Yes, I finally bought the iPhone 16 Pro. I had been debating whether or not to upgrade, but since my current phone was the iPhone 12 Pro, I figured it was about time. Naturally, I bought it at the Apple Store.
The camera on this iPhone has seen a significant upgrade. Even the non-Max version has a 5x zoom and comes with the new Camera Control. This feature is a newly added button on the right side: one press launches the camera, a double tap accesses exposure, depth of field, and zoom controls, and pressing down snaps a photo.
The iPhone 16 Pro is loaded with new camera features. The 5x zoom is particularly useful, letting me capture distant subjects with ease, and the absence of any noticeable hand shake while zoomed in is impressive.
Despite its capabilities for both photography and videography, I still find myself struggling a bit to get the hang of it.
Firstly, I keep fumbling when trying to use the new Camera Control. I could operate the camera just fine by tapping the screen, but I want to get used to using this new Camera Control! Pressing with my right index finger feels natural, as it would with any camera. When I used a DSLR, pressing the shutter button with my left index finger was second nature, as that’s where the button was positioned.
But using the iPhone in this way hasn’t felt as comfortable. Since it’s a slim device rather than a wider camera, it’s a bit harder to hold. Additionally, given the high price of recent iPhone models, a case is practically a must. Depending on the case design, accessing Camera Control can be trickier than with a bare iPhone, affecting ease of use.
This awkwardness has been slowing down my adaptation to the new Camera Control feature.
Secondly, ever since my iPhone 16 Pro arrived, the weather has been uncooperative, with no clear blue skies, so my landscape photos haven’t turned out very appealing. As railroad photographer Seiya Nakai said, “Think of a white sky as your worst enemy.” On cloudy days, the brightness contrast with the subject can be so strong that the background ends up washed out and pure white.
I’d really like to capture scenes with a clear blue sky in the background, but so far, I haven’t been able to get those kinds of shots.
In short, I still haven’t managed to take any photos I’m truly happy with, and I haven’t shot any video footage that’s even worth turning into a project.
Lastly, I’ve realized that my “eye for subjects” has dulled from not being out as much to take photos recently. Between pandemic restrictions and selling my DSLR, I lost touch with dedicated photography for a while.
I’m finding fewer things that catch my eye and prompt me to take a shot. So, I’m planning to start a “forced outdoor photo-taking campaign” this week, getting myself outside more often to take as many photos as possible.
I also want to immerse myself in other people’s work to keep my creative juices flowing. Nowadays, it’s easy to view a variety of photographers’ works online, and I’ll also pick up some photo books to deepen my own visual appreciation and improve my own photography.
