Apple Will Let iPhone 13 Pro Users Disable Auto Switching to Ultra Wide Lens for Macro Photography Later This Fall

iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max reviews were published today, with the devices receiving praise for their smoother ProMotion displays, longer battery life, and improved cameras, but there was one consistent complaint among the reviews.

iPhone 13 Pro Light Blue Side Feature
On the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, a new feature is the ability to take macro photos. As noted by Input's Raymond Wong, however, this new capability results in the device automatically switching from the Wide lens to the Ultra Wide lens when you place an object or a subject within 5.5 inches of the rear camera. (The viewfinder still shows "1x" framing, but the camera relies on the Ultra Wide lens for autofocus.)

The automatic camera switching is easily noticeable in the iPhone's viewfinder, as Wong demonstrated in the video below.


"The viewfinder keeps jittering as it tries to choose between a regular wide or wide-macro shot," he said. In his review, he expressed his opinion that "the framing should never change from what you compose and never automatically."

Apple initially told Wong that the automatic camera switching is intentional to help users better capture close-up details, according to his review, but the company has since issued a statement to Wong and others that says iPhone 13 Pro users will gain the option to turn off the switching in an iOS update that will be released later this fall.

"A new setting will be added in a software update this fall to turn off automatic camera switching when shooting at close distances for macro photography and video," said Apple.

Apple said the ability to turn off the automatic camera switching will apply to macro video recording as well, but as Wong noted, there is a "Lock Camera" option under Settings > Camera that appears to prevent the switching for video already.

All four iPhone 13 models will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores this Friday, September 24 in the U.S. and over 30 other countries and regions.

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Top Rated Comments

1applerules1 Avatar
50 months ago
looks like MKBHD got his wish
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
50 months ago
Interesting and good that Apple is responding to feedback…
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
firstapple Avatar
50 months ago

Why is this a problem? It’s switching the the better camera for that shot right…
Depends on what the user feels is the "better camera for the shot". It's been a pretty large complaint for most reviewers so far.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4jasontv Avatar
50 months ago

The whole point of the App Library is that it’s automatically organized. If you want to manually do it, just use folders like you’ve been able to do for years.
How do I disable the app library and only use folders? Don’t tell me I can’t disable it, because that’s also the issue with the widget page.

Also, why is it so terrible at organizing apps? Google voice isn’t a financial app, and why isn’t steam link listed in the games folder? Might it be because it's using the marketing directives of the developer rather than actual app functions?

If it was any good at auto organizing it would allow apps to be in two different folders. The Athletic is a sports app, news app, and entertainment app. Browzine is a subscription journal reading app so why is it stored in the same folder as t-mobile Tuesday and the hue app, but not in the productivity or shopping folders? Why is echo360, a video streaming educational platform in the same folder as my electric car app and the app for my bathroom scale? Is it because the App Library fails at it's only job?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
firstapple Avatar
50 months ago
Like to see the fast response to this, and that's the right move to make. Hopefully it doesn't take too long to implement this, I'd like as much full creative control as possible over the photos I take.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Superhappytree Avatar
50 months ago
Damn they watched and reacted upon MKBHD’s review pretty quick.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)