The iPhone 16e boasts an all-new standalone camera with a 48-megapixel Fusion sensor, but compared to Apple’s flagship iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models, it falls short in terms of image quality. The main difference lies in the camera specs, particularly the aperture and optical image stabilization.
While the iPhone 16e uses a smaller camera component paired with current-generation image processing enabled by the A18 chip, the higher-end iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models feature more advanced cameras with features like f/1.78 apertures and sensor-shift optical image stabilization. This results in better low-light performance and overall image quality.
In testing, the iPhone 16e produced warmer images with a narrower field of view compared to the iPhone 16 Pro. The smaller sensor also captured less detail, particularly in lower light conditions. A comparison test between the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 Pro revealed that the latter’s camera outperformed the former.
De With enjoys the iPhone 16e’s unique “grainy, moody” sensor as an alternative to the larger sensor on the iPhone 16 Pro. However, this compromise comes at a cost in terms of image quality, particularly in low-light conditions.
Sebastiaan de With’s full review can be read on the Lux website for more insights and comparison images.
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/2025/03/12/iphone-16e-camera-review