Tech vlogger Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, has released a video explaining why he believes iPhone cameras are getting worse yearly.
According to Brownlee, the quality of a photo is largely determined by the sensor, which captures light and details from the environment. However, the sensors in smartphones, including the iPhone, are much smaller than those in SLR cameras due to the size constraints of the devices. To compensate for this, manufacturers rely on post-processing to improve the quality of the photos.
The iPhone uses a technology called Smart HDR, which combines multiple photos in an attempt to improve the overall quality. However, this can sometimes result in unrealistic photos, particularly in complex scenes with differing textures and colours. In these situations, the iPhone may struggle to apply the appropriate settings, resulting in “artificial” looking photos. Brownlee also pointed out that the iPhone tends to exaggerate the sharpness of images compared to its competitors.
These issues are particularly evident when comparing the iPhone’s camera performance to other smartphones in challenging conditions. In last year’s annual smartphone camera blind test run by MKBHD, the ultra-cheap Pixel 6a‘s camera outperformed the more expensive iPhone 14 Pro.
While it is not uncommon for smartphone manufacturers to rely on post-processing to improve the quality of their photos, the iPhone seems to struggle more than others in this regard. This is likely due to the small size of its sensors and the limitations that come with it. It remains to be seen if Apple can address these issues and improve the performance of its cameras in future models.
