Table Of Contents: How To Transfer Photos From iPhone To PC

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1. How To Transfer Photos From iPhone To PC: USB vs Wireless

2. How To Transfer Photos From iPhone To Computer Wirelessly
2.1 How To Transfer Pictures From iPhone To PC Using iCloud Photos
2.2 How To Download Photos From iPhone To PC Using iCloud.com

3. How To Transfer Photos From iPhone To PC With A USB Cable
3.1 How To Import From iPhone To PC Using Windows Photos App
3.2 How To Copy Photos From iPhone To PC Using Windows AutoPlay
3.3 How To Get Photos From iPhone To Computer With File Explorer/Windows Explorer

Note: If you have a Mac rather than a PC, click here to learn how to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac.

1. How To Transfer Photos From iPhone To PC: USB vs Wireless

There are two broad ways of transferring photos from your iPhone to your PC.

One way is to transfer photos using a USB cable. To transfer your photos this way, you’ll need your iPhone charger cable. Connect one end to your iPhone and the other end to a USB port on your computer.

You can also wirelessly transfer photos from iPhone to Windows. No cables are required. However, you’ll need to be connected to Wi-Fi to transfer photos. You’ll also need an Apple iCloud account (which will be discussed later).

2. How To Transfer Photos From iPhone To Computer Wirelessly

There are two simple ways of wirelessly transferring your iPhone photos to your Windows PC.

In this section, you’ll discover:

• How to automatically transfer photos from iPhone to computer using iCloud Photos
• How to download pictures from iPhone to PC using iCloud.com

Transferring photos using either method requires an iCloud account.

iCloud is a storage service offered by Apple. It allows you to upload media from your iPhone to your iCloud account. You can then download photos from iCloud to other devices.

You should have already set up an iCloud account when you first got your iPhone. iCloud gives you 5GB of free storage. However, if you take a lot of photos, you’ll probably want to upgrade to 50 GB (and there are options to upgrade to 200 GB and 2 TB, as well).

2.1 How To Transfer Pictures From iPhone To PC Using iCloud Photos

Do you want to know how to transfer pictures from iPhone to computer via iCloud Photos?

First, you need to enable iCloud Photo Library on your iPhone. Tap Settings, then Photos, then select iCloud Photos (or iCloud Photo Library, depending on your device).

Now, when you take a photo, it will be uploaded to iCloud (as long as you have Wi-Fi).

Second, you need to download the iCloud for Windows app onto your computer. You can click here to download it from the Apple website.

Install iCloud for Windows on your PC. Then sign in using your Apple ID (this is the same Apple ID you use for your iPhone App Store account).

Open the iCloud for Windows program on your computer.

Make sure you put a check mark next to Photos. Then tap the corresponding Options button.

Select the iCloud Photo Library option. Then select Download new photos and videos to my PC. If you want new photos and videos to automatically upload from your PC to your iCloud Photo Library, then check Upload new photos and videos from my PC.

Click Done. Then click Apply.

Any new photos that you take with your iPhone will now automatically download to your PC whenever you have Wi-Fi.

To retrieve photos that have been downloaded via iCloud, open your File Explorer (known as Windows Explorer on Windows 7 devices).

Click on This PC (or Computer on Windows 7 devices) on the left of the screen. Double-click on iCloud Photos.

Then double-click on Downloads. Here, you’ll be able to view your iCloud folders of photos.

2.2 How To Download Photos From iPhone To PC Using iCloud.com

You can also download your iPhone photos from iCloud.com. As with iCloud Photos, you first need to enable your iPhone to upload photos to iCloud.

Tap Settings > Photos > iCloud Photos. Now you’re ready to download photos from iCloud.com to your computer.

Open a web browser on your computer, and go to iCloud.com. Sign in using your Apple ID and password.

If your iPhone uses two-factor authentication, then you’ll be prompted to enter a six-digit PIN on your PC.

At the same time, a window will appear on your iPhone indicating that Apple ID sign-in has been requested by your PC. Tap Allow. The next screen will give you your six-digit PIN. Enter this on your PC.

If you wish to use the same PC to access iCloud.com in the future, you have the option to trust your computer. That way, you won’t have to go through the verification process the next time you sign in to iCloud.com.

From iCloud.com, click on Photos. Now you can access your photo library. It will be organized similarly to the Photos app on your iPhone.

On the left-hand sidebar, you can click to access your media by media type, or you can access your iPhone photo library albums.

Select any photos you wish to download to your computer. Then tap the Download icon (the cloud with a downward arrow) at the top of the screen.

Your photos will begin to appear in the Downloads folder on your PC. From here, you can drag your photos into the Pictures folder on the left of the screen.

For more wireless photo transfer options, click here to discover four great photo transfer apps for iPhone.

3. How To Transfer Photos From iPhone To PC With A USB Cable

Do you want to know how to transfer photos from iPhone to PC using a USB cable?

There are several ways of transferring photos from iPhone to Windows PC via a USB cable. In this article, you’ll discover:

• How to import photos from iPhone to PC using the Windows Photos app
• How to copy photos from iPhone to PC using Windows AutoPlay
• How to get photos from iPhone to computer with File Explorer/Windows Explorer

3.1 How To Import Photos From iPhone To PC Using Windows Photos App

If you’re using a Windows 8 or Windows 10 computer, you can transfer your photos via the Windows Photos app (also known as Microsoft Photos). The Windows Photos app comes already installed on your PC.

First, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your PC. To do this, open iTunes on your PC. Click Help. Then click Check for Updates. Follow the directions to install the latest version of iTunes.

Next, plug your iPhone into your PC using the USB charger cable.

A notification may appear on your iPhone, asking if you trust your computer. Alternatively, it may ask if you allow access to your photos and videos. In either case, say that you do. Then enter your device passcode when prompted.

On your PC, open the Photos app. This can be accessed through the Start menu.

Once you’ve opened the Photos app, you should be given the option to import your photos from iPhone to PC. On a Windows 10 computer, this option will be in the top right corner of the Photos app. On a Windows 8 computer, you’ll need to right-click anywhere on the Photos app, and the option to Import will appear.

Click Import. Select the items you want to import.

If you’re using a Windows 8 computer, click Import again.

On a Windows 10 computer, click Continue, then click Import again. On some devices, you only have to click Import Selected instead of Continue > Import. Then your computer will immediately begin to import photos from iPhone to PC.

The files will begin to transfer from your iPhone to your PC.

Once your PC has finished importing the photos, they can be found in folders within your Pictures folder. They will be automatically organized by date.

3.2 How To Copy Photos From iPhone To PC Using Windows AutoPlay

If you have a Windows 7 computer, you can’t transfer photos using the Photos app. Why is this? Because Windows 7 computers don’t have a Photos app!

