Apple, Let’s Put the ‘Pro’ in iPhone 16 Pro—Give Us Full Manual Camera Controls!
Goddamn it, Apple. It’s 5:00 AM, and instead of just tucking my iPhone 16 Pro in my pocket and having a last bit of coffee in peace before my workshop, I’m stuck playing a game of Which Third-Party Camera App Sucks the Least. Do I go with Lightroom’s mobile camera for its high-contrast black-and-white RAW shooting—oh, wait, it only taps into three of the iPhone’s six focal lengths. Maybe Profoto’s ultra-basic interface, which somehow still offers some of the best [basic] manual controls, yet—like every third-party app—gets locked out of accessing all the cameras.
Or maybe I torture myself with Hipstamatic’s dizzying labyrinth of presets, filters, and settings that make me feel like I’m diffusing a bomb instead of taking a damn photo. At this point, all I really want—no, all professionals want—is what the word Pro is supposed to mean: full manual controls.
Here’s the thing: the iPhone 16 Pro is a technological beast. I love the RAW capabilities. I love the six built-in focal lengths—13mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 48mm, and 120mm, all prime focal lengths that street photographers dream of. But if I want to manually set the shutter speed? Go to hell. Adjust my ISO to free up some speed? Not happening. Choose my aperture for the perfect bokeh? Forget it. I have zero access to the Exposure Triangle—one of the most basic and essential tools in any pro-grade camera system.
As I write this, my options are limited to tapping the screen, locking focus, and adjusting exposure—useful, but far from a true professional experience. There’s no way to lock the ISO, set the aperture, or dial in the shutter speed to precisely control highlights and shadows in a scene. And while third-party apps offer partial solutions, they come at the cost of native features—an unnecessary workaround for users who have invested over $1,000 in what’s supposed to be one of the best smartphone cameras available. I get it, and I’m sure Apple does too—adding advanced manual controls to the stills camera app might seem like a niche feature on paper, maybe not the most profitable move. But imagine the potential. With full access to the Exposure Triangle—shutter speed, aperture, and ISO—all adjustable with a few taps, the iPhone would become an absolute powerhouse for photographers. It wouldn’t just be a great smartphone camera; it would be the go-to tool for both casual users and professionals alike.
The icing on the cake? Finally ditching half a dozen camera apps that, even together, still can’t unlock the full potential of the iPhone’s camera system.
Apple, this needs to be addressed. We need real manual controls. You can call it "Pro" all you want, but right now, it’s still an auto-everything smartphone with a great camera. That might be enough for most users, but wouldn’t it be revolutionary, even if you’re a little late to the game, to have a native camera app that offers full manual control straight out of the box? That would be a true game-changer.
All It Would Take Is One More Menu Item & Sub Menu
I Would Love To See This!
I would love to see a PRO feature anywhere along the bottom menu, but maybe it would make more sense to keep it after the two main camera menus PHOTO and PORTRAIT so that the majority of iPhone users would still have the usual quick and familiar access.
What Features Would Be Available In the Pro Camera?
The holy grail would be as simple as giving users full control over shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. But there’s even more potential—Apple could take it a step further by adding a range of pro-level features that would make waves in the camera world. And maybe even sink a few of their competitor’s ships in the process.
Add the ability to adjust the white balance
Add the semi-automatic modes: Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Program Mode
Be able to access filters while shooting in RAW (just like the Lightroom mobile camera app)
It’s tempting to suggest a long list of extras, but just these core features would be a game-changer—transforming the iPhone Pro series into a true professional camera. Millions of photographers would embrace it for still photography, finally eliminating the need for a cluttered collection of third-party camera apps.
