iPhone 16 may not seem like a huge upgrade compared to the previous generation, but the new phones come with some cool tricks. For instance, Apple has revamped the Photographic Styles feature, and the new version has already become my favorite part of the iPhone 16.
The evolution of Photographic Styles on the iPhone
For those unfamiliar, Apple first introduced Photographic Styles with the iPhone 13. Rather than simple filters applied to a compressed image, the feature changes things like the tone, contrast and warmth of the image during the capture process. As a result, these changes are made in a more intelligent way when it comes to things like skin tones and the sky.
With the iPhone 16 models, Apple is taking Photographic Styles to the next level. Not only are there new styles, but they’re highly customizable and can be edited after the photo has been clicked. Essentially, Apple is using the latest advances in the camera to store data on the colors, lights, and shadows of each photo. Think of it like a RAW photo, but now in a compressed version.
Personally, I’m not a fan of Apple’s Smart HDR. I’ve written many times here about how the iPhone’s post-processing software makes photos look too sharp and bright, sometimes making them look unreal. I like to take photos with a more natural look, preserving shadows.
I could take ProRAW photos, sure, but that would take up all my iPhone’s storage (not to mention that I’d lose Live Photos). At the same time, the edits made to regular JPEG photos are destructive and don’t look that good.
Choose the best look for your photos with Photographic Styles on iPhone 16
There are 15 Photographic Styles, including Neutral, Rose Gold, Amber, Vibrant, Natural, Dramatic, Cozy, and two different Black and White options. Apple has nailed it with the interface, which makes it very easy to customize each style. The Photos app shows you a grid that you can drag around to find the perfect balance between shadows, colors and saturation.
Again, you can achieve the same results by taking a RAW photo and editing it in software like Lightroom, but using Photographic Styles is easier and more intuitive for quick edits. It’s also easier than changing every single editing toggle in the Photos app.
In the example below, I’ve set the Natural style and increased the shadows for a more dramatic look.
In this other example, I used the Cozy style and increased the intensity of the colors to make the sunset more vivid.
Another nice touch is that you can preview Photographic Styles in real time in the Camera app, even before you take the shot. I just miss the option to save your own styles.
Because the edits are non-destructive, you can always change or set another style at any time. By the way, although other devices can’t capture photos with the new Photographic Styles, iCloud synchronizes all the metadata, which allows you to edit these images and styles on your Mac or iPad, for example.
There are other nice camera improvements on the iPhone 16, such as Camera Control, Audio Mix, and 4K at 120 fps on the Pro models. But as I use my new iPhone, I’ve been enjoying editing my photos more and more with Photographic Styles. It’s always nice to have more options for editing photos and videos without having to rely too much on third-party software.
What about you? What’s your favorite iPhone 16 camera feature? Let me know in the comments section below.
If you don’t have an iPhone 16 yet, make sure to look for some good deals on Amazon.
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