Which iPhone Has 3 Cameras? The Complete 2024 List

Apple’s iPhone now comes in a range of shapes and sizes, but only a select few iPhones have 3 cameras on their rear – here’s everything you need to know…

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The First iPhone With Three Cameras

Apple’s first iPhone with 3 cameras was the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The entry-level iPhone 11 shipped with a dual-lens camera on its rear and does not have an OLED display. This is why it was cheaper.

Prior to this, Apple used single lens cameras on ALL of its iPhones. Then it switched to dual-lens cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus.

The smaller, non-Plus models retained their single lens status.

Apple’s iPhone 11 launched in 2019 and these were the first iPhones, although just the Pro models, to feature 3 cameras on their rear. All iPhones since, including the iPhone 11 successor series, the iPhone 12 range, followed the same pattern:

dual-lens for the base models, triple-lens cameras for the Pro and Pro Max models. In addition to three cameras on the Pro and Pro Max models, you also get access to Apple’s LiDAR sensor too.

Complete List of iPhones With 3 Cameras

The following iPhone models all ship with three cameras in their main, rear-mounted camera module:

• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro Max

Before the iPhone 11 series, Apple shipped its Plus models with dual-lens camera (2 cameras) and its base models with single-lens camera modules (1 camera).

What Does The Third Camera Do?

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In order to understand what the third camera on Apple’s iPhone Pro models does, we first need to understand how the camera module on its non-Pro models works.

On the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, for instance, you have two lenses on the rear of the phone:

• 48 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide)
• 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide)

And this setup is very good, it’s more than enough for most users. Apple also improved and iterated on this camera module with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 series.

Images and video look great, you have a wide-angle lens for capturing landscapes and group shots, and the UX and usability is off the charts.

But that third lens gives you a lot more freedom as a photographer.

The third camera on iPhones serves specific purposes to enhance your photography experience.

Let me break it down for you:

1. Telephoto Lens: Get Up Close and Personal 🔍

This lens provides zoom capabilities and improved performance in portrait mode. It has a longer focal length, allowing you to capture far-away objects with a larger depth of field. Essentially, it helps you get closer to your subject without physically moving.

I love using the telephoto lens for capturing candid shots of my friends and family. It allows me to snap photos from a distance without disturbing the moment. Plus, the portrait mode creates a beautiful bokeh effect, making my subjects really stand out.

2. Wide Lens: Your Everyday Go-To 📸

The wide lens is your standard camera lens. It captures everyday scenes and objects. When you’re not using zoom or ultra-wide features, this lens is your go-to for regular photos.

I find myself using the wide lens most often. It’s perfect for capturing memories, whether I’m out for a walk or having dinner with friends. The quality is always top-notch, and it’s easy to snap a quick photo without fiddling with settings.

3. Ultra-Wide Lens: Capture the Bigger Picture 🌄

The ultra-wide lens allows you to photograph larger objects, such as expansive landscapes or architecture. It captures a wider field of view, making it great for group shots or scenic vistas.

I recently took a trip to the mountains, and the ultra-wide lens was a game-changer. I was able to capture the vastness of the landscape in a single shot. It really helped me convey the scale and beauty of the scenery.

These three lenses work together to provide a versatile photography experience. You can switch between them by pressing the Zoom button just above the shutter.

So whether you’re capturing a close-up portrait, a sweeping landscape, or a regular photo, your iPhone’s three cameras have got you covered!

Diving Deeper: iPhone Camera Technology

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Dual-Lens vs Triple-Lens iPhones: The Image Quality Showdown 📸

When it comes to iPhone photography, the number of lenses can make a world of difference, especially if you plan on using it for content creation.

This is why – as of right now, anyway – the iPhone 16 Pro Max is our #1 recommended phone for content creators and creators. It is the current state-of-the-art in every conceivable way, from image quality to video.

Let’s break down how dual-lens and triple-lens iPhones stack up in terms of image quality:

Versatility 🔄

• Dual-Lens: Typically featuring wide and ultra-wide lenses, dual-lens setups offer good versatility for everyday shooting.
• Triple-Lens: Adds a telephoto lens to the mix, significantly expanding creative possibilities and shooting scenarios.

Low-Light Performance 🌙

• Dual-Lens: Newer models like the iPhone 15 perform admirably in low light, thanks to larger sensors and computational photography.
• Triple-Lens: Pro models often have larger sensors and wider apertures, particularly in the main wide lens, leading to superior low-light shots.

Zoom Capabilities 🔍

• Dual-Lens: Limited to digital zoom beyond the ultra-wide and wide focal lengths.
• Triple-Lens: Optical zoom (usually 3x or 5x) thanks to the telephoto lens, resulting in sharper, more detailed zoomed images.

Portrait Mode 👤

• Dual-Lens: Capable of creating portrait mode effects, but may struggle with edge detection in complex scenes.
• Triple-Lens: The additional depth information from the telephoto lens often results in more accurate subject separation and natural-looking bokeh.

