Apple iPhone 17 Pro Camera test

Disclaimer: Please note that this article presents a summary of the preliminary test results. The complete results will soon be available.

We put the Apple iPhone 17 Pro through our rigorous DXOMark camera test suite to measure its performance as photos, videos and zoom from the point of view of the end user. This article disappears the way the device went to a variety of tests and several cases of common use and is intended to highlight the most important results of our tests with an extract of the acquired data.

Technical notes: The rendering engine of this website does not support HDR or .heic file formats. To view the images from this article on an HDR display (with a compatible operating system), click on a photo to open the original file, then use an application capable of viewing the HDR photo content (such as Safari or Google Chrome of Apple).

Image sources in this article:

iPhone 17 Pro: Original file .eic converted on Mac with macOS Sequoia 15.1, producing a JPEG with an incorporated iso-starred map
For other devices: Direct JPG output without further conversion

Panoramic

Key camera specifications:

Primary: 48 MP sensor, 2,44 μm quad pixel, lenses f/1.78-equivalent 24mm opening, dual pixel af, ois
Ultra-Wide: 48 MP sensor, 1.4 μm quad-pixel, lenses f/2.2-equivalent opening 13 mm, double pixel AF
Tele: 48 MP sensor, 1.4 μm quad-pixel, target f/2.8-equivalent 100 mm, double pixel AF
A19 Pro Chipset

Pros

Excellent video performance
Accurate and wide exposure, even in low light conditions
Pleasant colors in most conditions with a fairly neutral white balance.
High levels for preset zoom levels
The zoom is removed, included when passing through the camera modules
The effect is natural in segmentation, intensity, spotlight.
Image well under control

Against

Occasional yeasts focus and instability of white balance on moving subjects in video mode
Reduction of intermediate zoom settings levels, close to preset levels
Light noise of the image when shooting inside or in low light conditions

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Good contrast and exposure, vibrant colors, high levels of detail

The brand new iPhone 17 Pro of Apple is provided with the latest and most powerful chipset of the company to date, the A19 Pro, which has a 6 -core CPU architecture, as well as a 6 -core GPU, which allows faster processing and rendering. In addition, the new chip helps to accelerate artificial intelligence activities, thanks to a new 16 -core neural engine.

On the camera side, the generation of iPhone 17 introduces design changes not only under the hood, but also outside the device. The square camera collection of the previous generations of the iPhone has been replaced by a “camera plateau” that covers almost the entire width of the device. The three lenses of the individual modules of the camera remain on the left, but the Lidar and Flash modules have been moved to the right.

Inside, there are important camera hardware improvements. The Dedicated Tele module is now supplied with a 48 MP sensor. After the ultra wide camera was previously updated to the same resolution with the introduction of iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max, the 17 Pro now presents 48 MP sensors on all three camera modules. This opens new zoom abilities and increases versatility. Using the methods of acquiring the cutout sensor and intelligent changes, the camera now offers a range of pre -set focal lengths with optimized image quality, which can be selected via dedicated buttons in the camera user interface. Apple calls it “48 MP fusion cameras system” and claims to replace “8 pro lenses in your pocket”.

The following equivalent focal lengths can be selected directly via a button in the user interface when shooting in normal light conditions:

- Macro (12mp)
- 13 mm (0.5x, 24 MP)
- 24mm (1x, 24 MP)
- 35 mm (1.5x, 24 MP)
- 48 mm (2x, 12 MP)
- 100mm (4x, 24 MP)
- 200mm (8x, 12 MP)

In low light conditions (5 lux and less), the camera moves to the long -exposure night mode that was introduced with the iPhone 11 in 2019. In this mode the output resolution is 12 MP.

The video mode has also been improved. The iPhone camera now offers a double registration function that allows a simultaneous recording with the front and rear cameras. In this way a scene and the reaction of the videographer can be filmed at the same time. On the primary camera module, the 17 Pro can now also record the 120 fps slower video in Dolby 4K HDR. This function is not tested in our V6 test protocol, however.

For videographers who want or require maximum flexibility in post -editing and do not worry about very large file size, there is now also a new Raw Prores recording mode that allows direct registration of raw data from the sensor. However, this function is not available through the default camera app.

