Both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max feature a tetraprism lens system capable of up to 5x optical zoom. That's an improvement over last year's smaller iPhone 15 Pro model, which was limited to 3x zoom.

iphone 16 pro rear cameras
The Telephoto lens on the iPhone 16 Pro models features Apple's most advanced camera stabilization system so far, with a combination of optical image stabilization and an autofocus 3D sensor-shift module.

When shooting with 5x enabled, the iPhone 16 Pro's Telephoto lens opens at ƒ/2.8, allowing for excellent light management, according to Apple. By comparison, the Galaxy S24 Ultra's 10x lens has a ƒ/3.4 aperture. A lower aperture allows for more light to be captured by the camera's sensor, which can be especially beneficial for Night mode photos.

Camera App Optical Zoom

5x optical zoom
To use 5x optical zoom in the stock Camera app, simply tap the 5x button at the bottom of the viewfinder. When 5x optical zoom is enabled, you can also enable up to 25x digital zoom by pinching in the viewfinder, although bear in mind that image quality degrades the more you zoom in digitally.

25x digital zoom

Camera Control Optical Zoom

Apple's latest iPhone 16 models also add a new Camera Control button (located on the lower right-hand side when holding the phone in portrait mode). The new button aims to make it easier to adjust photography settings when shooting with the iPhone in both portrait and landscape orientation. By default, a single click of the Camera Control button brings up the Camera app, which is where the button's additional functionality lays hidden, but it can be easily invoked with light press gestures.

camera
A light press on the Camera Control button engages a haptic click to bring up a scrollable menu of settings that include 5x optical zoom, thanks to a handy sliding interface that operates similarly to a camera dial. Another light press selects the setting, which is adjustable with a swipe (.5x, 1x, 2x, 5x). When you've made your selection, a double light press returns you to the main Camera Control menu, while a full press down takes the picture, just like a shutter button.

Digital Zoom

The iPhone 16 Pro's 25x digital zoom limit still falls below the competition. Samsung's latest Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphone for example has 100x Space Zoom that can capture images from 330 feet away, while the Pixel 8 Pro has 30x digital "Super Res Zoom" with its 5x optical zoom lens.

To its credit though, Apple has never leaned into digital zoom because the quality is poor. Optical zoom provides a crisp, clear image using the camera hardware, but digital zoom uses software enhancement to crop in.

Both devices share other camera improvements. The iPhone 16 Pro models have a 48-megapixel "Fusion" camera, a new name that Apple is using for the Main camera. There is no improvement to the ƒ/1.78 aperture or second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization, but there is a new second-generation quad-pixel sensor. Both models also have a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, up from 12 megapixels, and it has with an ƒ/2.2 aperture.

Related Roundup: iPhone 16 Pro

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18

Apple Announces iOS 18.2 Launching Today With These New Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by
Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing. For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also ...
iphone 17 pro concept render cameras

Major iPhone 17 Pro Redesign Backed by Supply Chain Info, Claims Leaker

Thursday December 12, 2024 4:36 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker. iPhone 17 Pro concept render Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro...
m4 mac mini hands on

Cloud-Based M4 and M4 Pro Mac Mini Models Now Available

Wednesday December 11, 2024 7:34 am PST by
Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services. The company has launched three configurations of the new Mac mini, powered by Apple's M4 and M4 Pro chips. Developers and IT teams can rent these machines for tasks ranging from basic development to advanced artificial intelligence modeling, providing an...
macOS Sequoia Night Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.2 With New Apple Intelligence Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1. Mac users can download the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds Image Playground, an app that lets you create...
macbook air m2 13 inch

macOS Sequoia 15.2 Confirms New M4 MacBook Air Models Are Coming

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:54 am PST by
Apple today made a mistake with its macOS Sequoia 15.2 update, releasing the software for two Macs that have yet to be launched. There is a software file for "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13," which are upcoming MacBook Air models. The leaked software references the "MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and the "MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)," confirming that new M4 MacBook Air models are in...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 With Genmoji, Image Playground, Siri ChatGPT and More

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Second Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Monday December 9, 2024 10:06 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...