How far has iPhone photography come in 10 years? I compared the iPhone 7 and iPhone Air and the results speak for themselves

Date:
Tue, 28 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Description:
I took the iPhone 7 and iPhone Air on a photo walk to see how far Apple's photography hardware has come in 10 years.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The iPhone 7 isnt remembered as being a particularly important iPhone release, but it did represent several firsts for Apple . It was the first iPhone to lose the traditional headphone jack, the first to boast IP67 water resistance, and the first to swap the mechanical Home button for a pressure-sensitive equivalent.

The iPhone 7 was also the first standard-sized iPhone to feature Optical
Image Stabilization (OIS), which uses physical gyroscopes to counteract shake-induced blur, and has been a feature of every iPhone released since (thats 35 models and counting). Why am I writing about the iPhone 7? Because it arrived almost a decade ago on September 16, 2016, to be precise and because I came across TechRadars iPhone 7 review sample during a recent clearout of our office cupboard. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full
video here:

Im currently using the iPhone Air released on September 19, 2025 as my
daily phone, which is a similarly thin and lightweight iPhone with only one rear camera, and so I thought it would be fun (and nostalgic!) to compare the camera capabilities of these two devices to see how far Apples camera
hardware has come in 10 years. The answer, as you can imagine, is 'very far'. Specs Before I jump into the side-by-side comparisons, heres a table
detailing the key camera specs of the iPhone 7 and iPhone Air: You may like iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air: which should you buy? The real winner of WWDC 2026 was the iPhone Air heres why Best iPhone 2026 Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 - Cell 0

iPhone 7

iPhone Air

Rear camera:

12MP, f/1.8, 28mm

48MP, f/1.6, 26mm

Front-facing camera:

7MP, f/2.2, 32mm

18MP, f/1.9, 20mm It's worth noting that the iPhone Air defaults to shooting in 24MP, rather than 48MP, via a 'Fusion' process that merges 12 high-dynamic-range pixels and 12 low-dynamic-range pixels into a single 24MP shot. You can choose to shoot in 48MP on new iPhones like the iPhone Air, but I stuck to the default option for this comparison. Photo gallery Right, onto the side-by-side photos. I took both phones on a walk around the
neighborhood, comparing their wide-shooting capabilities, ability to capture color, digital zoom capabilities (neither device has a dedicated telephoto zoom), and low-light shooting capabilities. Get daily insight, inspiration
and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2
View Original First shot: a tree on the sidewalk. This isn't a particularly demanding scenario, but at first glance, both phones appear to have captured
a similarly detailed image. Apple's approach to color science doesn't appear to have changed all that much in 10 years, either (at least in this example more on color science later).

If you zoom in, though, the iPhone Air's shot is clearly superior. Check out the detail on the property nameplate to the left of the tree, for instance,
or the paving stones in the foreground. The iPhone 7 smears over details it can't capture, while the iPhone Air's sensor picks up lots more information. These are subtle differences, but the iPhone Air's shot is the better of the two. Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original This is another example of subtle differences. The two images look similar at first glance, but the iPhone Air captures more brick, metal, and pavement detail than the iPhone 7. The dog is just as cute in both images, mind you. What to read next The iPhone Air 2 could arrive in 2027 with improved cameras and battery life The best camera phone 2026 iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: which flagship smartphone is best? Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original Pub time! Again, the iPhone 7 does a decent job here, but the detail and color of the main building are more real-looking in the iPhone Air's image. If you zoom in on the main Holly Bush logo or the Hollybush
House sign, you'll notice the difference in clarity. The shadows in the
latter photo are also more pronounced, which speaks to the iPhone Air's superior dynamic range. Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original How about a butterfly? The iPhone Air's image is clearly the richer of the two. The leaves, branches, and pattern on the butterfly itself are
more detailed in the shot captured with Apple's newer phone, while the iPhone 7's image is softer, almost as if there's a streak of sunblock on the lens. This is the first shot where I think, "Yeah, that photo was shot on an old iPhone." Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original This is a tricky one. The petal detail on the main flower is slightly better on the iPhone Air shot, and the color of the rear wall is more accurate, too. But
the iPhone 7 keeps more foreground detail intact (see the green leaves on the left and the red label at the bottom). We'll call it a draw. Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of
2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original And here we come to the best example of Apple's modern approach to color science in action. On newer iPhones, Apple prioritizes style over realism, occasionally warming things up with more saturation, so shots have an almost yellowish quality. As you can see above, the ice cream is literally a different color in both pictures.

