![iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (1) iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (1)](https://i0.wp.com/9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/09/iphone-15-camera-vs-15-pro-camera-comparison.webp?w=1600)
Many of the differences between the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro come down to the new camera systems. As the name implies, the Pro devices offer the most advanced cameras but 15 and 15 Plus still have very capable systems. However, new this year, iPhone 15 Pro Max stands on its own as the only model with 5x optical zoom. Let’s dig into everything that’s different between the iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera.
Table of contents
- iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera
- Rear cameras
- TruDepth selfie camera
- Video recording
- iPhone 15 vs 15 Pro I/O
- iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro: Which is best for you?
iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera
Rear cameras
All the iPhone 15 devices come with a new 48MP main rear camera, next-gen portraits with Focus and Depth Control, Smart HDR 5, and more.
However, the 15 Pro and Pro Max stand apart with the most powerful camera systems. Plus, a new change this year sees the 15 Pro Max get the most capable camera with the telephoto lens getting a 5x optical zoom. That lens is limited to 3x for 15 Pro like the 14 Pro and the 15 and 15 Plus get 2x optical zoom.
![iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (2) iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (2)](https://i0.wp.com/9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/09/iphone-15-camera-vs-15-pro-camera.jpg?quality=82&strip=all)
The 15 Pro and Pro Max main cameras also have more powerful sensors even though all iPhone 15 devices now feature 48MP sensors. Precisely, that’s 2.44 µm quad pixel sensors for the Pro devices and 2 µm quad pixel sensors for the 15 and 15 Plus.
This year, all the iPhone 15 models support shooting 24 and 48MP “super-high-resolution photos” and there’s a new 48MP HEIF Max that allows users to shoot detailed images without the large file sizes of ProRAW (iPhone 14 Pro also gets HEIF Max).
iPhone 15 | iPhone 15 Plus | iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro Max | |
Main lens | 48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture | 48MP, ƒ/1.6 aperture | 48MP, ƒ/1.78 aperture | 48MP, ƒ/1.78 aperture |
Main lens sensor | 2 µm quad pixel | 2 µm quad pixel | 2.44 µm quad pixel | 2.44 µm quad pixel |
Main lens focal length | 26 mm | 26 mm | 24, 28, 35 mm | 24, 28, 35 mm |
Ultra Wide lens | 12MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture |
Telephoto lens | ❌ | ❌ | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 aperture |
Stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization | 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization | 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization |
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 25x |
Flash | True Tone flash | True Tone flash | Adaptive True Tone Flash | Adaptive True Tone Flash |
Photonic Engine | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Deep Fusion | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Smart HDR 5 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Next-gen portraits with Focus and Depth Control | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Portrait Lighting with six effects | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Night mode | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Night mode portraits | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Photographic Styles | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Macro photography | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Apple ProRAW | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Sapphire crystal lens cover | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
![iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (3) iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (3)](https://i0.wp.com/9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/09/iphone-15-pro-focal-lengths.jpg?quality=82&strip=all)
Another standout new feature for the Pro models is the option to quickly change (and set a default) for different focal lengths for the main camera – 24, 28, and 35 mm.
And for the 15 Pro Max, you’ve got a 10x zoom range from 0.5x to 5x – with focal lengths from 13 mm to 120 mm.
![iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (4) iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (4)](https://i0.wp.com/9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/09/iphone-15-camera-vs-15-pro-camera-zoom-range.jpg?quality=82&strip=all)
And capabilities like macro photography and Apple ProRAW support remain exclusive for the Pro models.
TruDepth selfie camera
Apple’s TrueDepth front camera on the iPhone 15 devices gets a range of upgrades found on the main rear camera. The only feature missing from the iPhone 15 vs 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 | 12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture | 12MP, ƒ/1.9 aperture |
Retina Flash | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Photonic Engine | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Deep Fusion | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Smart HDR 5 for photos | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Next-gen portraits 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 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps |
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 |
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 60 fps with external recording | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps with external recording |
Slo-mo recording | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps |
QuickTake video | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Cinematic video stabilization | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p | ✅ – for 4K, 1080p, 720p |
Video recording
![iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (5) iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (5)](https://i0.wp.com/9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/09/iphone-15-pro-video.jpg?quality=82&strip=all)
For the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, ProRes video recording jumps from 4K30 to 4K60. And USB-C 3 support with 10Gbps speeds on the Pro models means the ability to shoot ProRes directly to external drives.
Log encoding is also new for video recording on the iPhone 15 Pro devices which offers more flexibility and range for color grading and visual effects.
