iPhone 14 Pro's 48-Megapixel ProRAW Photos Take Up to Three Times More Storage Than 12-Megapixel Shots

[geordie8t1]

If you're planning to make the most out of the camera system in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max using the full 48-megapixel Main camera sensor, then be ready for your pictures to consume a significant amount of storage.

According to code found by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser within the iOS 16 release candidate released this week, 48-megapixel ProRAW photos taken on the Main camera will be approximately 75MB in size, three times larger than photos taken with the 12-megapixel sensor on an iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro. In a brief hands-on video by YouTuber Sara Dietschy following Apple's "Far out" event, a photo taken with the 48MP sensor can be seen in the Photos app at 80.4MB in size at an 8,064 by 6,048 resolution.

While logical, the increased storage consumption of 48-megapixel ProRAW photos is an important aspect to consider for customers when choosing how much storage they wish to have on their iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are offered in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options

The new 48-megapixel sensor can capture ProRAW photos in sharp and crisp detail and comes with a "new machine learning model [that] delivers sharper images and less noise for unprecedented detail." The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have a new quad-pixel sensor that can merge four pixels into one to deliver sharper and brighter 12-megapixel shots.

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available for pre-order on Friday, September 9, and will begin shipping to customers on Friday, September 16.

Article Link: iPhone 14 Pro's 48-Megapixel ProRAW Photos Take Up to Three Times More Storage Than 12-Megapixel Shots

You are mixing Pro Raw sizes with Jpegs, the iphone 13 Pro Max Pro Raw files often used to weigh in around 30-45MB each as well, so this is only double the size with 4 times the information

 

[adammusic]

You'll need sufficient icloud storage to support it. It keeps the (large) original image on the cloud, and a lighter copy on your phone.


I carry a dedicated camera some of the time. I carry a phone all of the time. Sometimes I want to take a higher fidelity photo, but dont have a dedicated camera, its nice to have the option of a better image capture on the existing device.

I have 2tb of family storage already so no issue there, i already back up my photos there

 

[hooks]

Ah shoot I was going to buy the 128g version! I’m not a photographer but I’ll be travelling next year… hmm

You don't HAVE to use the 48 RAW setting. Would not be advisable for most people. Just use the regular 12MP and you'll be fine. That being said, 128 is the absolute bare minimum these days.

 

[acuriouslad]

Does anyone know if it’s possible to use ProRAW with pixel binning for a 12MP photo with the benefits of raw detail and manipulation?

 

[maxoakland]

4x the mega pixels but it takes “up to” 3x the space? That’s pretty impressive

 

[teh_hunterer]

Lucky you US customers, they didn’t raise the prices there and they made that up by raising the prices in the rest of the world I guess.

No, Europe is not "the rest of the world". The price in Australia only went up by $34 USD. Seems pretty simple, the Euro is not doing well.

 

[hidehide]

Average user won’t be using ProRAW and those who use ProRAW already know it’s a temporary storage before you process it. In fact larger size means their are more data available for edit which is a big plus.

 

[svish]

Only with ProRAW. 256GB base storage would have been nice.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

I expected that massive bump in file size for RAW DNG shots, personally this wouldn't bother me. I always download photos to my computer after shooting just like I do on my DSLR. Space would not be affected.

What is confusing to me I guess, the Ultra Wide lens which I do love using, - or zooming in 2X - 3X still shoots in 12MP.

No idea, I need to see actual shots I guess, hopefully comparisons between 13 Pros and 14 Pros in these 12MP photos next week when the reviews come out.

 

[Fandroid killer]

If you're planning to make the most out of the camera system in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max using the full 48-megapixel Main camera sensor, then be ready for your pictures to consume a significant amount of storage.

According to code found by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser within the iOS 16 release candidate released this week, 48-megapixel ProRAW photos taken on the Main camera will be approximately 75MB in size, three times larger than photos taken with the 12-megapixel sensor on an iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro. In a brief hands-on video by YouTuber Sara Dietschy following Apple's "Far out" event, a photo taken with the 48MP sensor can be seen in the Photos app at 80.4MB in size at an 8,064 by 6,048 resolution.

While logical, the increased storage consumption of 48-megapixel ProRAW photos is an important aspect to consider for customers when choosing how much storage they wish to have on their iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are offered in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options

The new 48-megapixel sensor can capture ProRAW photos in sharp and crisp detail and comes with a "new machine learning model [that] delivers sharper images and less noise for unprecedented detail." The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have a new quad-pixel sensor that can merge four pixels into one to deliver sharper and brighter 12-megapixel shots.

