iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 13 Pro comparison: which one is better in photography?
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We pitted the iPhone 14 Pro against the iPhone 13 Pro in an extensive comparison. The result is surprising, to say the least.
On one side, we have the iPhone 14 Pro, the new flagship of Apple and therefore the most powerful and successful smartphone ever launched by the firm. On the other, its predecessor, the iPhone 13 Pro. Logic would have it that the first one crushes the second one in pictures, but we wanted to know for sure. And we did well.
A technical recap before we start
Before opposing the two iPhones, it's probably best to briefly recall what they offer in terms of photography.
The iPhone 13 Pro has three 12-megapixel sensors. With three focal lengths. These sensors are respectively crowned with a wide angle opening at f/1.5, an ultra wide angle opening at f/1.8 and a telephoto opening at f/2.8 and offering a 3x optical zoom. The main sensor is also stabilized and we find all the usual technologies with Deep Fusion, Smart HDR4 or ProRAW.
Technologies that the iPhone 14 Pro also offers. An iPhone 14 Pro that inherits the same optical zoom. The rest, however, changes.
The main sensor increases to 48 million pixels, and it is accompanied by a wide angle opening at f/1.78 and a brand new mechanical stabilization system. The sensor under the ultra wide angle still has 12 million pixels of definition, but it is larger, with bigger photosites. The lens opens at f/2.2. The iPhone 14 Pro also features the Photonic Engine, a new image processing technology.
On paper, then, we have slightly less bright optics on the latest iPhone, which is of course compensated by the fact that the sensors are physically larger. The definition is better and the phone also offers a new image processing technology with a new stabilization system.
It seems to be well equipped to supplant its predecessor, but sometimes you have to beware of appearances.
The photo comparison
This brings us of course to the part that interests you, namely the photo comparison. A comparison that will directly oppose each focal length. And of course, each time, the photos were taken automatically, at the same time. All guaranteed without retouching.
To better compare the photos, we recommend that you open them in the gallery, or download them.
The wide angle
The wide angles are, as always with Apple, very effective during the day. They recover a lot of details on the photographed scenes, with an omnipresent sharpness and a dynamic that incites to respect. The images crackle and they give the impression of being full of life.
That said, at first glance, they're also very hard to tell apart. The iPhone 14 Pro does not stand out, even when zoomed in far. The iPhone 13 Pro manages to match it despite its older generation sensor.
In this regard, it is important to note that in automatic modes, the iPhone 14 Pro captures images with 12 million pixels of definition. The full definition is only available on the ProRaw.
In the evening and indoors, the two phones are once again neck and neck. Nice sharpness, impressive dynamics, natural colors, they produce quality images. Images that once again offer an identical rendering. At least at first sight.
This time, when zooming in, we see more differences. The iPhone 14 Pro offers a smoother rendering, the iPhone 13 Pro is therefore more precise. The details of the sweater of the young woman, or even those of her handbag, show this. Against all odds, the old iPhone seems to be a hair above its replacement.
To try to decide between them, I placed myself in a closed room with the curtains drawn. In both cases, the iPhone shot with an exposure time of one second.
At first glance, nothing striking. However, when you zoom in the image, you can see that the iPhone 14 Pro has recovered more details. The figure is much less blurred, as well as the rocks placed behind it. Every detail of the stone is visible, unlike the iPhone 13 Pro which had a heavy hand in smoothing.
What can we deduce from this?
Contrary to what we might have thought, in normal light conditions, the two phones offer a similar result on the wide angle, despite the fact that the iPhone 14 Pro has a brand new sensor.
You really have to shoot in low light to see any difference. With sometimes surprising results. The latest iPhone seems indeed more comfortable on very complex scenes. On the other hand, the iPhone 13 Pro does better indoors. On the other hand, it should be remembered that the latter, unlike its replacement, has been able to benefit from a year of software updates. Apple will probably need a little time to take full advantage of its new 48 megapixel sensor.
The change in focal length - from 26mm to 24mm - didn't bother me much. Of course, the framing is not exactly the same, but it is not disturbing.
The ultra wide angle
Let's move on to the ultra wide angle. Which changes a little on the iPhone 14 Pro. Apple has indeed opted for a slightly larger sensor, which also leads to an increase in the size of its photosites. In theory, it should therefore get better results in low light. But is it really the case?
