Camera
Panasonic Interview: ‘We will strengthen both full frame and M43’
| Yosuke Yamane, director of Panasonic’s Imaging Division. |
In the latest in our series of socially distanced interviews with senior executives in the digital photography industry, we sat down (virtually) with Yosuke Yamane, director of Panasonic’s Imaging Division. Among the topics discussed were Panasonic’s approach to developing cameras for both photographers and videographers, upcoming improvements to autofocus, and the future of Micro Four Thirds.
Please note that this interview was conducted over email and has been edited for grammar, clarity and flow.
With much of Panasonic’s recent efforts focused on full-frame camera systems, what does the future of Micro Four Thirds look like?
We will strengthen our product lineup in both full-frame and Micro Four Thirds in order to support all shooting opportunities for creators. We have full-frame for creators who want more power to capture images and videos with a shallow depth of field, and M43 for creators who want compactness, light weight, mobility, and an adequate depth of field. The product group consists of two systems with different characteristics, which supports various shooting scenes and demonstrates the creator’s imagination.
Many creators have high expectations for new M43 products [and] we will continue to strengthen the lineup from this year onwards
Last year, we introduced the Lumix DC-S5, which has a compact and lightweight body and high performance in both still images and videos. On the other hand, in M43, in addition to the GH5, GH5S, and G9 we introduced the Lumix DC-G100, which is highly portable and allows you to enjoy vlogging, and the box-style camera the Lumix DC-BGH1, which increases flexibility in video production and has excellent video performance and customizability. M43 has a wide range of uses, and many creators have high expectations for new M43 products. We will continue to strengthen the lineup from this year onwards.
In terms of lenses, how are Panasonic’s efforts allocated between its full-frame and four thirds systems?
Since the launch of the S series, we have focused on developing full-frame lenses with the highest priority given to the early enhancement of the lineup. First of all, for professionals who are the target of the S series, we will enhance the S Pro lens range to deliver high performance that covers a wide range of focal lengths. And after the release of S5 last year, we enhanced the range of lenses by achieving both compactness and light weight and high performance with an affordable price, with our series of F1.8 primes covering 20-60mm.
As for M43 lenses, we now offer 31 lenses, which are useful for various scenes, and in the future, we are planning to develop more lenses that meet the needs of creators regardless of whether they shoot M43 or full-frame.
Are you working on improving DFD to make it more competitive with phase-detection AF from other brands?
Autofocus is a technology that is constantly advancing. With the recently released Lumix DC-S5, we have evolved the DFD algorithm based on the needs and feedback of creators, and we have received a positive response from the market following the release. However, we recognize that there are still issues that need to be improved to reach perfection when it comes to AF. We are currently considering further improvements, such as improving the processing capacity with new hardware and improving the accuracy with new software algorithms. Please look forward to the evolution of our AF in the future.
Faster sensor readout would improve rolling shutter and help you further improve DFD. Will Micro Four Thirds always offer this kind of speed advantage over full-frame?
Compared to full-frame sensors, M43 sensors are easier to read out quickly, and they consume less power. This is one of the reasons why we have been able to keep our video features one step ahead. The higher the speed, the better the high-speed shooting performance, the less rolling shutter distortion, and the more potential for autofocus performance improvements. We would like to take advantage of [the potential for higher-speed sensor readout in M43] and continue to take advantage of the unique features of M43 to create attractive products that will please our end users.
 |
| The Panasonic Lumix DC-BGH1 is a Micro four Thirds ‘box camera’ designed to be used as a module in various types of rig, including potentially mounted to a drone. Compared to full-frame, Four Third sensors have the potential for greater speed and lower power consumption, making them ideal for some kinds of applications, including video. |
Panasonic has already shown an interest in computational imaging in its consumer photography products. What has the market response to these features been, and can we expect to see further development and innovation along these lines?
