Discover the Astrophotography Prowess of the iPhone 16

The Moon

On an extra bright evening due to the strong moonlight, which typically poses a challenge for astrophotography, we first focused on the moon. It is an easy target yet demands careful framing to reduce lens flare caused by its brightness. With the iPhone 16's main camera and relying on autofocus, we faced a challenge in getting the perfect shot. Even when zooming up to 10x, we could only capture a bright ball in the sky with limited detail. The struggle to balance the moon's brightness with the darkness of the sky was evident.

Despite the difficulties, the moon remains a captivating subject, and the iPhone 16's attempt to capture it showcases its capabilities and limitations in astrophotography.

Star cluster: M45 The Pleiades

In the past few months, M45 The Pleiades was an easy target. However, during the twilight hours of the last week, its position near the moon made it a challenging object to observe. Capturing this famous star cluster required contending with the moon's brightness. By tapping the area where M45 should be, we managed to lock in the exposure and focus, making the seven major stars visible. While going up to 10x zoom didn't bring significant improvement, at least the cluster was visible. But, we have achieved better results with the Pixel 9 Pro XL.

This highlights the iPhone 16's performance in capturing star clusters and the ongoing battle against light interference.

Planet: Jupiter

Jupiter, the second brightest object in the night sky, often mistaken for a bright star, was another subject of our astrophotography. Although it is not as close to the moon as M45 The Pleiades, it is still affected by the moon's strong light. From the 1x zoom shot with the main camera, we could see how the moonlight made the night sky more exposed than desired, but Jupiter's size still made it stand out. At 10x zoom, it appeared more like a glowing orb with no distinct red bands or the Great Red Spot. Despite this, the iPhone 16's main camera produced similar results to other flagship phones we have tested.

It shows the iPhone 16's ability to capture the planet but also its limitations in detail.

Nebula: M42 The Great Orion Nebula

Finally, we set our sights on M42 The Great Orion Nebula. Thankfully, the moon's glow did not adversely affect our capture as it was far enough away. With the 48MP main camera pointed at Orion's Belt, we could see the nebula's glow to the south-east. While the 1x zoom shots could have been clearer and sharper, it was not a complete surprise. Due to its reliance on the main camera for zoom capabilities, the 10x zoom image of the Great Orion Nebula did not have the same clarity as the Pixel 9 Pro XL.

This demonstrates the iPhone 16's performance in capturing nebulae and the trade-offs involved.

Bottom line: The iPhone 16 is decent for astrophotography

Weather conditions and the moon clearly played a significant role in this iPhone 16 astrophotography shootout. While it may fall short compared to other flagship phones with the same targets, the iPhone 16 still holds its ground in astrophotography. Its main camera is good at revealing details that our eyes cannot see. However, phones like the Pixel 9 Pro XL, Galaxy S24 Ultra, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max offer better results. Another important aspect is that the iPhone 16 lacks a dedicated telephoto camera with optical zoom, which can be helpful in defining the swirling gases in nebulas and galaxies.

In conclusion, the iPhone 16 has its merits in astrophotography, but it also has its limitations. It provides a glimpse into the world of astrophotography for those who rely on their smartphones.