It’s that season again — Apple has unveiled the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max models featuring a redesigned aluminum unibody, enhanced durability against falls and scratches, an upgraded processor, and an entirely new camera system. Whether you’re a content creator, a media figure, or simply someone who loves capturing stunning photos and videos, the iPhone 17 Pro presents numerous advancements over its predecessors.
If you’re considering upgrading to these latest iPhone models or are just intrigued by the new features Apple has introduced this year, it’s important to note that the iPhone 17 Pro’s camera system showcases the finest lenses on an iPhone to date. In this article, we’ve compiled all the new aspects of the iPhone cameras relative to the prior generation, emphasizing the revamped lenses, focal length variations, and higher-resolution sensors. Photography aficionados will undoubtedly appreciate the enhancements Apple has brought to the iPhone 17’s camera capabilities this year.
6 new camera features included with the iPhone 17 Pro
Enhanced photo processing: The main and ultra-wide cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro remain unchanged from the previous year. Nevertheless, Apple asserts that it has refined photo processing compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, thanks to the updated chip and algorithm adjustments.
Brand new telephoto camera: Apple has substituted the older 12MP 5X telephoto lenses with a new 48MP 4X sensor. This larger sensor captures significantly more detail and delivers improved low-light performance, thanks to a wider aperture.
Improved in-sensor cropping: The new 48MP 4X camera enables Apple to crop into the sensor for an 8X output that is nearly lossless. When zooming digitally, the maximum level has increased to 40X, compared to 25X on the iPhone 16 Pro.
Dual Capture: Capture video with both the main and selfie cameras simultaneously. Apple claims it can record up to 4K with Dolby Vision HDR at 30 fps.
ProRes RAW: This iPhone 17 Pro is compatible with Apple’s video format that merges RAW image data with ProRes compression.
Genlock support: With Final Cut Camera 2 and appropriate equipment, iPhone 17 Pro users are able to synchronize multiple video sources to a common reference signal, ensuring precise alignment of frame timing.
iPhone 17 Pro’s Center Stage camera introduces a brand-new experience
Apple has finally overhauled the front-facing camera on the iPhone 17 Pro with a new Center Stage camera. Featuring a square sensor, the iPhone 17 Pro now captures 18MP selfies, but that’s just the beginning. The key benefit of a square sensor is that users no longer need to rotate their iPhones to landscape orientation when taking group selfies with more participants. The Center Stage feature utilizes AI to automatically widen the field of view and frame while the phone stays in portrait orientation.
Additionally, Apple provides ultra-stabilized video in 4K HDR, which complements the new Dual Capture feature perfectly. According to the company, it is designed for occasions when you wish to address the camera while simultaneously recording behind-the-scenes moments. For FaceTime and video calls, the iPhone 17 Pro camera ensures users remain steady and centered in the frame. In summary, these enhancements make the iPhone experience one of the most polished to date.