However, you can transfer photos from iPhone to PC using Windows AutoPlay.

First, connect your iPhone to your computer. Allow the iPhone to access your computer when prompted. Enter your passcode.

When your iPhone connects to your computer, an AutoPlay window should open. Click Import Photos and Videos (ensure you choose the option with Photos beneath it, rather than the Dropbox option).

All of your photos will be imported from your iPhone and copied into your Pictures folder. They’ll be organized automatically into folders by date of import.

3.3 How To Get Photos From iPhone To Computer With File Explorer/Windows Explorer

Transferring photos using File Explorer (known as Windows Explorer on Windows 7 devices) is another way to get your iPhone photos onto your PC. It requires no programs.

First, connect your iPhone to your PC via the USB charger cable. Agree to any permissions that your iPhone requires, and enter your iPhone passcode if asked.

If you have a Windows 8 or Windows 10 PC, open File Explorer. You should see your iPhone under This PC, labeled Apple iPhone. Double-click on Apple iPhone.

If you have a Windows 7 PC, open Windows Explorer. You’ll find your iPhone under Computer, labeled Apple iPhone. Double-click on Apple iPhone.

Once you’ve clicked on Apple iPhone (on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 computers), you’ll be taken to a folder labeled Internal Storage. Double-click to open this. And double-click to open the DCIM folder.

You’ll now see one or more folders. These contain your images (and other media, such as video files). They should be named things like 100APPLE, 101APPLE, 100CLOUD, 101CLOUD, etc.

If you want to copy all of the photos from your iPhone, click and drag to select all of the folders. Then right-click on any folder. Select Copy.

You now need to paste these folders of photos into the Pictures folder on your computer. Click Pictures on the left of the screen. Right-click on a blank space in the main part of the window, then select Paste. Your folders of photos will begin to transfer from your iPhone!

Once your photos have finished copying, you can access them by double-clicking on the folders within the Pictures folder.

If you prefer to copy specific photos from your iPhone, ensure Apple iPhone is selected on the left. Then double-click on the 100APPLE folder (or any other media folder).

You should now see the thumbnails for all of your iPhone photos. Now you can copy and paste specific photos straight from the 100APPLE folder into your Pictures folder (or any other folder on your computer).

What If Your Photos Are HEIFs?

If your files end with .HEIC, this means that your photos are HEIFs. This is a new image file format offered on iPhones.

If your photos are HEIFs, you won’t be able to access them via File Explorer/Windows Explorer on your computer. Therefore, you’ll need to ensure that your iPhone automatically converts your HEIF photos to JPEGs when exporting to your PC.

To do this, tap Settings on the Home screen of your iPhone. Then tap Photos, and check Automatic under Transfer To Mac Or PC.

The post How To Transfer Photos From iPhone To PC: The Ultimate Guide appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

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Table Of Contents: iPhone XS Camera

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1. Open The iPhone XS Camera, Fast (So You Don’t Miss Any Incredible Shots!)
2. Secretly Take Photos With The Volume Buttons (For Amazing Candid Shots!)
3. Choose The Right Settings For The Best Photos
4. Choose A Shooting Mode For The Most Incredible Photos
5. Use Advanced Portrait Mode For Beautiful Portraits
6. Use Portrait Lighting To Make Your Portraits Even More Stunning
7. Focus Manually For Consistently Sharp Images
8. Expose Manually To Capture Jaw-Dropping Detail
9. Use Smart HDR To Capture High Contrast Scenes
10. Bring Life To Your Images With Live Photos
11. Use The Telephoto Lens To Get Close To Your Subjects
12. Use Burst Mode To Capture Stunning Action Shots
13. How Does The iPhone XS Camera Compare To Other iPhones?

Before we start, I’d like to note: The iPhone XS camera is identical to the iPhone XS Max camera. So if you’re using the iPhone XS Max camera, then this guide is also for you!

1. Open The iPhone XS Camera, Fast (So You Don’t Miss Any Incredible Shots!)

What if I told you that you could have your iPhone XS camera open in half a second?

Well, it is possible. And that’s why these iPhone XS camera features are going to be some of the most important that you learn…

You can quickly open the iPhone XS camera from any screen—including the lock screen.

How do you do this?

To open the iPhone XS camera from the lock screen, swipe left. Your camera will slide onto the screen, ready for action.

It’s that fast. You don’t even have to unlock the iPhone.

And what if you’re on another screen?

You can open the iPhone XS camera from the Home screen very easily. Just tap on the Camera icon.

And if you’re on any other screen, use this trick: swipe down from the top right edge.

The Control Center will open. Then all you have to do is press on the Camera icon, and you’re there!

If you want to open your camera fast, remember these tips. You’ll suddenly start nailing all those shots that you used to miss.

2. Secretly Take Photos With The Volume Buttons (For Amazing Candid Shots!)

Do you ever find yourself wanting to take pictures of people—without them knowing that you’re photographing them?

In street photography, you generally don’t want your subjects to see you taking pictures.

For one thing, if your subject knows that you’re photographing them, they tend to freeze up. And you want a natural pose.

Plus, taking pictures of strangers on the street can feel uncomfortable, especially if the strangers see you doing it.

Fortunately, when using your iPhone XS camera, it’s easy to avoid being seen taking photos.

That’s because there are two great ways to secretly take a photograph!

Here’s the first way: You can take a photo using the volume buttons on your iPhone XS.

Open the Camera app. Now all you have to do is press the volume up or the volume down button. And the camera will take a picture!

The second unnoticeable way of taking a photograph is even sneakier.

You can take a photo by using the volume controls on your headphones!

You’ll need headphones with volume buttons. A pair of these come in the iPhone XS box. Plug them into your iPhone.

The process is the same as before: Press either of the volume buttons to take a photo. But with this trick, you can take a picture while pretending to listen to music.

I took the photo above while using the volume buttons on my headphones. This allowed for a much more natural pose.

Using the volume buttons is a great way to do street photography, especially if you feel anxious about photographing strangers. Use this tip to take your street photos to the next level!

3. Choose The Right Settings For The Best Photos

What are the best iPhone camera settings for your iPhone XS photography?

First, you’re going to want to activate the grid. The grid divides your camera screen into vertical and horizontal thirds.

Why does this matter?

These gridlines will improve your compositions. They’ll help you follow the rule of thirds.

The rule of thirds is an important composition principle. Here it is: To create the most pleasing compositions, place the main features of a scene along the gridlines.

And for even more impactful images, place your main subjects where the gridlines cross (at the junction points).

How do you activate the gridlines?

Tap the Settings icon on the Home screen. Then scroll down and select Camera. Once there, tap the Grid option. It should turn green.

And that’s it! You’re done.

