English
We put the Apple iPhone 17 Pro through our rigorous DXOMARK Camera test suite to measure its performance in photo, video, and zoom quality from an end-user perspective. This article breaks down how the device fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases and is intended to highlight the most important results of our testing with an extract of the captured data.
Overview
Key camera specifications:
- Primary: 48MP sensor, 2.44μm quad pixels, 24mm equivalent f/1.78-aperture lens, Dual Pixel AF, OIS
- Ultra-wide: 48MP sensor, 1.4μm quad-pixel, 13mm equivalent f/2.2-aperture lens, Dual Pixel AF
- Tele: 48MP sensor, 1.4μm quad-pixel, 100 mm equivalent f/2.8-aperture lens, Dual Pixel AF
- A19 Pro chipset
Scoring
Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
185
175
169
169
Use cases & Conditions
Use case scores indicate the product performance in specific situations. They are not included in the overall score calculations.
Portrait
Portrait photos of either one person or a group of people
Outdoor
Photos & videos shot in bright light conditions (≥1000 lux)
Indoor
Photos & videos shot in good lighting conditions (≥100lux)
Lowlight
Photos & videos shot in low lighting conditions (<100 lux)
Zoom
Photos and videos captured using zoom (more than 1x)
Pros
- Excellent video performance
- Accurate exposure and wide dynamic range, even in low light
- Pleasant colors across most conditions with a fairly neutral white balance.
- High texture levels at preset zoom levels
- Smooth zooming, including when switching between camera modules
- Bokeh effect is natural in segmentation, intensity, spotlights.
- Image artifacts well under control
Cons
- Occasional slight focus and white balance instabilities on moving subjects in video mode
- Decreased texture levels at intermediate zoom settings, close to preset levels
- Slight image noise when shooting indoors or in low light
Thanks to noticeable improvements over last year’s model and excellent results across almost all test attributes, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro secures a spot among the best in the DXOMARK Camera ranking, competing head-to-head with rival flagship phones released earlier this year. The latest Apple device offers best-in-class video performance, impressive zoom capabilities, and overall great versatility.
Apple’s brand new iPhone 17 Pro comes with the company’s latest and most powerful chipset to date, the A19 Pro, which features a 6-core CPU architecture, as well as a 6-core GPU, allowing for faster processing and rendering. In addition, the new chip helps accelerate AI tasks, thanks to a new 16-core neural engine.
On the camera side, the iPhone 17 generation introduces design changes not only under the hood, but also on the exterior of the device. The raised square camera section of previous iPhone generations has been replaced by a ‘camera plateau’ which covers almost the full width of the device. The three lenses of the individual camera modules remain on the left, but the LIDAR and flash modules have been moved to the right.
On the inside, there are important improvements to the camera hardware. The dedicated tele module now comes with a 48MP sensor. After the ultra-wide camera was previously upgraded to the same resolution with the introduction of the iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max, the 17 Pro now features 48MP sensors across all three camera modules. This opens up new zooming capabilities and increases versatility. Using intelligent cropping and changing sensor capture modes, the camera is now offering a range of preset focal lengths with optimized image quality, which can be selected via dedicated buttons in the camera UI. Apple calls this the ’48MP Pro Fusion camera system’ and claims it replaces ‘8 pro lenses in your pocket.’
The following equivalent focal lengths can be selected directly via a button in the UI when shooting under normal light conditions:
-
- macro (12MP)
- 13mm (0.5x, 24MP)
- 24mm (1x, 24MP)
- 35mm (1.5x, 24MP)
- 48mm (2x, 12MP)
- 100mm (4x, 24MP)
- 200mm (8x, 12MP)
In very low light (5 lux and less), the camera switches to the long exposure night mode which was introduced with the iPhone 11 in 2019. In this mode the output resolution is 12MP.
Video mode has been improved as well. The iPhone camera now offers a Dual Recording feature which allows for simultaneous recording with the front and rear cameras. This way a scene and the videographer’s reaction to it can be filmed at the same time. On the primary camera module, the 17 Pro can now also record 120fps slow motion video in Dolby 4K HDR. This feature is not tested under our v6 test protocol, however.
For videographers who want or need maximum flexibility in post editing, and do not mind very large file sizes, there is now also a new ProRes RAW recording mode which allows for a direct recording of the raw data from the sensor. This feature is not available through the default camera app, though.
