{"id":974,"date":"2025-02-28T02:05:14","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T02:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/?p=974"},"modified":"2025-02-28T02:05:14","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T02:05:14","slug":"i-put-the-iphone-16e-vs-iphone-16-vs-iphone-se-through-a-10-round-photo-shoot-out-and-im-shocked-by-the-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/2025\/02\/28\/i-put-the-iphone-16e-vs-iphone-16-vs-iphone-se-through-a-10-round-photo-shoot-out-and-im-shocked-by-the-results\/","title":{"rendered":"I put the iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE through a 10-round photo shoot-out \u2014 and I’m shocked by the results"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Don’t knock the iPhone 16e for having just one camera<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Soon after theiPhone 16ewas officially announced, I expressed doubt about theiPhone 16e cameracompeting against some of thebest camera phoneson the market. Namely, I feared that Apple\u2019s decision to stick with a single rear camera would make the 16e less compelling compared to the dual and triple camera setups I see in many other similarly priced phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why I\u2019m doing this 10-round photo shootout with the iPhone 16e vsiPhone 16vsiPhone SE 2022\u2014 let’s see exactly how good the new iPhone 16e is compared to some of thebest iPhones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On paper, I prefer the utility of the iPhone 16\u2019s dual camera setup \u2014 which consists of a 48MP main shooter paired with a 12MP ultrawide. It inherently has an advantage because its ultrawide camera is more suitable for landscape photography and group photos. In contrast, the iPhone 16e features a single 48MP main camera, while the iPhone SE 2022 has just a 12MP main camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I captured a bunch of scenes to best illustrate how each camera handles different scenarios, then I compared the results on my computer to see them all side-by-side with one another. That way, I can better spot their differences to ultimately tell you which has the best performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>>A2312 Battery for Apple iPhone SE (2020) SE2<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Picture order\uff1aiPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: daytime<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

iPhone se 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting with these sets of photos I snapped down by the beach near me, all the shots look fantastic. Upon closer inspection though, it\u2019s hard to discredit the iPhone SE 2022 because zooming into the building in the far background reveals that it captures details just as well as its newer counterparts. However, it\u2019s ultimately the iPhone 16e that gets my vote due to its warmer color temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner:<\/strong>iPhone 16e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>>A2830 Battery for Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Dynamic Range<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The photos above prove why the iPhone SE 2022 is still a capable camera phone in 2025, mainly because of its wide dynamic range performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the sun nearly overhead, the shadowed areas of the gazebo and surrounding townhomes in the background are still visible with the iPhone SE 2022\u2019s shot, but both the iPhone 16 and 16e better expose those shadowed areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not a huge bump, but it’s enough for me to notice when I zoom into the rocks underneath the gazebo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner:<\/strong>iPhone 16 & 16e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Colors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Clearly, the iPhone 16e has a penchant for producing bolder color tones, which leads to noticeable saturation in the shots of the bruschetta above. I personally like the vibrant reds of the tomato pieces, but the iPhone 16\u2019s colors are more true-to-life. The red has a more balanced tone, which is why I prefer its color science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner:<\/strong>iPhone 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Macro<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the challenges with capturing macro photos with all three iPhones is trying to find their minimal focal distance. It\u2019s rather tough to tell when I\u2019m tapping the screen and trying to discern if the image is in focus where I want it to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s apparent is that I can get a lot closer to a subject with the iPhone 16, resulting in more detailed macro photos. You can see it in the shots above in how the iPhone 16 better defines the details in the exposed wood railing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both the iPhone 16e and iPhone SE 2022 can still capture outstanding looking closeups, but this one goes to the iPhone 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner:<\/strong>iPhone 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: 2x zoom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now comes the fun part: zooming. That\u2019s because all three phones rely on their main camera for all zooming, but the iPhone 16 and 16e leverage special techniques that give their zooms optical-like quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right away, it\u2019s evident that the iPhone SE 2022 is at a big disadvantage with zooming because it\u2019s effectively a digital zoom. The wooden sign in the photos above doesn’t have the same amount of detail I see with the iPhone 16 and 16e\u2019s shots. But between the two of them, I\u2019m giving it to the iPhone 16e because of its warmer tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner:<\/strong>iPhone 16e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: 10x zoom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Image processing truly becomes important at further zoom levels because it can expose details that are otherwise hidden in the shot. This is true for the iPhone 16e, since it\u2019s able to catch more of the wooden textures of the sign at 10x zoom. I see it in the green painted portion of the wooden sign and the post to the right of the yellow emblem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The iPhone SE 2022 tops out at 5x zoom, so it doesn\u2019t have nearly as much definition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner:<\/strong>iPhone 16e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Nighttime<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I think all three phones are capable of delivering acceptable low light photos, but only when there are strong light sources in the scene. The shots above at the parking lot prove this as the much older iPhone SE 2022 manages to match its younger siblings in terms of overall brightness and exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, zooming into the scene reveals it\u2019s not as good at neutralizing the exposure with the highlights \u2014 which I can see with the brightly lit signs in the background. The iPhone 16 clearly does the best job because most of the signs are still visible and not overblown like the iPhone 16e.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner:<\/strong>iPhone 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Low light<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Besides zooming, the other area where I see substantial differences in all phones is low light \u2014 and these shots prove it. In the near pitch dark conditions of my backyard, you can see how the iPhone SE 2022 fails at brightening up the scene. It doesn\u2019t help when the details are muddy and indistinct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contrast, the iPhone 16 and 16e do an amazing job of brightening the scene. It almost looks like an ambient light source is shining on the tree, but this is the magic of their night modes. Even though the iPhone 16 has a slightly brighter exposure, zooming in reveals better definition and clarity with the iPhone 16e. And for these reasons, it gets my vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner:<\/strong>iPhone 16e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022: Verdict<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m looking forward to capturing even more photos with the iPhone 16e in order to get a better feel of how it performs consistently. In this iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE 2022 photo shootout, I\u2019m surprised that the iPhone 16e wins more categories than the iPhone 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What impresses me the most is how the 16e actually performs better than the iPhone 16 in low light and zooming, two areas I didn\u2019t think it could win. Yet, it proves how image processing techniques can really get the most out of a phone’s camera. However, I still can\u2019t count out the iPhone 16 because of the extra utility it offers \u2014 like a proper ultrawide camera that\u2019s better suited for macrophotography and capturing more of the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And not surprisingly, there\u2019s a big gap in performance between the iPhone SE 2022 and its spiritual successor in the iPhone 16e.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don’t knock the iPhone 16e for having just one camera Soon after theiPhone 16ewas officially announced, I expressed doubt about theiPhone 16e cameracompeting against some of thebest camera phoneson the market. Namely, I feared that Apple\u2019s decision to stick with a single rear camera would make the 16e less compelling compared to the dual and … Continue reading I put the iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 vs iPhone SE through a 10-round photo shoot-out \u2014 and I’m shocked by the results<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apple-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=974"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":975,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/974\/revisions\/975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.batterymap.co.nz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}