Key iPhone 15 Camera Specifications Highlighted
With every iPhone launch, Apple brings forth new camera capabilities, and the iPhone 15 series upholds this trend. MacRumors has obtained comprehensive insights into the camera setups across the entire iPhone 15 lineup, from the upgraded 48-megapixel camera in the base iPhone 15 to the innovative periscope telephoto lens featured in the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
iPhone 15 and 15 Plus
- Primary Camera: Housing a 48-megapixel sensor and an expansive ƒ/1.6 aperture.
- Wide-angle Camera: Featuring a 12-megapixel sensor and a wide ƒ/2.4 aperture.
Anticipated base models of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are poised to introduce a brand-new 48-megapixel Sony image sensor, a significant upgrade from the iPhone 14’s 12-megapixel primary camera. This notable increase in megapixels promises improved image resolution and finer details. Esteemed industry experts like Jeff Pu, Ming-Chi Kuo, and Weibo user “Digital Chat Station” have consistently supported this information.
The iPhone 15 is projected to employ a different Sony sensor, not the same Sony IMX-803 sensor found in the iPhone 14 Pro, offering enhanced capabilities.
Reports suggest Apple tested various configurations for the base iPhone 15. Some prototypes reportedly included a rumored stacked camera sensor system, while others did not. Whether the final production units will incorporate this system remains uncertain. Stacked sensors offer benefits like faster readout speeds and better performance in low-light conditions.
iPhone 15 Pro
Primary Camera: Boasting 48 megapixels with the Sony IMX-803 sensor and an ƒ/1.78 aperture.
Telephoto Camera: 12.7-megapixel resolution and ƒ/2.8 aperture.
Wide-Angle Camera: Featuring a 13.4-megapixel sensor and an ƒ/2.2 aperture.
For the iPhone 15 Pro, improvements are focused on the Telephoto and Ultra Wide cameras, while the Main camera retains the Sony IMX-803 sensor from the iPhone 14 Pro, contrary to earlier speculations. Both the Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras will deliver better image quality and higher-resolution photos compared to the iPhone 14 Pro.
iPhone 15 Pro Max
Primary Camera: Equipped with a 48-megapixel sensor (Sony IMX-803) and ƒ/1.78 aperture.
Telephoto Camera: 12.7-megapixel sensor, ƒ/2.8 aperture, and a periscope lens.
Wide-Angle Camera: Featuring a 13.4-megapixel sensor and an ƒ/2.2 aperture.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max introduces an intriguing addition: a confirmed periscope lens system for its Telephoto camera. This aligns with Ming-Chi Kuo’s earlier insights. The adoption of periscope zoom technology promises substantial improvements to the zoom capabilities of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Unlike traditional cameras with the image sensor directly beneath the lens, folded optics systems redirect light using angled mirrors, allowing for superior optical zoom.
Initially, the periscope lens is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max due to spatial constraints. The camera module in the Pro Max is somewhat larger than in the iPhone 14 Pro models and the smaller iPhone 15 Pro to accommodate the periscope lens, requiring adjustments to internal components like the midframe assembly.
Looking ahead to 2024, the iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to grow to 6.3 and 6.9 inches, making space for the periscope lens in both Pro and Pro Max models, as stated by Ming-Chi Kuo. Periscope zoom will not be exclusive to the larger Pro Max within the iPhone 16 lineup.