We have announced cameras with Post-Focus, which allows you to select the focus position after shooting, and Focus Stacking, which allows you to adjust the depth by combining photos with different focus positions. And these were appreciated by end-users. In addition, a high-resolution mode enables G9, S1 series, and S5 users to capture high-resolution images (S1/S1H/S5: 96MP, S1R: 180MP) by synthesizing multiple photos. This has been valued by users who capture landscape and architecture.
If we can utilize computational methods while improving the quality of videos, we have the potential to create even more value
Smartphones have been implementing similar functionalities recently. We believe that realizing these consumer trends in cameras will bring even deeper value to customers and we will continue to evolve them.
Can we expect to see computational methods applied to video? (For example, to decouple motion blur from shutter angle, or other clever techniques?)
We do not deny that as a possibility. As an example, our camcorders are already equipped with functions such as generating HDR images based on multiple images with different exposure times. On the other hand, in these days when mirrorless cameras are used for high-end video production, I think the point is whether we can meet the quality required by the market or not, so careful research is required. If we can utilize computational methods while improving the quality of videos, we have the potential to create even more value.
Is it possible that we’ll see internal Raw video capture in Panasonic cameras in the near future?
We cannot answer about future products. But of course, we feel that demand for Raw recording is increasing, and we need to develop products with that in consideration.
 |
| The Lumix DC-S5 (pictured above) and the S1H both use twin SD card slots, but the S1 and S1R offer dual SD and XQD/CFexpress slots. According to Mr Yamane, it’s the heat buildup of current CFe interfaces which makes that media problematic for long-duration video shooting, but efficiencies in future developments of CFe can be expected to mitigate the issue. |
We’ve seen the adoption of CFexpress take off, but other devices are starting to plug directly to SSDs. Which makes most sense for video?
It is interesting question, and both have their strengths. There is no doubt that the mobility of a mirrorless camera is maximized by small, in-camera storage. CFexpress is valuable in that aspect. On the other hand, the current CFexpress consumes a lot of power during high-speed writing. This is no problem with still images, but with videos it can cause the camera to heat up, and there is a concern that it will limit the recording time. As the bit rate gets higher, the risk of that happening will be higher as well.
We believe that the ideal solution is in-camera storage like CFexpress for video recording
Recording to an external SSD is one solution to the heat issue caused by internal recording. Connections with USB cables however would be a problem for those who need mobility. Even if a cartridge type is used, the whole setup will be huge. We therefore believe that the ideal solution is in-camera storage like CFexpress for video recording. It is expected that innovations will happen in future around lower power consumption of CFexpress, especially for long time video shooting.
Who do you see as the main audience for your video products? Consumers learning video, or professionals using them alongside Varicam models?
The main targets of video are both professional videographers and general consumers who personally enjoy capturing video. Our flagship full-frame video camera, the DC-S1H, has been approved by Netflix, and is already utilized on many video production projects including movies, dramas, and commercials. In addition, the GH series – our flagship M43 video cameras – are being used by many YouTubers. Furthermore, the box-type M43 video camera BGH1 has also been approved by Netflix, and we are approaching a wide range of end-users by supporting scenarios such as multi-angle shooting, live streaming, and drone shooting. We will continue to develop new products that can be used for various video shooting needs by a variety of customers.
We are approaching a wide range of end-users by supporting scenarios such as multi-angle shooting, live streaming, and drone shooting
We recently announced several major firmware updates on March 17th. We added enhanced video functions to the Lumix DC-S1 such as 6K/C4K/4K60P, 10-bit/4K anamorphic video recording, and we also added RAW video output functionality via HDMI (with additional functions via the DMW-SFU2 Filmmaker Upgrade Software Key). The S1H supports Raw data output via HDMI to Blackmagic Design recorders, and the BGH1 supports IP streaming output and video Raw data output via HDMI. We are looking forward to seeing the videos shot with these advanced features!
What are the main features and improvements that your customers are asking for from your video products?
