At first glance, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max may seem like minor upgrades compared to last year’s iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max. But this could not be further from the truth, as Apple actually listened to its users and improved various features and aspects of the devices. These upgrades include things like better battery life, (finally) the introduction of ProMotion 120Hz displays, and so much more.
But it wouldn’t be a major iPhone release if it weren’t for a few upgrades in the camera department. And with the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, Apple definitely delivered. Not only do we have an all-new Cinematic Mode for capturing movie-like videos on our iPhones, but there’s even the new ProRes format available. Now, you can essentially record, edit, and upload a 4K HDR video, all right from your iPhone.
Photographers are also seeing some pretty great updates, thanks to the improvements in Smart HDR and the addition of Photographic Styles. With one more trick up its sleeve, Apple announced that the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are capable of macro photography courtesy of the new-and-improved ultra-wide camera found on your device.
What Is Macro Mode?
Macro photography is something of an acquired taste, as it allows you to get closer to a subject than you could possibly imagine. Just like in the example above, the details provided by the iPhone 13 Pro’s macro mode reveals details in the flower bud that you just aren’t able to discern with the naked eye.
The new lens design, autofocus capability for the first time in the Ultra Wide on iPhone, and advanced software also unlock something never before possible on iPhone: macro photography. Users can capture sharp, stunning images where objects appear larger than life, magnifying subjects with a minimum focus distance of 2 centimeters.
With Macro Mode, you can get closer than ever to your subject, and snap some pretty stunning images, all without needing a fancy DSLR and expensive telephoto lens. Instead, just pull out your iPhone 13 Pro, and take the picture that you want.
How To Use Auto Macro Mode on iPhone
On launch day, there was one problem that many iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max owners came across, and it was rather frustrating. Apple made the decision to force the Camera app to automatically switch between
Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap Camera.
At the bottom of the page, tap the toggle next to Auto Macro.
Now that this new feature is turned off, you can jump back into the Camera app and start taking pictures with a bit more control over whether you’re trying to use Macro Mode or just the regular ultra-wide lens.
Open the Camera app on your iPhone.
Tap the 0.5x button at the bottom of the viewfinder.
Get close to your subject.
Tap the screen to focus.
You might see your iPhone’s viewfinder go in and out of focus a couple of times before it finally focuses on the subject. But once your iPhone has finished focusing, you are going to get a crystal clear macro shot of whatever subject you have in front of you. This is definitely going to be a tricky mode to “master”, as you will definitely want to make sure you have good-enough lighting conditions. Otherwise, you might find yourself wanting to make use of Night Mode when snapping those macro shots.
Andrew Myrick is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is having a never-ending supply of different keyboards and gaming handhelds that end up collecting more dust than the consoles that are being emulated.
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