The best iPhone for photography: fully tested by our expert team
We compare the best iPhones for photography right now, based on our hands-on experience shooting with these Apple cameras.
There are lots of different models of iPhone out there, so which is the best iPhone for photography? I've put together this guide to answer that question.
The iPhone model with the best camera overall is the iPhone 16 Pro Max. But that may be too expensive for your pocket, so I've also included more affordable options on this list. Each model below has been reviewed by our team of in-house photography experts and certified as a great camera phone for creatives.
Finally, if you want a device to edit your phones on, see our guide to the best laptops for Photoshop.
Beth is our resident Samsung fan, but she's slowly warming up to Apple tech since joining the team. With a Master's degree in photography and plenty of hands-on experience from writing for Digital Camera World, she knows a thing or two about camera phones. "I've tested at least 60 camera phones over the last few years, Apple and Android alike, and I think the best thing to look for in a camera phone is the RAW image quality."
The top 3 iPhones for photography
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are the latest flagships, and following our thorough testing, I'm certain they belong at the top of this list. Camera upgrades include an improved macro lens and ultrawide capabilities. You can also shoot in 4K.
Read more below
A budget-friendly option, the iPhone 16e only has one rear camera module, but it does feature a 48MP sensor, so it still offers a significant upgrade compared to the old 12MP iPhone SE models. Plus, you get Apple Intelligence into the bargain.
Read more below
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is Apple's last-gen model in the iPhone family, which makes it an excellent option given the price and specs. This camera phone has a 120mm telephoto lens, and 25% larger than before quad-pixel sensor for premium quality images.
Read more below
The best iPhone for photography
The best iPhone for photography overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
30-second review: The iPhone 16 Pro is the flagship phone for the world's biggest tech company, and it delivers in the categories I'd expect it to: power and ease of use. More importantly for this list, it's hands-down the best iPhone for photography. I recently pitted the iPhone 16 Pro Max against the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in a camera phone shootout, and found that the iPhone's Camera Control Button made it much easier to adjust the aperture on the go and capture dreamy bokeh shots.
Price: Expect to spend $999 / £999, or if you prefer a larger display, then the Pro Max will set you back $1,199 / £1,199. This is an expensive device, whichever Pro model you choose, but you do get an awful lot for your money. As we near September, keep an eye on our guide to the best iPhone 16 prices to keep tabs on any deals and discounts that could crop up on this handset.
Design: The iPhone 16 Pro looks almost identical to its predecessor and comes as a rounded rectangle of titanium and glass. That said, the size has increased ever-so-slightly and there's a new Camera Control for quickly opening your favourite camera app, which is a great addition for photographers. Plus, you get Apple's trademark build quality in every aspect of the design.
Performance: Apple's chips are becoming legendary in the industry, and the iPhone 16 Pro offers the best performance you can get. Its A18 Pro offers an incremental uptick over the iPhone 15 Pro and the newer iPhone 16e, both featured below – but that increment still puts it well ahead of most Android rivals. Its cameras are also significantly ahead, with not only the main camera being a 48MP module, but also the ultra-wide. This improves macro quality too, making it the best iPhone for close-ups.
Battery: Battery life is a little disappointing, as we measured a slight drop over last year's device, and it lacks the added efficiencies of the 16e. The fast charging is also well below what you'll get from some Android alternatives. If you want the phone to last longer, you might have to look elsewhere.
Read more: iPhone 16 Pro review
Sample images from the iPhone 16 Pro/Max
"If you are a content creator, pro camera-phone photographer or a YouTuber who needs the extra features (like UHD 120fps video, 5x optical zoom and macro images) the Pro/Pro Max is a viable choice."
The best budget iPhone for photography
02. iPhone 16e
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
30-second review: Launched this February, the iPhone 16e provided a long-awaited replacement for the ageing iPhone SE series. While it's more expensive than those models were, it's still affordable in iPhone terms. And this makes it your most wallet-friendly option for getting iPhone photography and Apple Intelligence features.
Price: Starting at $599 / £599, the iPhone 16E is significant hike over what the 2022 iPhone SE cost at launch. This was probably inevitable, but it still stings. Still, it's the cheapest new iPhone you can get by a decent margin.
Design: The display is a standout feature: a gorgeous 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR that gives you loads of real estate to work with and blows the old iPhone SE series out of the water. Elsewhere – well, it's an iPhone, you know what iPhones look like at this point, it's not like Apple has added wings or a breadmaker to it. One thing worth noting though is that while you do get a home shortcut button, there's no camera control button. And I'm still sore about the omission of MagSafe charging.