We cannot answer in detail, but we believe that our GH series and S1H have been highly rated for their functions / performance, such as unlimited video recording time and various shooting assist functions. We have been able to obtain a lot of feedback from customers who are using Lumix products in various ways. We will continue to listen to the customers who use our products, and solve any problems that they may have. In the future, we will continue to refine our features, lead the industry with technologies that expand video expression such as high bit rate and high frame rate, and continue to create cameras that please our customers.
 |
| The Lumix DC-G100 is a compact Micro Four Thirds camera aimed at video and stills creators and vloggers. |
What trends do you see in the market, over recent years? Is there still a market for compact cameras, for instance?
The global digital camera market has been damaged by COVID-19, but the current trend is improving. However, the market for compact cameras is shrinking. On the other hand, demand for mirrorless cameras has grown steadily, especially for video production and live streaming, and demands are diversified. Under these circumstances, the role of mirrorless cameras will expand.
To respond to this, we will strengthen both full-frame and M43. In 2020, we responded to growing and diversifying demands with the Lumix DC-S5, which offers functions recognized by professionals in a compact and lightweight full-frame body, the M43 G100 for vloggers, the BGH1 box camera, and firmware updates to speedily respond to the market.
How do you plan to get your cameras into the hands of younger, smartphone-first customers?
We live in an era where people all over the world have smartphones, take photos and videos, and share them. Although the camera performance of smartphones has been improved, there are limits to what smartphones can do. With digital cameras you can take expressive videos and stills that are clearly different from smartphones.
The key to survival for the camera market in the future is responding to diversifying needs quickly
Video production by young people is increasing, and low price and easy-to-use mirrorless cameras are attracting attention. In addition, creators want to shoot images that are more advanced and unique. By catering to this need, and strengthening the affinity between our cameras and smartphones, we hope that young people will also take digital cameras in their hands. The key to survival for the camera market in the future is responding to diversifying needs quickly.
The Panasonic S1 and S1R launched just over two years ago, how have they been received?
The S1R and S1 are products developed for professional photographers and hybrid users without compromise in all aspects. In the market, they have been highly valued for their performance, operability, robustness, and other points required as tools for professional work. In terms of image quality, the color reproduction is particularly appreciated. On the other hand, we received many requests for improvements to AF performance. We have made updates in the S5 with regard to AF tracking, and we expanded these improvements to the S1R and S1 November last year via firmware.
Panasonic makes some of the largest, toughest-built mirrorless full-frame cameras on the market, do you see this as a major differentiator between you and your competition?
We think one of the major differences between the S series, which was developed for professionals, and [options from] other companies is their durability and robustness, exemplified by the continuous shooting time of videos. In addition, we are also focused on the accuracy of image stabilization and shutter accuracy in actual shooting. Furthermore, the UI was created through interviews with many professionals, so it offers excellent usability.
Editor’s note: Barnaby Britton
The two main takeaways from this interview with Mr. Yamane are a recognition of where his company needs to improve (specifically around AF performance in mirrorless bodies) and a commitment to do so, coupled with a concurrent commitment to Micro Four Thirds. This should come as good news to virtually all Panasonic shooters, regardless of which system (or which side of the video/stills divide) they’re invested in.
Some of the most innovative and pioneering cameras in the early history of consumer digital imaging were launched under Panasonic’s Lumix brand. While in recent years more of the most obvious innovations (but by no means all: Panasonic was talking about machine learning before Olympus or Sony) have been in terms of video performance, the company is still releasing excellent enthusiast stills and ‘hybrid’ cameras. The Lumix DC-S5 is a good example of a camera that takes many of the powerful video features introduced in more expensive models, but packages them in a smaller, more accessible body, aimed more at stills-focused and multimedia shooters.
