iPhone 16 Pro vs 13 Pro: Camera Comparison
iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are Apple’s newest smartphones packed with the most capable cameras. But how much have they improved in three years? Here’s a detailed look at iPhone 16 Pro vs 13 Pro cameras.
iPhone 16 Pro vs 13 Pro cameras
Rear cameras
Both the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max devices have new 48MP main rear cameras. That’s a notable upgrade over the 13 Pro/Max 12MP main lens.
And there is also a new 48MP ultra wide lens, 12MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, the all-new Camera Control button/sensor, and the latest-gen Photographic Styles.
Here are all the specs for the rear camera of the 16 Pro vs 13 Pro:
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camera Control | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Main lens | 48MP, ƒ/1.78 | 12MP, ƒ/1.5 | 48MP, ƒ/1.78 | 12MP, ƒ/1.5 |
| Main lens sensor | 2.44 µm | 1.9 µm | 2.44 µm | 1.9 µm |
| Ultra Wide lens | 48MP, ƒ/2.2 | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 | 48MP, ƒ/2.2 | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 |
| Telephoto lens | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 | 12MP, ƒ/2.8 |
| Optical zoom | 0.5x, 1x, 5x | 0.5x, 1x, 3x | 0.5x, 1x, 5x | 0.5x, 1x, 3x |
| Digital zoom | Up to 25x | Up to 15x | Up to 25x | Up to 15x |
| Photonic Engine | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Night mode | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Night mode portraits | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Apple ProRAW | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Video recording
iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max step up video recording with 4K Dolby Vision/HDR video recording at up to 120 fps.
You can also record at up to 120 fps for 1080p and ProRes recordings with 16 Pro/Max. Other new features are wind noise reduction and Audio Mix.
And compared to 13 Pro/Max, the 16 Pro/Max deliver spatial video recording and log recording.
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4K Dolby Vision/HDR recording | ✅ – up to 120 fps | ✅ – up to 60 fps | ✅ – up to 120 fps | ✅ – up to 60 fps |
| 1080p recording | ✅ – up to 120 fps | ✅ – up to 60 fps | ✅ – up to 120 fps | ✅ – up to 60 fps |
| Cinematic mode | ✅ – 4K HDR | ✅ – 1080p | ✅ – 4K HDR | ✅ – 1080p |
| ProRes recording | ✅ – up to 4K | ✅ – up to 4K | ✅ – up to 4K | ✅ – up to 4K |
| Log video recording | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Spatial video recording | ✅ – at 1080p | ❌ | ✅ – at 1080p | ❌ |
| Slo-mo recording | ✅ – 1080p | ✅ – 1080p | ✅ – 1080p | ✅ – 1080p |
Selfie camera
Apple’s TrueDepth front camera is upgraded on iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max with the latest-gen Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 5 for photos, log video recording, and more.
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrueDepth front camera | 12MP, ƒ/1.9 | 12MP, ƒ/2.2 | 12MP, ƒ/1.9 | 12MP, ƒ/2.2 |
| Smart HDR 5 for photos | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Night mode | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| ProRes recording | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Log video recording | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
iPhone 16 Pro vs 13 Pro I/O
Compared to the iPhone 13 Pro/Max, 16 Pro/Max have a USB-C port instead of Lightning with up to 10 Gbps transfer speeds and new capabilities like shooting video and photos directly to external storage.
| Feature | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 13 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | iPhone 13 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB-C | ✅ – USB 3 up to 10Gbps | ❌ | ✅ – USB 3 up to 10Gbps | ❌ |
| WiFi | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| MagSafe | ✅ with 25W | ✅ with 15W | ✅ with 25W | ✅ with 15W |
iPhone 16 Pro vs 13 Pro cameras: Buyer’s guide
If you’re curious whether it’s worth upgrading overall, here is a broader summary of 16 Pro vs 13 Pro.
Reasons to buy iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max
- Most powerful and capable cameras for both photos and video
- Camera Control
- Longer battery life
- Titanium build with very slim bezels
- USB-C with 10Gbps speeds, WiFi 7 support
- Fastest chip, most powerful GPU for video and mobile gaming
Reasons to buy iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, or keep what you have
- If the features above aren’t a big deal, save your money and grab the iPhone 16 which includes most of the other new features this year (or keep your older iPhone).