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available for pre-order on Friday, September 9, and will begin shipping to customers on Friday, September 16.

Article Link: iPhone 14 Pro's 48-Megapixel ProRAW Photos Take Up to Three Times More Storage Than 12-Megapixel Shots

I think it's safe to say it's better to wait for next year for true 8k capabilities. This year isn't worth a penny. You will get usb c next year and more ram too.

 

[TVreporter]

Wait for Facebook and Instagram users to claim their new iPhones fail to take high-resolution photos …

Not realizing both sites compress the hell out of photos no matter the resolution- leaving them flat, dull and far from the original.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Wait for Facebook and Instagram users to claim their new iPhones fail to take high-resolution photos …

Not realizing both sites compress the hell out of photos no matter the resolution- leaving them flat, dull and far from the original.

But can I look forward to higher quality TikTok content?

 

[TVreporter]

I've had my 8-plus since launch with 256GB and have only used 87 GB - now mainly due to the fact I have a 2TB iCloud subscription and nearly everything on the phone is optimized.

Thinking I can still get by with the 14-Pro 256GB… don't see me shooting ProRaW a tonne - maybe for nature/wildlife photos.

I'm more curious how well it can do with moving objects such as sports.

 

[thettareddast]

I expected that massive bump in file size for RAW DNG shots, personally this wouldn't bother me. I always download photos to my computer after shooting just like I do on my DSLR. Space would not be affected.

What is confusing to me I guess, the Ultra Wide lens which I do love using, - or zooming in 2X - 3X still shoots in 12MP.

There are 3 separate lens: UW/Standard/3X Zoom; behind them are 3 separate sensors: 12MP/48MP/12MP.

The 2x zoom mode uses the Standard Lens + 48MP sensor, but it simply crops into the image, therefore using 12MP center portion of the sensor.

 

[newton4000]

People who are serious about photography should buy a basic 13 and get a mirrorless DSLR. Adding a 48MP camera doesn't make up for the lack of glass in front of the sensor and neither does the horrible image processing. It's no better than an older 12MP DSLR.

View attachment 2054617 View attachment 2054618

Nikon Z50 ......................... iPhone 13 Pro

This was almost pitch black darkness and the objective is ~ 1.5 miles away.

Oh and controversially it's not even worth shooting in RAW unless you are so crap at photography that you have to use those extra bits to dig you out of trouble during post-processing in LR.

A. Did you use a telephoto here? It’s an unfair comparison. Of course even an old 5 mp dslr can run circles in the right circumstances.
B. The statement about raw is so controversial. I won’t even bother. You do know that even in the film days there was tons of post processing. Eg Ansel Adams

 

[newton4000]

With all that Apple is doing and expanding the 5GB level of iCloud storage is ridiculous. One of the few things that Apple has never increased as all else has grown. Free level should be at least 20 GB now although Id accept, for now, and increase to 10 GB. Come on Apple do the right thing here

I think they should. But don’t see why this feature should do it. Nobody is forcing you to use it and this is Very much a hobbyist feature. Someone who is going to be serious about photography and will likely need much more than 20 gb in any case.
I think it should be higher in general though to like you said 10-20 gb.

 

[newton4000]

I guess we all have our opinions on this. Here's mine

I used to have a dSLR and a good compact (with full manual controls). They took way better photos than my phone, but ... I'm not a photographer. My photos are really just to record my life - photos of my friends, where we travel to etc.

I went on one holiday with just my iPhone 6S as it was a cycling holiday and I was worried what would happen if someone stole my camera or the SD card corrupted. The iPhone backs up to the cloud.

The photos were ok and it meant I only had to charge one device while travelling. I sold my cameras and now just have my iPhone 11. It does the job. Sure, I'd love better low-light photography but I really wish Apple went with a standard 12MP sensor with bigger light-capturing pixels instead of using 48MP and binning. However, my 11 still works well and does what I need so I'm skipping this year out too. Let's see what iOS 17 and the iPhone 15 brings this time next year.

How do you know that this saint be better than just larger pixels? The binning could act as such and potentially more tha needed. You are thinking in terms of old style cameras - not computational photography. Let’s see when it’s out and make your judgement then.
The other thing they said that they made their lens sharper? Did I hear right here. Too little attention is paid to the lens in smartphones. Camera owners know it’s all about the glass.

 

[Brad7]

Is it possible to take photos in regular non-ProRAW format but still 48MP?

