Apple's iPhone 7 has already received good reviews for its new camera and imaging expert DxO recently commended how the flagship pushed things further in mobile photography.
DxOMark affirms that the high bar established by former iPhone models was raised even higher by the iPhone 7's Digital Cinema (DCI-P3) color gamut support, fast autofocus, optical image stabilization (OIS) and various different improvements.
In the thorough testing, the iPhone 7 ranked a score of 86/100, a higher figure than last year's iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, which got scores of 82 and 84. With this year's score, the 4.7-inch smartphone sits in the top three handsets that DxO tested.
Keep in mind that the cameras of the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and 7 might seem identical on paper, as they all carry a 12-megapixel sensor. However, the iPhone 7 brings a wider aperture lens (f/1.8), OIS, as well as enhanced image processing. What is more, the sensor got revamped and is better than the one used in 2016.
DxO explains that despite sporting a smaller sensor than their rivals, Apple's flagship phones tap into "innovative technologies" that allow superior image quality within a sleek form factor.
"High-performance lens design, efficient sensor electronics, built-in OIS and a high performance multi-image processing [are such technologies]," the review reads.
DxO's comparison between the iPhone 7 and previous variants of the smartphone show that texture is better reproduced, while artifacts are reduced. In its latest handset, Apple tweaked the white balance and color rendering, while making sure that the autofocus is smooth and the OIS is reliable.
On the downside, the review marked that a slight drop in fine detail is visible, as well as autofocusing inconsistency and popping luminance noise in low-light settings. Thanks to the OIS, there was little to no camera tremor in low-light scenes, but a certain amount of motion blur was discernible, especially during exposures in dark scenes.
Users can rely on the True Tone flash for outputting powerful light that keeps tonal reproduction accurate. Unsurprising for a camera phone, DxO's review notes sharp drop-off in corners at the edge of the frame.
If you want to get into specifics about iPhone 7's new wide color gamut, camera design and ability to roll out RAW images, check out the full DxO review.
Mobile photography fans should know that DxO has the iPhone 7 Plus review in tow.
Despite sporting almost identical specs as the smaller variant, the 7 Plus lacks both OIS telephoto module and lens. However, it does come with 2x optical zoom, and its dual-lens combo enables users to use a portrait mode. Apple touts that the future mode will generate a depth of field effect that could make selfies more artsy.