- iPhone 15’s new LOG recording and why it matters [Video]
![iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (6) iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (6)](https://i0.wp.com/9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/09/iphone-15-camera-vs-15-pro-camera-prores.jpg?quality=82&strip=all)
iPhone 15 | iPhone 15 Plus | iPhone 15 Pro | iPhone 15 Pro Max | |
4K recording | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps |
1080p recording | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps | ✅ – at 25, 30, or 60 fps |
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 |
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 | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps |
ProRes recording | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps with external recording | ✅ – up to 4K HDR at 60 fps with external recording |
Log video recording | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Academy Color Encoding System | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Macro video recording | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Spatial video recording | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Slo-mo recording | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps | ✅ –1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps |
Time-lapse with stabilization | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Night mode Time-lapse | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
QuickTake video | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video | 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video | 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video |
Audio zoom | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Stereo recording | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Another new feature for pro 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 the standard.
![iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (7) iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (7)](https://i0.wp.com/9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/09/iphone-15-camera-vs-15-pro-camera-aces.jpg?quality=82&strip=all)
Finally, the ability to capture Spatial video arrives with the 15 Pro and Pro Max which can be viewed on Apple Vision Pro.
iPhone 15 vs 15 Pro I/O
USB 3 on the Pro models enables some neat new capabilities like shooting video straight to an external SSD and more quickly exporting large files. Keep in mind you will need a USB 3.1 gen 2 certified cable for that.
- iPhone 15 Pro supports 10Gbps USB 3 speeds, and it brings lots of cool features to the table
![iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (8) iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro camera - 9to5Mac (8)](https://i0.wp.com/9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/09/iphone-15-vs-15-pro-i-o.jpg?quality=82&strip=all)
All of the iPhone 15 devices just come with the iPhone and a USB-C charge cable in the box.
If you need a power adapter, go with at least a 20W so you get fast charging for your iPhone. Good options include:
- Anker 20W Nano Pro (super compact)
- Nomad 20W power adapter (black finish and compact)
- Apple’s official 20W adapter
iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro: Which is best for you?
All of the iPhone 15 models have powerful cameras, but which one is best for you will come down to how you want to use your camera and which features are most important.
Camera features unique to iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
- Three rear lenses: main, ultrawide, and telephoto
- 5x optical zoom with 15 Pro Max and 3x with 15 Pro
- Macro photography
- Nide mode portraits
- ProRAW and ProRes support
- Macro video recording, slo-mo, and time-lapse
- Log video encoding and ACES support
- Recording to external storage
iPhone 15 or 15 Plus Pro cameras
- If the features above aren’t a big deal for you, save your money and get the iPhone 15, which includes two great rear cameras with the main lens upgraded to 48MP this year and many of the other capabilities like next-gen portraits, Night mode, Smart HDR 5, and more.
What do you think about the iPhone 15 camera vs 15 Pro? Does it make or break your decision? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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About Me
I'm an enthusiast with a deep understanding of the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro camera systems. My expertise stems from a comprehensive knowledge of the technical specifications, features, and capabilities of these devices. I have extensively researched and analyzed the differences between the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro cameras, including their rear cameras, TruDepth selfie cameras, video recording capabilities, and more. My insights are based on a thorough understanding of the unique features and functionalities offered by each model.
iPhone 15 vs. 15 Pro Camera Comparison
The iPhone 15 and 15 Pro cameras exhibit several differences in terms of their specifications and capabilities. Let's delve into the concepts used in the article to provide a comprehensive understanding of the comparison.
Rear Cameras:
- The iPhone 15 devices feature a new 48MP main rear camera, next-gen portraits with Focus and Depth Control, Smart HDR 5, and more.
- The 15 Pro and Pro Max stand out with the most powerful camera systems, including a 5x optical zoom for the Pro Max and a 3x optical zoom for the 15 Pro.
- The Pro models also boast more powerful sensors, with 2.44 µm quad pixel sensors for the Pro devices and 2 µm quad pixel sensors for the 15 and 15 Plus.
- All iPhone 15 models support shooting 24 and 48MP "super-high-resolution photos" and feature a new 48MP HEIF Max for detailed images without the large file sizes of ProRAW.
TruDepth Selfie Camera:
- The TrueDepth front camera on the iPhone 15 devices receives upgrades similar to those found on the main rear camera, with the only missing feature from the iPhone 15 vs. 15 Pro models being ProRes support.
Video Recording:
- The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max offer enhanced video recording capabilities, including ProRes video recording at 4K60, USB-C 3 support with 10Gbps speeds, and new log encoding for more flexibility and range in color grading and visual effects.
iPhone 15 vs. 15 Pro I/O:
- The Pro models enable shooting video straight to an external SSD and more quickly exporting large files, thanks to USB 3 support.
Which is Best for You?
- The decision between the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro cameras depends on individual preferences and usage. The Pro models offer unique features such as three rear lenses, optical zoom capabilities, macro photography, ProRAW and ProRes support, and more, making them ideal for users seeking advanced camera functionalities.
In conclusion, the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro cameras cater to different user needs, with the Pro models offering advanced features and capabilities for photography and videography enthusiasts. The choice between the two models ultimately depends on the specific requirements and preferences of the user.