Good contrast and exposure, vibrant colors, high levels of detail
The iPhone 17 Pro captures beautiful images with high levels of detail in low light, and generally maintains a 24MP output size. Even in extremely low light the camera is still capable of capturing scenes without any moving subjects by triggering its long exposure night mode. Images taken in this mode still show high levels of detail and natural rendering, earning the iPhone the current number one spot in the photo night ranking.
Noise in low light images is managed better than on the previous iPhone Pro generation, but the Apple device still lacks behind the best-in-class devices in this respect. For example, noise can become quite intrusive in some low light scenes with high contrast.
Low light videos look great on the iPhone 17 Pro, thanks to a natural overall rendering with great color, texture and noise management.
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers excellent portrait images, thanks to very good skin tone rendering as well as high levels of detail on faces. HDR playback allows for an even more stunning rendering, boosting color and brightness when needed, for example in HDR scenes. Zero shutter lag integration means there is no delay when pressing the shutter button, allowing to capture exactly the desired moment. This works well, even in low light, but not after the camera has switched to the long exposure night mode.
In group portrait scenes, with subjects at different distances to the camera, the iPhone’s slightly limited depth-of-field means that subjects towards the back of the scene can appear out of focus.
Zoom is an area where the iPhone 17 Pro shines particularly bright. The camera’s tele module now comes with a 48MP sensor and a 4x optical zoom factor. It also features Apple’s Fusion Camera technology, making the 17 Pro the first iPhone with Fusion Camera across all camera modules. The new tele module offers an improved long range performance, allowing the 17 Pro, taking the iPhone much closer to the best rivals in terms of long range tele photo and video performance. Apple’s Fusion Camera feature provides improved detail across the zoom range, but particularly at the zoom presets in the camera UI, for example at 2x and 8x zoom factors.
On the ultra-wide camera reduced noise is the most obvious improvement, but the increased 24MP output size also makes for better detail and improved rendering of fine textures. It is also worth mentioning that pinch zooming works very smoothly during video recording. Some parallax is inevitable due to the different positions of the camera modules on the device, but you have to look very carefully to notice transitions between camera modules during zooming.
Test summary
About DXOMARK Camera tests: DXOMARK’s camera evaluations take place in laboratories and real-world situations using a wide variety of use-cases. The scores rely on objective tests for which the results are calculated directly using measurement software in our laboratory setups, and on perceptual tests where a sophisticated set of metrics allow a panel of image experts to compare aspects of image quality that require human judgment. Testing a smartphone involves a team of engineers and technicians for about a week. Photo and Video quality are scored separately and then combined into an overall score for comparison among the cameras in different devices. For more information about the DXOMARK Camera protocol, click here. More details on smartphone camera scores are available here. The following section gathers key elements of DXOMARK’s exhaustive tests and analyses. Full performance evaluations are available upon request. Please contact us on how to receive a full report.
Photo
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
180
For scoring and analysis, DXOMARK engineers capture and evaluate more than 3,800 test images in controlled lab environments as well as outdoor, indoor and low-light natural scenes, using the camera’s default settings. The photo protocol is designed to take into account the main use cases and is based on typical shooting scenarios, such as portraits, landscape and zoom photography. The evaluation is performed by visually inspecting images against a reference of natural scenes, and by running objective measurements on images of charts captured in the lab under different lighting conditions from 0.1 to 10,000+ lux and color temperatures from 2,300K to 6,500K.
Like previous iPhone generations, the iPhone 17 Pro again delivers still image performance that is among the best we have seen. Images consistently show high levels of detail, even in difficult night conditions, and unwanted image artifacts are very well under control. Portrait shots with the primary cam offer outstanding natural and detailed face rendering, as well as very nice skin tones.
Landscapes are beautifully rendered as well, featuring the deep blue skies with rich cloud detail that Apple devices are generally known for. The ultra-wide camera makes it easy to squeeze more landscape into the frame by zooming out, but keep in mind there will be slightly more image noise than on the primary camera.
The new 4x tele camera performs very well for long range tele shots. Thanks to Apple’s Fusion Camera system, rendering is excellent at intermediate zoom levels as well, especially at the presets that can be set via dedicated buttons in the camera UI, for example 4x and 8x. At the 4x setting the camera produces 24MP image output, but this can be reduced to 12MP at some intermediate zoom settings. This said, rendering always remains natural with good detail. At intermediate zoom settings that are very close to the preset values, for example 3.9x or 1.9x, the level of detail is slightly lower. We would therefore recommend against using those settings whenever possible.
