We put the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max through our rigorous SBMARK Selfie test suite to measure its photo and video performance from an end-user perspective. This article analyzes the behavior of the device in a series of tests and several common use cases and aims to highlight the most important results of our tests with an excerpt of the acquired data.
Please note that all sample images of the iPhone 15 Pro Max in this review have been converted to JPG format. Image quality was analyzed using the original HEIC files. For both photos and videos, this article describes the best display pipeline for the best HDR experience.
Overview
Front camera main specifications:
- 12MP sensor
- Lens with f/1.9 aperture
- Auto focus
- 4K video at 24/25/30/60 fps, 1080p at 25/30/60/120 fps (4K at 30 fps tested)
Pros
- Accurate exposure and wide dynamic range for photos and videos
- Reliable and fast autofocus with a wide depth of field
- High levels of detail in bright light for photos and videos
- Effective stabilization when holding the device still and moving while recording
- Very accurate subject isolation in bokeh mode
Against
- Noise in all shooting conditions
- Occasional color quantization artifacts in photos and videos
- Occasional differences in sharpness between frames when recording video while walking
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max performed exceptionally well in the SBMARK Selfie tests, earning it the top spot in our smartphone front-facing camera rankings. The new device uses similar front camera hardware to the previous generation iPhone 14 but still shows notable progress in both photos and videos, thanks to software improvements.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max performed particularly well and was the best device tested to date in video mode. This is mainly due to notable improvements in noise exposure and management. The iPhone 15 Pro Max didn’t take first place when it came to still images. However, it showed notable progress over its predecessor and particularly excelled in terms of exposure, color and bokeh, delivering the best results to date in these categories.
Overall, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max is an obvious choice for smartphone users who prioritize creating high-quality images and video content using the front-facing camera.
Combining Apple’s HEIC image files with embedded HDR data produced stunning results when viewed on a dedicated display. Image results were stunning in both the Photos app on macOS Sonoma on an XDR display and the Photos app on the iPhone 15 Pro Max display, rendering brighter and more vivid than ever. However, users of displays, devices, or apps that don’t support Apple’s HDR photo format will only see JPG images without the HDR effect.
Test summary
About SBMARK selfie tests: For scoring and analysis, SBMARK engineers capture and evaluate more than 1,500 test images in both controlled laboratory environments and natural outdoor, indoor, and low-light scenes, using default front camera settings. The photography protocol is designed to take user needs into account and is based on typical shooting scenarios, such as close-ups and group selfies. Evaluation is performed by visually examining images Cons a natural scene reference and performing objective measurements on laboratory-captured graph images under varying lighting conditions from 1 to 1,000+ lux and color temperatures from 2,300 K to 6,500 K. Learn more information about the SBMARK Selfie test protocol, click here. More details on how we rate smartphone cameras can be found here. The following section compiles key elements of SBMARK’s comprehensive testing and analysis. Full performance evaluations are available upon request. Please contact us to find out how to receive a full report.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Ultra-Premium Selfie Scores
This chart compares overall SBMARK Selfie scores for photos and videos between tested and reference devices. The average and maximum scores of the price range are also indicated. The average and maximum scores for each price segment are calculated based on the SBMARK device database.
Photo
145
Huawei Mate 50 Pro
Huawei Mate 50 Pro
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Photo Scores vs. Ultra-Premium
Photography tests analyze image quality attributes such as exposure, color, texture and noise under various lighting conditions. The focus range and presence of artifacts are also evaluated on all images captured under controlled laboratory conditions and in real-life images. All of these attributes have a significant impact on the final quality of images captured with the tested device and can help understand the camera’s key strengths and weaknesses.
In still image mode, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s front camera showed major improvements over the previous generation, producing class-leading results in terms of exposure and color, as well as bokeh, where our testers were impressed by the precise isolation of the subject and with a pleasant bokeh gradient. The autofocus system worked reliably, and a wide depth of field ensured good focus on all subjects in group shots. Detail levels were high in bright light, but image noise was evident in all lighting conditions, as in previous iPhone generations.
