Adam Engst finds that, despite similar specs on paper, macro photos from last year’s iPhone 16 Pro edge out those from the new iPhone 17—but the difference is sufficiently subtle that it might not matter to most people.

Adam Engst investigates whether his choice to downgrade from a triple-camera iPhone 16 Pro to a dual-camera iPhone 17 was justified by analyzing a year’s worth of photos using EXIF metadata.

After spending a weekend with the iPhone 16 Pro, Adam Engst feels even more confident in his earlier recommendation of the iPhone 16 for most people. The iPhone 16 Pro’s increased size and weight, along with the lack of noticeably better macro photos, make the standard model a better choice for most.

At its Glowtime event, Apple unveiled its latest crop of iPhones, with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus gaining the new Camera Control, along with the Action button from last year’s Pro models. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max boast larger screens, better cameras, and faster performance.