iPhone SE vs. iPhone 11: Comparison of cameras of both phones

Despite the general approval of Apple’s $ 399 price for its new iPhone SE, there was a lot of speculation about the camera hardware and how does it compare to iPhone 11. Its rear camera has the same specifications as the iPhone 8 since 2017, but some theorized that it could have the sensor of the 2018 iPhone XR.

Took a IFixIt teardown of the new iPhone to show that the SE actually had the same lens and sensor as the iPhone 8. That means that all improvements in image quality, as well as the addition of features like portrait mode, come exclusively A13 bionic chip. This processor is the same one found on the $ 699 iPhone 11.

Since both phones have the same processor, I naturally wanted to compare photos and videos. To date, iPhone 11 phones not only have the best cameras on any iPhone, but one of the best versatile camera systems on any phone.

The iPhone SE has a lot to accomplish, but as you will see, it can go head to head with its more expensive Apple siblings. This comparison shows that when it comes to photography and video recording, the actual consideration is not the number of megapixels or the number of cameras. Instead, it’s about the processor.

iPhone SE vs. 11: SmartHDR makes photos look fantastic

The combination of the Bionic A13 chip and iOS 13 absolutely elevates iPhone 8 camera hardware to the next level in SE. The rear camera of the iPhone SE has a 28mm f / 1.8 lens, while the iPhone 11 has two rear cameras: a main one with a 26mm f / 1.8 lens, and an ultra-wide-angle camera with an f / 2.4 lens. 13 mm.

Since the 11 has a wide-angle camera and the SE doesn’t, there isn’t much to compare. But here are a couple of my favorite photos that I took with the ultra-wide camera anyway

When I focused on each of the main cameras, I noticed that in good light, the photos were almost indistinguishable. Look at the photos of a tree that I took in my patio below and you won’t notice much difference. The iPhone SE photo is framed getting tighter than iPhone 11. But any other way (even when I got close to 100% on a large monitor) I couldn’t see any other difference.

Take a look at the photos I took of some wooden slats. Again, apart from the framing, it is difficult to see any difference. When I zoomed in, the details in each photo were good. They both had small amounts of image noise in the shadows on the slats.

The reason good-light photos look so similar is that if you’re on an iPhone 11, 11 Pro or the new SE, the latest version of SmartHDR is used to process and optimize details and textures. It also pushes the dynamic range as much as possible without the image falling apart.

This is where we start to see some differences between the two phones. The photo below a tree shows the strength of SmartHDR processing. This scene has lighting extremes with dark shadows under the tree and bright reflections in the clouds.

Take a close look at the iPhone 11 photo and you will see that the shadows have more detail and are not as dark as the iPhone SE. In the sky through the branches, both photos are seen to have turned off the reflections, but the iPhone 11 has less. Although this is a minor detail, it is evidence that the iPhone 11’s main camera handles a wider dynamic range better than the iPhone SE.

Portrait mode: 1 camera vs. 2

Both phones have portrait mode and produce excellent results. The 11 can take portrait mode photos of people and pets, while the iPhone SE can only take people, which is a huge inconvenience if you’re an animal lover. With the photos in portrait mode below, you will see that they look very similar. The iPhone 11 portrait captures more detail. For example, look at the hair on John’s forehead. Also, the drop onto the shoulders of the focused to unfocused areas seems more natural from the iPhone 11 and that could be due to the fact that it uses both rear lenses to create the effect.

Deep fusion processing for medium to low light

When we enter medium and low light environments, the differences between the two phones are even more marked. This is because iPhone 11 has Deep Fusion processing that improves image quality, detail, and minimizes image noise. The iPhone SE lacks Deep Fusion.

The photos below are of my bike trainer taken indoors in medium lighting. In addition to the tighter frame on the iPhone SE photo, there is a noticeable difference in terms of image quality. The picture on the 11 has a bit of more detail, like around the outlet.

Also, the lower right corner of the iPhone SE photo suffers from image noise in the shadows. I would say that for interior and medium light photos, the 11 has the advantage because its use of Deep Fusion Processing.

Night mode vs. non-night mode

Night mode, which is on the iPhone 11 but not on the SE, is another considerable difference between the two phones. Night mode uses adaptive bracketing, taking a series of images with various shutter speeds. It combines them into a single photo that is brighter, has less image noise and enhanced detail. Like the iPhone 11’s ultra-wide-angle camera, your own preferences will determine whether having a night mode is a deciding factor. But let’s see what it can do.

Below are photos of a tree in my backyard taken when it was very dark. The iPhone 11’s night mode looks better in every way.

But that was a pretty extreme way to test phones. Below is a scene from a book, a bottle of eye drops, and my computer. It was dim enough to activate night mode on iPhone 11.

As you can see by taking a closer look at the eye drop bottle, the iPhone 11 photo is sharper, has better details and color accuracy. Finally, compare the names of the authors on the spine of the book. The text looks smoother on the SE photo and the spine of the book is slightly different in color.

The rear camera video is almost identical

Like good light photos, it is also difficult to discern video recording between the main rear cameras on both phones. Both phones can shoot up to 4K, 60fps and have an extended dynamic range (also known as “HDR” but for video). However, the 11 offers an extended dynamic range up to 4K 60fps, while the iPhone SE can only support up to 4K 30fps.

Take a look at the video below that contains filmed images of both the iPhone 11 and SE.

As you can see in 4K 60fps footage, both videos look similar. But if you take a closer look, the speaker on the shelf behind me is more contrasted in the iPhone 11 video. The lamp over my shoulder in the iPhone 11 video is also not turned off, while in the iPhone SE video it is. . That’s due to the iPhone 11’s extended dynamic range at 4K 60fps.

To see more videos shot on iPhone SE, watch the video below.

Front camera: more detailed selfies and ‘slowfie’ video

However, the videos taken with the front cameras show a big difference in quality. The iPhone 11 has a wider front camera and is capable of recording 4K and slow-motion videos. IPhone SE can only record 1,080p video and cannot record “slofies”. They can both take portrait photos, but the iPhone 11 captures much more detail (in my hair and skin, for example). Some people may not miss seeing all those details on their skin.

In terms of video from the front cameras, you can really see the difference in resolution and hear it in audio. The iPhone 11 video sounds better and clearer than the iPhone SE video. Again, watch the video that accompanies this article to see the video recorded with the front cameras.

After doing this camera comparison, it is obvious that the iPhone 11 has a better and more versatile camera system. But in many situations, the iPhone SE was able to capture images that are just as comparable and brilliant, despite being hundreds of dollars cheaper than the iPhone 11.