The iPhone 16 Pro’s reputation as a pocket camera powerhouse is well-deserved. Apple has masterfully balanced professional-grade features with user-friendly simplicity. The new Photographic Styles system and the stunning 4K/120fps video capture with advanced audio mixing are prime examples. This impressive technology sparked a question: how far has iPhone photography truly come in ten years?
To answer this, I unearthed an iPhone 6s – surprisingly easy to find refurbished – for a fraction of its original cost. The iPhone 6s itself represented a significant leap forward at its launch. It ushered in the era of 12-megapixel sensors in iPhones, a legacy that continues with the iPhone 16 Pro’s telephoto lens. It also pioneered 4K video recording on smartphones and introduced Live Photos. Apple’s custom image signal processor (ISP) and improved Focus Pixels technology (essentially Phase Detection Autofocus) further enhanced its capabilities, creating a camera that made capturing high-quality images significantly easier.
While not a night-and-day upgrade over competitors like the LG G4 and Samsung Galaxy S6 at the time, the iPhone 6s was undeniably a strong performer. But how does it hold up against the iPhone 16 Pro a decade later? The answer, surprisingly, is better than expected.
Obvious Differences, Unexpected Similarities
The differences are stark in some areas. The iPhone 16 Pro boasts superior stabilization, faster shutter response, significantly improved HDR processing with better exposure control, portrait mode, and a larger sensor capturing considerably more detail. The iPhone 6s, viewed comparatively, reveals its limitations: poor handling of strong highlights, crushed shadows, inconsistent exposure compensation, and noticeably softer edges. These shortcomings are understandable, considering the four-times lower megapixel count, narrower aperture, lack of advanced depth estimation, and absence of the benefits of pixel binning and modern computational photography techniques.
However, the iPhone 6s isn’t a complete failure. With careful framing and exposure adjustments, it still produces surprisingly sharp images. For instance, a photograph of my rather restless cat maintained an acceptable level of detail, showcasing the enduring quality of the sensor even after a decade. Low-light performance, as expected, is its weakest point, with noticeable fuzziness, noise artifacts, and muted colors in comparison shots.
The Art of Post-Processing and the iPhone 6s’ Resurgence
A picture of roots hanging from a banyan tree demonstrates the iPhone 6s’ capabilities. While it struggled with highlight exposure and detail preservation, the resulting image wasn’t terrible. Through simple adjustments in the native Photos app (admittedly less feature-rich than modern editors), I enhanced contrast, saturation, texture, and highlights, significantly improving the image’s overall appeal. Interestingly, the edited image’s color palette was closer to my visual perception than the iPhone 16 Pro’s sometimes overly cool tones.
In several scenarios, the iPhone 6s surprisingly held its own. In a photograph of a fire extinguisher, the iPhone 16 Pro’s higher ISO and saturation resulted in an unnaturally vibrant image. The iPhone 6s, however, captured more accurate colors, particularly the realistic grit of the valve, demonstrating a less aggressive algorithmic processing.
Another surprise came from a close-up shot where the iPhone 16 Pro automatically switched to macro mode. While the iPhone 6s lacks macro capabilities, it still produced a remarkably acceptable image. The iPhone 16 Pro won out in detail and depth, but the iPhone 6s’ single sensor delivered a surprisingly good result.
For the average user, the iPhone 16 Pro’s superior definition, punchier colors, and superior light control are undeniable advantages. But for those with a keen eye and an understanding of photographic editing, the iPhone 6s still possesses a unique charm. With some adjustments, its images can be quite appealing.
A Decade of Apple’s Imaging Advancements
The initial tests with the iPhone 6s revealed a pleasant surprise. This speaks volumes about Apple’s progress in image processing. Over the past decade, Apple has implemented Deep Fusion, the Photonic Engine, and transitioned from sensor-level processing to Neural Engine acceleration and computational photography. This has fundamentally changed how iPhone photos are created. The iPhone 16 Pro combines long and short exposures for images with greater depth, texture, and saturation. Sometimes, this AI-driven approach can be excessive, producing images that differ significantly from what the eye sees – acceptable in low-light situations but less so in daylight shots.
Side-by-side comparisons revealed the iPhone 6s’ images had a flatter, film-like quality compared to the punchier iPhone 16 Pro shots. A slight haze was also noticeable. However, this grain and noise can be a desirable aesthetic for some photographers, especially in low-light scenarios.
Filters proved effective in masking some of the iPhone 6s’ limitations, enhancing images with soft black and white or bluish grunge effects. While its 12-megapixel sensor struggles with highlights, lowering ISO and making post-edit adjustments can significantly improve the results. The softer images produced by the iPhone 6s are easier to edit than the heavily processed high-resolution images from the iPhone 16 Pro.
Even in monochrome, the iPhone 6s can capture striking photos, although saturation and exposure inevitably fall short of modern smartphones. However, with careful composition, impressive results are achievable.
Conclusion: A Retro Revival
Ultimately, the iPhone 6s, despite its limitations, exceeded expectations. Its output, while far from perfect, is still Instagram-worthy. It’s a compelling option for those who appreciate artistic editing or enjoy the challenge of transforming imperfect photos into something truly special. If you have an iPhone 6s gathering dust, dust it off for some retro-style urban or artistic photography. You might be surprised – and delighted – by the results.