Exposure is one of the key attributes for technically good images. The main attribute evaluated is the brightness of faces in various use cases and lighting conditions. Other factors evaluated are contrast and dynamic range, e.g. the ability to make details visible in both bright and dark areas of the image. Repeatability is also important because it demonstrates the camera’s ability to provide the same rendering when shooting consecutive images in a row.
Compared to the previous generation iPhone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has significantly improved in terms of dynamic range. Facial exposure and contrast were still accurate in most conditions, but highlight clipping was significantly reduced.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Bright face exposure, wide dynamic range in the background
Apple iPhone 14 Pro – Bright exposure of face, clipping of background highlights
Huawei Mate 50 Pro – Good facial exposure but more highlight clipping than iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 15 Pro Max also provided excellent contrast on faces. This was especially noticeable when viewing images on an HDR display, such as the same iPhone display, the latest generation iPad Pro, or an Apple Mac with a Sonoma display and XDR.
Color
103
Google Pixel 7 Pro
Google Pixel 7 Pro
Color is one of the key attributes for technically good images. The image quality attributes analyzed are skin tone rendering, white balance, color shading and repeatability.
The HDR format also helped produce very natural and pleasing colors, even in difficult lighting conditions. Skin tones looked very natural, with subtle color variations and authentic hues. This was, again, especially noticeable when viewing images on an HDR display. Additionally, the iPhone’s front camera captured beautiful colors on background elements, such as the sky or vegetation.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Nice skin tones, nice color on the sky and trees
Apple iPhone 14 Pro – Nice skin tones, nice color on the sky and trees
Huawei Mate 50 Pro – Less pleasant skin tone rendering
Autofocus tests evaluate the precision of focus on the subject’s face, the repeatability of accurate focus, and the depth of field. While a shallow depth of field can be nice for a single-subject selfie or close-up shot, it can be problematic in specific conditions like group selfies; both situations are tested. Focus accuracy is also evaluated in all real images taken, from 30cm to 150cm, and in low-light or outdoor conditions.
Like its predecessor, the iPhone 15 Pro Max uses an autofocus system in the front camera. This allows the camera to optimize focus over a wide range of subject distances. It also helps increase background detail when shooting at greater distances than the subject, such as with a selfie stick. Compared to the previous generation, our testers observed even fewer focusing errors in all test conditions.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Face and background in focus
Apple iPhone 14 Pro – Face and background in focus
Huawei Mate 50 Pro – Face slightly blurred, background blurred
Structure
76
Asus ZenFone 7 Pro
Asus ZenFone 7 Pro
Texture tests analyze the level of detail and texture of subjects in images taken in the lab and in real-life scenarios. For natural shots, special attention is paid to the level of detail of facial features, such as the eyes. Objective measurements are performed on map images taken under various lighting conditions from 1 to 1000 lux and different types of dynamic range conditions. The papers used are the proprietary SBMARK (DMC) paper and the Dead Leaves paper.
Evolution of texture sharpness with illuminance level
This graph shows the evolution of texture sharpness with lux level for two holding conditions. Texture sharpness is measured on the Dead Leaves graph in the Close-up Dead Leaves setting.
Noise
61
Huawei Mate 50 Pro
Huawei Mate 50 Pro
Noise tests analyze various noise attributes such as intensity, chromaticity, grain and texture on real images and on graph images taken in the laboratory. For natural images, particular attention is paid to noise on faces, but also to dark areas and high dynamic range conditions. Objective measurements are performed on graph images taken under various conditions from 1 to 1000 lux and different types of dynamic range conditions. The graph used is the SBMARK Dead Leaves graph and the standardized measurement such as visual noise derived from ISO 15739.
Evolution of visual noise with illuminance levels under handheld conditions
This graph shows the evolution of the visual noise metric with lux level in handheld conditions. The visual noise metric is the average of the visual noise measurement across all areas of the Dead Leaves graph in the Close-up Dead Leaves setting. SBMARK visual noise measurement is derived from the ISO15739 standard.
