Apparently, both the iPhone 16e and iPhone Air have not been selling particularly well. One thing that both the iPhone 16e and iPhone Air have in common is that they both have just one rear camera, but does that mean they both use the same camera? Although both phones have the same megapixel count for the rear camera, there are actually a lot more differences on the spec sheet that meet the eye, as you’ll see in the comparison table below.
| iPhone 16e | iPhone Air |
| 48MP Fusion Main: 26mm, ƒ/1.6 aperture | 48MP Fusion Main: 26mm, ƒ/1.6 aperture |
| Optical image stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization |
| Hybrid Focus Pixels | 100% Focus Pixels |
| Portrait Mode with Depth Control | Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control |
| Photographic Styles | Latest-generation Photographic Styles |
| – | Action mode up to 2.8K Dolby Vision at 60 fps |
| – | Dual Capture up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps |
As you can tell, the iPhone Air’s rear camera is far superior to that of the iPhone 16e, as you would be getting a solid list of enhancements when taking higher-quality photos and videos. Furthermore, the iPhone Air gets a huge advantage over other single-camera iPhone models since it is now the first single-camera iPhone model to feature next-generation Portrait Mode, which allows you to take portraits of any subject besides people and pets.
For those who love to take selfies, the iPhone Air also gets a huge upgrade in the front camera as it not only gets a huge boost in megapixel count, but it’s also a square sensor, which allows you to fit more people in the shot as well as take both portrait and landscape selfies while holding the iPhone Air vertically.
Although both rear cameras in iPhone 16e and iPhone Air have the same megapixel count, the reality is that the iPhone Air’s camera is far more capable than you think. Still, if you’re into photography, you may be better off with the iPhone 17 Pro, or for the best value, you should get the base iPhone 17, which gets you both the Main camera and Ultra Wide camera. Make sure to follow us on X or download our app in the App Store for more Apple-related news and content!