At first sight, during the day, both iPhones get the same results. Sharp images, a dynamic that is full of eyes, we could believe that they offer an identical rendering. But this is not the case. If we pay attention, we notice that the iPhone 14 Pro managed to recover more details in the clouds, but also in the tree. Even the church in the background is more accurate.
This is also confirmed by a zoom in the image. Whether it is the texture of the wall in the background or the roof of the houses in the distance, the iPhone 14 Pro was more accurate than its predecessor.
We change atmosphere with this night shot. The two pictures were taken at the same time, the phones were at ground level, photo module down. At first glance, the rendering is very similar, and we can see that the iPhone 14 Pro still has a hard time managing the blurs.
Nevertheless, when we zoom in the image, we realize that the new Apple phone is more precise. The best example being the face of the girl walking with a headband in her hair. If in both cases her features remain blurred, the iPhone 14 Pro still offers the sharpest rendering.
To push the iPhones to their limits, I took these pictures in a room totally immersed in the night. And in both cases, with an explosion time of two seconds. The phones were of course hand-held to make it even harder for them.
The two renderings are quite similar. One retains a sharp image. Both phones handled the sensitivity increase well and there are few visible artifacts. Zooming in, however, we see that the iPhone 14 Pro is a hair above. The image is less noisy and the rendering is therefore a little better.
Assessment:
Here, we see that the ultra wide angle of the iPhone 14 Pro is clearly above that of the iPhone 13 Pro. It is more precise and it recovers more details, even on very complicated scenes. Now, you still have to zoom in far in the image to take the full measure of these improvements.
The x3 zoom
This brings us to the last focal length, namely the zoom. On paper, nothing changes from one generation to another. Nevertheless, the iPhone 14 Pro has two notable differences: the A16 chip and the Photonic Engine. But is it enough?
By day, we can't say that the difference is glaring. In both cases, the photos are detailed, with a nice dynamic range and fairly natural colors. As usual, iPhones are indeed warm, but it is rather flattering.
So you have to zoom far into the image to distinguish the two phones. Batman's portrait is slightly more detailed on the latest iPhone, especially on his jaw.
At night, the differences are more striking. The iPhone 14 Pro seems to manage the blurs better. The signs in the background are also a bit more precise. This is confirmed by a zoom in the image.
Moreover, it is not only the signs that are better rendered. The poster, for example, is a little more readable on the iPhone 14 Pro side. Same thing for the bottles in the bar or the horse saddle at the entrance. Overall, therefore, the zoom of the iPhone 14 Pro has done its job better.
To be sure, I shot these pictures in a dark room, with a three second exposure time. Of course, I held the phones in my hands.
Well, again, the iPhone 14 Pro performed better than its comrade. The figure is more detailed, as well as the pot behind it or the leaves of the plant. Every reflection, every nuance is apparent. The iPhone 13 Pro did not handle the increase in sensitivity as well. The glasses of the figurine lack precision and the image is overall more noisy.
Bottom line:
I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting such a glaring difference. This proves, finally, that the A16 chip and Photonic Engine are not there to decorate. They bring a real gain on the shots.
The portrait mode
Apart from the three focal lengths, we must also look at the specific modes offered by the iPhone. Like the portrait mode, for example.
During the day, we must admit that the rendering of the iPhone 14 Pro is a bit more impressive. It is indeed the most accurate. Every detail is faithfully reproduced. The photo literally crackles and this impression is of course confirmed when zooming in the image. The look is deeper on the iPhone 14 Pro. With more nuances in the iris.
Indoors and under a good light, the two iPhones offer a rendering at first sight very close. The image is sharp, detailed, with a very natural blur that allows to clear the subject of the scene.
So you have to zoom in to see significant differences. And once again, the iPhone 14 Pro is slightly better. It is indeed more accurate, which can be seen for example in my daughter's eyelashes or her green sweater. The meshes are clearly visible on the photo taken with the iPhone 14 Pro. On the other hand, the iPhone 13 Pro offers a slightly smoother rendering.
At night, outdoors, the two phones are more difficult to distinguish. In both cases, we get a precise image, with a clear cut and a well worked blur. Even when zooming in, you can't see a noticeable difference.
Bottom line:
Once again, we can't really talk about a revolution, but the iPhone 14 Pro is clearly a step above its predecessor. It is much more accurate in daylight or even indoors. On the other hand, when the light conditions are more difficult, it will tend to proceed to a smoothing a little too marked which will place it neck and neck with the previous model.
