How to use iPhone camera: useful tips and functions

The iPhone camera has become in recent years the most used lens to take the most beautiful photographic shots that we find on the Internet and on Instagram, also thanks to the great attention to detail that Apple has reserved foriPhone photo application. The latter, without taking anything away from other producers, is definitely the best app to take pictures Currently accessible for a smartphone user (without disturbing DSLR or digital cameras, which have different software and different functions).
If we are beginners with an iPhone and with the integrated photography application, in this guide we will show you how to use the iPhone camera in a professional way, so that you can always take beautiful photos even if we are not experts in photography.

READ ALSO: How to take better photos from smartphones

IPhone Camera App Guide

Although the guide is based on the camera app available on the iPhone 11, the following tips can also be applied to older iPhones, taking care to update to the latest version of the operating system.

How to start the camera app

The camera app can be started on the iPhone by pressing on the app Camera present on one of the home screens or directly from the lock screen, swiping from right to left.

Alternatively, we can also run the voice command "Hello Siri" followed by "Take a photo", to use the voice assistant to quickly open the application and take pictures. To learn more about the voice commands available with Siri, we can read our guide More useful things to say to Siri (iPhone and iPad voice commands).

Basic functions of the camera app

Open the Camera application and we will end up with a screen similar to the one seen in the image below.

At the top of the application are the most important features of the application, which we can quickly modify to obtain much more beautiful and original shots:

• Lightning bolt icon: allows you to choose whether to activate the flash, even in automatic mode.
• Icona Live: allows you to create moving photos (similar to GIFs), recording a short video along with the original shot.
• Timer icon: allows you to set the self-timer, so you can take pictures without pressing the dedicated button.
• Filters icon: Lets you apply photo filters on the fly, to immediately beautify your shot during shooting.

At the bottom of the application is the white shutter button, the button to switch between the rear and front cameras and a preview of the gallery with the last photo taken.
Immediately above the shutter button are the advanced modes of the Camera app, which we'll talk about in a later chapter of the guide.

How to zoom

The digital zoom is present in all iPhones (obtained via software, but applying it we ruin the quality of the shot), while in the newer iPhones an optical zoom has also been integrated (with a natural magnification due to the change in position of the lens, does not compromise the quality of the shot).

To apply the different zoom levels we can use the x1 button present immediately above the shutter button, choosing between x1, x0.5 and x2 (the three currently available only on iPhone 11).
If what we are looking for is a custom zoom level, just pinch in the middle of the screen with two fingers and slowly extend towards the edge: we will thus obtain custom zoom levels.

How to check focus and exposure

Other important elements to check to get a good photographic shot are focus and exposure, which we can easily adjust on the iPhone by clicking on the part of the photo where we want to lock focus and exposure.

To adjust the exposure manually, all we have to do is press the point of the photo where we want to lock the focus and, keeping our finger pressed on the screen, scroll down or up to change the exposure value, so that Get a photo that's darker (ideal for very bright environments) or brighter (for dark environments).

More advanced shooting modes

As anticipated in a previous chapter, we can use various shooting modes with the iPhone Camera application, simply by sliding our finger to the left or right on the item. Photos (just above the shutter button).

Starting from the leftmost function to the last one on the right, we can find the following modes:

• Lapse of time- Ideal for making quick videos.
• Slow motion: Useful function for taking slow motion videos.
• Video: allows you to record normal videos in HD or 4K.
• Photos: normal shooting mode.
• Picture: Special mode for capturing the faces of people posing.
• 1: 1- Quite similar to Instagram's Crop mode.
• Overview: allows you to get a panoramic photo, after a 360 degree shot.

Let's learn to use all the modes that the Camera application offers, so that we can always take very beautiful photos.

Conclusions

The iPhone camera app has all the features that a modern photo app looks for and this explains why iPhone users are unlikely to download other photo apps (even though they are present in the App Store as well).

If later we want to change the iPhone Camera application with an application with more filters and special effects, we recommend that you read our guide. The best camera app for iPhone.
Do we want to modify and make more beautiful the shots already taken or the photos exchanged with friends on social networks or in chat? In that case we should immediately read our article on The best application to edit photos on iPhone with filters and effects, to beautify our shots with Instagram effects and cinematic filters.