The iPhone 18 Pro has taken second place in DXOMARK’s latest camera rankings, scoring 172 points and coming just three points short of the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra. The result puts Apple’s newest Pro model firmly among the top camera phones.
The latest camera testing also highlights where Apple has made real progress. The iPhone 18 Pro reportedly delivers DXOMARK’s highest-ever video score of 176, while its low-light performance reaches 150 points. However, Huawei maintains a significant advantage in portrait photography, while Vivo leads the zoom category.
iPhone 18 Pro Camera Score: 172 Points
DXOMARK’s overall camera score is based on performance across multiple photography and video categories rather than a single test. With 172 points, the iPhone 18 Pro sits only three points behind the current 175-point benchmark.
That 175 score belongs to the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra, which has remained at the top of DXOMARK’s camera ranking. Apple’s new Pro model therefore comes remarkably close, although the gap becomes more noticeable in certain specialized tests.
| Camera Category | iPhone 18 Pro Score | Key Result |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Camera | 172 | Second place |
| Video | 176 | Highest DXOMARK score |
| Low-Light Imaging | 150 | Highest DXOMARK score |
| Portrait | 155 | Behind Huawei Pura 80 Ultra |
| Zoom | 138 | Behind Vivo X300 Ultra |
| Huawei Pura 80 Ultra Overall | 175 | Current leader |
| iPhone 17 Pro Overall | 168 | Four points behind iPhone 18 Pro |
iPhone 18 Pro Sets a New Video Record
One of the biggest highlights is video performance. The iPhone 18 Pro reportedly scored 176 points for video, making it the highest video score recorded by DXOMARK.
That result underlines Apple’s continued focus on computational photography, stabilization, exposure and video processing. Even though the overall camera score remains below Huawei’s, video is an area where the new iPhone has established a particularly strong position.
Low-Light Performance Also Impresses
The iPhone 18 Pro scored 150 points for low-light imaging, another category-leading result in DXOMARK’s testing.
This suggests Apple has made meaningful improvements in challenging lighting conditions, where smartphones have to balance detail, noise, exposure and color reproduction without producing an overly processed image.
Huawei Still Has the Edge in Portrait Photography
The biggest weakness highlighted by the ranking is portrait photography. The iPhone 18 Pro reportedly scored 155 points, while the Huawei Pura 80 Ultra achieved 169 points.
That 14-point difference shows why the overall ranking cannot be judged from video or low-light performance alone. Different camera categories can produce very different results between flagship phones.
Vivo X300 Ultra Leads the Zoom Category
Zoom photography is another area where the iPhone 18 Pro falls behind. Apple’s new flagship scored 138 points for zoom, while the Vivo X300 Ultra reportedly reached 161 points.
Long-range photography has historically been a challenging area for iPhones compared with some Android flagships that use more aggressive periscope telephoto hardware. The DXOMARK results reflect that difference.
Where the iPhone 18 Pro Camera Still Falls Short
Despite its strong overall score, DXOMARK identified several areas that prevent the iPhone 18 Pro from taking the top position.
Color consistency can reportedly vary in some situations, with occasional white-balance shifts. DXOMARK also points to differences in brightness between photo and video previews, which can make the final capture look different from what users see before shooting.
Long Zoom Remains a Weak Point
The biggest hardware-related limitation appears to be long-range zoom. While Apple has improved the overall camera package, its approach still does not match some competing flagship phones when it comes to extreme telephoto photography.
The iPhone 18 Pro also continues to use 48MP-class camera sensors, while several competing Android flagships have moved toward much higher-resolution 200MP sensors. However, sensor resolution alone does not determine final image quality, so the comparison needs to be viewed alongside actual camera testing.
iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro
The generational improvement is also notable. The iPhone 18 Pro’s reported 172-point score is four points higher than the iPhone 17 Pro’s 168.
That difference has pushed the previous Pro model down to fifth place in the current ranking. More importantly, the results suggest Apple’s upgrades are producing measurable improvements rather than simply changing the camera hardware on paper.
What the DXOMARK Ranking Means
The latest results paint a mixed but detailed picture of Apple’s camera strategy. The iPhone 18 Pro is exceptionally strong in video and low-light imaging, while Huawei retains an advantage in portrait photography and Vivo holds a substantial lead in zoom.
For buyers comparing flagship cameras, the most relevant difference may therefore depend on how they actually shoot. Video-focused users, portrait photographers and people who frequently use long-range zoom can see very different strengths across these devices.
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Zawar Alam is a passionate technology and mobile phone content writer with years of experience covering the latest smartphones, gadgets, apps, and tech trends. He specializes in delivering accurate news, detailed specifications, feature comparisons, and helpful buying guides. His goal is to provide readers with clear, reliable, and up-to-date information to help them make informed technology decisions. Through his work, he stays committed to tracking the fast-changing world of mobile technology and consumer electronics.