iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro camera sensors said to have over 30% higher max ISO

One of the big new features coming to iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro is Night Mode, which as we've seen makes a huge difference. Turns out, Apple has improved low light performance thanks to both devices having sensors that achieve 30% higher max ISO compared to last year's models.

According to Halide Camera, a technical readout of both devices confirms that each phone should perform better in low light. A higher max ISO means the sensors are more sensitive to light, so situations when ample light isn't available should be less of an issue.

Thanks to Halide's Technical Readout we know that the #iPhone11 and #iPhone11Pro sensors have over 30% higher max ISO — allowing them to be far more sensitive in low light.

Stay tuned for our full hardware spec breakdown. Some very interesting things in there. 🔩👀

— Halide (@halidecamera) September 12, 2019

Think of it in film terms. When a film is rated at 400 ISO, your camera's light meter will account for that before you expose your shot. 800 ISO film is better for shooting in the evening or even at night, because it's more sensitive to light.

What remains to be seen is how the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro handle noise. Typically you'll see a lot more grain in a low light photo as the ISO goes up. More grain can lead to low light images looking muddy and soft, which isn't ideal.

When Apple introduced its new Night Mode, the company talked up its A13 Bionic chip and improvements to software for better low light shots. But it failed to mention that its sensors are now more sensitive to light. That's good to know for folks who plan to take full advantage of the camera on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.

Halide goes on to say that it's working on a full hardware spec breakdown of both iPhones, and that there are some "very interesting things in there."

We'll get to test out the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro cameras, along with Apple's Night Mode, when the phones launch on September 20.