Claims of the iPhone 16 Pro's 48-megapixel camera being 'fake' are highly overstated. Here's the truth

Pro photographer and YouTuber Tony Northrup has recently criticized Apple’s marketing for the iPhone 16 Pro line, stating that the camera’s advertising is “meaningless and misleading.” The central claim under scrutiny is that the iPhone 16 Pro camera uses a 48-megapixel sensor. To evaluate this, Northrup compared the iPhone 15 Pro Max, not the iPhone 16 Pro itself, to a 48MP professional Sony camera. As expected, the professional camera outperformed the iPhone in image quality.

The 48MP Claim Explained

The 13-mm ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro does indeed have 48 million pixels, but the key detail lies in how the sensor works. The iPhone, like many other smartphones, uses a Quad Bayer sensor. This sensor groups four pixels under a single color filter (red, green, or blue), unlike standard sensors which have separate filters for each individual pixel.

In the Quad Bayer sensor, pixels are arranged in a 4x4 pattern, consisting of four blue, four red, and eight green pixels. This configuration enhances light sensitivity, color accuracy, and produces images that appear more realistic due to the human eye’s higher sensitivity to green light.

Under ideal conditions, a 48MP Quad Bayer sensor can generate a true 48MP image. However, achieving this requires computational photography techniques to stack and merge multiple exposures, along with some neural engine processing. The result is an image superior in detail to what a 12MP camera could produce.

Pixel Binning and Low Light Performance

Quad Bayer sensors excel in low-light situations thanks to pixel binning, a process that merges adjacent pixels into larger superpixel clusters. These clusters are more sensitive to light, improving image quality. In such scenarios, the effective output of the sensor is reduced from 48MP to 12MP.

Pixel binning also allows for better HDR photography by capturing multiple exposures within the same pixel group. This enhances the dynamic range, balancing the brightest and darkest areas of the photo.

Video Capabilities

The Quad Bayer sensor’s benefits extend to video recording, offering significant improvements in quality, low-light performance, and dynamic range.

Comparing iPhone Cameras to Professional Cameras

While Northrup criticizes Apple’s claims, the comparison between smartphone cameras and professional cameras like the Sony A7R IV is inherently flawed. The smaller size of the iPhone’s entire camera system, including its pixels (which are only 1.22 micrometers compared to the 3.73 micrometers on the Sony A7R IV), leads to expected differences in image quality. Additionally, the professional lens Northrup used, the Sony FE 24-70 mm F2.8 G Master, costs $1,700 alone, underscoring the difference in the hardware being compared.

Conclusion: Comparing Apples to Oranges

Singling out Apple for using Quad Bayer sensors is misleading, as nearly all smartphone manufacturers utilize this technology. Big numbers, such as camera resolution and screen size, are crucial for marketing. While professional cameras undoubtedly have superior quality in certain conditions, smartphones like the iPhone 16 Pro offer unique strengths, such as handheld night photography, which can outperform traditional cameras in specific scenarios.