Affordable, compact and powerful: that’s the new iPhone SE. But the camera quality also plays an important role for many people when they buy a smartphone. So: how good is the iPhone SE 2022 camera anyway?
iPhone SE 2022 camera: the lens is identical
The camera system of the iPhone has undergone impressive development in recent years. Not only because the iPhone got more and more lenses, but also because the camera sensors got bigger. They absorb more light, which results in less noise and a faster shutter speed, allowing you to take more detailed photos.
The new iPhone SE 2022 unfortunately still has to make do with a single 12-megapixel camera on the back. And that one wide-angle lens isn’t quite as good as the iPhone 13’s. In fact, the sensor (with an aperture of ƒ/1.8) is the same as the iPhone SE 2020 had, and that camera sensor was in turn identical to that of the iPhone 8 from 2017 (!).
The selfie camera is also disappointing. Like its predecessor, it has a paltry 7-megapixel sensor (aperture ƒ/2.2). This makes the front camera less good than the now two-and-a-half-year-old iPhone 11, which already had a 12-megapixel camera on the front.
Still better photos
But while the camera sensor is the same as before, the photo quality of the iPhone SE 2022 could be improved over its predecessor. This has to do with the new processor, the A15 Bionic chip.
The A15 Bionic has a better image signal processor and a faster Neural Engine, which analyzes photos at the pixel level. As a result, the camera system contains new features that we already knew from the iPhone 13, such as Smart HDR 4 and Photographic Styles.
Smart HDR 4 provides enhanced colours, contrasts and lighting. In group photos, individual adjustments are even made for individuals, for example to show off skin tones. Photographic styles are a kind of filters that allow you to adjust the style of your photos to your liking.
How good is the iPhone SE 2022 camera?
Thanks to the A15 Bionic chip, the photo quality improves, but we expect the differences to be subtle. The exposure may be slightly better, the white balance may also be – but there are no spectacular differences with the camera of the iPhone SE 2020 anyway.
What we especially regret is that the Night Mode is missing from the iPhone SE. Apple first added this camera feature to the iPhone 11 in 2019, and it delivers stunningly beautiful photos in low light. However, the iPhone SE 2022 will not be a star in night photography.
Soon you will read on iPhoned more about the performance of the camera, because a review and camera test for the iPhone SE 2022 will soon be in the making. Do you want to stay informed? Sign up for our newsletter: