Apple’s new iPhone 11 Pro is all about cameras. With three 12mp/4K cameras on the back, it is a full lens kit in your pocket. For my video I decided to not only test out the new iPhone 11 Pro camera but also compare it to an iPhone X and iPhone XS I was lucky enough to have access to (thanks Stetson!).
Check out the video below if you haven’t already and then continue below for the analysis and results.
Immediate takeaways
- iPhone XS and 11 Pro often clearly better than the iPhone X for video quality
- Portrait mode with the iPhone 11 Pro significantly improved
- iPhone X cooler colors than newer models
- iPhone 11 Pro has more details in highlights
- iPhone XS usually sharpest video quality
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone X & XS — Photo Quality
The biggest improvements in still image quality for the iPhone 11 Pro came in the areas of Portrait Mode and overall dynamic range (via the new HDR algorithms).
In Portrait Mode, the iPhone 11 Pro absolutely blew away the iPhone X. This was especially apparent when utilizing the mode to blur the background on subjects like flowers or trees that have significantly more complex shapes. Looking at the photo from the iPhone 11 Pro, we can see it is able to blur the background between almost every stem and flower. In comparison, the X has far less separation between the foreground and background and also blurs a few of the wrong flowers.
The iPhone XS achieved similar depth and background separation as the 11 Pro but suffered to define the edges.
When it came to dynamic range, both the iPhone XS and 11 Pro had less contrasty images than the iPhone X. They consistently had more details in the highlights when the X would blow out and just be white. (Notice the spots of sunlight on the brick wall)
The iPhone 11 Pro’s dynamic range wasn’t always instantly better than that of the XS. But upon closer inspection, photos taken on the 11 Pro preserved more details and color information in the shadows. (Notice the gaps of the plastic crates in the above image)
If you want to download and take a look at the original full-res images to compare them for yourself, I uploaded a bunch to a Google Drive.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. iPhone X & XS — Video Quality
Now for video quality. The most surprising thing I noticed while comparing the video from these three iPhones was that the iPhone XS was consistently the sharpest of the three. This was primarily due to the lower dynamic range of the iPhone XS however, Apple might still need to make some changes to the 11 Pro’s sharpening algorithms.
Looking at the still frame I took from 4K footage, the iPhone 11 Pro actually doesn’t look as good as the XS. The video from the 11 Pro was flatter overall — not a bad thing now that Apple has added video editing to the iPhone. The iPhone X is also a flatter image but mainly due to a lower black or white point and not because the phone captured more details in the highlights or shadows.
Low-light video quality has been significantly improved in the iPhone 11 Pro camera over both the XS and X. Taking a look at a frame from some 1080p/120 slow-mo clips that I shot at dusk, the amount of noise in both the iPhone X and XS is astounding compared to the 11 Pro.
Add-in that the iPhone 11 Pro camera was able to almost always shoot at a higher ISO — thus faster shutter speed — and the result is clear motion with less blur. This was great with slow-mo as well as when filming a fast-moving subject at regular framerates.
How good are three cameras?
Now for the big question that everyone has about the iPhone 11 Pro: what is it like shooting with three cameras? Actually pretty helpful to be honest. Having the ability to shoot a scene with three 3 different focal lengths is handy.
The iPhone 11 Pro’s new ultrawide camera could definitely use some improvement though. First off, it has a fixed focus meaning you can’t get to close to your subject without it being blurry. This is a shame because one often-used aspect of an ultrawide lens is the ability to get almost uncomfortably close to your subject.
Secondly, the 11 Pro’s ultrawide camera lacks optical image stabilization. While this isn’t that big of a deal — noticing camera shake with a 13mm focal length is pretty hard anyway — it could enable some incredible features (take a look at what GoPro has been doing with their cameras).
Conclusion
I wish I could offer a better takeaway than “the iPhone 11 Pro camera(s) have better image and video quality than previous iPhones” but essentially that is my findings after several days of testing. The iPhone XS was consistently closer in quality (especially dynamic range and sharpness), but still almost always was edged out by the newer 11 Pro.
If you have either an iPhone X or XS, however, I don’t see upgrading as a necessity. Both of those iPhones still capture great-looking images. Unless your job relies on you taking photos or video with your phone, getting a new iPhone 11 Pro (instead of waiting until next year’s iPhone 2020) won’t seem like that big of an upgrade.
I personally will be staying with my iPhone XS Max for the foreseeable future. The loss of 3D touch on the new iPhones is something I don’t want to accept until Apple adds a few more exciting features to make the sacrifice worth it.