Micro Four Thirds has a lot of advantages for hybrid stills/video use, and high-end video
Where Panasonic still tends to fall down a little compared to competitors is autofocus performance. Mr. Yamane is refreshingly honest about this, and about the need to improve. He wouldn’t be drawn on the long-term future of Panasonic’s DFD (depth-from-defocus) technology but his commitment as expressed in this interview to ‘improving processing capacity with new hardware and improving the accuracy with new software algorithms’ is encouraging.
Also encouraging, in this bad-news-biased echo-chamber where dire rumors are constantly circulating about this or that company, or this and that class of cameras being ‘dead’ is his commitment to Micro Four Thirds.
While it seems likely that, long-term, Panasonic will focus its stills photography energies more on full-frame, M43 has a lot of advantages for hybrid stills/video use, and high-end video. Chief among these is an ability to keep the physical size of the body and lens combinations small, and the potential for greater sensor readout speed compared to larger full-frame chips. The boxy, tiny and powerful BGH1 is a good example of a camera that could only exist with a sub full-frame sensor inside it, and it’s a safe bet that it won’t be a one-off. With Olympus / OM Digital Solutions primarily still focused on stills photographers, and Sony pushing full-frame in its enthusiast and professional video cameras, it seems likely that Panasonic will explore the ‘small sensor hybrid camera’ niche further in future.
| Images: Tamron |
Tamron has announced a firmware update that it says will ‘significantly’ improve the autofocus tracking performance on the Sony E-Mount versions of its 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 Di III RXD and 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD lenses. The company’s press release says the lenses should now ‘keep excellent track of moving subjects.’
The updates also add support for Sony’s AF Assist function, which lets you manually focus even when autofocus is enabled. That should be handy for videographers who want to use autofocus to initially grab focus but then rack focus to something else in the frame, provided they have a Sony body that supports the feature.
The firmware is now available to download from Tamron’s site.
| Image: Apple |
It’s that time of year: Apple has announced its new suite of iPhones, raising the question of whether current owners should upgrade or stick with their older model.
There are many factors to consider – those still using the Lightning port could potentially justify an upgrade for USB-C alone– but we’ll mainly focus on the cameras for this article. This year, more than ever, the price premium on the Pro phones doesn’t make much sense if you’re not using them for photography and videography, so we’ll be trying to answer a straightforward question: will upgrading let you take better pictures?
Note: unlike last year’s models, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max appear to have identical camera setups. We’ll talk a lot about the ‘iPhone 16 Pro’s’ cameras in this article, but anything we say will apply to both size options.
Scenario 1: You have an iPhone 15 Pro
We’ll start by comparing the 16 Pro to the last-generation 15 Pro since it lets us talk about the brand new features that will be an upgrade over the 14 Pro and 13 Pro too. However, we’ll start by saying it’s hard to recommend the year-over-year upgrade unless you have a specific use case that requires the new features.
Even Apple quietly admits this; during the announcement, whenever it compared the iPhone 16 Pro to previous models, it was usually put up against the iPhone 14 Pro instead of its direct predecessor. The iPhone 15 Pro is also the only other phone in Apple’s lineup capable of running all the Apple Intelligence features, which are the main selling point of the iPhone 16 line.
 |
| Image: Apple |
However, there are still some improvements to be found in the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera system. Apple says that the 16 Pro uses a ‘second-generation’ sensor for its main camera, which can read out data two times faster, ‘enabling zero shutter lag’ even when taking Raw photos.
