Comprehensive Comparison Shows Camera Improvements From Original iPhone to iPhone 6s

With each iteration of the iPhone, Apple improves camera quality, which has led to the iPhone being one of the most popular camera choices in the world. The iPhone 6s introduces the company's first 12-megapixel camera, an improvement over the 8-megapixel cameras Apple has used since the iPhone 4s and the most advanced iPhone camera yet.

Camera+ co-founder Lisa Bettany has taken a series of comparison shots that demonstrate how the iPhone has improved over the years, with photographs taken with every model of iPhone beginning with the original iPhone and ending with the iPhone 6s.

macrocomparison
Her photographs provide a fascinating look not only at how the iPhone 6s has improved over the iPhone 6, but also at how smartphone camera technology has progressed over the last eight years.

iphone6sporttraitcomparison
Bettany compares images taken with each iPhone and the Camera+ app across eight categories, including Macro, Backlit, Backlit Macro, Daylight, Portrait, Sunset, Low-Light, and Low-Light Sunrise. There are, of course, striking differences between the original iPhone and the iPhone 6s, but even between the iPhone 6 and Apple's newest device, there are noticeable improvements, especially when it comes to detail.

iphone6slowlightcomparison
Along with a jump in megapixels, Apple's iPhone 6s also includes several other improvements. "Deep Trench Isolation" prevents the color bleeding and artifacts that often come with an increase in megapixels, plus Apple's also introduced faster autofocusing speeds and a new image signal processor for better noise reduction and improved tone mapping.

In Bettany's opinion, the camera improvements combined with software updates and the A9 processor on the iPhone 6s make it the best iPhone camera yet. "There is an apparent increase in the speed of auto focus and improvements to colour accuracy, details and sharpness, especially in low light," she writes.

Bettany's full selection of image comparisons are well worth checking out and can be found on her website.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says These 7 U.S. States Plan to Offer iPhone Driver's Licenses

Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
m5 macbook pro deal

Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

Tuesday February 10, 2026 4:27 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works. We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3

Wednesday February 11, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3, the latest updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out in September. The new software comes almost two months after Apple released iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, ...
Apple Logo Zoomed

Apple Expected to Launch These 10+ Products Over the Coming Months

Tuesday February 10, 2026 6:33 am PST by
It has been a slow start to 2026 for Apple product launches, with only a new AirTag and a special Apple Watch band released so far. We are still waiting for MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the iPhone 17e, a lower-cost MacBook with an iPhone chip, long-rumored updates to the Apple TV and HomePod mini, and much more. Apple is expected to release/update the following products...

Top Rated Comments

yaxomoxay Avatar
135 months ago
the jump between 3G and 3Gs is impressive...
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
135 months ago
I see virtually no difference between 6 and 6s, another person trying to gush about how much "superior" the iPhone 6s is over the last phone and the reality is it just doesn't seem to hold up to the patronizing again. Comparing against older iPhones is moot, nobody is updating from an iPhone 1 to the 6s these days, and everybody knows that the first few generations of iPhone cameras were horrible.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
135 months ago
Wow, the 6 actually looks significantly better than the 6S in some categories. Too much noise reduction in low light on the 6S, it's killing the detail.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
135 months ago
I see virtually no difference between 6 and 6s, another person trying to gush about how much "superior" the iPhone 6s is over the last phone and the reality is it just doesn't seem to hold up to the patronizing again. Comparing against older iPhones is moot, nobody is updating from an iPhone 1 to the 6s these days, and everybody knows that the first few generations of iPhone cameras were horrible.
You must be looking at a different picture. I see a whole lot of differences between the two.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
135 months ago
Even though my iPhone 6 is less than 10 months old, Apple always manages to make my device look so inferior when they release a new one.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
carrrrrlos Avatar
135 months ago
If they could pack all that cool tech back into a smaller form factor - pre iPhone 6, small hands everywhere would rejoice. :)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)