These iPhone 15 camera upgrades make it easier to pass on the iPhone 15 Pro

Opinion
By published

Better zoom, 48MP images and upgraded software may be all you need

Apple iPhone 15 held in the hand.
(Image credit: Future)

If you're a smartphone photography fan, chances are you've got your eye on iPhone 15 Pro now that iPhone 15 pre-orders have opened. But don't hit the buy button just yet: the iPhone 15 may have more to offer you than you think!

There are of course differences between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro cameras, but it looks like Apple's changed enough with the iPhone 15 cameras to make stretching your budget to an iPhone 15 Pro less of a necessity if you want good photos.

The upgrade that caught my eye in particular during the Apple Wonderlust event was the addition of a 2x mode for the main camera. Despite what Apple says, this is not a complete replacement for a telephoto camera, but 2x lossless digital zoom is possibly all the average iPhone camera user would need. It's a smart addition that makes the lack of a 3x telephoto camera (or even a 5x telephoto like the iPhone 15 Pro Max) sting less.

Then there’s the 48MP main camera that enables that 2x mode. As well as the new zoom level, it can shoot in 24MP or 48MP just like the iPhone 15 Pro, just in JPEG or HEIF format only, rather than ProRAW. But since that's a format designed more for image editing later rather than quickly sharing with friends or on your socials, most users won't get the full benefit of ProRAW even if they did enable it.

Interestingly, because the iPhone 15's new 48MP camera has a wider aperture than the iPhone 15 Pro's 48MP camera, the cheaper phone may end up producing a brighter, livelier image overall since it can take in more light information. This could be a stretch though; we'll have to wait for the reviews to come in to be sure.

iPhone 15 pre-orders are already up, so there's a chance you've already put your order in. But if you went for an iPhone 15 Pro, but were reluctant to shell out a whole grand for it, maybe you'll reconsider which phone you want to reserve now you've read this. You can thank me for saving you a couple of hundred bucks, quid (or whatever currency you're paying) later.

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Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.