iPhone 15 Camera: Apple Explains UI Design Decisions, Limitations, and Hidden Features

Apple's new iPhone 15 series includes several new camera features, but not all of them will be visible to casual photographers, and Apple says it is relying on third-party developers to make these extra controls accessible to enthusiasts and filmmakers.

iPhone 15 Blue Three Quarters Perspective Camera Closeup Feature
In an interview with PetaPixel, Jon McCormack, Apple's vice president of camera software engineering, explained the company's rationale behind this middle-ground approach, while also shedding light on some of the decisions it took when finalizing the ‌iPhone 15‌ feature set.

"It really is, in my mind, all about allowing people to go chase their vision and this goes from the harried parent of a toddler where their vision is, 'can I get my kid in frame as they take their first step' all the way through to a pro or a creative who has got a very specific artistic vision in mind and want to get there as quickly as possible," said McCormack.

"Behind the big red button… the thing you're worrying about is the frame and the moment because honestly, that's the most inspiring part of any photograph or any video."

iPhone 15 Pro: Focal Lengths

‌iPhone 15‌ Pro users can choose from 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm focal lengths when taking photos, simply by tapping the 1x button in the Camera app. However, for technical reasons, these focal length options aren't available when shooting video, and the Camera offers a zoom ring instead.

"When you're shooting [photos], we gather a bunch of data to let you keep shooting and then sort of keep processing in the background, so we have more time and this is just something we can't do in video," McCormack told PetaPixel.

iPhone 15 Pro: Log Video Encoding

When encoding video in log mode, the camera uses a logarithmic curve to more efficiently compress the colors in such a way as to offer a wider dynamic range. This allows filmmakers to maximize dynamic range as much as possible without overexposing, or push the shadows as much as possible to minimize noise.

"We go for a middle-ground exposure," said McCormack. "When you go into log, there's no tone mapping so you can have much more precise control over what your exposure is."

However, while the iPhone can now shoot in ProRes Log, there are no on-screen controls or waveform in the native Camera app to control exposure. Instead, Apple is relying on third-party app developers to bring these controls to power users, which serves to keep the standard Camera interface uncluttered. Apple said it will also be providing LUT profiles to editors on September 22.

iPhone 15 Pro: External Video Transfer via USB-C

The ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro and Pro Max support USB3 transfer speeds from the new USB-C port, but only ProRes files recorded in 4K at 60p can be recorded to an externally attached SSD. All other video and phot modes must be saved to the ‌iPhone‌ first and transferred later. Apple told PetaPixel this was an in-house design decision focused on supporting ProRes workflows.

iPhone 15: 24 vs 48 Megapixels

Last year, Apple limited the default camera settings to 12MP, but this year it is limited to 24MP, despite the main camera's sensor's 48MP capabilities. The reason for this, McCormack explained, is that there is slightly more dynamic range when shooting in 24MP.

"When shooting at 24-megapixels, we shoot 12 high and 12 low — we actually shoot multiple of those — and we pick and then merge. There is, basically, a bigger bracket between the 12 high and the 12 low. Then, the 48 is an 'extended dynamic range,' versus 'high dynamic range,' which basically just limits the amount of processing. Because just in the little bit of processing time available [in the 24 megapixel] we can get a bit more dynamic range into Deep Fusion. So what you end up with in the 24, it's a bit of a 'Goldilocks moment' in that you get all of the extra dynamic range that comes from the 12 and the detail transfer that comes in from the 48."

McCormack also said there's zero shutter lag when shooting at 24-megapixels, whereas shooting at full 48-megapixel resolution doesn't provide an instantaneous shutter.

Keeping Photography Approachable

Ultimately, Apple's goal is to ensure that ‌iPhone‌ photography remains approachable, according to Maxime Veron, senior director of ‌iPhone‌ product marketing. "For the vast majority of our customers, we just aim to process everything in the background so that the process is invisible and out of the way so that people can take great photos and videos and capture beautiful, true-to-life moments in one click," she told PetaPixel.

Veron added that at the same time, Apple wants to meet the ever-growing demands of its enthusiast customers, allowing them to use the same hardware to capture images that can grace the cover of a magazine.

The full interview can be found at PetaPixel. All of Apple's new ‌iPhone 15‌ models are now available to order and launch this Friday.

Related Roundup: iPhone 15
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in a Few Months With These 12 New Features

Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Here's Which Vehicle Brands Will and Won't Offer Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Friday June 27, 2025 9:52 am PDT by
Apple last month announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. There was news this week about which automakers will and won't offer CarPlay Ultra, and we have provided an updated list below. CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to newer Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Fortunately, if you cannot...

Top Rated Comments

Mitsjke Avatar
23 months ago
So Apple uses the same main camera as the iPhone 14 Pro and then uses software to hold iPhone 14 Pro users on 12 megapixel and enables a 24 megapixel mode on the iPhone 15 pro, hoping they would update? Meanwhile they want less waste for 2030 and their greenwashing propaganda?
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iBluetooth Avatar
23 months ago

So they are saying 24mp is better than shooting at 48 how does that even make sense
Because the smaller pixels have more noise, but if you combine four together and take the average, you get reduced noise and obtain a larger dynamic range. Plus, shooting all in 48 increases the storage requirement four times!
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FastLaneJB Avatar
23 months ago

So they are saying 24mp is better than shooting at 48 how does that even make sense
If you read it's down to extremely smart computational photography and the ability to do that with zero shutter lag, they cannot yet do this at 48MP. I'm no expert on this but let me try to explain my understanding on this:

They take multiple 12MP pictures at different colour ranges, this is to do the HDR aspects of the photo. They also take a 48MP picture to get more detail for Deep Fusion. Then they throw it all into the cooking pot that is the A17 Pro and it'll spit out a lovely 24MP image that looks better than a 12MP image for detail and better than a 48MP image for colour range.

It's the happy medium of the best it can do without adding lag and I think the lag of lag is really important. I've a Samsung also and the lag there is quite bad. You can find forums where parents will complain that they cannot take good in focus shots of their kids because the phone is too slow. iPhone is really good at taking a stable, good, in-focus shot quickly. It's literally the definition of a great point and shoot which is all the average user normally wants.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zeddi92 Avatar
23 months ago

So they are saying 24mp is better than shooting at 48 how does that even make sense
More Pixels doesnt mean better images. I remember the fight between smartphones ten years ago. Where you could get china-models with 42 MP and above with an image quality of the good old gameboy camera. Nowadays you want to observe parameters like sensor size, pixel size, dynamic range and so on. You can watch comparisons between camera senors [eg youtube: RPi Camera Module Showdown: V3 vs V2 vs HQ vs Arducam (16MP/64MP)] and you might observe, that more pixels doesnt mean better images.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
23 months ago
Whatever the technical merits of their approach, I think that Apple does a very bad job at explaining their offering, even to technically minded people. It’s as if somehow they don’t really want users to get a crystal clear understanding of what’s going on.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
allenvanhellen Avatar
23 months ago
I just want to be able to turn off HDR and sharpening. I thought my iPhone 5S took great photos, except in really low light or if I wanted to view them on paper or a big hi-res display.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)