In low light conditions, noise management left some room for improvement. Image noise was quite noticeable on both the subject and the background. The observations in our perceptual tests were confirmed by objective measurements in the laboratory.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Low Light
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Loss of detail, noise
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – Low Light
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – Noise
Huawei Mate 50 Pro – Low light
Huawei Mate 50 Pro – Low noise levels, slightly unnatural details
Artifact evaluation looks at lens shading, chromatic aberrations, distortion measurements on the Dot and MTF graph, and sound measurements on the SFR graph in the lab. Particular attention is paid to ghosting, quantization, halos and tone changes on the face, among others. The more severe and frequent the artifact, the greater the point deduction from the score. The main artifacts observed and the corresponding point loss are listed below.
Major penalties for photography artifacts
Bokeh is tested in a dedicated mode, usually portrait or aperture mode, and analyzed by visually inspecting all images captured in the laboratory and in natural conditions. The goal is to reproduce a portrait photograph comparable to one taken with a DSLR and a wide aperture. The main image quality attributes that were paid attention to are depth estimation, artifacts, blur gradient, and the shape of the bokeh blur spotlights. The quality attributes of the portrait image (exposure, color, texture) are also taken into account.
The previous generation iPhone already offered excellent simulation of front camera bokeh and was at the top in this category in our database. The 15 Pro Max has now raised the bar even further, capturing the best bokeh images we’ve seen to date. Our test samples featured a smooth blur gradient, as well as foreground blur, accurate depth estimation, and a natural bokeh shape. Thanks to improved subject isolation, images in bokeh mode appeared more authentic and natural, with even the finest details, such as hair, well preserved.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Slight depth artifacts around the face, nice blur gradient
Apple iPhone 14 Pro – Depth artifacts around the face, nice blur gradient
Huawei Mate 50 Pro – Depth artifacts, no blurring
About SBMARK selfie video tests
SBMARK engineers capture and evaluate more than 2 hours of video in controlled laboratory environments and natural low-light scenes, indoors and outdoors, using default front camera settings. The evaluation consists of visual inspection of natural videos taken under various conditions and performing objective measurements on videos of graphs recorded in the laboratory under different conditions from 1 to 1000+ lux and color temperatures from 2,300 K to 6,500 K.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Video Scores vs. Ultra-Premium
Video tests analyze the same image quality attributes as still images, such as exposure, color, texture, or noise, as well as temporal aspects such as speed, exposure uniformity and stability, white balance, and autofocus transitions.
When recording video with the front camera, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max excelled in terms of exposure, color (white balance), texture, and autofocus. The combination of these strengths has allowed the device to push the level of video quality of the front camera to new heights and earn the current maximum score for Selfie Video.
Compared to the predecessor 14 Pro Max, noise reduction has been improved and our testers also observed slightly higher detail levels. However, it is worth noting that the video mode is not without its imperfections. For example, noise may still be noticeable in low light conditions. On some occasions we also observed a slight deviation in skin tone rendering when recording backlit indoor scenes. Overall, video stabilization was very effective, but there were occasional noticeable variations in sharpness between frames when recording in motion.
The video mode of the front camera of the iPhone 15 Pro Max was tested at 4K resolution, 30 frames per second and in Dolby Vision format.
Exposure tests evaluate facial brightness and dynamic range, e.g. the ability to make details visible in both bright and dark areas of the image. The stability and temporal adaptation of the exposure are also analyzed.
In our testing, the iPhone 15 Pro Max consistently delivered clear, well-exposed video across all testing conditions. Additionally, the improved dynamic range resulted in minimal highlight clipping.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Precise facial exposure throughout the clip, wide dynamic range
Apple iPhone 14 Pro – Precise facial exposure throughout the clip, wide dynamic range
Google Pixel 7 Pro – Good facial exposure, wide dynamic range
Image quality color analysis examines skin tone rendering, white balance, color shading, white balance stability and how it adapts when the light changes.
