# Macro using iphone 13 pro vs iphone 17 pro **URL:** \ **Category:** Nature Talk\ **Tags:** gear, photography, macro\ **Created:** [April 27, 2026, 9:53am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/macro-using-iphone-13-pro-vs-iphone-17-pro/78231 "2026-04-27T09:53:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sbushes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/sbushes/32/8217_2.png) [@sbushes](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/sbushes)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2026, 9:53am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/macro-using-iphone-13-pro-vs-iphone-17-pro/78231/1 "2026-04-27T09:53:04Z")
Last I checked there was no significant difference between 13 pro and later models in macro mode. But trying my friends 17 after my phone stopped working, it seemed on another level. Does anyone have comparison shots of 13 pro vs later models, or anecdotal evidence specifically wrt shooting inverts? I can’t find much online which really nails down whether its better to fix my 13 pro or just upgrade to a newer phone. The 40x telephoto definitely seemed like a big upgrade for birds though when I tried. ---
**Author:** ![pisum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@pisum](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pisum)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2026, 10:12am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/macro-using-iphone-13-pro-vs-iphone-17-pro/78231/2 "2026-04-27T10:12:35Z")
i don’t have either phone, but we discussed in the past a possible source of weirdness in macro related to the minimum focusing distance of the different cameras in your phone: [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-upgrades-would-you-like-on-your-iphone-camera-to-take-more-useful-photos-for-inat/73949/31](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-upgrades-would-you-like-on-your-iphone-camera-to-take-more-useful-photos-for-inat/73949/31). just looking at the specs of the cameras on the latest iphone, it looks like the main camera is the one with the closest MFD, which should avoid the awkward shifting between cameras for macro. ---
**Author:** ![tiwane](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/tiwane/32/54612_2.png) [@tiwane](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/tiwane)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2026, 9:55pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/macro-using-iphone-13-pro-vs-iphone-17-pro/78231/3 "2026-04-27T21:55:14Z")
I have the 15 Pro, and previously had the 13 Pro. The 15 Pro was better, but not substantially so in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![eyekosaeder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/eyekosaeder/32/66699_2.png) [@eyekosaeder](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/eyekosaeder)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2026, 5:34pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/macro-using-iphone-13-pro-vs-iphone-17-pro/78231/4 "2026-04-28T17:34:13Z")
I’ve heard from a professor that the 17 pro is a huge upgrade. (They said it’s better for taking pics through a microscope than those dedicated microscope cameras). Didn’t Apple put the bump on the back specifically to fit larger/more components? Would make sense that that has quite a big effect ---
**Author:** ![carrieseltzer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/carrieseltzer/32/38544_2.png) [@carrieseltzer](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/carrieseltzer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 2:36pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/macro-using-iphone-13-pro-vs-iphone-17-pro/78231/5 "2026-05-02T14:36:46Z")
> [@sbushes](#): > > Does anyone have comparison shots of 13 pro vs later models, or anecdotal evidence specifically wrt shooting inverts? Yes, I do! I find my 16 Pro to be _much_ better than the 13 Pro was. [13 Pro tortoise beetle](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/264535375) [16 Pro tortoise beetle](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/646447904) I was really disappointed by the 13 Pro macro, personally. I loved my XS with a Ztylus macro (no longer made, unfortunately). The 13 Pro felt like a downgrade from the XS. I no longer feel that with the 16 Pro. [XS tortoise beetle](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/171437682) (pretty sure, even though the camera metadata is missing from the Classic app) And just for additional comparison, I’m pretty sure this one was taken on my iPhone 6s with a Ztylus macro. [6s tortoise beetle](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/9283033) (not cropped) ---
**Author:** ![sbushes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/sbushes/32/8217_2.png) [@sbushes](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/sbushes)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2026, 8:01am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/macro-using-iphone-13-pro-vs-iphone-17-pro/78231/6 "2026-05-04T08:01:05Z")
Oh interesting, thanks Carrie! ( and other commenters too ) I bought the Ztylus Revolvr following your review of it on a much older thread I think. So good! I then used it on an iPhone 7 I think… and was _also_ disappointed moving to the 13 pro - not only re:quality, but with the UI issues in play as well - constantly shifting lenses…it definitely made for a drop in recording ability. So it’s interesting to hear the 16 feels better than both options. I used the 17 only briefly and my own camera was broken so couldn’t compare. But it also felt to me like it might be a significant bump. I ended up fixing my 13 for now, but I will see if I can take some photos against a 17 to compare at some point. Sadly, not many tortoise beetles round here though… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 8:01am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/macro-using-iphone-13-pro-vs-iphone-17-pro/78231/7 "2026-07-03T08:01:09Z")
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