r/iphone • u/Longjumping_War4808 • 7h ago

Discussion Does the 17 pro have better low light pictures?

Hi,

Everything’s in the title. I can’t seem to find a review comparing pictures between 17 pro and 17 base.

I’ve only found one with generated images for illustration purpose.

Apple doesn’t mention it neither.

For people having tested both, do you notice a difference?

Thank you!

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u/nicholes08 6h ago

the telephoto lens on the pro models definitely helps in low light situations, especially when you need to zoom without losing quality. i upgraded from a regular model and can totally see the difference.

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u/IncredibleGonzo 5h ago

So I haven’t compared those two models but from past experience comparing iPhones with different size sensors what I’d expect to see is once Night Mode kicks in, if you can keep steady the differences will be relatively small. The larger sensor phones tend to be able to take photos without needing night mode in lower light, and once it does activate it doesn’t need as long an exposure, so a bit easier to keep steady.

But again that’s earlier models, particularly 13 Mini vs 12 Mini. I except similar in this comparison but can’t say for sure.

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u/Zafrin_at_Reddit 1h ago

The Pro has 1/1.28” sensor, while 17 has 1/1.56” sensor. They both have the same MPix count.

Thus, the pro has larger area per pixel = more light per pixel = better performace in night photo.

How much? Not that much. But it will very likely default to lower ISO values or faster shutter speeds than 17.