The iPhone 7's approach to this image is too cold I chose the salted caramel flavor, and the older iPhone saps all the fun and warmth out of that
decision. It makes the ice cream look unappetizing and the weather miserable. The iPhone Air's photo looks immeasurably warmer, and while my surroundings weren't quite that yellow, I'd rather exist in this sun-kissed world than in the iPhone 7's gloomy alternative. Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original Another big win for the iPhone Air here. Neither phone has a dedicated zoom camera, so I had to employ digital zoom in both cases
(around 4x), and the iPhone Air captures far, far more detail than the iPhone 7. Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original So far (the
zoom example above notwithstanding), the iPhone 7 has delivered less detailed but still largely usable images versus the iPhone Air. That stops when you switch to low-light scenarios.

In this example, the iPhone 7 just can't handle the bright light of my IKEA donut lamp you can't even tell that it's a donut at all. The iPhone Air, meanwhile, captures the charming shape of the lamp itself as well as details in the shadows it creates. Look at the pattern on the cupboard door it's simply not visible in the photo captured by the iPhone 7. Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original Again, the difference is night and day here (almost literally). The candle in the iPhone 7 photo is extremely blown out no pun intended while the iPhone Air more accurately recreates what I was seeing with my eyes (read: light). Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original If this were a competition to see which phone could best recreate the neo-noir visual style, the iPhone 7 would win (the first photo
is very Lynchian). Alas, it's not, and so here we have a great example of
just how far the iPhone's night photography skills have come. The iPhone Air photo is more detailed, has better dynamic range, and has more accurate
colors try and read the number plates in the iPhone 7 photo, and tell me I'm wrong. Image 1 of 2 iPhone 7 (Image credit: Future) iPhone Air (Image credit: Future) Image 1 of 2 View Original Image 2 of 2 View Original Oh look, it's me! I'm actually quite impressed with the detail served up by the iPhone 7 here the hairs on my head and face are equally visible in both examples but the iPhone Air more accurately captures the whites of my eyes and the details of my complexion (read: the blemishes. Sigh .)

In fact, now I'm looking at the iPhone 7 photo again specifically, my black eyes I look a bit like a Great White Shark who's enjoying his last hours as
a human. Maybe that's what Apple was going for in 2016? Verdict (Image
credit: Future) Surprise! The iPhone Air captured a better photo than the iPhone 7 in almost every example. That was to be expected, and, if you're spending close to four figures on one of the best iPhones in 2026, hoped for.

Apple's latest single-camera iPhone delivers superior details, colors,
dynamic range, and digital zoom clarity than its predecessor 10 generations removed, and if that wasn't the case, you'd be worried for the company's future.

But in writing this comparison, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the iPhone 7 held up against the iPhone Air. At first glance, it delivered comparable photos on several occasions, only revealing itself to be a 10-year-old device when I zoomed in and dug into the details (or lack thereof). The low-light examples were a different story, but again, that's to be expected.

So, yes, iPhone photography has come a long way since 2016, but if you find yourself forced to use a banged-up old iPhone 7 for a few days (for whatever reason), it won't be totally incapable of capturing usable photos. Price comparison: Find the best deal for your next phone Contract Deals Sim Free Recommended Data (high to low) Data (low to high) Monthly cost (high to low) Monthly cost (low to high) Price (high to low) Price (low to high) Contract Deals Sim Free See all prices (31670 found) Filter Recommended Data (high to low) Data (low to high) Monthly cost (high to low) Monthly cost (low to high) Price (high to low) Price (low to high) voucher gift Apple iPhone Air (1TB Gold) 48 months data 25GB 30 upfront Monthly 43.49 /mth 30 upfront 43.49 /mth View at EE voucher gift Apple iPhone Air (1TB White) 36 months data 1GB 50 upfront Monthly 40.50 /mth 50 upfront 40.50 /mth View at Vodafone Ltd gift Apple iPhone Air (256GB Black) 24 months data 10GB 29 upfront Monthly 34.99 /mth 29 upfront 34.99 /mth View at Mobiles.co.uk Show more Follow TechRadar
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