to the predecessor, but software changes have resulted in performance improvements in several test areas.
In our evaluations, the camera captured beautiful still images and videos with excellent exposure, good contrast, and pleasing skin tones. The video stabilization system kept things smooth and stable when recording moving images. On the other hand, the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens meant that images captured at mid- and long-range telephoto settings lacked detail and texture.
When it comes to the video part, it is well known that Apple is among the best. So it’s no surprise that DXOMARK gives the iPhone 16 a score of 154 out of 159, a near-perfect score for a smartphone at this price. The champion, however, remains the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which costs €500 more.
DXOMARK review for the iPhone 16 in video:
Video performance was excellent for this class of devices. As with still images, overall video quality was quite similar to the predecessor. Our testers noticed some refinements, particularly in the color category, with improved white balance. The new model also delivered better video texture than last year’s device, while noise might be a little more intrusive on the iPhone 16.
Conclusion
The iPhone 16, like its predecessors, turns out to be an excellent smartphone for photos and videos, with a clear preference for video. Contrary to quick tests found on the internet, DXOMARK claims that Apple has further improved and optimized the lenses of this new iPhone compared to last year’s. This is, for us, the best iPhone 2024.