While you’re on the Camera page, you should check a few other settings.

First, check that the Smart HDR feature is not selected. This will enable you to turn on HDR in the Camera app. I’ll explain in more detail later.

Second, make sure you select the Keep Normal Photo option. This matters when you’re taking HDR photos. It will ensure that you’re always able to retrieve the normal image if you don’t like the HDR effect. I’ll give you more on this later.

Finally, tap Formats. Make sure that the Most Compatible option is checked. This ensures that your images are saved as JPEGs (higher quality), rather than HEIFs (lower quality).

Before you start shooting, make sure that you change all these settings as I’ve described. It’ll be worth it in the long run—when your images are top-quality and you have no regrets!

4. Choose A Shooting Mode For The Most Incredible Photos

Do you want to quickly get the hang of iPhone XS camera features? In this section, I’ll introduce you to the seven shooting modes.

The shooting modes are the options that run along the bottom of the iPhone XS screen.

First, I’ll tell you which shooting mode you can use all the time. Then I’ll give a quick rundown of all the other options and when you might want to use them.

Let’s start with…

Photo mode.

This is the shooting mode that I use 95% of the time. And unless you’re a very unconventional photographer, you should do the same!

Photo mode works the way that it sounds: It takes photos! Normal, high-quality, what-you-see-is-what-you-get photos.

Use it. It works!

Note: To switch from one mode to the next, simply swipe left or right across the shooting mode options. They will smoothly scroll along.

Next, we have Time-Lapse mode. This allows you to record time-lapse videos. Use it to capture changing scenes, such as clouds moving across the sky. The time-lapse video below shows candles burning.

Third, we have Slo-Mo mode. This allows you to take videos—in slow motion. It’s simply a variation of the next mode, which is…

Video mode. Video mode does what you’d expect: It takes (high-quality!) videos.

Then we have Square mode.

I don’t recommend this feature. All it does is crop your image into a square—reducing resolution in the process.

It can be useful for composing square photos. However, I’d suggest that you shoot in Photo mode and simply crop your images into a square later (if the need arises).

Sixth, we have Pano mode.

With it, you can take sweeping panoramas. Use it to photograph very wide or very tall scenes.

How do you take a panorama?

Follow the directions on the screen. Press the shutter button, then pan your iPhone across the scene. When you’re ready to stop taking the image, press the shutter button again.

Finally, we have Portrait mode.

Aside from the basic Photo mode, this is my favorite iPhone camera mode. It allows you take incredible portraits that pop off the page.

Read on to find out how to use this amazing feature…

5. Use Advanced Portrait Mode For Beautiful Portraits

If you’re looking to take beautiful portraits with your iPhone XS, then advanced Portrait mode is what you need.

Portrait mode works by identifying the subject and the background of your photo. It uses software to blur the background—ensuring that your subject pops off the page.

So, how do you take stunning portraits with Portrait mode?

Start by selecting Portrait mode at the bottom of the screen.

Ensure that your subject is no more than eight feet away. Make sure they’re no closer than two.

Also, make sure that the light is strong. If it’s too dark, then Portrait mode cannot work its magic.

When everything is ready, the words “Natural Light” will be highlighted toward the bottom of the screen.

Then take your shot!

Unfortunately, Portrait mode isn’t perfect. When deciding which part of the photo to blur, it sometimes makes mistakes.

But the iPhone XS promised a better Portrait mode. Does it still make these mistakes?

Unfortunately, yes, it does. I was disappointed to find these problems in several of my portrait photos.

For instance, look carefully at the photo above. Do you see the metal in my subject’s hands? Portrait mode thought part of the gate was not in the foreground. The metal goes in and out of focus.

Despite this, I still love Portrait mode. And Portrait mode on the iPhone XS still gives stunning results.

Now, Portrait mode has been around since the iPhone 7 Plus.

However, the iPhone XS offers a brand new advanced Portrait mode, one that is even better than the original. It comes with some new features, all designed to create amazing portraits.

How do you use these new features?

First, you need to open a portrait in the Photos app. Then tap on Edit.

Here’s where the fun begins.

Because the real benefit of advanced Portrait mode is that you can control the amount of the shot that is in focus.

Look at the slider on the bottom of the screen. If you swipe left, the numbers get higher. Swipe right and the numbers decrease.

At the same time, the amount of background blur changes!

Take note: Higher numbers provide less blur. Lower numbers provide more blur.

That’s all there is to it.

So this is what the advanced Portrait mode really offers. You can choose the amount of background blur.

You’re going to love this new iPhone XS feature. Use it to take jaw-dropping portraits.

6. Use Portrait Lighting To Make Your Portraits Even More Stunning

Since we’re talking about portraits, I have another question.

Do you want to make your portraits look like they were taken in a studio? Portrait mode will help you do that!

This is where Portrait Lighting comes into play.

What is Portrait Lighting?

Portrait Lighting adjusts your portrait photo—without you having to do any photo editing at all. It uses Apple software to recognize the face in your portrait photo. The software alters your subject’s face to give the illusion of studio lighting.

How do you use Portrait Lighting?

First, open your portrait photo in the Photos app and tap Edit.

Natural Light is the default option. It doesn’t modify your photo. That is, Natural Light doesn’t apply any lighting effects to your photo.

To select a different Portrait Lighting option, simply swipe across the cube icons at the bottom of the screen.

Studio Light brightens the face of your subject. Contour Light brightens the highlights and deepens the shadows on your subject. This creates a more sculpted look.

Stage Light makes your subject look like they were photographed on a stage—in the spotlight. Use this for a very dramatic portrait.

Stage Light Mono gives the same look as Stage Light—except that it turns the photo to black and white.

All of these Portrait Lighting options create images that look like they’ve been captured in a studio.

Portrait Lighting is a very powerful way of enhancing your portraits. I suggest you use it often. It’ll really make your subjects stand out!

7. Focus Manually For Consistently Sharp Images

Do you find that your photos are sometimes blurry and you don’t know why?

Do you want this to stop?

Well, I have good news for you: I’m going to put an end to most of those blurry photos right now. Just pay close attention to this tip.

One of the major reasons why your photos are blurry is because…

Your iPhone camera app isn’t focusing properly.

And when the camera doesn’t focus properly, the wrong parts of the photo become sharp.

So how do you change this?

You use manual focus. That is, you tell your iPhone XS camera where to focus. Don’t let it focus for you.

Fortunately, using manual focus is simple and intuitive. All you have to do is tap the spot where you want the camera to focus!

When you tap, a yellow box will appear around your finger, indicating that manual focus has worked. Now you should press the shutter button!

To refocus, simply tap elsewhere on the screen.