Performance: No compromises internally – the iPhone 16e uses the latest A18 chip, which will chew through any photographic and photo-editing tasks you're realistically going to give it. Where the drawbacks come are in the camera array. The main 48MP camera gives you bright, vibrant images the way all iPhone cameras do, but there's no ultra-wide and no telephoto zoom (save for a digital one). While this is fine for day-to-day snapping, serious iPhone photographers will miss the versatility.
Battery: Improvements have been made to the phone's power efficiency, and Apple is touting up to 26 hours of video playback, should such a thing prove necessary. This is thanks to the C1 chip powering the internal 5G modem.
Read more: 7 reasons the iPhone 16e is a huge improvement on the iPhone SE 3
"While it’s true that the iPhone 16e’s camera abilities are outdone by other devices, there are a lot of reasons why it’s still a great choice for creatives."
The best iPhone 15 for photography
03. iPhone 15 Pro Max
Our expert review:
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
30-second review: 2023's Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max was the best of the generation, and you can get it for less now that it's been superceded by the 16 series. If we're talking pure specs, the iPhone 15 Pro Max isn't quite as good as the 16 Pro Max, number one on our list. But the updates are relatively minor, so you wouldn't be missing out on much if you went for this option.
Price: Although it was initially an expensive product (starting at $1,199 / £1,199 on launch), the price has come down a bit now that the iPhone 16 range is out. Don't expect it to be cheap, but it's not as costly as it was back when it was the most current iPhone on offer. New models can be found in the range of $1,000-$1,200 / £890-£1,150, with some retailers offering discounts or installment plans.
Design: A familiar design with a titanium frame and rounded corners. Being a Pro Max model, this is a large, chunky device that's tricky to use one-handed. It's also not a great option for people with smaller hands – and personally I think the Camera Control button introduced on the iPhone 16 series, missing here, is a huge boon for photographers. It just makes the ergonomics so much better. While it has that glorious 48MP main camera, as mentioned the ultra-wide module is just 12MP, meaning that sweeping vistas and macro images are notably lesser than those of newer iPhone 16 models.
Performance: Apple is so good at making chips for its iPhones that even the last-gen chip in the iPhone 15 Pro Max still smokes most of the competition. It won't miss a beat no matter what you're doing and handles photography with aplomb.
Battery: You'll get plenty of juice out of this phone. But it does tend to get hot – which can impact battery life – and there's only lacklustre fast charging. Android rivals have it beat here.
"Last generation's flagship is this generation's bargain, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max is still a heck of an option for photographers."
The best value iPhone for photography
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
30-second review: 2022's iPhone 14 Pro Max has the same 48MP main sensor camera as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, yet offers a huge leap from the 12MP sensor in the iPhone 13 series. More generally, it looks expensive, has the Dynamic Island, and everything from the screen to the camera, its interface, battery life, and performance all do a great job.
Price: Apple no longer sells it, but you can find some decent bargains for it on third-party websites, making it cheaper than the current 'value' option, the iPhone 16e. Refurbished and second-hand models go for $350-$700 / £400-£600, depending on the condition and seller
Design: Given that this is a Pro Max device, you can expect it to fill your hand and be a little difficult to use one-handed. On the plus side, you get Apple's incredible build quality and still-impressive camera system on the back, which makes it a strong performer when it comes to photography. The camera modules are very similar between this and the later iPhone 15 Pro Max, though the newer phone benefits from a longer 5x telephoto zoom (compared to 3x on this model).
Performance: Apple's A16 Bionic chip powers this device, delivering strong performance in all manner of tasks. It manages to do this without breaking much of a sweat, and is even adept at handling the occasional demanding workload that you throw its way. Is it a patch on the A18 chips we've seen in the likes of the iPhone 16 Pro or the iPhone 16e? No. But it still does the business.
Battery: Apple introduced an always-on display with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and unfortunately that has impacted battery life. It doesn't last as long as the iPhone 13 Pro Max did and it doesn't charge up as quickly as many rivals either, which is disappointing considering it was once Apple's flagship model.
Read more: iPhone 14 Pro Max review
"The iPhone 14 Pro Max was one of the best smartphones of 2022, and arguably, is still one of the better camera phones around, provided you don't need stellar zoom."
The best iPhone for casual photography
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
30-second review: The iPhone 13 Pro is now more affordable than ever given the iPhone 16 series. It has a 12MP main sensor which is a step down from the 48MP sensor in the new iPhone 15 Pro Max and even the iPhone 14 Pro Max. But it's still pretty great for photography and is now considered great value too (if you can get hold of one, that is).
