Oh yes the 15 Pro’s setup is definitely superior vs the 16e. Taking the main camera in isolation though the shots will be comparable in point and shoot. Bigger differences in low light.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone 16e Post your iPhone 16e impressions, pictures, etc!
- Thread starter Adelphos33
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Oh yes the 15 Pro’s setup is definitely superior vs the 16e. Taking the main camera in isolation though the shots will be comparable in point and shoot. Bigger differences in low light.
I would check youtube for camera comparisons - I know I've seen a few the past week but can't reference them atm.
There are a few videos on YouTube now, mainly 16e vs 16/16 Pro. With surprising results showing the 16e punching well above it’s weight with the basic single camera set up.
I bought a 16e and I’m coming from the 13 mini. I haven’t gotten the 16e yet so I can’t compare them yet.
I love the small sizes for myself, but… I need to upgrade to a standard iPhone 6.1”
For me, the worst thing about my 13m is the battery. After two years, it’s at 84% health and gives me about 4 hours of screen on time. It’s not enough…
The ultrawide camera is not very good on the 13m, especially at night. I won’t miss it that much…
For me, the worst thing about the 16e will probably be the “big” size of the phone, but I think I’m going to win in all aspects. I use a case with magnets (I don’t care about magsafe), I don’t use ultrawideband chip to locate things, the brightness and refresh rate are the same as my 13m… for me, for 600€ it’s a good deal. A CPU 3 gens newer, 2x RAM, etc.
I don’t shoot a lot of video, so… Maybe I lose on stabilization, but is not important in my case.
Speaking of the image and the camera… at least, “the eye” is as important as the lens or the camera. I mean, I know people with iPhone Pro Max (12th gen, 13th, 16th) who have NO IDEA about taking pictures. They know nothing about composition or… anything. They probably just use the regular camera and don’t know how to use the other lens properly.
James6s took nice pictures, and he is shooting with the poor camera of iPhone 16e, worst than 16/16Pro, and the same size sensor as the iPhone Xr…
Well, he is getting good results, even a kind of macro photos, so, for me it will be enough. In my opinión is most important the hability of the photographer.
I love the small sizes for myself, but… I need to upgrade to a standard iPhone 6.1”
For me, the worst thing about my 13m is the battery. After two years, it’s at 84% health and gives me about 4 hours of screen on time. It’s not enough…
The ultrawide camera is not very good on the 13m, especially at night. I won’t miss it that much…
For me, the worst thing about the 16e will probably be the “big” size of the phone, but I think I’m going to win in all aspects. I use a case with magnets (I don’t care about magsafe), I don’t use ultrawideband chip to locate things, the brightness and refresh rate are the same as my 13m… for me, for 600€ it’s a good deal. A CPU 3 gens newer, 2x RAM, etc.
I don’t shoot a lot of video, so… Maybe I lose on stabilization, but is not important in my case.
Speaking of the image and the camera… at least, “the eye” is as important as the lens or the camera. I mean, I know people with iPhone Pro Max (12th gen, 13th, 16th) who have NO IDEA about taking pictures. They know nothing about composition or… anything. They probably just use the regular camera and don’t know how to use the other lens properly.
James6s took nice pictures, and he is shooting with the poor camera of iPhone 16e, worst than 16/16Pro, and the same size sensor as the iPhone Xr…
Well, he is getting good results, even a kind of macro photos, so, for me it will be enough. In my opinión is most important the hability of the photographer.
I'd say that's >90% of Pro users, if not more. As drugdoubles said in his other thread, less cameras and smaller sensors = lower social standing in the minds of many.
The only regret I have is knowing the base 17's will have higher than 60hz refresh rate come September. I'd imagine they'll implement the C1 modem into all their phones moving forward, so the batteries will increase across the board.
Me and some friends... someone took the photo with a very expensive phone (much more than my 13 mini) and when I saw it I said, are you kidding? With a very wrong criterion someone took the photo with the ultrawide camera haha, so we have a very good photo of the environment but we don't see ourselves in the image.
And this is the case almost all the time with the people around me, with TOP phones, without getting the most out of almost any feature. (I am a senior technician in Image and Graphic Arts, so I understand about things like photography, screens, etc. I always have a modest mobile phone and those who don't know how to take advantage of it have the flagship 🤣)
1x and 2x sunset shots. 1x unable to upload full resolution.
I don’t know, Friday or maybe the Monday… but yes, except the feeling on my pocket it will be an improvement on everything.
About the battery, this is from now…
Ok. I’m sure you’ll let us know when you get it! You’ll love it, once you get used to the larger size lol
You are in for a shock with battery life increase!
Attachments
Some night mode shots. Pretty good imo apart from blowing the lights out around the building shot.
Anyone getting sick of me adding lots of pics in here? 🙈🤣
Anyone getting sick of me adding lots of pics in here? 🙈🤣
Nope, keep them coming. And a short video will also be appreciated. 👍
@James6s thanks for sharing the great pictures, they look great!
Without veering too far away from the 16e discussion these are two shots taken w/my 16PM. One is using the stock Camera app at 10x digital zoom and the other is taken at 5x using Halide - for saying the 16e has a singular lens I’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between either models (personally.)