The macro
The macro was introduced with the iPhone 13 Pro. It seemed to me therefore legitimate to mention this mode in this comparison. Especially since it remains, this year again, reserved for the "pro" models of the range.
During the day, we must admit that both cameras are impressive. They are capable of generating very precise images with a high level of detail. On the other hand, switching to macro mode is always a bit risky. It is therefore preferable to think of activating the button to avoid sudden dropouts.
Zooming in, we can see some obvious differences between the two phones. The iPhone 14 Pro is indeed more precise. The dynamics also seems much better in the shadows.
Curiously, indoors, the difference is less obvious, even when zoomed far into the image. A result that can be explained by the subject photographed. A rather "flat" subject.
This is what led me to change the rules of the game a bit and shoot in a darkened room, with a two-second exposure. The phones, this time, were placed on a book to be at the same level. And once again, the iPhone 14 Pro completely trumped its comrade. The image is much more detailed on its side, you can even see the mesh of the comforter cover.
And by zooming in, we can see that it is also him who has better managed the rise in sensitivity. The iPhone 13 Pro has begun a general smoothing that has also made him lose many details.
The bottom line:
As you can see, the iPhone 14 Pro is the winner. By a small margin, of course, but it still wins the round.
The ProRAW
Of course, it was impossible not to talk about ProRaw. And I will of course start with a bit of theory.
ProRaw is a format specific to Apple, a format that combines the information of a RAW file, and therefore a format without compression, with the image processing specific to the iPhone. In concrete terms, therefore, it is a raw format that offers a little more flexibility in post-production, but with apple pieces anyway.
ProRaw is of course available on all focal lengths, but there is a particularity specific to the iPhone 14 Pro. As I explained earlier, when you shoot on the wide angle, you benefit from the full definition of the sensor. That is 48 million pixels. And it is thus in this precise use that I opposed the two cameras. So I limited myself to this one focal length for the sake of this comparison.
During the day and at first glance, the results are globally similar. Well, apart from the definition and the weight of the pictures of course. Count an average of 30 MB per photo on the iPhone 13 Pro, against an average of 70 MB for the iPhone 14 Pro.
And depending on the images, you can even go up to more than 130 MB. Yes, it hurts and it will be better to plan ahead when you choose the storage capacity of your new iPhone.
Zooming in, we logically enter another world. The sensor of the iPhone 14 Pro being better defined, it manages to recover much more details. For example, Romy's chest hair. Each hair is faithfully restored on the latest iPhone and this is not the case with the previous model.
On the other hand, the exposure remains rather fragile, as shown by the wall behind the subject. The whites tend to burn very quickly and a post-production work will be necessary to correct the shot.
A good first impression confirmed with this other photo, the heaviest of our selection. Once again, at first glance, we can't see much difference between the two images, except that the one taken with the iPhone 14 Pro seems a bit more detailed.
But when you zoom in, it's a revelation. Every blade of grass is correctly rendered. Even better, the latest iPhone also manages to recover more details in the shadows. Like the texture of stones for example.
I was obviously curious to know how the iPhone 14 Pro would perform in difficult light conditions. With such a well-defined sensor, it was starting with quite a handicap. But here again, I was pleasantly surprised. The latest iPhone manages to produce much more detailed images once again, with very little noise.
The increase in sensitivity seems to have been particularly well managed on this scene. And when zoomed in far into the image, the statuette is sharper and more detailed on the iPhone 14 Pro.
The bottom line:
For me, the observation is unmistakable. In ProRAW, the iPhone 14 Pro is far superior to its predecessor. Apple has cleverly exploited the beautiful definition of its main sensor. It's even more impressive since the iPhone 14 Pro has only had one update since its launch. The gap should logically widen over the next few months.
What about selfies?
But we still have one more point to talk about: selfies. If the definition doesn't change, the iPhone 14 Pro offers one or two improvements, like a brighter lens and an autofocus. So I was very eager to test it in this use.
On this selfie taken indoors, I wanted to see how the iPhone behaved with two subjects. And if the overall rendering is roughly the same, we can still see that the iPhone 14 Pro has managed to recover a little more detail, whether on the skin or clothing. An impression confirmed when we zoom on the image.
To confirm this impression, I proceeded to a second test. This time, I put myself in a dark room, with only a light ray coming from the window. This time, the result is clear: the iPhone 14 Pro is the most accurate.
Not content with recovering a maximum of details, it also manages better the rise in sensitivity. There are fewer artifacts. We also appreciate the natural rendering of the skin.