Price: Keep an eye out for deals on this model. Apple no longer sells the iPhone 13 Pro, but you can find it at third-party retailers and second-hand shops for a decent price these days, and once again, for less than you'll pay for the budget iPhone 16e. Prices for refurbished models range from around $270-$530 / £290-£550, depending on age and condition.
Design: The iPhone 13 Pro uses the old, pre-Dynamic Island design, which means a larger notch at the top of the screen. Elsewhere you get the Ceramic Shield for drop protection and a stainless steel chassis, but there's no titanium.
Performance: The Apple A15 chip inside the iPhone 13 Pro was an absolute powerhouse when it launched, and it's still mightily impressive today. It's beaten by more modern options, of course, but you won't be disappointed as long as you're not throwing extremely intense workloads its way.
Battery: Battery life was improved in the iPhone 13 Pro versus older models (as long as they weren't Pro Max, that is), and we measured 22 hours of video playback in our tests. That's impressive and should help you shoot photos and videos for longer.
Read more: iPhone 13 Pro review
"When anything is less than perfect, the iPhone 13 Pro does a notable job at keeping image quality high. And when do photographs ever happen in perfect conditions?"
The best mini iPhone for photography
06. iPhone 13 mini
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
30-second review: The iPhone 13 mini has a great dual-lens 12MP camera and it's really affordable right now too. Its titchy size doesn't mean it lacks features, as it came with almost the same experience as the iPhone 13. While it's not the most up-to-date iPhone any more, it's still got a lot to offer.
Price: The iPhone 13 mini was the most affordable iPhone Apple sold, barring the iPhone SE. You won't find Apple selling it anymore, but other retailers might still have stock available. If so, you can expect it to go for an affordable price. Prices of refurbished or pre-owned models generally range from $249 to $400, with competitive deals sometimes pushing it lower.
Design: As the name suggests, Apple purposely made the iPhone 13 mini smaller than the other phones in the range. That gives it an advantage if you are sick of stretching your hand to reach the far corners of the display, and it's tailor-made for one-handed use.
Performance: Its chip puts it on par with the iPhone 13, and it'll still offer decent performance today. Don't expect it to break any records, but for everyday tasks, it'll do a good job for most everyday consumers. Just don't lug any data crunching workloads its way. Camera-wise, its dual 12MP modules are inferior to pretty much everything else on this list, but still do a fairly decent job.
Battery: The smaller size means more limited battery life, and while it's not awful, it can't hold a candle to the larger Pro Max models. You should get about a day's usage out of it per charge, although that of course depends on what exactly you're doing.
"If you miss the days of tiny phones, scour the second-hand market for an iPhone 13 mini, which is also a capable camera phone."
How to choose
When choosing the best iPhone for photography, it's easy to go in order starting with the latest release. And yes, while the newest iPhone is usually the best one for photography technically, with improved specs and features compared with the previous model, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's the one you should choose, or the best iPhone for your lifestyle or budget.
I'd suggest that you start by figuring out how much you want to spend first, and then look at the desirable features which make that particular iPhone a great asset for photography. Remember, it's not always about megapixels. If you shoot a lot of video then you'll want an iPhone with 4K capability (iPhone 12 or above is best). If you know that you'd prefer an iPhone with USB-C charging, then that narrows your options exclusively to the iPhone 15 and 16 series.
How we test
At Creative Bloq, we enjoy putting phones through their paces when it comes to testing, with benchmarks in place to measure battery life, response rate, general use – and the camera, of course. Although manufacturers carry out their own testing on phones, we think it's important to have an unbiased reviewer on the case to detect any flaws or find genuine reasons why we think a device might not be the best fit for creatives.
With so many phones out there, it can be hard to know which ones are really the best value for money. So we spend significant time testing phones to see how they perform in the real world.
✅ We are solely focused on what creatives need
✅ Benchmark tests based on real workflows
✅ We consult actual photographers and creative pros
✅ Every new flagship iPhone tested and rated
We do this by using social media and checking the upload speeds, running photo editing software, streaming video content, and testing the camera in different real-world scenarios. Take a look at some of my recent camera phone shootouts if you're looking for some sample image examples.
It can be easy to geek out over the latest top-spec phones, which is why we also take pricing into account when pitting similar phones against each other, and seriously consider if a device is worth the hard-earned income of our readers. If we find that a phone isn't all that up to scratch, we'll be honest and recommend alternatives where possible. For more information, see our guide to how we test and review at Creative Bloq.