Main
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
185
In daylight shooting the iPhone 17 Pro is one of the very best devices tested to date. In photo mode the camera delivers accurate exposure and a wide dynamic range, thanks to Apple’s proprietary Smart HDR 5 technology, which is capable of recovering noticeable amounts of fine detail in the brightest highlights and darkest shadow portions of the frame.
While face contrast is pleasant, in sunny conditions white balance can occasionally appear slightly more yellow than on competing devices at default settings. In addition, darker skin tones can show a slightly reddish undertone. This can be easily fixed, though, thanks to the Photographic Styles feature which allows for intelligent tone, color, and look customization after capture. First introduced with the iPhone 13 series in 2021 and improved for the latest models, this feature is not covered by our current test protocol, however.
Close-Up
In macro mode, the iPhone 17 Pro uses its ultra-wide camera to capture close-up shots with good detail preservation, especially at the center of the frame. While the overall rendering is pleasant, sharpness and detail tend to drop off slightly toward the edges, and fine textures are not as well defined as on devices like the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra, which benefits from dedicated macro options and more advanced processing. Nonetheless, the iPhone delivers consistent macro performance with natural colors and decent subject isolation, making it a reliable option for everyday close-up photography.
Exposure
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
134
Exposure is one of the key attributes for technically good pictures. The main attribute evaluated is the brightness level of the main subject through various use cases such as landscape, portrait, or still life. Other factors evaluated are the global contrast and the ability to render the dynamic range of the scene (ability to render visible details in both bright and dark areas). When the camera provides Photo HDR format, the images are analyzed with a visualization on an HDR reference monitor, under reference conditions specified in the ISO-22028-5 standard. Repeatability is also important because it demonstrates the camera's ability to provide the same rendering when shooting several images of the same scene.
Like on previous iPhone models and current flagship phones from other manufacturers, images are well exposed across all test conditions, even in very low light, thanks to the automatic triggering of a dedicated night mode. First launched on the iPhone 11 in 2019, this mode uses a long exposure time to optimize light collection. This works very well, as long as there are no moving subjects in the scene. Our testers found that night mode activated at light levels of around 5 Lux or lower.
Dynamic range is wide in most conditions, thanks to Apple’s proprietary Smart HDR 5 technology, which is capable of recovering noticeable amounts of fine detail in the brightest highlights and darkest shadow portions of the frame. This said, some competitors, such as the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra, sometimes achieve an even wider dynamic range when capturing very challenging high-contrast scenes, such as a backlit portraits of subjects with darker skin tones.
In some scenes with very strong backlighting the camera is still capable of preserving good contrast, but at the expense of shadow detail.
Contrast is very nice with images viewed on an HDR display, thanks to the use of an embedded gain map which provides well-balanced contrast levels on faces and realistic highlights in the background. This is achieved without brightening the picture too much, unlike we have seen on some competing devices.
Color
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
133
Color is one of the key attributes for technically good pictures. The image quality attributes analyzed are skin-tone rendering, white balance, color shading, and repeatability. For color and skin tone rendering, we penalize unnatural colors according to results gathered in various studies and consumer insights while respecting the manufacturer's choice of color signature.
Like most previous iPhone cameras, the 17 Pro delivers excellent results in the color test. Colors are nice and rich, with a generally neutral white balance. In portrait shots skin tones are very nuanced across all skin types. Compared to last year’s iPhone generation, white balance is even more neutral, but with a preference for warmer tones in sunny conditions.
Color can be modified in the camera app after capture, using the latest generation of the Photographic Styles feature. It allows for adjustment of the tonal balance while taking into account scene content, including skin tones if there are human subjects in the frame.
Autofocus
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
135
Autofocus tests concentrate on focus accuracy, focus repeatability, shooting time delay, and depth-of-field. Shooting delay is the difference between the time the user presses the capture button and the time the image is actually taken. It includes focusing speed and the capability of the device to capture images at the right time, what is called 'zero shutter lag' capability. Even if a shallow depth-of-field can be pleasant for a single subject portrait or close-up shot, it can also be a problem in some specific conditions such as group portraits; Both situations are tested. Focus accuracy is also evaluated in all the real-life images taken, from infinity to close-up objects and in low light to outdoor conditions.
