As is the case every year, the camera is one area Apple extensively focuses on with each new iPhone generation. The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro is no exception, and a new report from 9to5Mac details what to expect from Apple’s newest iPhone lineup on the camera side.
Apple is preparing significant camera improvements across the board for the iPhone 16 Pro, covering photo and video capture, controls, and new image formats. A big incoming change will be the ability to shoot 4K video at 120 frames per second, double the current limit of 60fps. Additionally, 9to5Mac claims that Apple tested the ability to record 8K video for the first time on the iPhone, but it’s unclear whether the feature will be available at launch.
A single 8K video frame comes out to around 35 megapixels, which is certainly doable on the iPhone’s 48MP main camera and the rumored 48MP upgraded sensor for the ultra-wide lens. However, 8K capture isn’t possible on the 12MP telephoto lens, which is not set to be upgraded to 48MP until next year. As such, 8K video recording could be announced with next year’s iPhone 17 Pro.
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On the photo-capturing side, the iPhone 16 Pro will add support for the JPEG-XL format with support for lossy and lossless images. Photographic Styles is also poised to receive an upgrade with new preset styles and better skin tone processing and preservation. Finally, Spatial Photo capturing is coming to the iPhone, allowing users to take 3D images that can later be viewed on Vision Pro.
The report confirms several details surrounding the rumored “Capture button,” including its capacitive design for gesture-based camera controls. A single press will open the Camera app, which can be configured in Settings to open any other third-party app by the user. A soft press will trigger autofocus when the camera is on, and a firmer one will trigger the shutter to take an image or begin recording a video. The Capture button will also support sliding gestures to adjust settings like zoom and exposure by swiping left and right.
Other smaller camera improvements include:
- Record ProRes 4K at 120fps when connected to external storage
- QuickTake video recording at 4K
- Pause and resume a single video recording in the Camera app
- Automatic wind noise removal in captured videos
The report also confirms the presence of the tetraprism telephoto lens for 5x optical zoom on both models of the iPhone 16 Pro after being limited on the iPhone 15 Pro Max last year. A new 48-megapixel sensor for the ultra-wide lens will be present on both models.
Apple will announce the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, AirPods 4, and new Apple Watch models at the “It’s Glowtime” event on Monday, September 9.
