iPhones are known for their reliable camera performance and their ability to record industry-leading video. And now, with the iPhone 15 Pro, we have got more ‘Pro’ features—including the ability to record videos in LOG. But despite the availability of all these features, the iPhone still doesn’t provide granular control over how you create images or videos—as it is missing a manual camera mode.
Yes, the iPhone Pro models, whether vanilla or Pro, still do not come with a manual camera mode where you can tweak things like shutter speed, white balance, ISO, and focus manually—without having to rely on automatic settings. Notably, this now makes the iPhone 15 Pro the only mainstream mass-market flagship phone to ship without a manual mode camera. The Pixel 8 Pro—which launched earlier this week—has now got a ‘Pro mode,’ and other OEMs like Samsung, with their S series, Foldables, and even budget offerings, have offered manual modes.
It is truly strange to see the iPhone 15 Pro models shoot in ProRes LOG after connecting an external SSD but still rely on auto settings to choose the exposure. However, it goes without saying that iPhones are some of the most reliable point-and-shoot cameras that you can have right in your pocket. But if you are marketing your phone as ‘Pro,’ it should have a manual camera mode so that enthusiasts and creatives can choose their desired settings, and have more control over the images they are making.
How to Get Manual Mode on iPhone?
While the iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t have a native manual mode, you can still resort to third-party apps to get a fully functional manual mode. Apps including Halide, Moment, and Filmic Pro all give users granular control over what they are shooting—be it ISO, shutter speed, white balance, or even your bit rate while shooting video. So, while Apple holds off giving the manual mode to users, apps like these can come in handy.
In addition, if you have a Pro iPhone such as the iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, or the latest iPhone 15 Pro, you can try capturing your photos in ProRAW mode. This will give you the ability to fine-tune them better in post-production. It’s not a full-fledged solution to not having a manual mode, but it will still make it easier to make adjustments afterward and even achieve the desired look you may have in mind for your imagery.
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