iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max Review: Snap, Filter, Repeat!

Summary

The Great iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max Review: For Those Who Take Shots (You Know, Photos) Alright, folks, gather ‘round! After Apple gave us all a spectacle with its new iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max reveal, I took a detour to the sunny shores of California to figure out if these gadgets can really handle more than just scrolling through TikTok. Partner-in-crime Jordan Drake double-fisted the video reviews while I was off playing Ansel Adams with my iPhone 16 Pro Max along the beautiful coast of Monterey and Santa Cruz. Now, let’s be honest here; we’re not looking at the base models today. Nope, it’s all about the Pro versions which are aimed at the serious shutterbugs—and let’s face it, they’re like the cream cheese frosting on a red velvet cake for those of us who like to snap a pic or two! ### iPhone 16 Pro: How It Handles Here’s the scoop, my fellow photo nerds! One of my biggest peeves with smartphones? Ergonomics—those slippery little rectangles can feel like trying to hold onto a wet bar of soap on a rollercoaster. Short of crafting a custom case that resembles a camera, which, let’s be real, isn’t happening for most of us, we’re often left fumbling around, praying we don’t drop it on our foot. Ouch! But fear not! This year, Apple has been playing the game of ‘How to Make Your Life Easier’ by introducing a snazzy Camera Control button! This little champ acts like the designated driver at a party—it gets you to the camera interface with just a tap and also doubles as a shutter button! Sliders for exposure and zoom control? Sign me up! It’s like the iPhone unlocked the secret-level controls for photography, which is exactly what we needed. Thanks to the A18 processor (which sounds like a Transformer but is actually more useful), the shutter lag is nearly non-existent. Seriously, I could almost time my shots! Battery life has also leveled up, but let’s not kid ourselves—charging speeds are still parked in the slow lane. However, wireless charging is now almost as speedy as a kettle boiling on your stove, so you might find your phone more often on its MagSafe charger than on your nightstand gathering dust. The iPhone 16 Pro sports a whopping 6.3-inch screen while the Pro Max flaunts a 6.9-inch display. My initial impression was that brightness didn’t get upgraded—same ol’ 2000 nits—but in practice, they did just fine in broad daylight! ### iPhone 16 Pro: Let’s Talk Shooting Diving into the potential photo magic, I expected fireworks, but the upgrades felt more like sparklers at a Fourth of July picnic. Both the Pro and Pro Max come equipped with a suite of cameras that, on paper, sound like the Avengers of photography—just not quite as heroic in practice. The new main camera? It’s got the same 48-megapixel mojo but reads data faster than a kid devouring Halloween candy! This lets you unlock some impressive 4K video action. Plus, an ultra-wide lens that’s now got autofocus—hello, macro capabilities! But if you want that crispy shot for your Insta likes, the 48-megapixel RAW files might not quite hit the spot compared to traditional sensors. The 5x telephoto lens is still occupying its little corner of the camera suite, but let’s just say it’s not the life of the party. It still struggles in low light, holding onto its 12-megapixels like a hoarder with a collection of VHS tapes. The portrait mode got some touch-ups, and though it behaves better with hair separation, I doubt the Instagram crowd will even notice. And that supposed low-light improvement? As mysterious as Bigfoot—where are ya, buddy? ### Lights, Camera, Action! The Video Upgrade Enter stage right: Video! The new excitement here is the 4K 120p recording, a feature so sleek it’ll have you feeling like a world-class director! With spatial audio capabilities and cool sound mixing controls, you can make your videos sound as neat as a Broadway production. But in all honesty, video quality hasn’t changed much; it’s still a superstar like the 15 Pro was. If you own last year’s model, you might need a strong cup of coffee to push you toward upgrading. ### AI Perspectives (Or Lack Thereof) AI? Oh, Apple’s being cautious with that. Their only new toy is an eraser tool. You won’t find an army of generative AI jacked into the iPhone like other brands might. While Google’s going full futuristic, Apple’s dancing around the topic like a wallflower at prom. But hey, if you want to stick to good ol’ RAW images, more power to ya! ### Should You Buy It? Here’s the rub: if your phone’s older than a toddler, you might wanna give this beauty a shot! The new controls and Picture Styles can tempt an upgrade, but if you’re rocking an iPhone 15 Pro or even a 14, you might not see the need to race to the nearest Apple Store. Keep your eye on the prize; next year’s model might be the real game-changer. So, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are solid companions for photographers out there, but don’t expect miracles. Just think of them as your trusty Swiss army knife—handy for certain tasks, just don’t expect it to replace a whole toolbox!

Original Source: petapixel.com