FAQs
Which iPhone takes the best quality photos?
In 2025, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max take the best photos (note: their cameras are identical). These premium phone cameras featuring cutting-edge sensors, powerful zoom capabilities and exceptional low-light performance. They also offer features that the more affordable iPhone 16 lacks, including 48MP macro photos, a 5x zoom telephoto lens, night mode portraits, and support for the Apple ProRAW format.
What are the differences between the iPhone 16e and the iPhone SE?
Though both phones use single-module rear camera setups, the iPhone 16e boasts a much superior unit, with a 48MP camera compared to a 12MP specimen on the older iPhone SE. Apple also claims that this gives the camera telephoto power, though it doesn't really – the higher resolution just means you can crop in without too much appreciable impact on image quality. Still, useful to have in a pinch.
Cost-wise, however, the iPhone SE is a much more alluring choice, with second-hand prices at a fraction of the $599/£599 ticket price of the iPhone 16e, which is a good deal higher than any SE handsets were even on launch.
If the iPhone 16e is within your budget, it is a significantly superior camera phone. However, the cheaper iPhone SE is still a viable option for those who don't need the utmost in image quality.
How can I save money on an iPhone?
There are several ways to bring the cost of an iPhone down: by making use of Apple's student discounts, shopping for refurbished Apple tech, trading in one of your old devices, or buying an older generation iPhone after the latest flagship has been announced (this usually causes prices for older iPhone generations to plummet).
Is the iPhone 16 camera better than the iPhone 15?
In a word: yes. While there’s not an enormous difference, there are enough changes for the iPhone 16 to pull ahead. It offers macro photography capabilities, for example, allowing you to get closer to the action with your shots. It also support spatial photos for the Vision Pro headset, has a slightly improved aperture on the ultra wide lens, and has a better selection of Apple’s Photographic Styles.
What are the main differences between the cameras on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro?
The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro both have fantastic cameras, but there are some key differences between them. Most significantly, the Pro has a dedicated telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, enabling better zoomed-in shots without digital loss, while the 16 lacks a telephoto lens. Secondly, the iPhone 16 Pro has a larger and faster sensor than the iPhone 16, which allows it to capture more light and produce better low-light photos.
Thirdly, the iPhone 16 Pro has a 48MP ultrawide camera, whereas the 16's is 12MP, potentially leading to better detail and low-light performance for wider shots on the Pro. Finally, the Pro also offers the ability to shoot video in 4K at 120fps, while the iPhone 16 only offers 60fps.
Is there a big difference in the cameras between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and 16 Pro Max?
Photography-wise, the primary distinction between the iPhone 15 Pro Max and 16 Pro lies in the ultrawide camera. The 16 Pro boasts a higher resolution ultrawide camera (48MP to the 15 Pro's 12MP), potentially resulting in slightly greater detail and improved low-light performance for wider shots.
Is the iPhone the best smartphone camera?
The iPhone consistently ranks among the top smartphones for photography, but it's not necessarily the absolute "best" for everyone.
iPhones are renowned for their exceptional image processing, producing images with impressive dynamic range, detail and colour accuracy. The camera app is intuitive and easy to use, making it accessible to both casual and serious photographers. The seamless integration with Apple devices and software enhances the overall photography experience. And perhaps most importantly, iPhones feature high-quality lenses that capture sharp, detailed images.
However, other brands, such as Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy, also offer exceptional camera systems. Google Pixel is known for its excellent low-light performance and computational photography prowess, while Samsung Galaxy offers powerful zoom capabilities and versatile camera systems.
What are the best iPhone alternatives for photography?
In 2025, several phones offer strong alternatives to the iPhone. The Google Pixel 9 Pro stands out with its exceptional camera system, particularly excelling in low-light conditions. Google's renowned computational photography consistently delivers stunning image quality. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra also offers a powerful and versatile camera system featuring impressive zoom capabilities. It also boasts a vibrant display, a robust build, and strong performance. For more options, see our guide to the best camera phones.
Daily design news, reviews, how-tos and more, as picked by the editors.
Beth is Creative Bloq’s Ecommerce Writer and has the fun job of finding you the very best prices and deals on creative tech. Beth kicked off her journalistic career writing for Digital Camera World and has since earned bylines on TechRadar and PetsRadar too. With a Master's degree in Photography, Beth loves getting to tinker with new cameras, especially camera phones, as the resident Samsung fan on the team.
- Alex BlakeFreelance journalist
