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iPhone 16 Pro Max Rumored to Feature Bigger, More Advanced Main Camera Sensor

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The iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature a bigger, more advanced main camera sensor to deliver improved photography and videography capabilities, according to new information coming out of Asia.

iPhone 15 Pro Cameras
The claim comes from "Digital Chat Station," a Weibo user responsible for a range of details about the camera technology of upcoming iPhone models. According to the latest post on the matter, the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Max will be an "image flagship," suggesting that it will be heavily focused on its camera capabilities.

The device's main camera will apparently feature a customized 48-megapixel Sony IMX903 sensor with advanced features like a stacked design for better performance, a 14-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for high-quality image data conversion, and Digital Gain Control (DCG) for better dynamic range and noise control.

The Weibo user also reiterated their previous claim that the ‌‌iPhone 16‌ Pro‌ Max will feature a 12% larger camera sensor that is 1/1.14-inches in size. The ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 15 Pro models currently feature a 1/1.28-inch sensor. A larger sensor could improve the main iPhone camera's dynamic range and background blur, as well as substantially enhance low-light photography capabilities since a bigger surface area can capture more light with the same shutter speed and aperture.

The leaker also mentioned in passing that the next-generation high-end iPhones will feature a slightly more curved screen design, iterating on the design introduced with the iPhone 15 lineup last year. Corroborating information shared by MacRumors last year, the post added that the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro models will have virtually the same thickness as their predecessors.

Digital Chat Station accurately revealed that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus would feature a slightly smaller 48-megapixel sensor than the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max last year, as well as the display panel design of the iPhone 12 back in 2020. The ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup is expected to debut in the fall.

Tag: Digital Chat Station
Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

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Account25476
35 months ago


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Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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Unggoy Murderer
35 months ago
In my experience, even between the 14 Pro Max and the 15 Pro Max there was quite a noticeable improvement to image quality, especially on the telescopic lens. I feel a lot more confident using the 5x option now.

Would love to see a 48-mp or even a 24-mp sensor on future telescopic lenses over more zoom. Image quality is there now, but I'm hoping for better detail in future iterations (which the 48-mp sensor certainly affords).

Here's one off the 15 Pro Max 5x lens, I think it does a solid job.



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Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
krspkbl Avatar
krspkbl
35 months ago
yey a bigger camera bump!? just what i wanted.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HeavenDynamic Avatar
HeavenDynamic
35 months ago
So again the giant phone having a better camera? That sucks. Give it to the smaller 16 Pro as well!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mazz0 Avatar
mazz0
35 months ago
I've heard the iPhone 18 will have an even better camera, and possibly a faster processor too. It's a few years out so take it with a pinch of salt, but I will say my sources seem pretty confident.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bodhisattva Avatar
bodhisattva
35 months ago

In my experience, even between the 14 Pro Max and the 15 Pro Max there was quite a noticeable improvement to image quality, especially on the telescopic lens. I feel a lot more confident using the 5x option now.

Would love to see a 48-mp or even a 24-mp sensor on future telescopic lenses over more zoom. Image quality is there now, but I'm hoping for better detail in future iterations (which the 48-mp sensor certainly affords).

Here's one off the 15 Pro Max 5x lens, I think it does a solid job.


As a part time professional photographer (shooting with 5D Mark IV and an EOS R3 by Canon), image quality comes from the lens quality. The higher my pro cameras go in terms of mp are 30.4, but the ISO range is 100-32000. The trick is to have a full-frame CMOS sensor onboard. For me the bodies run $3-6k, and each lens anywhere from $2k-10k. For phones to come as far as they have considering the incredible small size, and all we can do with them, I'm amazed each time I shoot. Like many machines/tools..it's all in the hands of the artist the wields it. Great photo by the way!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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