With an increase of 7 points in the camera score compared to last year, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro protects a place at the top of our database, contributing head to head with other leading devices released at the beginning of this year. The device stands out with the best video performance of the class, the impressive zoom capabilities and general versatility in almost all the score categories.

Test summary

Information on DXOMark camera tests: The assessments of the DXOMark camera take place in workshops and situations from the real world using a wide variety of use cases. The scores are based on objective tests for which the results are calculated directly using the measurement software in our laboratory configurations and on perceptive tests in which a sophisticated set of metrics allows a group of images of images to compare the aspects of the quality of the image that require a human judgment. Testing a smartphone includes a team of engineers and technicians for about a week. The quality of the photos and videos is evaluated separately and therefore combined in an overall score for the comparison between the cameras in different devices. For more information on the DXOMark camera protocol, click here. More details on the smartphone camera scores are available here. The following section collects key elements of the tests and exhaustive analyzes of DXomark. Complete performance assessments are available on request. Please contact us on how to receive a complete relationship.

Apple iPhone 17 camera scores

This graphic compares Dxomark photos and videos between the tested device and references. Average and maximum scores of the price segment are also indicated. The average and maximum scores for each price segment are calculated based on the DXOMark database of tested devices.

Photo

166

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra

Information on the photographic tests of DXOMark Camera

For the score and analysis, DXOMark engineers acquire and evaluate over 3,800 images of tests in controlled laboratory environments and external natural, internal and in low lighting scenes, using the default settings of the camera. The photographic protocol is designed to take into account the main cases of use and is based on typical shooting scenarios, such as portraits, landscape photography and zoom. The evaluation is performed by visually inspecting images compared to a reference of natural scenes and performing objective measurements on the images of graphic graphs captured in the laboratory in different lighting conditions from 0.1 to 10,000+ lux and color temperatures of 2,300ka 6,500k.

Principal

175

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra

Apple iPhone 17 Pro photographic points

The main tests of photos analyze the quality attributes of the image such as exposure, color, plot and noise in various light conditions. Autofocus performances and the presence of artifacts on all images captured in laboratory conditions controlled and in real life images are also evaluated. All these attributes have a significant impact on the final quality of the images captured with the tested device and can help understand the main strengths and weaknesses of the camera at 1x.

In daylight, the iPhone 17 Pro is one of the best devices tested to date. In photographic mode, the camera offers accurate exposure and a wide dynamic range, thanks to the Smart Hdr technology 5 owner of Apple, which is able to recover significant quantities of refined details in the brightest highlights and darker shade portions of the frame.

While the contrast of the face is pleasant, in sunshine the white balance can occasionally appear slightly yellow than the competing devices in the default settings. In addition, darker skin tones can show a slightly reddish undertone. This can be easily resolved, however, thanks to the photographic styles function that allows a customization of tone, color and intelligent appearance after the acquisition. Introduction for the first time with the iPhone 13 series in 2021 and improved for the latest models, this function is not treated by our current test protocol.

The iPhone 17 Pro is our new number one device for night shooting. When shooting at 5 lux light levels or under the camera, it interrupts the night mode that uses a long exposure of 1 second or even longer. While in this mode the camera produces 12 MP images to lower resolution than the 24 MP default mode, captures higher detail levels than iPhone generation last year and provides a rendering of natural details, avoiding problems that we have seen on some competitors.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Visible compromise of texture-noise with very finely visible details

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra

Rendering of innatural details

Canvase

141

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra

All the quality attributes of the image are evaluated in focal lengths from about 40 mm to 300 mm, with particular attention to the plot and details. The score derives from a series of objective measurements in the laboratory and perceptual analysis of images of real life.

The new 48 MP sensor on the Tele 4x module certainly improves zoom performance in photographic and video modes, mostly fill the gap to the best devices in class for the zoom. A close range Tele Zoom The iPhone 17 Pro uses the main camera with intelligent clippings and is able to challenge some of the best telephones zoom devices, such as the Ultra X200 Vivo or the Oppo Find X8 Ultra.

