The camera is one of the most important aspects of a flagship phone. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max offer the best photography, but they go about it in different ways. Let’s see which one you should choose

Xiaomi 15 Ultra: The Ultimate Camera Beast

Xiaomi has also loaded the 15 Ultra with some of the most advanced camera hardware in the industry. The main sensor is a 50MP Sony LYT-900 sensor with a large aperture that lets in more light for low-light shots. The 200MP periscope telephoto lens takes zoom photography to the next level with up to 10x optical zoom and crisp details even at long distances.

For ultra-wide shots, the 50MP ultra-wide lens makes sure landscapes look natural without distortion. Xiaomi’s AI image processing adds details, improves HDR, and sharpens images without making them look overprocessed. Day or night, 15 Ultra captures vibrant and detailed photos.

o Video o 8K recording with Dolby Vision ensures cinematic quality o Steady Mode keeps videos smooth, even when recording while walking or in motion o Advanced night mode and AI-powered enhancements make low-light videos look bright and detailed without too much noise

iPhone 16 Pro Max: Apple’s Smart Camera Magic

Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max continues this tradition, with a very good smartphone camera that doesn’t have the highest megapixel count in the world, but Apple’s 48MP main sensor captures lifelike images with natural colors. Sensor-shift OIS helps keep shots stable, even in less-than-stable environments. Portraits look Good, with Apple’s improved bokeh effect making subjects pop beautifully.

The 12MP periscope zoom lens now has 5x optical zoom – not as powerful as Xiaomi’s, but Apple’s image processing ensures that zoomed-in shots look clear and detailed. Apple’s Deep Fusion and Smart HDR 5 combine to improve low-light photography and bring out textures. Night shots are well-balanced, with natural color tones.

For video, iPhone 16 Pro Max delivers with 4K ProRes, cinematic mode, and Action Mode for ultra-stable shots. You’ll get accurate colors and smooth transitions—perfect for content creators.

Which Phone Has the Better Camera?

Xiaomi 15 Ultra has extreme zoom, tons of megapixels, and AI tricks to get you sharp, colorful shots. iPhone 16 Pro Max is all about natural colors, smooth videos, and pro-level image processing.