Lab – The evolution of night photography on the wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle modules of the iPhone 13 Pro – Les Numériques

The iPhone 13 Pro offer an improved photo component compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max of 2020. What to hope for a real gain in low light, wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle… Checks in our laboratories.

If last year, the iPhone 12 Pro Max provided better photo results than the iPhone 12 Pro, this is no longer the case for the 2021 generation. The two Pro versions of the iPhone 13 are on an equal footing, while benefiting real improvements when compared to their predecessors. The opening of the main module of the 13 Pro (the wide-angle) goes to f / 1.5 instead of f / 1.6 on the iPhone 12 Pro Max. At the ultra wide angle, the lens opens at f / 1.8 against f / 2.4 on the larger model of last year.

On paper, all this seems promising, and it is therefore quite natural that we decided to measure these new modules against our night test scene. We have of course chosen to compare it to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, with and without the night mode activated. All observations made on our iPhone 13 Pro Max also apply to the iPhone 13 Pro.

Wide-angle module

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Without increasing in sensitivity (100 ISO in both cases), the iPhone 13 Pro Max delivers a better exposed photo. The slightly larger aperture allows more light to be captured so it shows well. The exposure time is also shorter on the iPhone 13 Pro Max (1/26 against 1/15 on the iPhone 12 Pro Max). A real plus that limits the risk of motion blur. A finding that also applies to the ultra wide-angle module, as we will see below. The image, however, is no more detailed than on the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Night mode

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With night mode, the exposure does not change, but the details come out better. The iPhone 13 Pro Max accentuates them in particular at the level of the faces which appear in the upper left corner of our photo scene.

Ultra wide-angle module

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With the brand new ultra-wide-angle module of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the finding is the same as with the main module. The f / 1.8 aperture allows our terminal to deliver a much brighter shot, but that’s it. Note all the same that the camera rises a little lower in sensitivity and that the digital noise is much more present because of the better exposure. Here too, the exposure time is shorter, limiting the risk of blur due to the photographer’s movement.

Night mode

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With the night mode activated, it is slightly different. The iPhone 12 Pro Max shot is – in this case – much more pleasing to the eye. The one shot with the iPhone 13 Pro Max is quite desaturated, and is much less detailed than that of its predecessor.

Facing a Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

If the iPhone 13 Pro Max is doing quite well compared to last year’s model, what is it worth against one of its direct competitors on Android, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra ? The latest ultra premium smartphone from the Chinese manufacturer offers highly satisfying night shots. A perfect opponent for this new iPhone.

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On the wide-angle module, the iPhone offers a better result, in particular thanks to a more marked accentuation. The exposure remains a little better on the Xiaomi, but the software of the Chinese mobile tends to smooth the scene and the result lacks relief. Recognize, however, that the superiority of the iPhone on this point is played very little.

Night mode

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In wide-angle night mode, the two smartphones offer a fairly close rendering. On the iPhone side, it is always the accent that takes precedence, with a more faithful color rendering than on the Xiaomi model, which offers a slightly colder shot, but also a little smoother.

Ultra wide angle

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The ultra-wide-angle shot is here to the advantage of the Xiaomi Mi 11. The combination of software processing as well as the 48-megapixel module makes it possible to offer a more accurately exposed image and above all, with much more detail. The iPhone offers – as usual – a shot with a “flat” rendering, which is not the case with the Xiaomi model.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max, the new night owl?

The improvement in night shots is visible on the iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max range. Apple, which had started its turn in this direction since the release of the 12 models in 2020, is successfully continuing its night route. The adoption of larger lenses also makes it possible to see a greatly improved night mode and which this time is even present on the new telephoto lens (which we will discuss in detail in our test). Finally, these Pro versions of the iPhone 13 are more versatile, which is not to displease us.