Zero shutter lag technology is well implemented across almost all shooting conditions, making it easy to capture the decisive moment. This is in line with previous iPhone models and most current flagship phones.
Depth-of-field on the 17 Pro’s primary camera is slightly limited, which becomes particularly noticeable in portrait shots with multiple subjects at different distances to the camera. In this situation subjects toward the back can end up out of focus. Devices featuring a variable aperture, such as the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra, are capable of widening the depth-of-field when such scenes are detected, keeping all subjects in focus.
Texture
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
133
Texture tests analyze the level of details and the texture of subjects in the images taken in the lab as well as in real-life scenarios. For natural shots, particular attention is paid to the level of details in the bright and dark areas of the image. Objective measurements are performed on chart images taken in various lighting conditions from 0.1 to 10,000+ lux and different kinds of dynamic range conditions. The charts used are the proprietary DXOMARK chart (DMC), and the Dead Leaves chart. We also have an AI based metric for the level of details on our realistic mannequins Eugene and Diana.
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro generally captures images with high levels of detail, down to low light. Portrait shots show natural and detailed facial features, including eyes, eyebrows, eyelashes and beards. In addition, the 24MP pixel counts allows for plenty of zooming-in during image review if required. This said, in some more complex backlit low light scenes, competitors, such as the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra, are sometimes capable of preserving better detail in faces.
The iPhone 17 Pro is our new number one device for night shooting. When shooting at light levels of 5 lux or under the camera switches to its night mode which uses a long exposure of 1 second or even longer. While in this mode, the camera produces lower resolution 12MP images than in the 24MP default mode. It captures higher levels of detail than last year’s iPhone generation and provides natural detail rendering, avoiding issues we have seen on some competitors.
Noise
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
129
Noise tests analyze various attributes of noise such as intensity, chromaticity, grain, structure on real-life images as well as images of charts taken in the lab. For natural images, particular attention is paid to the noise on faces, landscapes, but also on dark areas and high dynamic range conditions. Noise on moving objects is also evaluated on natural images. Objective measurements are performed on images of charts taken in various conditions from 0.1 to 10000 lux and different kinds of dynamic range conditions. The chart used is the Dead Leaves chart and the standardized measurement such as Visual Noise derived from ISO 15739.
Noise remains one of the areas for improvement on the iPhone 17 Pro. Noise is generally well under control when shooting in daylight, with only some fine luminance noise occasionally noticeable in the shadow portions of the frame. However, luminance noise becomes more intrusive in complex HDR indoor scenes, and particularly in low light scenes, especially when zooming in to a 100% view.
Artifacts
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
81
The artifacts evaluation looks at flare, lens shading, chromatic aberrations, geometrical distortion, edges ringing, halos, ghosting, quantization, unexpected color hue shifts, among others type of possible unnatural effects on photos. The more severe and the more frequent the artifact, the higher the point deduction on the score. The main artifacts observed and corresponding point loss are listed below.
As it is common for Apple’s iPhone devices, artifacts are well under control on the 17 Pro, with only some occasional moiré, flare and ghosting effects noticeable.
Bokeh
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
175
Bokeh is tested in one dedicated mode, usually portrait or aperture mode, and analyzed by visually inspecting all the images captured in the lab and in natural conditions. The goal is to reproduce portrait photography comparable to one taken with a DLSR and a wide aperture. The main image quality attributes paid attention to are depth estimation, artifacts, blur gradient, and the shape of the bokeh blur spotlights. Portrait image quality attributes (exposure, color, texture) are also taken into account.
Bokeh mode on the iPhone 17 Pro delivers a refined portrait experience, with well-executed subject isolation and a softly dimmed background blur that enhances depth and focus. Subject segmentation is fairly accurate and natural, producing convincing results in most scenarios. However, segmentation around fine details such as hair strands or eyeglass frames is slightly less precise when compared to competitors like the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra or Oppo Find X8 Ultra.
The background blur is nicely rendered, with a realistic gradient and well-shaped spotlights that contribute to a natural depth-of-field effect. Even in night conditions, the iPhone manages to maintain good subject isolation and relatively good detail rendering, offering consistent portrait performance across varying light conditions. Overall, the bokeh mode on the iPhone 17 Pro delivers visually pleasing images and a reliable experience, making it well-suited for mobile portrait photography.
