Along with moving to USB-C, the iPhone 15 series will feature a major upgrade to the cameras. With insider information, we now know more about those upgraded cameras.
iPhone 15 & iPhone 15 Plus:
Despite reports suggesting it won’t be the same 48MP main sensor as the current iPhone 14 Pro series, vanilla models will get a 48MP main sensor. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will get a new Sony sensor with a stacked design that will improve readouts and low-light performance.
The new iPhone 15 Plus & iPhone 15 will arrive with a 48MP Sony sensor with an f/1.6 aperture main sensor coupled with a 12MP ultra-wide shooter with f/2.4 aperture.
iPhone 15 Pro:
This year’s iPhone 15 Pro will retain its 48MP main sensor but will add a new, improved ultrawide camera. Even though the telephoto camera hardware could be the same, expect improvements in quality.
The iPhone 15 Pro will ship with the same 48MP main Sony IMX803 1/1.3″ from its predecessor with f/1.8 aperture. It is coupled with a 12.7MP telephoto lens with f/2.8 aperture along with a 13.4MP ultra-wide lens with f/2.2 aperture.
iPhone 15 Pro Max:
In addition to the main and ultrawide cameras, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the first iPhone to feature a periscope zoom. According to one report, the zoom can reach up to 10x.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max also features the same 48MP main Sony IMX803 1/1.3″ from its predecessor with f/1.8 aperture. It is coupled with a 12.7MP telephoto lens with f/2.8 aperture along with an 85mm periscope lens with 1/1.9″ sensor. Lastly, there is a 13.4MP ultra-wide lens with f/2.2 aperture.
According to this leak from China, the new periscope will have an 85mm equivalent lens with an f/2.8 aperture and a 1/1.9″ sensor. This would put the zoom at around 4x. Some digital zoom would be required if it was to go beyond 5x.
Space constraints may have prompted Apple to make the periscope an exclusive feature of the Pro Max. In comparison to the 15 Pro and the previous generation Pro Max, the camera module on the 15 Pro Max will be noticeably larger. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are expected to have larger screens in 2024, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screens, respectively, allowing the periscope to be added.
