At least it’s in a different place. I’ve had to set my action button to a useless function because I keep muting the phone when I try to change volumes.
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iPhone 16 Pro Action vs. Camera button
- Thread starter 537635
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Contrary to many reviews, I'm finding the new camera control to be a welcome addition. I initially expected it to be a gimmick, but it's proven to be a genuinely useful and enjoyable feature. It provides a dedicated shortcut to the camera app (I believe it's activated with a double press), which allows me to reassign my Lock Screen shortcut.
I find the implementation of the half-press, full-press, and slide gestures completely intuitive. While it may not be the fastest option for capturing spontaneous moments, it excels in situations where I'm taking a more deliberate approach to photography. It enhances the overall camera experience and adds a sense of professionalism.
I find the implementation of the half-press, full-press, and slide gestures completely intuitive. While it may not be the fastest option for capturing spontaneous moments, it excels in situations where I'm taking a more deliberate approach to photography. It enhances the overall camera experience and adds a sense of professionalism.
Don’t know what to tell you, I’ve tried it and it’s excellent. It’s easy to half press and satisfying to full press.
These “useless controls” are pretty useful to me, as I can zoom in and out while shooting and take a couple of shots framed differently.
It doesn’t activate the camera from lock screen so you wouldn’t accidentally open it in pocket (and long press is reserved for Apple intelligence).
I really like it. You’ll either get used to it or you won’t.
Interesting. I did try zoom (and changing cameras) for a while. I have thumb always ready to press the onscreen shutter and zoom controls are 5mm away. Moving the index or middle finger to the new button, pressing it and then changing the zoom... it seems much more cumbersome to me.
Most smartphone photogs currently use truly horrific image capture technique. And then some of those same photogs whine here about Apple over-auto-adjusting their pix.
The new button is a very useful start at providing an optional UI that can help lead photogs into better technique. E.g. if one holds the iPhone in landscape position with both thumbs under the iPhone it presents a stable platform similar to the way one holds an ILC camera, which is a UI evolved over many decades and a huge improvement over many of the awful methodologies that I watch folks use with their smartphones.
Note that the new button is at v1, essentially in beta. Whereas Nikon, for instance, evolved the state-of-the-art UI seen in the Nikon Z9 over 70+ years. We all need to recognize the first-version-coarseness of Apple's new camera button and look forward to further evolution.
The problem with the camera button not being fully developed at launch is that it has a danger of being ignored by users and in future too. I’m not really using it as it’s quite fiddly and I couldn’t react to take an urgent picture just using it as there are so many taps and scrolls to get certain settings up to change. It seems to be one of those features that some use and some don’t so far. Let’s hope it’s not a 3DTouch type feature that exists for a few years and disappears as fewer people bother with it. I’d like to see it improve as it’s something that has potential even if it’s half baked now.
i still only use it to open the camera for the camera button.
action button is now to open google app with gemini
action button is now to open google app with gemini
Note that in addition to leading users to improving their image capture technique, the camera button is optional. One can use the new improved UI and also use all of the previous methods when appropriate. It has always been true that photogs need to study and learn to become better at image capture. The [unfortunately common] idea that image capture is a thoughtless process is just wrong. Thoughtful effort is required.
Personally I never accept the "this is optional" argument. Apple is (was?) about functional minimalism. Get rid of unnecessary. They were the first to ditch HDDs, DVDs, USB-A ports...
Adding another button, clearly not optimally implemented, which some people "might" use, seems like something Samsung or Xiaomi would do.
I like the CC, after some practice it’s not bad at all. Lifts up the photography experience with the iPhone, taps in to a more creative form of accessing camera functionalities in different ways or kind of parallel. It combines with the old controls nicely. And as mentioned, it frees up the action button. Just set it to dubble click, just as quick as holding and wait for the action button to open the camera app imho.