The 5x, 120mm equiv. camera from the 15 Pro Max is also now available on the regular-sized iPhone 16 Pro, replacing the 3x, 77mm equiv. camera from the 15 Pro. That’s not necessarily a clear win, though. The extra reach may be useful if you often shoot far-away subjects, but it makes it a little bit harder to take portraits; you’ll have to stand further away from your subject if you want to get the classic 80mm portrait framing, which will also compress the foreground and background more. However, if you want a 5x camera in a smaller phone, the 16 Pro is Apple’s first model to offer it.
iPhone 16 Pro cameras vs iPhone 15 Pro cameras
| iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal length | Pixel count | Sensor size | f/number | Crop factor |
| 24mm equiv. | 48MP / 24 / 12MP | Type 1/1.28 (9.8×7.3mm) | F1.78 | ~3.5x |
| 13mm equiv | 48MP | Type 1/2.55 (5.6×4.2mm) | F2.2 | ~6.2x |
| 120mm equiv | 12MP | Type 1/4 (4.5×3.4mm) | F2.8 | ~10.8x |
| iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max | ||||
| Focal length | Pixel count | Sensor size | f/number | Crop factor |
| 24mm equiv. | 48MP / 24 / 12MP | Type 1/1.28 (9.8×7.3mm) | F1.78 | ~3.5x |
| 13mm equiv | 12MP | Type 1/2.55 (5.6×4.2mm) | F2.2 | ~6.2x |
| 77mm equiv / 120mm equiv. (Max) | 12MP | Type 1/3.5 (4x3mm) / Type 1/4 (4.5×3.4mm) | F2.8 | ~8.7x / ~10.8x |
There are a few other minor improvements to the 16 Pro’s camera system compared to the 15 Pro’s. It can now shoot 3D-esque Spatial Photos, and Apple has upgraded the Photographic Styles system, which lets you apply different looks to your photos straight out of camera. Previously, they were baked-in, meaning you couldn’t shoot a picture with the ‘Warm’ Photo Style and then change it to the ‘Cool’ or ‘Rich Contrast’ one – now you can.
The 16 and 16 Pro also have slightly larger screens than their predecessors, which makes taking and viewing photos nicer, and the QuickTake video that you can access from the photo mode is now 4K60p instead of 1080p30p.
The most significant changes relate to the iPhone 16’s ultrawide camera and video modes. That brings us to a few reasons you might be able to justify an upgrade.
Scenario 1a: You’re a macro/wide-angle photography enthusiast
 |
|
The ultrawide camera used for macro shots now has a much higher-resolution sensor.
Image: Apple |
The iPhone 15 Pro’s 0.5x, 13mm equiv. F2.2 ultrawide camera uses a 12MP, 5.6×4.2mm sensor and produces broadly disappointing photos. While the ultrawide camera on the iPhone 16 Pro appears to be using the same size sensor, it’s now using 48MP quad-Bayer technology.
This will allow for pixel binning, though the real-world effect remains to be seen. Given that the sensor is the same size and will likely bin down to the same resolution, it’s hard to imagine there being much of an improvement in low-light performance, which is where the previous iteration of the camera struggled.
If the 0.5x camera is your favorite, it’s probably worth waiting for the reviews to see how much of a difference the resolution bump makes. We’ll be sure to update this article as soon as we can with some wide-angle comparison shots.
Scenario 1b: You are going to shoot The Weeknd’s next music video with your iPhone
 |
|
The Weeknd’s new music video is the latest addition to the Shot On iPhone gallery.
Image: Apple |
The next-generation sensor in the iPhone 16 Pro’s main camera enables a big jump in video performance: it can now shoot 4K footage at 120fps, double the speed of the previous Pro. You can even shoot at 120fps in Apple’s ProRes codec, provided you’re recording to external storage via USB-C.
Apple also claims the 16 Pro has much-improved audio with the addition of a ‘studio-quality’ four-microphone array. The microphones allow for wind noise reduction and some fancy software tricks called ‘Audio Mix’ that enable you to fine-tune how a video’s subjects sound.
As with the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple showed off the 16 Pro’s video prowess by having a famous artist shoot a music video with it. This year, it was The Weeknd, whose video for ‘Dancing in the Flames’ (seen above) was shot with the iPhone 16 Pro, making heavy use of the new slow-motion features. Feel free to judge how the footage fares, though do keep in mind that the video was shot by top-tier professionals using thousands of dollars of lighting and grip equipment.
