Apple’s decision to go with a single rear camera has been one of the iPhone Air’s most divisive choices. Here’s how it performed in DXOMARK’s tests.
iPhone Air ties with the iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, and the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Despite Apple’s attempt to promote the iPhone Air’s rear camera as a 4-lens set, the fact that it has a single sensor has been one of the most frequent knocks against the device.
Since its release, in addition to our own review, we’ve seen a few videos and posts from photographers such as Tyler Stalman, who had a rather positive take on the camera’s overall performance.
Now, DXOMARK has published a comprehensive review of the device’s sensors, which scored 141 points, placing it in 41st place in their global ranking of top smartphone cameras.
From their review:
“The Apple iPhone Air did well in the DXOMARK Camera tests, but the lack of dedicated tele and ultra-wide camera modules means it cannot claim a spot among the best in our ranking. In camera terms the iPhone Air is essentially a simplified version of the iPhone 17 Pro, with only one camera module instead of the Pro’s three. Performance is very close to the 17 Pro’s primary camera module, producing bright pictures with very good image quality. However, the lack of tele and ultra-wide modules impacts the Air’s photography experience, especially when compared to some direct competitors, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which include an ultra-wide module for added shooting flexibility.”
To balance out the tradeoffs, they noted that the iPhone Air ‘captures nice photos in most shooting conditions, with usually pleasant colors and warm white balance’.
The bokeh effect and its subject segmentation did particularly well in their tests, especially when compared with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.
On the other hand, DXOMARK noted occasional exposure instabilities and loss of focus, as well as white balance adaptation issues, particularly in video.
And speaking of video, they said that the iPhone Air produced the best results while shooting at 4K/60fps, with HDR “delivering a wide dynamic range and vivid colors”.
Finally, DXOMARK said that the iPhone Air’s single camera performs similarly to the iPhone 17 Pro’s main camera, although the differences become more noticeable in low light conditions.
If you’re still on the fence about getting the iPhone Air, the DXOMARK review might help you decide one way or another.
Their review brings multiple side-by-side comparisons of photos and videos made with the iPhone Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, and you can find it here.
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