I suggest that you use manual focus all the time. But it’s especially useful when you’re photographing close-ups. Your iPhone camera might focus behind your subject—unless you use manual focus to tell it otherwise.

You can actually lock focus on a single part of the image so that the focus point doesn’t change. You use a feature called AE/AF Lock.

Simply tap to manual focus, and hold down your finger until the words “AE/AF Lock” appear at the top of the screen.

This way, you can prefocus on a part of the scene.

For instance, you can lock focus at the point where you know a person is going to walk past. Then, when a person walks through, you can easily grab a compelling image where the subject is in focus.

To deactivate AE/AF Lock, tap on the screen again.

Manual focus is a real game changer when it comes to getting sharp images. If you focus this way all the time, then you won’t regret it!

8. Expose Manually To Capture Jaw-Dropping Detail

Do you find that your photos don’t always look the way that you’d like? Are they sometimes too bright or too dark?

You can fix that.

This problem has to do with exposure: the level of brightness in a scene. When you get photos that are too bright, you’re experiencing overexposure. When you get photos that are too dark, you’re experiencing underexposure.

Your camera attempts to expose the scene properly. But it sometimes fails. And it ruins your image.

So how do you prevent this? By using manual exposure.

Manual exposure lets you choose how bright or dark an image is. It’s wonderfully simple to use.

When you’re about to capture a photo, just tap where you want the camera to focus. The yellow square will appear around your finger.

As soon as you’ve focused, swipe up if you want to brighten the image. Swipe down if you want to darken it.

And watch as the exposure changes!

Always make sure you check the exposure before you take a shot. If your images are too bright, you’ll find that you lose detail in the whites. If your images are too dark, you’ll lose detail in the blacks.

You want to avoid both of these. You want to expose your photos just right. And you do this by exposing manually.

9. Use Smart HDR To Capture High Contrast Scenes

Do you want to take perfectly exposed photos of high contrast scenes?

Then you should use Smart HDR.

Smart HDR is a new feature on the iPhone XS. Previous iPhones offered an HDR feature. But Smart HDR is an upgraded version. It promises better images of high contrast scenes.

What is HDR?

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. When you take photos of a high contrast scene, your camera cannot capture all the detail.

It can portray detail in the bright parts of the image, but will lack detail in the dark parts.

Or it can portray detail in the dark parts of the image, but will lack detail in the bright parts.

The Smart HDR feature attempts to solve this problem. It works by taking several photos of a single scene: normal photos, light photos, and dark photos. Then it combines these images together to form a single, best photo.

This best photo has detail in the bright parts and detail in the dark parts. It’s a perfectly exposed photo.

But how do you use Smart HDR?

Tap the HDR icon at the top of the screen so that it appears without a line through it. This means HDR is switched on.

Then, when you take a photo, it will use this feature.

When should you use Smart HDR?

Turn on Smart HDR when you’re photographing high contrast scenes. Use it when you’re photographing a landscape at sunset or a subject with a bright sky in the background.

The real question, though: Is Smart HDR significantly better than its predecessor?

I haven’t noticed a difference between the old HDR and Smart HDR. Neither is obviously better. But both help to shoot high contrast scenes.

So, if you’re photographing a high contrast scene, make sure you turn on Smart HDR. Your photos will be far better exposed than before.

10. Bring Life To Your Images With Live Photos

Taking still photos is fun. But do you ever feel like a still photo isn’t enough to capture the moment? Do you ever want something more?

If so, then the Live Photos feature is for you.

The Live Photos feature allows you to take beautiful photos, but then goes a step further.

When you open the Photos app and find your Live Photo, tap and hold the image.

And watch as a still image becomes a three-second video (with sound)!

This is great for capturing special moments. A Live Photo helps you remember things the way a still photo can’t.

The Live Photo feature is also great for photographing moving objects. It allows you to really capture the movement in a scene.

Now, how do you take Live Photos?

Tap the Live Photos icon at the top of the screen so it turns yellow. Then press the shutter button.

A Live Photo actually records 1.5 seconds before and after you press the shutter. So make sure that you keep the camera still for a few moments before actually hitting the button.

Once you’ve taken your Live Photo, you can still have a bit more fun.

Find your Live Photo in the Photos app. Then swipe up to open the Effects panel.

You’ll see four options: Live, Loop, Bounce, and Long Exposure.

The Live option is the default and keeps your Live Photo as it is: a three-second video clip.

The Loop option makes your Live Photo play in a continuous loop. The Bounce option causes your Live Photo to play forward and backward. These can be fun to play with.

And the Long Exposure option turns your whole Live Photo into a still image. Because the Live Photo is three seconds long, you receive a still version of that three-second video: a long exposure.

You can use this to create beautiful abstract images. Try it while photographing moving water or flowers blowing in the wind.

But what if you want to share your Live Photos? Unfortunately, most methods of sharing Live Photos result in a still image.

There is a way around this, however. You simply have to convert your Live Photo to video! Then you can share your Live Photo very easily.

If you’re looking to capture special memories or lots of movement, Live Photos are the way to go. They’ll truly bring your photos to life.

11. Use The Telephoto Lens To Get Close To Your Subjects

Have you ever wished that you could be closer to your subject? And have you ever thought that, if only you could close the gap, you’d be able to nab an incredible shot?

Except you don’t need to wish, because the iPhone XS camera has two lenses.

It has the default lens: a wide angle. The wide-angle lens captures a large portion of the scene around you.

And it has another lens: a telephoto lens. This magnifies your subject.

With the telephoto lens, you don’t have to be super close to your subject to capture a detailed photo.

You can stand back, switch to the telephoto lens, and snap away.

How do you switch to the telephoto lens?

All you have to do is tap the 1x icon at the bottom of the camera screen. As soon as you tap the icon, it will change to read 2x. And—bam!—you can take photos with your telephoto lens.

To switch back to the wide-angle lens, tap the icon again.

If you want to get close to your subjects, then the iPhone XS camera has the perfect solution.

With the telephoto lens, you’ll be able to get photos that you never thought were possible.

12. Use Burst Mode To Capture Stunning Action Shots

Do you ever find yourself struggling to capture a fast-moving subject? You know that there’s a shot in there somewhere. But you just can’t seem to fire your camera fast enough!

Photographing action scenes can be challenging. But the iPhone XS camera has a solution to this problem: burst mode.

Burst mode allows you to fire off about ten shots per second. How’s that for speed?

To activate burst mode, press and hold the shutter button. Your iPhone will keep taking photos until you let go.

Now, you might be wondering: Will this take up tons of storage space?

Well, it would… But Apple has a solution to that, too.

Once you’ve used burst mode, go into the Photos app. Find your burst. You can identify it by the word “Burst” in the top left corner. Tap Select.

