iPhone 14 photos - Quad pixel sensor to merge 4 pixels into 1

How does merging 4 pixels into 1 pixel work when taking photos with iPhone 14 ? Can I take photos in 48 megapixel resolution ?

iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max phones have main camera with 48 MP. This camera have a quad pixel sensor, which combines 4 pixels into 1 pixel. Because of that, taken photos have 1/4 of the nominal resolution. So when using a 48 MP camera with quad pixel technology enabled, then taken photos have 12 MP.

Quad pixel technology is based on "pixel binning", which allows to take higher quality photos in some cases.

Quad pixel technology uses a pixel binning, that combines 4 pixels into 1 pixel. Photos are taken by 48 MP sensor, but because of pixel binning, they are saved in 12 megapixel resolution.

Pixel binning improves photos by making them sharper and brighter. If you take photos in a low-light conditions, pixel binning can make them better.

By default, taken photos have 12 MP. But there is also an option to enable Apple ProRAW format, which allows to save photos in 48 megapixel resolution. The file size of these photos should be around 75 MB.

So with iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, you can take 12 MP photos or 48 MP photos.