What you need to know
- DxOMark has released its camera reviews of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini.
- The outlet found very similar performance across photos and videos for each model.
- Both models achieved higher overall scores when compared to the iPhone 12 Pro.
For everyone who upgraded from an iPhone 12 Pro to an iPhone 13 mini, you've just been vindicated.
DxOMark has posted its camera review of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, and it appears that even Apple's tiny iPhone has surpassed the iPhone 12 Pro in terms of photography and videography.
Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini achieved a photo score of 138, three points higher than the iPhone 12 Pro last year. Each new model matches the photo performance of the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which also scored a 138.
In terms of videography, the iPhone 13 and iPhone mini both achieved a video score of 117, five points higher than the iPhone 12 Pro. In this area, both new iPhones also beat the iPhone 12 Pro Max and its score of 113.
The only area where the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max still dominate is in the Zoom score. The older Pro iPhones scored 66 and 68, whereas the non-Pro phones scored a 55. This is obviously due to the fact that the iPhone 12 Pro includes a telephoto lens, a huge hardware advantage in this area.
Overall, the camera system in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini matches that of the iPhone 12 Pro last year, largely due to that telephoto advantage.
This goes to show that, unless you have a need for that telephoto lens, you can get incredible photos and video without going with a Pro iPhone. That, of course, changes even more if you consider the iPhone 13 Pro and its upgraded camera system with support for ProRes video. That is a phone made for those who want the peak of smartphone camera quality.
For the rest of us, we can rest happy that we're getting 2020 Pro-level performance.
Bottom line: The iPhone 13 is the best iPhone for most people, with impressive new cameras and notable improvements to battery life. Without all the bells and whistles of the Pro line, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are still powerhouses that'll keep owners happy for years to come.
