Apple iPhone 12 mini review – Mobile’s first marketplace

The iPhone 12 mini has exactly the same camera setup as the standard iPhone 12. On the back, it’s a dual 12-megapixel (MP) system equipped with wide and ultra-wide lenses. While it’s some way from the highest resolution you can find on a phone, a decent sensor size together with a ƒ/1.6 aperture wide lens helps ensure good low-light performance. The system offers only 2x optical zoom, but it’s enhanced with a 5x digital zoom, and everything is kept steady with optical image stabilisation.

At the front, a third 12MP camera takes on selfie and Facetime duty. With a more narrow ƒ/2.2 aperture it doesn’t perform quite as well in low light. It’s also limited to 120 frames per second (fps) slo-mo: the rear camera can shoot in 240fps.

Other than these differences, both front and rear systems share impressive specifications. Both can shoot 4k video, or 1080p HD video, at up to 60fps. Both can shoot HDR with Dolby Vision up to 4k and 30fps. Both offer a Night Mode – and on the rear camera in particular it’s very impressive. The iPhone 12 mini can resolve a decent picture in a small room lit only by another phone’s screen.

The iPhone 12 mini’s solid camera hardware is enhanced by advanced image processing, helping it deliver strong photos across the board. While rivals have it beaten on resolution – and the very best Android competitors beat it outright – it can hold its own against most phones. Images are sharp, with the phone generally coping well with extremes of light and darkness.

Like other iPhones, you can point the iPhone 12 mini at almost any subject in any conditions, and get a decent shot. While the iPhone 13 mini does have a better camera, it’s not a massive step forward in most situations. That said, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have both received a major camera upgrade over this phone.