This story is a part of Focal Level iPhone 2022, CNET’s assortment of reports, suggestions and recommendation round Apple’s hottest product.

The iPhone 14 Pro has a number of digicam system enhancements which have led to stellar critiques, together with a 48-megapixel sensor and Apple’s new image-processing method known as the Photonic Engine. This instantly places the iPhone 14 Pro better off over final 12 months’s iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, a minimum of on paper. 

However how large of a distinction do these new {hardware} and software program options truly make in the actual world? 

I in contrast the cameras on each telephones in a spread of difficult conditions round San Francisco to search out out. All these images had been taken in the default digicam app on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro, each operating the newest model of iOS 16. 

Yow will discover out extra concerning the particular enhancements to the iPhone 14 Pro’s digicam system in this deep dive by my colleague Stephen Shankland. CNET’s Patrick Holland additionally has a nice evaluation into the iPhone 14 Pro’s images and the way the Photonic Engine helps increase picture high quality in difficult lighting circumstances.

The iPhone 14 Pro 48-megapixel sensor captures extra element

On the {hardware} entrance, the largest change between the 2 telephones is the 14 Pro’s new 48-megapixel sensor on the primary large digicam that is additionally bodily bigger than the older iPhone, which makes simply as a lot of a distinction to picture high quality as the rise in megapixels. The 13 Pro makes use of a 12-megapixel sensor.

Utilizing a way known as pixel binning, the iPhone 14 Pro joins 4 pixels collectively into teams to seize 12-megapixel images with extra element. You may also take a full 48-megapixel picture should you shoot in Apple’s ProRaw format, and that provides photographers extra flexibility on the subject of modifying and recovering shadow and spotlight element amongst many different benefits.

In good lighting, the 12-megapixel photographs from each the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro look comparable at diminished magnification, and it won’t be that simple to identify the distinction. It is once you push in a bit that some great benefits of the 14 Pro’s new sensor and picture processing turn into clear.

Within the photographs beneath that I captured in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the tree trunks are extra outlined and sharper on the iPhone 14 Pro’s picture than these on the 13 Pro. Areas of fantastic element, like grass, additionally retain far more decision. You may click on by to the complete decision picture from the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro to match extra simply.

The iPhone 14 Pro’s lens on the primary rear digicam additionally has a wider area of view than the 13 Pro’s: 24mm versus 26mm. This implies you will get just a little extra in your shot, which is likely to be particularly useful for panorama images.

The iPhone 14 Pro can take images at 2x zoom

The iPhone 14 Pro additionally has one other trick up its sleeve: The 48-megapixel sensor may take 12-megapixel photographs at an efficient 2x optical zoom. You may see a brand new 2x choice in the digicam interface. That crops the middle of the higher-resolution picture to instantly offer you extra flexibility with focal size, with no need a fourth lens. The iPhone 13 Pro may take images at 2x zoom, nevertheless it makes use of digital zoom and would not have the identical high quality or stage of element as this new method.

I discover the brand new 2x choice on the iPhone 14 Pro helps with portrait mode. As a substitute of simply providing 1x and 3x choices like on the older cellphone, it might additionally snap portrait mode images at 2x. This outcomes in extra natural-looking photographs to my eye. I discover it is extra flattering on facial options than the large look from 1x, or the zoomed-in perspective at 3x.

iPhone 14 Pro vs. 13 Pro: Low-light and night time mode

The iPhone 14 Pro has a brand new picture processing pipeline to assist enhance medium to low-light photographs. Mixed with the bigger sensor, I can see the distinction in comparison with the iPhone 13 Pro in all of the images I shot at nightfall. Within the images beneath, check out the element captured on the tree branches by the skyline. 

The newer cellphone additionally has higher noise discount in low gentle, with out night time mode engaged. Dynamic vary is improved in low gentle too, capturing extra shadow and spotlight element than the older cellphone.

For night time mode photographs particularly, each the telephones use comparable publicity instances starting from 1 to three seconds relying on the lighting circumstances. The iPhone 14 Pro’s image beneath has extra correct white steadiness general and barely higher element once you zoom in.

Motion mode is the star of the iPhone 14 Pro’s video recording

Each the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro shoot in 4K at as much as 60fps. The video picture seems comparable when filming on the primary rear digicam. However the iPhone 14 Pro unlocks further video instruments like Motion mode. That is like having a gimbal hooked up to your cellphone to present easy outcomes when transferring, besides you do not want any further {hardware} — it is all finished in-phone. 

Motion mode crops in barely to your picture and drops the decision from 4K to 2.8K. However I feel the outcomes are extremely spectacular, particularly when in comparison with the identical video shot on the iPhone 13 Pro.

I chased after my pet, jogged alongside the seaside and took a fast-moving monitoring shot in entrance of a waterfall in the park with Motion mode, and the outcomes had been exceptional. The iPhone 14 Pro’s video picture seems like I used to be filming with a stabilizer, smoothing out even sudden jerky actions. The iPhone 13 Pro’s video seems far more shaky.

You may see some samples in the video beneath, however my comparability video exhibiting these precise clips might be obtainable quickly. I will replace this text in the approaching week so you possibly can see for your self.

iPhone 14 Pro has large digicam enhancements, however the iPhone 13 Pro continues to be spectacular

Apple’s newest iPhone has some important benefits over final 12 months’s iPhone 13 Pro on the subject of each picture and video seize. Importantly, you needn’t contemplate your self a critical or skilled photographer to reap the benefits of that 48-megapixel sensor. However the iPhone 13 Pro continues to be on the high of its recreation in most different areas, and nonetheless gives the most effective all-around cellphone cameras you will get.