Now you’ll be presented with every photo from that burst. You can scroll through, quickly selecting the ones that you like. When you’ve finalized your choices, tap Done.

Your selected photos will be saved. The rest will be discarded. This prevents you from filling up your camera with lower quality photos.

If you have a fast-moving scene in front of you, use burst mode. You’ll never miss an action shot again.

13. How Does The iPhone XS Camera Compare To Other iPhones?

The iPhone XS was announced alongside two other iPhones: the iPhone XR and the iPhone XS Max. But how does the iPhone XS camera compare to these other options?

And how does the iPhone XS camera compare to older iPhone cameras such as the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus?

13.1 iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max Camera

Comparing the iPhone XS camera and the iPhone XS Max camera is simple. The two cameras are equal in their capabilities.

Because there is literally zero difference between them.

In fact, the only difference between the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max is the screen size. The iPhone XS Max has a slightly larger screen.

So if you’re choosing between the XS and the XS Max, don’t worry. The cameras are equivalent.

The iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max can be purchased from Apple.

13.2 iPhone XS vs iPhone XR Camera

The iPhone XR is the third new iPhone announced by Apple this fall. It’s cheaper than the iPhone XS and XS Max. But can it outperform the iPhone XS camera?

Unfortunately, it can’t.

The iPhone XR camera has most of the same features that the iPhone XS has. It has Smart HDR. It has Portrait mode. It has Portrait Lighting.

But here’s where the iPhone XR falls short: It doesn’t have a telephoto lens.

The iPhone XR only has a wide-angle lens. Now, all previous iPhone cameras required a telephoto lens for Portrait mode. But the iPhone XR changes that. The iPhone XR offers Portrait mode with only a wide-angle lens.

This is innovative. But it isn’t enough to make up for the lack of a telephoto lens.

Because, as you know, a telephoto lens is a great addition to your iPhone camera. You can use it for street photography, close-up photography, portrait photography, and more.

So if you’re choosing between the iPhone XS and the iPhone XR camera, go with the XS. The iPhone XS camera quality is simply higher.

13.3 iPhone XS vs iPhone X Camera

How does the iPhone X camera compare to that of the iPhone XS?

The iPhone X is the direct predecessor of the iPhone XS.

Alongside the announcement of the iPhone XS, Apple announced something else: The iPhone X is being discontinued.

This means that Apple will no longer be selling the iPhone X.

While you can still buy the iPhone X on the used market and from other retailers, I don’t recommend this. While the iPhone X camera is similar to the iPhone XS camera, it falls short in a few ways.

For instance, the iPhone X doesn’t have advanced Portrait mode. And it doesn’t have Smart HDR.

So go with the XS camera over the X.

13.4 iPhone XS vs iPhone 8 Plus Camera

The iPhone 8 Plus is a slightly older iPhone. And its camera just isn’t as good as the iPhone XS camera.

The iPhone 8 Plus does have a telephoto lens. But it doesn’t have the advanced Portrait mode. It doesn’t have Smart HDR.

So, if you’re choosing between the iPhone XS camera and the iPhone 8 Plus camera, go with the XS.

13.5 iPhone XS vs iPhone 8 Camera

How does the iPhone XS compare to the iPhone 8 camera?

Unfortunately, the iPhone 8 has all the shortcomings of the iPhone 8 Plus. But it doesn’t have Portrait mode, and it doesn’t have a telephoto lens.

The iPhone XS camera is better than the iPhone 8 camera. There is no doubt about it.

The post How To Use iPhone XS Camera To Shoot Spectacular Photos appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

Table Of Contents: iPhone 8 Plus Camera Features

Click any title link below to go straight to that section of the article:

1. Quickly Open The Camera For Fast Photography
2. Activate The Gridlines For Well-Composed Photos
3. Use The Volume Controls To Take Photos Unobtrusively
4. Pick a Shooting Mode To Create The Best Photos
5. Turn On Portrait Mode For Beautiful Portrait Shots
6. Focus Manually For Tack Sharp Images
7. Expose Manually To Capture Perfect Detail
8. Activate HDR For Shooting High-Contrast Scenes
9. Use The Telephoto Lens To Get Closer To Your Subjects
10. Turn On Live Photos To Record Special Moments In Time
11. Use The Self-Timer For Hands Free Shooting
12. Use Burst Mode For Unbelievable Action Shots
13. How Does iPhone 8 Plus Camera Compare To Other iPhones?

1. Quickly Open The Camera For Fast Photography

Do you fail to capture beautiful photographs because you can’t get your iPhone camera app open fast enough? If so, you don’t have to worry any longer. Because there are actually three fast ways you can open your iPhone 8 Plus camera.

First, you can quickly open your camera from the lock screen—without even entering your passcode.

Press the power button or the Home button to reach the iPhone 8+ lock screen. Then swipe left. The camera will spring open, ready for action. This is a fantastic way to get those split-second, once-in-a-lifetime shots.

Second, you can open the camera from the Control Center.

Access the Control Center on your iPhone by swiping up from the bottom edge of the screen. A set of icons will slide upward—this is the Control Center. Look for the Camera icon in the bottom right-hand corner. Select the icon to open the iPhone camera.

Does it matter how your iPhone screen is being used at the time (e.g., whether it’s on the lock screen, on Netflix, etc.)? Fortunately, no! You can pull up the Control Center no matter how you’re using your iPhone.

Third, you can open your iPhone camera the classic way: from the Camera icon on the Home screen. Simply tap the icon to access the Camera app. To do this quickly, I recommend placing your Camera icon in the dock at the bottom of the Home screen.

How do you place your camera in the dock?

It’s quite simple! Tap and hold any Home screen icon. After a moment, the icons will begin to jiggle. Drag the Camera icon down to the dock.

Finally, press the Home button to stop the icons from shaking.

Now you know three speedy ways to open the camera on iPhone 8 Plus. You won’t struggle to get those spur-of-the-moment shots any longer. You’ll be able to open your iPhone camera quickly—and the results will show in your photos!

2. Activate The Gridlines For Well-Composed Photos

Do you want to instantly improve your compositions? Then use the camera gridlines.

The camera gridlines are a set of lines that split the screen into thirds, as shown below.

Camera gridlines allow you to effortlessly use the rule of thirds, a fundamental composition principle. The rule of thirds helps you create stronger, more impactful images.

According to the rule of thirds, it is best to place your horizon lines along one of the gridlines. The same goes for your main subject: place it along one of the gridlines. If you can place your subject at the intersection of two lines (known as junction points), even better!

But how do you activate the gridlines?

To turn on the gridlines, select the Settings icon on the Home screen. Scroll down and press Camera. Then select the Grid option.

That’s it! Now you’ll be able to effortlessly use the rule of thirds in your photos. And your compositions will immediately improve.

