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The iPhone 16 Pro fixes my biggest issue with the iPhone 15 Pro

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The white titanium iPhone 16 Pro showing the back glass and display.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The iPhone 16 Pro fixes one of my biggest annoyances with the iPhone 15 Pro. Both Pro models this year now feature the same camera setup. This is a different approach from last year when Apple decided to limit the new 5x optical zoom-capable telephoto sensor to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The smaller iPhone 15 Pro retained the older 12MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. I’ve been using it since its launch last year, and I couldn’t be happier with the upgrade to the new 5x zoom sensor. Here’s why.

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Telephoto woes no more

Someone holding the iPhone 16 Pro.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The iPhone 16 Pro comes equipped with a 48-megapixel “Fusion camera,” a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 12MP telephoto sensor, an upgrade from last year’s 48MP + 12MP + 12MP setup. Both primary and telephoto cameras on the iPhone 16 Pro feature the same megapixel count as the iPhone 15 Pro but have been upgraded to offer better imaging capabilities. The telephoto sensor remains the same as last year but is now available on both models.

In my time with the iPhone 15 Pro, I’ve missed having a more capable telephoto lens. When I tried the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s zoom camera, I was convinced I was missing out because it can shoot DSLR-like portraits. The portraits are fine on the iPhone 15 Pro, and I prefer the 3x zoom over 5x so I can be closer to my subject. However, the extra effort required to get the proper distance between you and the subject is worth it because you get shots like these:

The iPhone 15 Pro telephoto lens is good in daylight, but pictures get noisy in low-light conditions. It’s even worse on videos because the transition from excellent to average-quality footage when it switches from the main camera to the telephoto one (particularly in non-daylight scenarios) never looks good.

Whenever I click a zoom shot in low-light conditions on the iPhone 15 Pro, I think about what the photo could have looked like with a better lens on another phone — such as the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Thankfully, that will no longer be a concern this year.

This is what I’ve been waiting for

The iPhone 16 Pro on display at Apple Park.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

I’m glad I no longer need to worry about getting an inferior camera setup if I want a smaller Pro iPhone. It’s a welcome change this year. Plus, if the claims are true, you can expect better battery life than before, which has been an issue for me since the iPhone 14 Pro.

To compare the sizes, the iPhone 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch screen. The bigger sizes have allowed Apple to pack more battery capacity in each of them, and Apple says that they have the “best battery life on an iPhone.”

The only differences between the two expensive iPhones this year are size and base storage. The latter is disappointing because a phone made for pro users is likely to run out of 128GB storage sooner than expected. If you are opting for the iPhone 16 Pro to shoot photos and videos, I strongly recommend you go with at least 256GB of storage. Fortunately, the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at 256GB.

It’s frustrating, sure, but it’s not enough to take away my excitement for the iPhone 16 Pro’s improved telephoto camera. My main complaint about the iPhone 15 Pro has suddenly vanished, and I couldn’t be happier.

The iPhone 16 series is now up for preorder and will hit store shelves on September 20.

Prakhar Khanna
Prakhar Khanna
Mobile Writer
Prakhar Khanna is an independent consumer tech journalist. He contributes to Digital Trends' Mobile section with features and…
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