Tele
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
169
All image quality attributes are evaluated at focal lengths from approximately 40 mm to 300 mm, with particular attention paid to texture and detail. The score is derived from a number of objective measurements in the lab and perceptual analysis of real-life images.
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers impressive detail rendering across all zoom ranges, showing notable improvements over last year’s model. Exposure and color rendering are consistently good, resulting in images that are both sharp and visually pleasing. Thanks to the advanced Fusion Camera system, the device manages to lift image quality at intermediate zoom factors, such as 2x and 8x, providing a solid experience across the entire zoom range.
However, when setting the zoom to a ratio just below the preset values, which can be set via dedicated buttons in the camera UI, the camera does not engage the fusion process, resulting in a noticeable loss of texture. In addition, at long range tele zoom beyond 8x, the level of detail drops significantly compared to some competitors, such as the Vivo X200 Ultra or the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra. Both these devices benefit from dedicated long range tele modules and advanced image processing. Despite these limitations, the overall improvements in detail, exposure, and color make the iPhone 17 Pro a strong tele zoom performer in its class.
UltraWide
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
169
These tests analyze the performance of the ultra-wide camera at several focal lengths from 12 mm to 20 mm. All image quality attributes are evaluated, with particular attention paid to such artifacts as chromatic aberrations, lens softness, and distortion. Pictures below are an extract of tested scenes.
The iPhone 17 Pro comes with an ultra-wide camera that has been improved over its predecessor. It offers a wide dynamic range and, thanks to an increased 24MP output size, captures higher levels of detail than before, with natural rendering. Noise artifacts are noticeable, though, not only slightly on subjects, but also across the frame. Compared to competitors, such as the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra or Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, the difference is noticeable.
DXOMARK engineers capture and evaluate almost 3 hours of video in controlled lab environments and in natural low-light, indoor and outdoor scenes, using the camera’s default settings. The evaluation consists of visually inspecting natural videos taken in various conditions and running objective measurements on videos of charts recorded in the lab under different conditions from 0.1 to 10000+ lux and color temperatures from 2,300K to 6,500K.
Like previous iPhone generations, the new iPhone 17 Pro makes it to the very top of our video ranking, thanks to the best video performance we have seen to date and improvements over the iPhone 16 generation across all test conditions. The iPhone 17 Pro’s video mode was tested at 4K resolution and 60fps in Dolby HDR mode which provided the overall best results.
Like in photo mode, both videos with human subjects and landscape videos offer high texture levels and low noise, even in low light. This is a noticeable improvement over last year’s iPhone models. Adaptations to changes in the scene are managed very well, too. Exposure, color and autofocus transitions are very smooth, with very few artifacts. The image stabilization system counteracts camera shake effectively during handheld recording standing still and when walking. It is even capable of smoothing gentle running motion. Adding the 60fps frame rate into the mix as well the iPhone 17 Pro provides an overall very smooth and natural video experience.
Exposure tests evaluate the brightness level of the main subject, the global contrast and the ability to render the dynamic range of the scene (ability to render visible details in both bright and dark areas). When the camera provides Video HDR format, the videos are analyzed with a visualization on an HDR reference monitor, under reference conditions specified in the metadata. Stability and temporal adaption of the exposure are also analyzed.
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers accurate video exposure with a wide dynamic range. In addition, transitions during light changes are smooth across all test conditions.
Image-quality color analysis looks at color rendering, skin-tone rendering, white balance, color shading, stability of the white balance and its adaption when light is changing.
Like for still images, color is a strength of the 17 Pro’s video mode. White balance is neutral and colors are rich yet natural, even in low light. White balance transitions during scene changes are very smooth.
Autofocus
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
124
For video, autofocus tests concentrate on focus accuracy, focus stability and analysis of convergence regarding speed and smoothness.
Video autofocus performance is in line with other current flagship phones. The focus is very fast to react and converge when a new target appears in the frame. Subject tracking is excellent, even when moving during recording. A slight change in field of view is noticeable when the autofocus switches target, though. The Huawei Pura 80 Ultra corrects this.