To create more pleasing images, align your subjects with the gridlines and junction points. Activating the gridlines will help you do this—and you’ll really take your compositions to the next level.

3. Use The Volume Controls To Take Photos Unobtrusively

Do you sometimes wish you could take photos without attracting attention?

If so, you’re going to love this trick. You see, there are actually two simple ways that you can take photos with your iPhone 8 Plus camera—without even touching the shutter button!

Make sure that you have the Camera app open. Then press either of the volume buttons on the side of your iPhone to take a photo.

You can also take a photo with the built-in volume controls on your Apple headphones. First, plug your headphones into the iPhone. You need non-wireless headphones, which come with your iPhone 8 Plus. Then press either the volume up or volume down button to take a photo.

This trick is fantastic when you’re taking photos of strangers, or even of people who are camera-shy. If you’re taking photos in public, you can pretend that you’re casually listening to music—when you’re actually snapping beautiful photographs!

By using the volume controls to trip the shutter, you will be able to remain unnoticed by everyone around you. You’ll be able to take photos quietly and unobtrusively. You’ll be invisible, but your photos will be stunning.

4. Pick a Shooting Mode To Create The Best Photos

The number of iPhone 8 Plus shooting modes can seem overwhelming. You open the camera, and you see a whole slew of options across the bottom: Photo, Portrait, Square, Pano, etc. But what do they all mean? And how do you choose which one to use for beautiful iPhone 8 Plus photography?

I have good news for you: 95% of the time, you can keep your camera set to Photo mode, and you’ll be able to capture stunning images. This should be your go-to camera mode.

But what about the other modes? How do you use them to take stunning images?

Square mode crops the field of view so that you can take square photos. This can be great for composing images, especially more abstract images.

However, it’s generally best to work in Photo mode and simply crop your photo into a square later. This is because Square mode decreases resolution by cropping the photo ahead of time, and this change is irreversible.

Time-Lapse mode allows you to record a special type of video with your iPhone camera. It takes a series of photos over a period of time and creates a video. When you play it back, you’ll see a scene changing over time. This can be great when you want to capture a video of a subtly changing scene.

Pano mode allows you to take beautiful panoramic shots. This is extremely useful for photographing very wide or very tall scenes.

To shoot a panorama, set your iPhone to Pano mode. Then press the shutter button.

Once you have released the shutter, you have only begun to take your panorama photograph. Smoothly pan your iPhone across the scene, following the on-screen instructions. To finish your panorama, simply press the shutter button again.

Video mode allows you to take high-quality videos with your iPhone. Once you are in Video mode, press the shutter button. To finish recording video, press the shutter button again.

Slo-Mo allows you to take slow motion videos. Simply press the shutter button to begin recording, and then again when you’re ready to stop. This creates a video that plays in slow motion. Try it for a fun effect!

Finally, the last camera mode is Portrait mode.

This mode is designed to take high-end portrait images. I’ll explain how in the next section…

5. Turn On Portrait Mode For Beautiful Portrait Shots

iPhone Portrait mode takes incredible, high-quality portrait photos.

When you take a photo in Portrait mode, Apple’s software blurs the background. This allows your subject to really pop off the screen—and gets you photos that look like they came from a high-end DSLR camera.

To use Portrait mode, your main subject must be less than eight feet away and no closer than two feet. Make sure that you position your subject so that they fall within this range.

Before you take your shot, you can select a Portrait Lighting option if you wish. However, you can also set Portrait Lighting after taking a picture (you’ll learn how to do this at the end of this section).

Portrait Lighting allows you to apply different studio ‘lighting’ effects to your photo—all by using the camera software!

To select a Portrait Lighting option, swipe across the cube icons near the bottom of the screen.

The default option is Natural Light. This applies no real Lighting effect. It simply allows you to take a photo using the available lighting. Use this option if you are happy with your natural lighting situation.

The second option is Studio Light. As shown below, this effect alters your photo by increasing the brightness of the subject’s face. This is a subtle way to make your portrait photos pop.

Another Portrait Lighting option is Contour Light which darkens the shadows around the face.

Stage Light puts a spotlight on your subject and blacks out the background—as if your subject were lit on a stage! And Stage Light Mono is the same as Stage Light, but it converts your photo to black and white.

One great thing about Portrait mode is that it’s always possible to change the Portrait mode effects on your photos.

You simply have to open the image in the Photos app and tap on Edit.

From here, you can flip through different Portrait Lighting options and choose the one you like the best.

Or you can choose to remove Portrait mode entirely by tapping on the word Portrait at the top of the image.

Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting can be great for enhancing the quality of your portrait photos. They can make your portraits pop off the page. So next time you plan on taking portraits, go ahead and try Portrait mode!

6. Focus Manually For Tack Sharp Images

Do you often find that your photos are blurry?

One common culprit of blurry photos is incorrect focusing.

Basically, your camera can only keep a limited amount of the scene in focus (this is called depth of field). So the camera must decide which part of the scene should be sharp.

In the image below, the flowers are sharp while the background is blurry. Notice the limited depth of field: The iPhone camera is unable to bring everything into focus.

If left to its own devices, the camera tends to choose well—most of the time. But problems occur in certain situations.

When there are several subjects in a scene, your iPhone might not focus on the right one. This can result in the wrong subjects becoming blurry!

Furthermore, when focusing on a very close subject, the iPhone camera may have trouble deciding which part of the subject to focus on.

This is when it becomes vital to use manual focus.

But how do you use manual focus?

Fortunately, it’s easy! When composing your image, tap your finger on the area of the subject that you want to appear sharp. You’ll see a yellow square appear around your finger, indicating exactly where the camera is focusing.

And that’s it! You’re done. Your camera will focus where you’ve directed it.

To refocus, simply tap your finger elsewhere on the screen.

You can also go further with manual focus by using the AE/AF lock. This allows you to lock focus on a particular spot. Once you’ve activated the AE/AF lock, the focus cannot be changed.

To activate the AE/AF lock, simply tap where you want to focus. Then hold until the words AE/AF Lock appear at the top of the screen in yellow.

To deactivate the AE/AF lock, tap again on the screen. Or, to lock focus elsewhere, press and hold anywhere else on the screen.

AE/AF lock is especially useful in street photography. When you find a beautiful urban scene, you can lock focus in advance using AE/AF lock. Then simply wait for a person to walk into the scene before pressing the shutter. The person will act as a perfect focal point, and your image will have perfect focus!

If you’re looking to improve the sharpness of your photos, manual focus is a great option. In fact, I use manual focus all the time—it’s a quick way to ensure that your camera focuses on the right spot!

7. Expose Manually To Capture Perfect Detail

Take a moment to look around the room. Glance into some dark corners, glance at some bright lights. Are you able to see them all clearly? Can you make out the details? You probably can.