I’m fascinated about the huge uproar of Apple introducing the CC. We all want invention and new exiting features/functions, and this year it has been even more stated the disappointment of the small incremental update of the pros. I thought it was quite a good update, especially for the base models which shouldn’t be forgotten. It seems like whatever Apple introduces there will be a certain bunch that will not like it, which I respect, Im not super positive of everything either. I think Apple have introduced the CC in a balanced and good way, and it will be developed and refined going forward.
I’m fascinated about the huge uproar of Apple introducing the CC. We all want invention and new exiting features/functions, and this year it has been even more stated the disappointment of the small incremental update of the pros. I thought it was quite a good update, especially for the base models which shouldn’t be forgotten. It seems like whatever Apple introduces there will be a certain bunch that will not like it, which I respect, Im not super positive of everything either. I think Apple have introduced the CC in a balanced and good way, and it will be developed and refined going forward.
Have you noticed how much that can be long pressed in iOS/iPadOS to give options? And how much more options the option-key gives almost everywhere in MacOS?
I think Apple often have implemented multiple ways to do things, giving options when or if needed.
Not a great comparison. With option key there are numerous power features hidden behind an ordinary keyboard layout. There no ADDITIONAL keys on the keyboard.
What is in my opinion a good comparison - TouchBar. Touchscreen on a keyboard for additional features which nobody ever needed, because advanced users never looks at the damn keyboard but on the display. Same thing here, you are already looking at the screen when framing the photo and the shutter button is right there to press with a thumb.
DSLRs are a bad comparison, because you are framing the photo when looking through the viewfinder and cannot use the thumb to press the shutter.
Sorry, but yours is wrong-headed thinking:
• There [obviously] is no "some people "might" use." Some of us do use it, as anyone can easily see by reading this thread.
• You need to better understand optional, which in the case of the camera button means in addition to and/or instead of other choices. And I expect that many will use some combination of camera button and display-interaction choices.
• Look at Nikon's top camera, the Z9, evolved for 70+ years to what is arguably the best camera UI ever. Far more buttons than on Nikon's low end. Ideal camera UI is not "about functional minimalism."
• Saying "...clearly not optimally implemented" suggests that we should expect v1 or v2 or whatever to be "optimally implemented,' which is not logical IMO. E.g. Nikon spent 70+ years getting to the Z9 UI, and it is still evolving. The iPhone's camera button has only been in users' hands for a few weeks now.
• Some folks may choose to continue shooting with the awful technique that existing display-only photography engenders, then whine here when their captures are "overprocessed." However I recommend that photogs embrace the new camera button and use it as a component of improving their capture technique.
• Folks desiring "functional minimalism" can easily ignore the [very unobtrusive] new camera button and stick with the older [IMO terrible] UI.
Just my $0.02. YMMV.
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You have a good point here, TouchBar wasn’t really well implemented considering workflows and user cases. But again, you had a choice to use it or not, using the old ways, though a bit annoying missing the keys it replaced. Doesn’t mean new controls are a failure. I’m a semi pro photographer and the CC is definitely interesting in the way you interact with the iPhone and introducing an optional way of control and workflow.
Many new modern cameras have touch screens with optional controls to take a shot by touching the screen. It’s good with options for different situations. Just like the CC.
Actually DSLRs [more accurately ILCs] are a good comparison. If "use the thumb to press the shutter" was ideal UI, over the many decades Nikon, Canon and Sony would have evolved ILCs to use the thumb to press the shutter. Instead all those camera makers over all those hundreds of millions of captures evolved a UI similar to holding an iPhone with both hands and pressing the [new camera button] shutter release with one's index finger. Imagine that.
And like Carlsberg said, one can use the display UI when appropriate, which it sometimes is with ILCs or with iPhones.
I suggest that folks like the OP look at the new camera button as a tool, an opportunity to improve their image capture technique rather than simply dissing it for the sake of dissing it.
TouchBar was a failure. Apple promply removed it from all laptops after a few years. They even tried first with adding back a hardware ESC key, but eventually scrapped the whole thing.