Dynamic Range 🌈

• Dual-Lens: Good dynamic range, especially with features like Smart HDR.
• Triple-Lens: Pro models often have enhanced HDR capabilities, capturing a wider range of tones in challenging lighting conditions.

Overall Image Quality 🖼️

While both setups can produce stunning images, triple-lens iPhones generally have the edge in terms of overall image quality, particularly in challenging shooting conditions or when maximum versatility is required, as you can see in the video below – the difference is quite extreme.

Software Magic: Triple-Camera iPhone Exclusive Features 🧙‍♂️

Apple’s triple-camera iPhones don’t just rely on hardware – they’re backed by powerful software features that take mobile photography to the next level.

Let’s explore some of these Pro-exclusive capabilities:

Deep Fusion 🧠

• What It Does: Deep Fusion uses advanced machine learning to process photos pixel by pixel, optimizing for texture, details, and noise in mid to low-light scenes.
• How It Works: The camera takes multiple exposures before and after you press the shutter, then the A-series chip analyzes these images and combines the best parts of each.
• The Result: Incredibly detailed photos with better textures, less noise, and more accurate colors.

ProRAW 📊

• What It Is: Apple’s RAW image format that combines the flexibility of RAW with the computational photography magic of iPhones.
• Benefits:
  • Preserves more image data for maximum editing flexibility.
  • Allows for deeper shadows and more highlight recovery.
  • Maintains Apple’s intelligent image processing while giving photographers more control.
• Usage: Ideal for professional photographers or enthusiasts who want to push their iPhone photography to the limits.

Macro Photography 🌺

• Capability: Ultra-close focusing for extremely detailed close-up shots.
• How It Works: Utilizes the ultra-wide camera and advanced software to automatically switch to macro mode when you get close to a subject.
• Applications: Perfect for capturing intricate details in nature, textures, or small objects.

Night Mode Portraits 🌃

• Feature: Combines the bokeh effect of Portrait mode with the low-light capabilities of Night mode.
• Result: Stunning portraits with beautiful background blur, even in challenging lighting conditions.

ProRes Video Recording 🎥

ProRes is a family of video codecs developed by Apple for use in post-production. It was introduced to iPhones with the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, bringing professional-grade video capabilities to mobile devices.

How Does Apple’s Pro Max Camera Compare To Samsung and Google’s Pixel Phones?

Does Apple have the best camera tech? In some respects, yes – but plenty of people would argue you can get similar (and in some cases) better results with a flagship Pixel or Samsung phone.

The long and short of it is simple: they all do things slightly differently, some have features and abilities that the others do not. The best for you will not be the best for someone else.

Here’s a breakdown of how Apple, Samsung, and Google’s latest flagship camera systems compare and contrast…

How Does LiDAR Work & What Does It Do?

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Apple’s LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor is a technology that works by emitting laser light and then measuring the time it takes for that light to bounce back after hitting an object. This allows the sensor to create a 3D map of the surrounding environment.

The LiDAR sensor on Apple devices, such as the iPhone 14 Pro, emits short pulses of laser light that are directed at the surrounding environment.

These pulses of light bounce back after hitting objects and are picked up by the LiDAR sensor, which measures the time it takes for the light to return. Based on the time-of-flight measurement, the device can calculate the distance to the object.

If you do a lot of DIY at home, the LiDAR sensor comes in very handy. I used it loads whilst renovating my home office – for shelves, for figuring out what I could fit where. It’s a really great addition with lots of cool applications.

By scanning the environment with thousands of laser pulses per second, the LiDAR sensor can create a 3D map of the surrounding space. This map is then used to improve augmented reality (AR) experiences, enhance low-light photography, and assist with object recognition and tracking.

As you can see, the camera tech on the Pro and Pro Max look kind of similar. But on closer inspection, you will see that the Pro Max variant has a more capable camera system than one used in the Pro model.

Why The Pro Max Costs More Than The Pro

It has larger sensors, bigger apertures, and far more advanced zoom capabilities. And these are all things that experienced, more professional camera users will notice. Here’s what Apple said about the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s camera at launch:

For the first time ever, the Pro lineup features a new 48MP Main camera with a quad-pixel sensor that adapts to the photo being captured, and features second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization. For most photos, the quad-pixel sensor combines every four pixels into one large quad pixel equivalent to 2.44 µm, resulting in amazing low-light capture and keeping photo size at a practical 12MP.

The quad-pixel sensor also enables a 2x Telephoto option that uses the middle 12 megapixels of the sensor for full-resolution photos and 4K videos with no digital zoom. This delivers optical quality at a familiar focal length, which is great for features like Portrait mode. The quad-pixel sensor also brings benefits to pro workflows, optimizing for detail in ProRAW. And with a new machine learning model designed specifically for the quad-pixel sensor, iPhone now shoots ProRAW at 48MP with an unprecedented level of detail, enabling new creative workflows for pro users.

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And the same rules apply to the iPhone 15 series and its Pro and Pro Max models.

Everything else is the same, however, save for the display size and the battery. Again, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is bigger in both contexts. If you can handle the price, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the one to go for: it delivers the best of everything and has the best camera by a considerable margin.

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