I recently purchased the iPhone 16 Pro, which stemmed from a desire to simplify my photography gear. As an owner of several high-quality systems—Ricoh, Nikon, Leica SL, and Leica M9—I often feel overwhelmed by their complexity. Each has its unique personality, intricate menu systems, and button layouts that vary depending on the shooting mode. For instance, a button might function one way in Aperture Priority mode and entirely differently in Program mode. Remembering these nuances across multiple systems has been challenging, and I’ve realized that I’m not mastering them as well as I’d like.
For years, I relied on the Ricoh GRIIIx as a pocket-sized point-and-shoot. It’s a legendary camera with exceptional image quality, but I’ve decided to part ways with it. My old iPhone 14 Pro Max camera was also frustrating; the interface required two hands and felt clunky compared to the Ricoh. That’s what makes the iPhone 16 Pro such a game-changer for me.
With the 16 Pro, Apple has finally introduced a physical camera button, allowing true one-handed operation. The phone itself is also more compact than the 16 Pro Max, which is still too large for comfortable single-hand use. After spending half an hour testing it at the Apple Store, I knew it was the right choice. It feels liberating to reduce the amount of gear I carry.
Early Impressions and Learnings
Here are my thoughts so far, along with a few shots I’ve taken in Månslunda, where I live:
The Standard Lens: As with the iPhone 14, the standard lens is fantastic. It handles most situations beautifully.
Wide Angle and Telephoto Lenses: Both seem improved over previous generations, but I’ve been cautious with them so far. Initial results are promising.
“Normal” Mode vs. ProRaw: The default “normal” mode is, frankly, unusable for serious photography. Apple applies heavy-handed sharpening and other processing that can lead to unpredictable results. While 95% of the time the output looks good, the remaining 5% is often problematic and inconsistent. For professionals or anyone seeking reliability, shooting in ProRaw is a must. It gives you full control and avoids the pitfalls of Apple’s aggressive processing.
Next Steps
As I continue using the iPhone 16 Pro, I’ll explore its capabilities further and share additional thoughts. For now, it’s refreshing to have a powerful, streamlined camera system that I can comfortably use with one hand.