Unfortunately, your camera is more limited than your eye. The camera isn’t able to look at a scene with very bright elements and very dark elements and snap a flawless photo. It cannot easily render both light and dark in the same image.

Instead, when faced with a high contrast scene (i.e., very light and very dark, such as in the image above) the camera has to choose what to expose for. That is, it has to decide the level of brightness of the image.

If it makes the scene bright, then the shadows will be perfectly exposed. The viewer will be able to see a beautiful level of detail. However, the highlights will be too bright and will lack detail. This is called overexposure.

The reverse can also happen. The scene can be underexposed, so that the highlights are perfectly rendered. But the shadows will be black and lacking detail.

Generally, the iPhone camera does a decent job of deciding how to expose for an image. But sometimes you might find that the photo on the screen looks too bright or too dark.

How do you deal with this?

You use manual exposure. Tap on the part of the image that you want the camera to focus on. A small Exposure symbol will appear (in the shape of a sun, as shown in the image below).

Simply swipe your finger up if you want to brighten the image. Swipe your finger down if you want to darken it. And watch in real time as the exposure changes!

By exposing manually, you’ll prevent underexposure and overexposure. You’ll ensure that the most important parts of your images are clear and detailed. And you’ll consistently get beautifully exposed photos.

8. Activate HDR For Shooting High-Contrast Scenes

You might think that it’s impossible to easily photograph high-contrast scenes. But have you tried the HDR setting on your iPhone?

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. Simply put, it refers to photos that include details in both the shadows and the highlights. Using the HDR setting on the iPhone allows you to take better exposed, more detailed photos.

The photo below was taken without HDR. Notice how the brightest parts of the sky are completely over-exposed without any color or detail.

The next photo was taken with HDR.

The HDR photo has captured detail in both the bright and dark areas of the scene.

How do you activate HDR?

First, make sure that you turn off the camera’s automatic HDR function.

Go to the Home screen. Tap on Settings, then Camera. You’ll see the option to deactivate Auto HDR. Press it.

While in the Camera settings, you should also make sure that you have the Keep Normal Photo switched on. This acts as a backup. If you’re not happy with your HDR photo, don’t worry; your camera will have saved both an HDR and a non-HDR version.

Now, open the iPhone camera and look at the top of the screen. An HDR icon should be present. Tap this icon, then select On so that HDR appears in yellow.

You’ll also notice an Auto HDR option. If you select this, the iPhone camera decides whether to use HDR. In general, I don’t recommend this.

Why? It drains your iPhone’s battery. When you are photographing a high-contrast scene, switch on the HDR setting yourself.

HDR is fantastic for shooting high-contrast scenes. Use it when photographing a sunset, a bright light, or an object with bright sky behind it.

However, the HDR setting doesn’t work well when you’re trying to record action shots. To capture an HDR photo, the iPhone camera actually takes three images. It then blends them together, taking the best parts from each image.

To do this, the iPhone camera takes one image after another. Fast moving objects will move from photo to photo. And this means that any action in the scene will appear slightly blurred. This effect is called ghosting, and it’s best to avoid it in your photos.

But the HDR function performs well in other situations, and is fantastic for capturing high-contrast scenes. Use it when you want to portray beautiful detail in both highlights and shadows.

9. Use The Telephoto Lens To Get Closer To Your Subjects

It can be a real struggle to get close to your subjects. For example, if you’re trying to photograph animals, you may not manage to get a tight shot using the camera’s wide angle lens.

This is where the iPhone 8 Plus’s telephoto lens comes in handy.

The telephoto lens is designed to magnify the scene—so that you can get those in-your-face shots that you’ve always dreamed of.

The default lens on the iPhone 8 Plus is the wide-angle lens. So how do you activate the telephoto lens?

Simply open your camera and tap the 1x icon toward the bottom of the screen. And voila! Your camera will shoot with the telephoto lens. To switch back to the wide-angle lens, tap the 2x icon at the bottom of the screen.

When can you use this lens for stunning images?

The telephoto lens is great for animal and pet photography. Use it to get powerful close-ups.

The telephoto lens is also fantastic for taking photos of people without actually bothering them.

Finally, the telephoto lens is great for photographing close-ups of flowers and interesting textures. You can get close, really close—close enough to capture breathtaking detail.

However, it’s best to avoid handholding the telephoto lens in low light situations. This is because the iPhone 8 Plus telephoto lens doesn’t have optical image stabilization.

What does this mean?

Optical image stabilization is technology that stops you from taking blurry photos when the light is low. It’s great for taking handheld photos when you shoot at night.

While the wide-angle lens on the iPhone 8 Plus does use optical image stabilization, the telephoto lens does not. So when shooting in low light, either use an iPhone tripod or switch to the wide-angle option.

In short, when photographing animals, strangers, portraits, or close-ups in good light, use the telephoto lens. It will allow you to get close without causing your subject any discomfort.

10. Turn On Live Photos To Make Your Photos Come To Life

Is a photo always enough to capture a special moment? A photo freezes a scene in time—but it doesn’t show movement. It doesn’t record sound.

Enter Live Photos.

The Live Photos setting allows you to take an image—but, when you open it in the Photos app, the image will be ‘Live.’ If you press and hold the image, you’ll be shown a three second video clip containing footage from before and after the capture. It even contains sound!

Live Photos are wonderful for recording those special moments with your family, or those times spent walking alone in nature. It’s these Live Photos that you’ll really treasure years later.

How do you turn on Live Photos?

Open your camera and select the Live Photos icon at the top of the screen. When the Live Photos feature is active, the icon will turn yellow.

However, the fun has only just begun! Once you’ve taken your Live Photo, you can alter it using Live Photo effects.

Find your Live Photo in the Photos app. Then swipe up to open the Effects panel.

You should see four options: Live, Loop, Bounce, and Long Exposure.

Tap the Loop option if you wish to display your Live Photo on a continuous loop.

Select the Bounce option if you want to display your Live Photo moving forward and then backward again.

Choose the Long Exposure option if you want to blend your Live Photo into a single long exposure photo.

This is great for photographing moving water or flowers in the wind. Try to keep your camera perfectly still by placing it on a tripod or a stable surface.

What if you want to share your Live Photos? You’ll want to convert your Live Photo to video, first. Then you’ll be able to share it on many different platforms.

You can make your photos come alive with the Live Photos setting. Switch on Live Photos the next time you’re experiencing a time really worth remembering.

11. Use The Self-Timer For Hands-Free Shooting

You may run into situations where you wish that you could take a photograph—without holding the camera.

For instance, you might want to take a self-portrait.

But how do you do this?

You use the iPhone 8 Plus self-timer.

