The Apple iPhone 14 Pro (2022) was the first iPhone with a 48 MP main camera. It shoots Apple ProRAW in DNG format and has no mechanical shutter — the image counter stored in each DNG file records total electronic captures. Drop a ProRAW file to read it instantly.
Check Image Counter →The iPhone 14 Pro marked a turning point in iPhone camera history: it was the first model to move from a 12 MP main sensor to a 48 MP second-generation sensor (f/1.78, sensor-shift OIS). The A16 Bionic chip drives a triple-camera system alongside a 12 MP ultrawide (f/2.2) and a 12 MP 3× telephoto (f/2.8). The 14 Pro also introduced Dynamic Island — an interactive pill-shaped cutout replacing the traditional notch — and an Always-On Display. Like all iPhones, it uses CMOS electronic readout exclusively; there is no mechanical focal-plane shutter.
| Model | Release | Main Sensor | Shutter Type | RAW Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 Pro | 2022 | 48 MP CMOS | Electronic only | ProRAW (DNG) |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | 2022 | 48 MP CMOS | Electronic only | ProRAW (DNG) |
| iPhone 15 Pro | 2023 | 48 MP CMOS | Electronic only | ProRAW (DNG) |
| iPhone 16 Pro | 2024 | 48 MP CMOS | Electronic only | ProRAW (DNG) |
.dng or .DNG.exiftool -ImageNumber yourfile.DNG in a terminal to read the counter directly from the EXIF metadata.Because the iPhone 14 Pro has no mechanical shutter, the image counter carries no wear implication. When evaluating a used 14 Pro, focus on these factors:
| What to Check | How |
|---|---|
| Battery health | Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging. Under 80% warrants replacement |
| Always-On Display | Check for uneven burn-in on the Super Retina XDR OLED — AOD can accelerate it at affected spots |
| Camera lenses | Inspect all three lenses for scratches, chips, or internal condensation using a flashlight |
| Stainless steel frame | Check for dents, deep scratches, or cracks near the Lightning connector and SIM tray |
| Dynamic Island | Verify Dynamic Island interactive features work correctly (Face ID, Live Activities) |
| Image counter | High count (>50,000) signals heavy use — useful context but not a hardware risk |
The iPhone 14 Pro introduced two ProRAW resolution options for the first time. At 48 MP, every pixel from the main sensor is captured individually, bypassing the pixel-binning (quad-Bayer) used in standard photo mode. This delivers maximum detail for cropping and studio-quality retouching workflows.
The image counter is stored in the DNG EXIF metadata under the ImageNumber field within Apple’s MakerNote IFD. This counter is a persistent hardware counter that increments with every capture across all camera modes. It cannot be reset by a factory reset or iOS reinstall. The 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max share the same counter architecture as all subsequent Pro models.
Dynamic Island replaced the physical notch with a software-driven interactive element around the front camera and Face ID sensor. It has no effect on the rear camera system or ProRAW capture. Third-party camera apps can still access ProRAW via the AVFoundation API on the 14 Pro exactly as on earlier models.
No. All iPhones use CMOS electronic readout — there is no mechanical focal-plane shutter. The term “shutter” in the context of iPhones refers to the electronic activation of the image sensor, not a physical moving curtain. The image counter in a ProRAW DNG file records total electronic captures.
The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max share an identical camera system: the same 48 MP main sensor, 12 MP ultrawide, 12 MP 3× telephoto, and the same video capabilities. The only differences are screen size (6.1″ vs 6.7″), battery capacity, and physical weight. ProRAW output and the image counter behave identically on both models.
Go to Settings → Camera → Formats, enable Apple ProRAW, then enable ProRAW & Resolution Control and select 48 MP. In the Camera app, tap the RAW badge to activate it. Note that 48 MP ProRAW files are approximately 75 MB each and fill storage significantly faster than standard photos.
No. The image counter is stored in persistent hardware memory and cannot be reset by a factory reset, iOS reinstall, or any user action. This makes it a reliable indicator of total device usage when evaluating a used phone.
Yes — drop an Apple ProRAW DNG file from the iPhone 14 Pro into shuttercount.app and the tool will display the image counter. Standard HEIF or JPEG files do not contain the counter field.