I believe iPhone needs less hardware keys, not more. Existing ones could be reevaluated. Volume buttons for example, still there from Nokia times... are they still that important?
I still don't understand the comparison with DSLRs. It's a heavy device with heavy lenses, which when taking photos is usually positioned next to your face (when looking through the viewfinder). For this scenario index finger makes perfect sense. Also shutters on DSLRs require very little force to trigger after half press was made to focus. Very much like weapon triggers.
Phone, when framing photos, is situated in front of you, 30-40cm from your face and the grip is different. This is why pressing on a (stiff) new Camera button feels so weird and unnatural compared to DSLRs.
I believe iPhone needs less hardware keys, not more. Existing ones could be reevaluated. Volume buttons for example, still there from Nokia times... are they still that important?
I still don't understand the comparison with DSLRs. It's a heavy device with heavy lenses, which when taking photos is usually positioned next to your face (when looking through the viewfinder). For this scenario index finger makes perfect sense. Also shutters on DSLRs require very little force to trigger after half press was made to focus. Very much like weapon triggers.
Phone, when framing photos, is situated in front of you, 30-40cm from your face and the grip is different. This is why pressing on a (stiff) new Camera button feels so weird and unnatural compared to DSLRs.
My point was not to compare. It was to highlight that your experience with Apple products seems to be the simplicity of them, the minimalism as you stated, when they (in their OS’s) give many options to reach same goal. And with CC there is more, with focus on camera options.
Hence, the option to disable CC should suit you, just like all the optional shortcuts, option-key presses and so on is optional.
CC is a hardware key, you can disable its features, but it's still there, taking space (shortening possible battery life), complicating cases, etc.
What I can tell you for certain is, if 50% of Macrumors users won't use the key, then 95% of average users won't touch it.
It's an advanced feature and pretty badly implemented. I do not see it being used often. I wonder if Apple can get reports from all 16 series phones, what percentage of camere activation was made by CC and what percentage of photos was taken with it. Should be an interesting statistic.
But now you are just speculating… Come on, battery is better on the newer phones and you are just guessing numbers. But agree with the cases, especially for those that don’t want the button but still a case of course.
Apple probably collects usage information, but would not publish that statistics.
That’s a thought, who knows, maybe there’s going to be cases which completely covers the CC as if it’s not even there. As an option for those who wants, would you @537635 get one?
Really interesting idea if the CC usage statics is collected and could be shared publicly 👍 but it probably won’t.
We disagree. I am a photographer, and good solid platform is essential to good captures. Whether the viewed display is a DSLR up against one's eye or a lighter smartphone held 30-40 cm away, a good solid platform is essential. Holding the iPhone two-handed like the [admittedly v 1.0.0] iPhone 16 facilitates can long-term make for better captures. Personally I would like to be able to use the button for back button focus in combination with display touch. Maybe I can, but I just have not learned how yet.
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The new button is extremely unobtrusive, difficult to hit by mistake. I would prefer it to be more obtrusive, but that is just me who uses it a lot.
We mostly agree. Solid platform is essential and this necessitates to hold the phone with two hands. I hold the phone in a similar manner as I would a DSLR, there is a large empty space just above the shutter button on screen, which does nothing and your thumb can grip the phone there and jump down to trigger. CC is too much to the left and you have to reposition the phone to get your index finger there. At least I do.
We'll see. I call TouchBar scenario
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Yes agree, it’s a bit difficult to feel the CC button but getting a hang of it now, with ”muscle memory” kicking in too. Mine is very slightly raised over the titanium frame, so that helps, but heard it can vary between phones. Using the Apple silicone case it’s easier I think.
Coming from somebody who's spent a lot of time taking photos with both actual cameras and iPhones, I think using the CC button is a lot more intuitive and ergonomic than touching the screen.
But then again, I shoot the vast majority of my photos and videos in landscape mode, not TikTok mode, so the location of the CC button is more convenient.
But then again, I shoot the vast majority of my photos and videos in landscape mode, not TikTok mode, so the location of the CC button is more convenient.