This feature will allow you to delay the shutter. And it gives you the seconds you need to walk into the frame.

How do you switch on the self-timer?

At the top of the screen, select the Self-Timer icon. Then choose your shutter delay: three seconds (3s) or ten seconds (10s).

When you press the shutter button, the screen will display a countdown. When the countdown is complete, your camera will take a series of images.

As mentioned above, the self-timer is excellent for taking self-portraits. It’s also great for taking group shots.

Simply set the ten second timer, place your iPhone on a tripod or against something solid, and walk into the frame.

So, next time you wish you had someone to take photos for you—never fear! Just whip out your iPhone, select the self-timer option, and take some hands free photos.

12. Use Burst Mode For Unbelievable Action Shots

You’re photographing an action-filled scene, but everything is moving so fast. You’re struggling to keep up. How do you take the perfect image?

You use burst mode.

Burst mode is one of my favorite iPhone camera features. It allows you to quickly take a series of shots: a burst. This ensures that you nail all of your action photos.

How do you use burst mode?

Simple: You press and hold the shutter button. The camera will continue to take photos as long as your finger is holding the button.

When you view a burst of shots in the Photos app, tap Select at the bottom of the screen.

This will open the burst, and allow you to scroll through the series of photos that you’ve taken. You can select the best images. Your iPhone will delete the rest.

So next time you need to take an action shot, use burst mode. Your keeper rate will be greatly improved!

13. How Does iPhone 8 Plus Camera Compare To Other iPhones?

You may be wondering: Is the iPhone 8 Plus camera good enough? Should you get the iPhone 8 instead? Or purchase one of the newer iPhones?

In this section, I give you a rundown of the iPhone 8 Plus camera versus the iPhone 8. I also compare the iPhone 8 Plus camera to the newer iPhone offerings: the iPhone X camera, the iPhone XR camera, the iPhone XS camera, and the iPhone XS Max camera.

13.1 iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone 8 Camera

I have good news for you: The iPhone 8 Plus camera is better than the iPhone 8 camera.

It’s that simple.

What makes me say this? A couple of things.

First, the iPhone 8 Plus has two lenses, a wide angle and a telephoto.

But the iPhone 8 only has the wide-angle lens—a lens that is identical to the iPhone 8 Plus wide-angle lens.

The iPhone 8 Plus also offers Portrait mode, which the iPhone 8 lacks.

Therefore, the iPhone 8 Plus gets you every bit of camera that the iPhone 8 has, and packs a telephoto lens and Portrait mode as bonuses. As you know, the telephoto lens is extremely useful for street photography, portraits, and close-up photography. And Portrait mode can enhance your portraits even more.

So choose the iPhone 8 Plus over the iPhone 8.

13.2 iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone X Camera

For those of you who are thinking about buying the iPhone X camera, I have bad news: Apple is discontinuing the iPhone X.

You can still buy the iPhone X from other retailers or on the used market. But why do that when you have so many other options?

Apple has recently announced three new iPhones, all packing powerful new cameras: the iPhone XR, the iPhone XS, and the iPhone XS Max…

13.3 iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone XR Camera

The iPhone XR comes with a new and shiny camera. In many ways, it’s an advancement over the iPhone 8 Plus.

First, the iPhone XR camera sports a better sensor than the iPhone 8 Plus. This is especially important for night photography, when lower-quality sensors produce very noisy and unpleasant photos. With the iPhone XR camera, you’ll be able to shoot better low-light images compared to the iPhone 8 Plus.

Second, the iPhone XR offers a new form of HDR photography: Smart HDR. This allows you to take HDR photos of moving subjects. The ghosting effect that is present in iPhone 8 Plus HDR photos will be removed. You’ll now be able to capture beautiful, detailed images of high-contrast action scenes.

Third, the iPhone XR provides an upgraded Portrait mode. This will allow users to control the level of background blur. You’ll be able to make more creative decisions when shooting portraits that pop off the page.

Finally, the iPhone XR possesses a larger screen than the iPhone 8 Plus. This means that you’ll have an easier time viewing your camera. And you’ll have an easier time editing your photos.

Unfortunately, there is one main downside to the iPhone XR camera, and it’s a big one.

The iPhone XR doesn’t have a telephoto lens.

For me, this is a deal breaker. The telephoto lens on the iPhone 8 Plus is fantastic for capturing close-up images of people, plants, and portraits. It’s a big improvement over the single wide-angle lens.

As I mentioned, the iPhone XR does still have Portrait mode. But it doesn’t use a telephoto lens for this. Instead, Apple’s new technology blurs the background using only the single wide-angle lens. While this is a cool new feature, it just doesn’t make up for the loss of the telephoto lens.

13.4 iPhone 8 Plus vs iPhone XS Camera (and XS Max)

Let me start by noting that the iPhone XS camera is indistinguishable from the iPhone XS Max camera.

The sole difference between these two options is size. The iPhone XS Max has a larger screen than the iPhone XS. So, if you prefer more screen real-estate, you’d do better with the iPhone XS Max. If screen size isn’t something you care about, the iPhone XS camera will do the job just fine.

Both of these options have larger screens than the iPhone 8 Plus. And both of these options have better cameras.

Like the iPhone XR, the iPhone XS and XS Max offer a high-quality sensor, Smart HDR, and an upgraded Portrait mode. All of these are exciting advancements in iPhone camera technology.

Unlike the iPhone XR, the iPhone XS and XS Max both sport identical dual lens cameras. But they offer an upgraded set of lenses over the iPhone 8 Plus. For one, the iPhone XS and XS Max telephoto lenses have optical image stabilization.

This is in contrast to the iPhone 8 Plus, where only the wide-angle lens offers this technology.

This improvement will allow users to take sharp handheld photos in low light with both the wide-angle and the telephoto lens.

And the iPhone XS and XS Max also possess faster telephoto lenses than the iPhone 8 Plus. What does this mean? Basically, the XS and XS Max telephoto lenses can take in more light. Like optical image stabilization, this is wonderful for shooting in darker situations.

It’s fair to say that the iPhone XS and XS Max camera is a significant upgrade over the iPhone 8 Plus. While the iPhone 8 Plus camera quality is impressive, it just can’t compare to the power of the XS and XS Max. These are the iPhones to check out, especially if you need to take shots in low light.

Click here to discover how to do incredible iPhone XS photography.

Click here for a rundown of the iPhone XS vs iPhone XS Max camera.

This is not to say that the iPhone 8 Plus camera is outdated. If you don’t want to shoulder the cost of a new iPhone, don’t worry. You can still get fantastic images with the iPhone 8 Plus!

The post How To Use iPhone 8 Plus Camera To Shoot Incredible iPhone Photos appeared first on iPhone Photography School.