Scenario 1c: You can’t live without the Camera Control
 |
| Image: Apple |
We get it: new buttons are exciting, especially when they’re providing a new function. Apple’s new Camera Control button promises to let you launch the camera from anywhere, will act as a shutter button once you’ve opened the app, and you can slide your finger across it to adjust parameters like the focal length or aperture.
Apple also promised to improve the button via a software update that will make it act like a traditional shutter button that locks focus and exposure with a half press, and takes a picture with a full press. The Camera Control will also be available for third-party developers, so you may get some milage out of it even if the default iOS camera app isn’t your go-to.
There will be some people who call the Camera Control a gimmick, and who say that there’s no way it’d be worth upgrading from a perfectly good phone that’s only year old for it. And sure, it’s possible it won’t end up being very useful because of its placement, or its relatively complicated control scheme, which mixes gentle taps and press with swipes.
But if it actually improves the ergonomic experience of taking pictures with an iPhone, it could a real nice-to-have – though it’s up to you whether it’s ‘immediately upgrade’ compelling, or ‘look forward to it the next time you get a new phone’ compelling.
Scenario 2: You have an iPhone 14 Pro
The iPhone 14 Pro introduced the 48MP, 9.8×7.3mm quad-bayer sensor that Apple has iterated on for the iPhone 16 Pro, but that doesn’t mean that there haven’t been improvements in the past two years. The 16 Pro’s faster readout speeds should provide the same speed boost compared to the 14 Pro as they did to the 15 Pro.
The lenses on the 16 Pro’s cameras also have a variety of coatings not found on the 14 Pro, and, similar to the 13 Pro, the 14 Pro is stuck with the slower Lightning port instead of the near-universal USB-C one found on the 16 Pro.
 |
|
The 16 Pro can shoot slow-mo ProRes 4K. The 14 Pro can’t. (The 128GB 14 Pro can’t shoot ProRes 4K at all; it’s limited to 1080p.)
Image: Apple |
For the main camera, many of the iPhone 16 Pro’s upgrades lie in software, not hardware. The 14 Pro can only shoot 4K ProRes at 30fps, which rules out the possibility of using it for slow motion like you can with the iPhone 16 Pro’s 120fps 4K mode. The 16 Pro also has a ‘next-generation’ portrait mode, which Apple says offers ‘2x better low-light performance.’ Given that the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera hardware isn’t taking in any more light, that’s almost certainly down to changes in how it handles multi-shot photography.
By default, the 16 Pro will also bin images to 24MP, versus the 12MP that’s the only option for the 14 Pro. You also no longer have to shoot in ProRaw to capture a 48MP image, as the 16 Pro has a ‘HEIF Max’ mode that offers compressed images with higher resolution. (Do note that it’s not available in all modes, though; night mode and flash photos are still binned to 12MP.)
 |
|
The ultrawide camera is one of the iPhone 16 Pro’s most notable upgrades.
Image: Apple |
The iPhone 16 Pro’s other lenses have more notable improvements. The iPhone 14 Pro’s ultrawide camera is the same as the one found on the iPhone 15 Pro, so any jump in quality provided by the 48MP sensor will apply here as well.
The 16 Pro’s telephoto lens also has a larger sensor, and tighter focal length; the 14 Pro’s 3x (77mm equiv.) camera has a 4x3mm sensor, where the 16 Pro’s 5x (120mm equiv.) camera bumps that up to 4.5×3.4mm – a 27.5% increase. Both cameras produce 12MP images, and have F2.8 lenses.