Texture
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
118
Texture tests analyze the level of details and texture of the real-life videos as well as the videos of charts recorded in the lab. Natural videos recordings are visually evaluated, with particular attention paid to the level of details in the bright and areas as well as in the dark. Objective measurements are performed of images of charts taken in various conditions from 0.1 to 10000 lux. The charts used are the DXOMARK chart (DMC) and Dead Leaves chart.
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro shows consistently high levels of detail and natural texture rendering across all test conditions. Video detail performance is on a comparable level to other current flagship smartphones.
Noise tests analyze various attributes of noise such as intensity, chromaticity, grain, structure, temporal aspects on real-life video recording as well as videos of charts taken in the lab. Natural videos are visually evaluated, with particular attention paid to the noise in the dark areas and high dynamic range conditions. Objective measurements are performed on the videos of charts recorded in various conditions from 0.1 to 10000 lux. The chart used is the DXOMARK visual noise chart.
Video noise is managed very well across pretty much all test conditions and the new iPhone is the best device in this category to date. As a result the texture/noise trade-off is very good in all test conditions as well.
Stabilization evaluation tests the ability of the device to stabilize footage thanks to software or hardware technologies such as OIS, EIS, or any others means. The evaluation looks at residual motion, smoothness, jello artifacts and residual motion blur on walk and run use cases in various lighting conditions. The video below is an extract from one of the tested scenes.
During handheld recording camera shake is very effectively compensated for. Rendering is smooth and fluid, with almost no artifacts, even when walking fast or running gently while recording. This can create an almost cinematic sensation.
It is worth mentioning that the iPhone features a dedicated Sports mode in video that applies more extreme stabilization by cropping deeper into the video frames before aligning them which results in a lower output resolution. This mode is not covered by our test protocol, however.
Artifacts are evaluated with MTF and ringing measurements on the SFR chart in the lab as well as frame-rate measurements using the LED Universal Timer. Natural videos are visually evaluated by paying particular attention to artifacts such as aliasing, quantization, blocking, and hue shift, among others. The more severe and the more frequent the artifact, the higher the point deduction from the score. The main artifacts and corresponding point loss are listed below.
Like its recent predecessors, the iPhone 17 Pro offers a fast 4K HDR 60fps frame rate, contributing to a reduction of unwanted artifacts, such as the judder effect, which can occur during panning shots. Our testers observed other common artifacts, such as aliasing, flare, and ringing, in some scenes, but their impact on overall quality is usually small. Flare can be quite noticeable in some scenes with the sun, or a strong light source inside the frame, but this is common to most flagship devices.
It is worth noting that in very low light the frame rate is reduced to 30fps rate in order to increase exposure.
All image quality attributes are evaluated at focal lengths from approximately 12 mm to 300 mm, with particular attention paid to texture and smoothness of the zooming effect. The score is derived from a number of objective measurements in the lab and perceptual analysis of real-life video recordings.
The iPhone 17 Pro shines in ultra-wide video, earning itself the number spot in this test category. Recorded clips are exposed well, even in difficult light conditions, and offer a wide dynamic range. Footage looks sharp and detailed, with nice and natural colors.
Tele
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
140
Video zoom is one of the areas where camera systems are pushed to their limits. On the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple’s Fusion system delivers consistent detail and smooth transitions across a range of focal lengths. Our lab results show the video zoom performance across several zoom settings, from moderate to longer telephoto:
-
- 60mm equivalent (approximately 2x): Fusion system of the primary camera performs very well, better than the competition.
- 72mm Equivalent (approximately 2.4x): Drop in detail across all flagship phones, due to heavy cropping of the primary camera sensor.
- 93mm equivalent (approximately 3x): iPhone crops further into the sensor, reducing detail even more. Huawei Pura 80 Ultra and other competitors have already switched to their dedicated medium tele modules and therefore capture better detail.
- 127mm equivalent (approximately 4x); iPhone tele module is now in use and the performance gap to the competition is closed. The 17 Pro captures better detail than last year’s model and comes close to the Oppo Find X8 Ultra.
Zoom smoothness:
The iPhone 17 Pro does a great job in terms of zoom smoothness. Switches between camera modules are smooth and hardly noticeable. During testing our experts also noticed that at some switching points, for example 2x and 8x, there seems to be a sudden increase in image detail. This is probably enabled by the fusion camera system, allowing for optimized detail across the entire focal range.