10 Hidden iPhone Camera Tips To Help You Take Better Photos

While we all use our iPhone cameras to take pictures all the time, there is a lot of functionality hidden in the Camera app that many people don't know about. You can take long exposure photos, use a grid and level, get in the shot with a timer, take vertical panos and more.

Comments: 15 Responses to “10 Hidden iPhone Camera Tips To Help You Take Better Photos”

    Sheila Goldberg
    5 years ago

    This video was very helpful as I'm gravitating from using my DSLR to using my 11 Pro. The piece that seems to be missing is using raw files which is how I shoot.

    5 years ago

    Sheila: You can shoot RAW on your iPhone. But you need to use a pro camera app for that. I did a video on it a while back (https://macmost.com/taking-raw-photos-with-your-iphone.html). I currently use Halide as my RAW camera app.

    Rohit
    5 years ago

    Hi I could not get the iPhone X (IOS 13.x) camera to show the "Extra Controls" as in your video. Do you need to enable some option to see these? Thanks

    5 years ago

    Rohit: No option, it should come up when you swipe.

    Patrik
    5 years ago

    Great tips as always, I really liked the last one with vertical panorama didn't know that. Keep up your great videos Gary. You have an audience even here in Sweden. I sell Apple computers and iPads to schools and I always tell both the teachers and students about you and your site.

    Kind regards

    Patrik

    Michelle
    5 years ago

    Once again, easy to understand and great tips. The level feature is fantastic for me; I am often taking photos of photos and suffering when I had to evenly crop them because they were distorted from not being level. I wish that feature worked when you point straight up as well, because there are many ceilings here (I'm visiting Italy) that I'd like to get a nice level shot.
    Thank you for the tips!

    Irene
    5 years ago

    Hi Gary, same issue as Rohit. iPhone XS Max doesn’t show the extra controls when swiping. Is it perhaps an iPhone 11 feature only?

    5 years ago

    Irene: No, it isn't just for the iPhone 11. Which version of iOS are you using?

    Paul
    5 years ago

    Hi, I am using an iPhone8 and finding this tutorial excellent, one small issue however is that I cannot seem to locate the effects via the Live image in retaltion to long exposure. I have taken a number of water based shots and would love to be able to do the long exposure. But swiping up does not locate the effects menu. Is this due to the age of my iPhone ??? or something else

    5 years ago

    Paul: It should work on an iPhone 8. Are these new photos or old ones? Try taking a new shot right now with Live Photos turned on and see if you can access the Live Photos effects like I show in the video.

    Irene
    5 years ago

    Hi Gary, in answer to your question re iOS version: 13.2

    5 years ago

    Irene: Do you see those same controls at the top (or opposite side) of the screen? If so, I guess it just behaves a little differently for your screen. But the result is the same.

    Donald Keys
    5 years ago

    Gary, I have the same problem as Irene and Rohit. I have an iPhone X and we do not have the option to change ratio in our photos like the example you show in your video starting at 4m18s. Maybe this is only an iPhone 11 and 11 Pro feature?

    5 years ago

    Donald: I don't have an older iPhone to test at the moment, but I'd be surprised if the option isn't there on the X too. Maybe it fits on the screen in a slightly different. Look at the other side of the screen rather than near the shutter button.

    Marian
    5 years ago

    Same problem - no extra tools.

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