iPhone 16 Pro cameras vs iPhone 14 Pro cameras
| iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal length | Pixel count | Sensor size | f/number | Crop factor |
| 24mm equiv. | 48MP / 24 / 12MP | Type 1/1.28 (9.8×7.3mm) | F1.78 | ~3.5x |
| 13mm equiv | 48MP | Type 1/2.55 (5.6×4.2mm) | F2.2 | ~6.2x |
| 120mm equiv | 12MP | Type 1/4 (4.5×3.4mm) | F2.8 | ~10.8x |
| iPhone 14 Pro / Pro Max | ||||
| Focal length | Pixel count | Sensor size | f/number | Crop factor |
| 24mm equiv. | 48MP / 12MP | Type 1/1.28 (9.8×7.3mm) | F1.78 | ~3.5x |
| 13mm equiv | 12MP | Type 1/2.55 (5.6×4.2mm) | F2.2 | ~6.2x |
| 77mm equiv | 12MP | Type 1/3.5 (4x3mm) | F2.8 | ~8.7x |
Overall, the 16 Pro’s cameras are iterative improvements over the 14 Pros. However, if you take tons of images on your phone or are serious about video, there’s probably enough there for you to notice a difference. If you’re more of an occasional shooter, though, it may be worth sitting this one out.
Scenario 3: You have an iPhone 13 Pro
If you have an iPhone 13 Pro or one of its predecessors, the 16 Pro’s cameras should be an upgrade in pretty much every way. The 13 Pro has a 12MP F1.5 main camera, while the 16 Pro bumps the resolution up to 48MP. While its F1.78 lens is slower, its 9.8×7.3mm sensor also has 65% more area versus the 13 Pro’s 7.6×5.7mm sensor – that equates to around 0.3EV more light gathering ability, even with the brighter aperture.
That extra resolution enables a lot of camera features on the 16 Pro that the 13 Pro doesn’t have. The most obvious is the pixel-binned 12MP or 24MP shots, as well as the 48MP ProRaw mode. It also allows for the 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm ‘faux-cal’ lengths for the main camera, which work by taking different crops off the sensor. The iPhone 13 Pro also lacks the ‘2x’ option, which crops in to the 12MP middle section of the sensor.
 |
|
The 16 Pro’s main camera is a notable improvement from the 13 Pro’s.
Image: Apple |
The ultrawide and telephoto cameras also use larger sensors, and the 16 Pro’s 5x camera offers a 120mm equiv. focal length compared to the 13 Pro’s 3x 77mm equiv.
The iPhone 16 Pro also includes the latest iterations of Apple’s image stabilization and HDR systems, though the company hasn’t said much about what benefits they offer over the predecessors found on the iPhone 13 Pro.
iPhone 16 Pro cameras vs iPhone 13 Pro cameras
| iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal length | Pixel count | Sensor size | f/number | Crop factor |
| 24mm equiv. | 48MP / 24 / 12MP | Type 1/1.28 (9.8×7.3mm) | F1.78 | ~3.5x |
| 13mm equiv | 48MP | Type 1/2.55 (5.6×4.2mm) | F2.2 | ~6.2x |
| 120mm equiv | 12MP | Type 1/4 (4.5×3.4mm) | F2.8 | ~10.8x |
| iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max | ||||
| Focal length | Pixel count | Sensor size | f/number | Crop factor |
| 26mm equiv. | 12MP | Type 1/1.7 (7.6×5.7mm) | F1.5 | ~4.6x |
| 13mm equiv | 12MP | Type 1/3.5 (4x3mm) | F1.8 | ~8.7x |
| 77mm equiv | 12MP | Type 1/3.5 (4x3mm) | F2.8 | ~8.7x |
The 16 Pro has several video features not found on the 2021 model, such as Apple Log, Spatial Video, the super-stabilized ‘Action Mode,’ and access to 60 and 120fps frame rates when shooting 4K. And if you’re shooting a lot of video and want to offload it to a computer, the iPhone 16 Pro will offer a much better experience; its USB-C port can transfer files at 10Gbit per second. That’s 20 times faster than the USB 2.0 speeds that the 13 Pro’s Lightning port provides.
