From Mini to Pro: My Experience Switching to the iPhone 16 Pro
I swapped the nimble iPhone 12 mini for the powerful 16 Pro. It changed how I shoot, what I see and how fast I can get the camera out.
After years of using the iPhone 12 mini, I recently switched to the iPhone 16 Pro. It’s a significant leap. Technically, physically, and in how I use the camera.
This isn’t a review in the traditional sense. It’s a personal reflection on what changes when you move from a compact phone to a flagship device, especially when photography is a daily part of your life.
The Telephoto Lens: A New Way of Seeing
This was the main attraction for me. The telephoto lens adds an entirely new dimension to mobile photography. It allows you to capture things you couldn’t before. Birds in motion, distant gestures, architectural fragments, mountain details. But it’s not just about range.
What surprised me most is how it changes the way I compose. With a wider lens, you tend to take in the whole scene. With the telephoto, you select. You isolate. You make more deliberate decisions. I’ve found myself framing small moments I’d previously walk past. In landscape photography especially, it helps to pull out something specific from a wider view, something that says more by saying less.
Practical example of what the telelens can do. Mosaics in Ravenna, Italy.
The Macro Lens: Promising, But Difficult
I was curious about the macro mode, but honestly, I haven’t quite clicked with it. It’s hard to keep the phone steady at such close range, and getting enough light into the shot is often tricky. It might shine in controlled or indoor settings, but for outdoor, spontaneous photography, I find it a bit too sensitive.
Still, I haven’t written it off. I’ve seen what it can do, and I’ll keep experimenting. Just not with the same sense of immediacy as the other lenses.
Resolution and File Size: Some Gains, Some Limits
One of the first things I noticed after switching was the jump in resolution on standard photos. The iPhone 16 Pro captures 24 MP images by default, up from 12 MP on the 12 mini.
If you enable ProRAW at 48 MP, file sizes can climb beyond 50 MB per photo. This is a noticeable shift. You gain flexibility in cropping and editing, and the level of detail holds up remarkably well even when zoomed in or printed.
But not every lens benefits equally. The ultra-wide (or wide-angle) lens, for instance, still shoots at the same resolution as it did on the 12 mini. Around 12 MP.
It’s a subtle but important detail. While the main lens now gives you sharper, more detailed images, the wide-angle retains its previous technical limitations. It’s still useful for capturing atmosphere or architecture, but I find myself using it less for detail-rich compositions.
As a result, I’ve become a bit more intentional in lens choice. The improvements are real, but not uniform.
Revisited my viral photo location and retook with iPhone 16 Pro. Landscape and portrait.
Handling and Form Factor: A Shift in Rhythm
What I miss most about the 12 mini is its speed and subtlety. I could take it out of my pocket and shoot with one hand—on walks, bike rides, in passing moments. It asked very little of me.
The 16 Pro is heavier, wider, and needs both hands more often than not. It’s slower to pull out, especially from a tight pocket. I’m adjusting. I’ve started thinking about carrying it differently—maybe in a small side bag—to keep it more accessible when I’m on the move.
It’s a reminder that tools don’t just expand your possibilities. They reshape your habits.
Photo of me making a photo. Note, using two hands. Photo by my father, Fried Hoeijmakers.
Still Exploring
There’s more to this phone than I’ve touched on. I haven’t explored LiDAR yet, or pushed the limits of low-light photography. I’m still learning, still discovering what it offers and what it asks in return.
I’ll update this post once I’ve spent more time with it, especially if I find new ways it’s influencing how I see or move through the world.
For now, I hope you’ve enjoyed this first look. Let me know if you’re considering a switch or have thoughts of your own. And check out my Instagram for more.
Rob Hoeijmakers
Rob Hoeijmakers
Rob Hoeijmakers