 

[thettareddast]

Is it possible to take photos in regular non-ProRAW format but still 48MP?

the standard camera always uses the full 48mp pixel, unless you zoom into 2x

it only "bins" into 12mp when the raw image converted and saved (as jpg/heif/heic)

if you want to have a jpg with the full 48mp resolution, it probably can be done when you convert the raw image to jpg yourself, or more likely if you use a 3rd party photo app

 

[Brad7]

the standard camera always uses the full 48mp pixel, unless you zoom into 2x

it only "bins" into 12mp when the raw image converted and saved (as jpg/heif/heic)

if you want to have a jpg with the full 48mp resolution, it probably can be done when you convert the raw image to jpg yourself, or more likely if you use a 3rd party photo app

I see, thank you. I’m pretty much an amateur at this stuff. So will pics I take with the 14 look better vs the 13 because of the 48mp camera?

 

[thettareddast]

So will pics I take with the 14 look better vs the 13 because of the 48mp camera?

yes

 

[Brad7]

yes

Perfect, thank you so much!

 

[macduke]

I wish they had a compressed RAW setting, like my Sony a7R III has. It's 42MP, probably does better bit depth than this thing at 14-bit and the compressed RAW setting saves 50% of storage at 40MB instead of 80MB.

Some people complain that compressed RAW isn't true RAW but it's nearly lossy in that most all shooting situations you won't notice a difference with the way that it efficiently packs up the file while retaining all the perks of RAW in the editing ability. I've compared my shots and haven't been able to tell a difference. I've heard there are edge cases for things like shooting star trails that makes shooting lossless RAW worthwhile but 99% of the time you don't need it and it has saved me a ton of storage space.

It will be interesting to see how far I can push these RAW images in Lightroom combined with Topaz Gigapixel, Sharpen and Denoise for AI enhancements. I will have to get out into the country this autumn/winter to try taking some photos of the Milky Way again. I was surprised when I tried it in rural Vermont last October, the result was much better than expected. I'm disappointed Apple didn't add an actual astrophotography mode or something, but I also kinda wondered if the starry invite was for the satellite functionality, which it was.

 

[BagNDrag]

I have found a neat trick. You can shoot a ProRaw image at 48 MP and then define a shortcut to convert the image(s) over to HEIF and delete the original photo(s) if you want. Here is the shortcut I worked up and it works like a charm. The resulting image is a 48 MP HEIF image that has WAY better clarity and quality (not to mention in a MUCH smaller size than the ProRaw) than the standard 12 MP image the iPhone 14 shoots at. Give this a try, the resulting images are amazing. I sure hope Apple adds the ability to save a ProRaw AND a HEIF 48 MP file in a future software upgrade. This shortcut proves it is possible AND worthwhile.

-Mark

 

[Olafur_Haakon]

Great with 128Gb base model, at just 1.319€ (=USD1.319) in Europe. Best upgrade ever

I’m currently living in the U.K. (I’m Norwegian) and I’m I’ve just paid the equivalent of another $100 for my 14 Pro Max 128 GB (Deep Purple) currently on back order with my cell provider EE. I’ll be saving using ProRaw to take photos for really special occasions. I don’t think that 75 megabytes storage for such an high quality image - especially when it’ll only be taking up the storage for a very short time! Of course the full size image will be stored on iCloud (I’m renting 200 GB for only £2.49 a month at the moment) so I’ll be able to take and store plenty of 75 megabyte ProRaw images before I have to consider upping my iCloud storage. It’s sad that full quality ProRes videos aren’t able to be recorded on the base 128 GB Pro Max 14, I’d have been happy with making just one full quality ProRes video during my visit to family in Iceland next month (my max quality ProRes videos will be 1080p 30fps sadly. Iceland is a photographer’s & video maker’s dream any time of year). My current iPhone is the 13 Pro Max 256 GB which is a fantastic piece of tech but the improvements that come with the 14 Pro Max have tempted me to take advantage of my cell provider’s “upgrade now at no extra cost” offer - the downside is that it’ll be approx 21 days (hopefully shorter) b4 I get my sweaty little hands in my new all singing and all dancing Deep Purple 14 Pro Max! Just a quick comment b4 I finish, I’m using the e-sun on my 13 Pro Max and will be doing that on my 14 Pro Max, I’d say to anyone in the states don’t have any doubts about using the only sim option you’ll have with the 14 Pro Max because setting up is really quick and easy-peasy. I’ll never go back to a physical sim again if I have the choice!