Color rendering was natural in most conditions, with no obvious color casts. Skin tones have been accurately rendered, ensuring realistic group shots and preserving the distinctive features and natural appearance of all skin tone types.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Pleasant skin tones
Apple iPhone 14 Pro – Pleasant skin tones
Google Pixel 7 Pro – Pleasant skin tones
Focus
91
Huawei Mate 40 Pro
Huawei Mate 40 Pro
In our tests with the front camera, autofocus proved fast and reliable even when recording on the move. Our testers encountered almost no failures, with sharp subjects and good background detail, even when recording in motion.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max: Wide depth of field, fine details in the background
Apple iPhone 14 Pro – Wide depth of field, fine details in the background
Google Pixel 7 Pro – Wide depth of field, good background details
Structure
84
Asus Zenfone 6
Asus Zenfone 6
Texture tests analyze the level of detail and texture of real videos and graphics videos recorded in the lab. Natural video footage is evaluated visually, with particular attention to the level of detail of facial features. Objective measurements are performed on chart images taken under various conditions from 1 to 1000 lux. The chart used is the Dead Leaves chart.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max didn’t beat the best in terms of video texture, but it still maintained impressively high levels of detail, especially in bright conditions. The finest details have been effectively preserved, with notable improvements over last year’s iPhone 14 generation.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Good details
Apple iPhone 14 Pro – Good details
Google Pixel 7 Pro – Good detail
Evolution of texture sharpness with illuminance level
This graph shows the evolution of texture sharpness with lux level for two holding conditions. Texture sharpness is measured on the Dead Leaves graph in the Close-up Dead Leaves setting.
Noise
71
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Noise tests analyze various noise attributes such as intensity, chromaticity, grain, structure, temporal aspects on real video recordings and on videos of graphs taken in the laboratory. Natural videos are evaluated visually, with particular attention to noise on faces. Objective measurements are performed on graph videos recorded under various conditions from 1 to 1000 lux. The graph used is the SBMARK visual noise graph.
Noise reduction remained a challenge for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but some improvements are noticeable over the iPhone 14 Pro. When recording in bright light, noise was barely noticeable, but in low light the Luminance noise could appear, especially on background elements and in the corners of the frame.
Evolution of spatial visual noise with illuminance level
This graph shows the evolution of spatial visual noise with lux level. Spatial visual noise is measured on the visual noise graph in the video noise setup. SBMARK visual noise measurement is derived from the ISO15739 standard.
Temporal evolution of visual noise with illuminance level
This graph shows the evolution of temporal visual noise with lux level. Temporal visual noise is measured on the visual noise graph in the video noise setup.
The stabilization rating checks the device’s ability to stabilize footage thanks to software or hardware technologies such as OIS, EIS or any other means. The evaluation examines overall residual motion on the face and background, smoothness, and yellow artifacts, during walking and panning use cases under various lighting conditions. The video below is an excerpt of one of the scenes tested.
As on the previous generation iPhone, video stabilization was impressive, effectively counteracting even rather demanding camera shake. Videos recorded while holding the device still were perfectly stable, and walking clips rendered smoothly, thanks to a subtle combination of face and background stabilization. However, our testers still observed some differences in sharpness between frames when recording while walking.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max – Effective stabilization, slight differences in sharpness between frames
Apple iPhone 14 Pro – Effective stabilization, slight differences in sharpness between frames
Google Pixel 7 Pro – Good stabilization, difference in sharpness between frames
Artifacts
87
Apple iPhone 12 mini
Apple iPhone 12 mini
Artifacts are evaluated with MTF and ringing measurements on the SFR graph in the lab, as well as frame rate measurements using the LED universal timer. Natural videos are visually evaluated by paying particular attention to artifacts such as quantization, hue shift, and face rendering artifacts, among others. The more severe and frequent the artifact, the greater the deduction of points from the score. The main artifacts and the corresponding point loss are listed below
In our front-facing camera tests, clips recorded with the iPhone 15 Pro Max were virtually free of unwanted artifacts. Only in low light conditions did we occasionally observe some color quantization. Slight ghosting may occur around subjects in backlit scenes or when capturing moving subjects in low-light conditions.
Top penalties for video artifacts
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