At medium interval settings, the camera module dedicated to the camera is in action with an equivalent focal length of about 100 mm. Through all the performance of the test attributes are still slightly lower than the best rival devices to this zoom factor. Long -range, Apple’s “Fusion Tele Camera” algorithms are activated, creating a Bump in our measurement graph at about 200 mm and narrowing the gap to some of the best competitors. Only Huawei Pura 80 Ultra is still considerably ahead of the long range of canvases, thanks to its double configuration of canvases with a long -haul lens.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Teleot Score

This graph illustrates the relative scores for the different ranges of zooms assessed. The abscissa is expressed in focal length equivalent to 35 mm.

Dxomark Chart (DMC) Detail conservation score for focal length

This graph shows the evolution of the DMC detail conservation score with respect to the focal length equivalent to full-smile for different light conditions. Axis X represents the equivalent focal length measured for each corresponding shooting distance and the Y axis represents the maximum details metric score: higher value means better quality. The large points correspond to the zoom ratio available in the user interface of the camera application.

Dxomark Chart (DMC) Detail conservation score for focal length

In 4x canvases, the details are well preserved and the testurized facial features, such as eyebrows or hair, are naturally made.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Good rendering details with pleasant contrast

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL

Some refined details lost on the face

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra

Good rendering details with pleasant contrast

To longer canvases settings, some competitors offer better performances, however, in particular devices with configurations of double -telephon cameras and long -range dedicated objectives, such as the OPPO finds X8 Ultra and Huawei Pura 80 Ultra.

Video

171

Improve

Highest score

Information on the video tests of the DXOMark camera

Dxomark engineers acquire and evaluate almost 3 hours of videos in controlled laboratory environments and in natural scarce, internal and external scenes, using the predefined settings of the camera. The evaluation consists in visually inspecting the natural videos taken in various conditions and the execution of objective measurements on the videos of the graphs recorded in the laboratory in different conditions from 0.1 to 10000+ lux and color temperatures of 2,300ka 6,500k.

Like the previous generations of iPhone, the new iPhone 17 Pro arrives at the top of our video ranking thanks to the best video performance that we have seen to date and improvements in the generation of iPhone 16 in all test conditions. It is distinguished in particular with a generally neutral white balance, lower noise levels in the low light portable recording and less artifacts of consistency.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro: Expo Target accurate with pleasant colors and high level of details, an excellent temporal behavior with fluid adaptations

Principal

185

Improve

Highest score

Apple iPhone 17 Pro video scores

The main videos of video analyzes the same quality attributes of the image as for fixed images, such as exposure, color, plot or noise, as well as temporal aspects such as the speed and fluidity and stability of the exposure, the white balance and the autofocus transitions.

Canvase

123

Live x200 ultra

Dxomark Chart (DMC) Detail conservation score for focal length

Zoom performance is one of the areas where cameras systems are pushed to their limits. With the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple’s melting system works to provide coherent details and fluid transitions on different focal lengths. Here are our laboratory results, which show the performance of the product step by step, from the moderate zoom to longer telephoto lenses.

- About 60 mm of equivalent focal length (about 2x), the fusion system of the large camera allows a high performance, higher than competitors.
- About 72 mm of equivalent focal length (about 2.4x), there is a drop in the storage metric of details in all the flagships, since we are usually carving out in the main sensor.
- About 93 mm of equivalent focal length (about 3x), further cutting into the main sensor, the metric decreases even more. For other competitors, such as the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra, they have already passed to their Tele Medium module, which explains the gap.
- With focal length equivalent to 127 mm (about 4x), the Tele Tele module is now in use and the performance fill the gap with the competitors: the iPhone shows more details than that of last year, near the URTRA Find X8.

The iPhone 17 Pro does an excellent job in terms of zoom softness. The switches between the camera modules are smooth and hardly evident. During the test our experts also noticed that in some switching points, for example 2x and 8x, there seems to be a sudden increase in the details of the images. This is probably enabled by the Fusion cameras system, allowing optimized details throughout the focal range.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro: very fluid transition when you pass through the camera modules