Without veering too far away from the 16e discussion these are two shots taken w/my 16PM. One is using the stock Camera app at 10x digital zoom and the other is taken at 5x using Halide - for saying the 16e has a singular lens I’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between either models (personally.)
Thank you! No doubt I’ll be sharing a lot more going forward 😄
I did try a moon shot on the 16e (in more daylight than night) further back in this thread. Your results obviously look better imo!
Despite the basic camera set up in the 16e, it’s really impressed me in a range of different scenarios.
Here’s the night sky a short while ago.
So far so good! Got my 16e yesterday as an upgrade from a 13 Pro Max. The 13 Pro Max was a test to see if I liked the bigger screen and the short answer is "no, I don't need this." Also, the bells and whistles attached to the Pro models aren't something I really need. The one nice thing was the OLED screen which the 16e has so I'm happy. (60Hz refresh is just fine by me). With the significantly reduced camera bump I feel like the whole package is cleaner looking as well.
RE notch: I prefer it to the Dynamic Island. The "hole punch" screens feel like they aren't contiguous space and feel strange to me. The notch just has a cleaner feel. I'd rather have less space and a single border on my screen. That is totally preference though.
Prior to the 13 Pro Max I had a XS which I loved (still have it). This feels like a great evolution of that phone.
RE notch: I prefer it to the Dynamic Island. The "hole punch" screens feel like they aren't contiguous space and feel strange to me. The notch just has a cleaner feel. I'd rather have less space and a single border on my screen. That is totally preference though.
Prior to the 13 Pro Max I had a XS which I loved (still have it). This feels like a great evolution of that phone.
Hey everyone,
Thanks for all the impressions and photos! I keep thinking about switching from the 16 Pro to the 16e. There's something about its minimalist design and the focus on the essentials that really appeals to me—it just looks so light and simple in a way that’s really attractive.
I’m not completely unhappy with my 16 Pro, but I don’t really use many of its features (especially the camera), and to be honest, I’m getting a bit bored with it. Ever since I got my Fuji camera, taking photos with my iPhone just isn’t fun anymore. 😅 For everyday use, a basic camera on the iPhone would be totally fine for me.
One thing that does matter to me, though, is battery life. The 16 Pro isn't bad in that regard, but it’s also not amazing. Sometimes the battery performance feels inconsistent, especially when using 5G—it drains pretty fast. I keep hearing that the 16e has excellent battery life, but some YouTube videos say otherwise or claim that the difference compared to the regular 16 isn’t that big. I haven’t found many real-world battery comparisons.
Does anyone here have a hands-on comparison of the 16 Pro and 16e in terms of everyday battery performance?
The only thing holding me back a little is the lack of ProMotion. Would I get used to 60Hz again? Hmm. I really feel drawn to the 16e and could see myself trying one out temporarily. And with new iPhones coming in the fall, the new Air might be super interesting too.
Anyone else feeling the same way?
Thanks for all the impressions and photos! I keep thinking about switching from the 16 Pro to the 16e. There's something about its minimalist design and the focus on the essentials that really appeals to me—it just looks so light and simple in a way that’s really attractive.
I’m not completely unhappy with my 16 Pro, but I don’t really use many of its features (especially the camera), and to be honest, I’m getting a bit bored with it. Ever since I got my Fuji camera, taking photos with my iPhone just isn’t fun anymore. 😅 For everyday use, a basic camera on the iPhone would be totally fine for me.
One thing that does matter to me, though, is battery life. The 16 Pro isn't bad in that regard, but it’s also not amazing. Sometimes the battery performance feels inconsistent, especially when using 5G—it drains pretty fast. I keep hearing that the 16e has excellent battery life, but some YouTube videos say otherwise or claim that the difference compared to the regular 16 isn’t that big. I haven’t found many real-world battery comparisons.
Does anyone here have a hands-on comparison of the 16 Pro and 16e in terms of everyday battery performance?
The only thing holding me back a little is the lack of ProMotion. Would I get used to 60Hz again? Hmm. I really feel drawn to the 16e and could see myself trying one out temporarily. And with new iPhones coming in the fall, the new Air might be super interesting too.
Anyone else feeling the same way?
Hi. Not sure Apple thought people maybe considering swapping their 16 Pro’s for the 16e lol You would be losing a lot of high end ‘Pro’ features. If you don’t need or use them then you may be OK and won’t miss much. Personally I’d stay with the 16 Pro if I had a choice! Entirely your own decision.
I’ve had my 16e for just over a week now and I’m very very happy with it. I’ve said before that it covers the basics and does them very well! Great performance, solid single camera which delivers some great results, and the biggest surprise for me was the battery life - the best I’ve had in an iPhone. Also love the sleek and clean aesthetic look, really nice looking device.
Apples battery life numbers show they’re very close in the compare iPhones section.
Attachments
I ain't gonna lie, the design of the 16e is just great. It's that classic iPhone look of old, kinda reminds me of the 6 series only without the plastic lines on the back. I love it so much! I think this phone will do very well in the market segment.
I'm very attached to my blue 15PM but even though I swore off the 16 series I do like the 16e, it's kinda chic. 😊
I'm very attached to my blue 15PM but even though I swore off the 16 series I do like the 16e, it's kinda chic. 😊
It reminds me more iPhone 5-5s-SE1 on steroids. But yes, its overall look is much nicer compared to the other existing models.