Do you need the latest iPhone for great photography?

One of the biggest features lovers of the best iPhones enjoy is a great camera. The quality of shot-snapping on phones has gotten much better over the last few years, making it easier than ever to capture wonderful images.

Many will think that statement only applies to the latest flagship handsets, though. It's not hard to see why – the camera system on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is absolutely wonderful, looking capable of legitimately doing battle with some mirrorless cameras.

But don't think it's just the new iPhone 15 range which will deliver that. Recently, the 2024 iPhone Photography Awards winners were announced. That seeks to showcase the best imagery captured on iPhone, with a range of different categories for users to enter their images into.

While perusing the winning images, I noticed something though – very few of the category winners use a current device. In fact, just four of the 15 category winners used a model from the current range. That equates to 26.6% of winners.

Maybe more interesting is just how old some of the devices were. Some of the categories were won by iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 models. We saw some with the iPhone X, too. For reference, the iPhone 6S is nearly a decade old at this point. 

So, what gives? Well, like in many aspects of photography, the device used to capture an image is only some of the equation. While having the latest and greatest gear can help you to capture great photos, it's not a necessity.

As a creative pursuit, following the principles of photography – things like the rule of thirds and use of negative space – or even just being in the right place at the right time can be equally beneficial.

Interestingly, two of the categories where we do see the newer models take the top prize are Cityscape and Landscape. Both of those winning images appear to be shot from a distance, which is one area where the 15 Pro Max should excel. The added optical zoom range makes it possible to capture those scenes, without losing resolution.

So, do you need the latest iPhone to take great pictures? It certainly helps, but for most situations, it's certainly not a necessity.

You can see all of the winners on the IPP Awards website.