Outside of the camera, the 16 Pro has a lot of quality-of-life improvements. To name a few, there’s satellite SOS, tougher front glass, faster charging, an always-on-display and both the Action button and the new Camera Control button. It’s also 5g lighter despite being physically larger because its frame is made of aluminium and titanium instead of stainless steel.
None of this is to say that you must upgrade your iPhone 13 Pro. In fact, two of the winning photos from this year’s iPhone Photography Awards were shot with an iPhone 13 or 13 Pro. If you’re happy with your phone, by all means keep using it. However, if you do feel ready for an upgrade the iPhone 16 Pro should offer enough features and camera improvements to make it well worth it.
Just five days after the arrival of first Mirrorless camera, and 16 years ago today, Canon revealed a camera that would help define the final years of DSLR dominance: the EOS 5D II.
This was no simple upgrade to the original EOS 5D, though in a move from 12.8MP to a better performing 21MP CMOS sensor, the addition of an improved viewfinder and the gain of features such as liveview, it was that, too.
What famously set the 5D Mark II apart was its ability to capture Full HD video, the first DSLR to do so. The Nikon D90 had added 720p HD capture about two weeks before but it was the Canon that caught the world’s imagination.
This was helped by the option to download the Cinestyle color preset developed by film processing company Technicolor and a successful PR stunt that involved an entire episode of the TV show ‘House’ being filmed using the camera.
In hindsight, the 5D II is a relatively basic filmmaking tool: all is footage is 8-bit, so has limited grading (an official Canon Log option wouldn’t arrive until the Mk IV), there were no tools such as focus peaking to help with focus and to monitor your sound you needed all manner of adapters to get at the audio feed from the A/V socket. It didn’t even gain full manual exposure control in video mode until a post-launch firmware update.
The 5D II became a popular video camera at colleges and schools around the world
But the 5D II became a popular video camera at colleges and schools around the world, putting the flexibility and ‘look’ of a full-frame sensor in the hands of budding film makers and letting them use relatively affordable EF lenses.
Beyond this, the Magic Lantern open source software project created an extensive array of video support tools to boost the 5D II’s capabilities way beyond those that Canon had developed for it, including focus peaking, false color and control over the A/V output level.
There are plenty of people that used the 5D II solely as a stills camera, and it certainly represented a major step forward, compared with its predecessor: it had a larger, higher resolution screen, a sensor happier to shoot at higher ISOs and could shoot 30% faster than the Mark 1, despite the much higher pixel count. It also gained features that we take for granted, such as Auto ISO.
 |
|
The newer sensor in the 5D II allowed a maximum expanded ISO of 25,600: three stops higher than on its predecessor.
Image: Don Wan |
Its top speed of 3.9fps looks disappointing once you got used to the option to capture the 30fps burst that its spiritual successor, the EOS R5 II can manage. But, even though 4K and 8K modes have become commonplace in the sixteen years since the 5D II’s launch, a well lit, well-exposed and interesting video shot with the 5D II still looks pretty great, even on a big TV.
In the original review we referred to its video capabilities as its ‘party trick.’ Well it proved to be quite the trick, and over a decade and a half later, we’re all still at that party.
-
Solar Energy3 years agoDLR testing the use of molten salt in a solar power plant in Portugal
-
world news10 months ago
Gulf, France aid Gaza, Russia evacuates citizens
-
Camera3 years agoCharles ‘Chuck’ Geschke, co-founder of Adobe and inventor of the PDF, dies at 81
-
Camera10 months agoDJI Air 3 vs. Mini 4 Pro: which compact drone is best?
-
Solar Energy10 months agoGlencore eyes options on battery recycling project
-
world news10 months ago
Strong majority of Americans support Israel-Hamas hostage deal
-
TOP SCEINCE5 months agoCan animals count?
-
Camera3 years ago80,000MP panoramas: EarthCam announces world’s highest-resolution robotic webcam
