iPhone 16 Pro Max Camera control is so bad wow I’ll explain

[applevisionpro]

Based on my day 1 usage of the phone, it's an absolutely disaster of a feature.

If you press the camera capture, it will launch the camera app but ONLY if your phone is already woken up from AOD. Otherwise the button does nothing.

Whereas the action button (which I've used for a year now), doesn't care. You literally hold it while in the pocket or on the way out of your pocket and the camera launches.

There is actually 0 reason to use camera capture over action button. New phone is now the same as old phone.

 

[Cyberguycpt]

Based on my day 1 usage of the phone, it's an absolutely disaster of a feature.

If you press the camera capture, it will launch the camera app but ONLY if your phone is already woken up from AOD. Otherwise the button does nothing.

Whereas the action button (which I've used for a year now), doesn't care. You literally hold it while in the pocket or on the way out of your pocket and the camera launches.

There is actually 0 reason to use camera capture over action button. New phone is now the same as old phone.

Your doing it wrong. Lol. JK Press it twice and it opens for me.

 

[applevisionpro]

Your doing it wrong. Lol. JK Press it twice and it opens for me.

It's not a good idea. You do that all the time, and sometimes it's already woken up and the second press will take a photo. I finished the day with 8 random junk photo in my camera roll.

 

[mikkker007]

Based on my day 1 usage of the phone, it's an absolutely disaster of a feature.

If you press the camera capture, it will launch the camera app but ONLY if your phone is already woken up from AOD. Otherwise the button does nothing.

Whereas the action button (which I've used for a year now), doesn't care. You literally hold it while in the pocket or on the way out of your pocket and the camera launches.

There is actually 0 reason to use camera capture over action button. New phone is now the same as old phone.

there is a lot of functionality located the camera settings for better customization

 

[applevisionpro]

there is a lot of functionality located the camera settings for better customization

come again?

 

[Kylo83]

I was looking forward to this new button as I’m a pro photographer and it’s nice to have a dedicated camera button for the shutter but it’s unusable and let me explain, I have spend all day testing the 16 pro max and the issue with this camera button is it causes camera shake, I took 2 photos the exact same one using the touch screen and another using the button and the normal way using the screen was pin sharp focused and every shot I used the button it was out of focus with a slight blur that’s because the button causes you to shake the phone. This was all in landscape mode. Also the double press kept popping up and every setting change is slower than just using the normal touch screen. What was Apple thinking, the only positive is using it as an open camera button that’s it

 

[blairh]

The location stinks on the 16 PM in both orientations. Total fail (for me).

 

[StevenHee]

Any tips for using the 16 capture button? I feel like sometimes not sensitive..

 

[ozapple]

The location stinks on the 16 PM in both orientations. Total fail (for me).

Completely agree.

It’s like they tried to strike a balance between portrait and landscape use, but instead just ended up with a button that is not well placed for either.

 

[aj8690]

Agree, I probably won't use it much simply because it's hard to reach the way they placed it. Fail.

 

[LenardG]

I also ran into the shake issue. I have not used the phone so much to be able to say if it will be a problem long term or if it just requires getting used to.

But for now I do find that adjusting things directly on the touchscreen seems almost faster. I did experiment with the Camera Control and for some things it might be fine.

Because there will be further software updates coming to it, I will hold my final judgement. For now, it seems like a so-so update, not something that changes the whole experience.

 

[Magnusson]

The camera button is a great idea - should have been there already - which would mean that its placement and function would be much refined then it is now. I think the next model will be a great improvement of it since now - in a way - the phone will get used by the masses as opposed to their limited internal testing : and Apple will recieve a lot of feedback on it.

 

[Kylo83]

The camera button is a great idea - should have been there already - which would mean that its placement and function would be much refined then it is now. I think the next model will be a great improvement of it since now - in a way - the phone will get used by the masses as opposed to their limited internal testing : and Apple will recieve a lot of feedback on it.

This should never have shipped it’s slower and causes issues, it’s a step back, we need less buttons and why have something that makes taking photos worse, it shouldn’t be so hard to click it and cause the whole phone to shake

 

[contacos]

I keep pressing it by mistake when I am trying to take a selfie the "old way" with my resting hand and based on the position, it seems like they just want you to drop it to make an AppleCare+ claim. Oh and I also noticed the blurry photos because I obviously need to push the button to take a photo and this makes the phone shake ever so slightly

 

[Kylo83]

Using the volume button to take a photo feels much more natural and that’s been like that for years and years, what were they thinking having a whole button that makes taking photos worse, there’s nothing new on this phone that makes me happy I got it; luckily I had a free upgrade so didn’t loose any money

 

[JaraCz]

This camera control button was originally designed for Apple Intelligence usage but because it was not ready, they change the usage for camera control at the last moment so this is the reason why it is gimmick.

 

[Basic75]

Can you still use the volume button to take a photo like before?

I had a free upgrade so didn’t loose any money

You can't really believe that you didn't somehow pay for your new phone?

 

[Kylo83]

Can you still use the volume button to take a photo like before?

You can't really believe that you didn't somehow pay for your new phone?

The way it works in the uk with the upgrade is now I’m paying the same £68 a month for phone and plan for another year, if I left the 15 pro max I would be paying the same monthly fee so it’s the same. So now I’m still paying the same monthly fee for the new phone so not paying anymore, I do like the new one every year so for me it’s the better option

 

[Jackbequickly]

The more I use it on my 16PM, the more I am liking it.

Don't like it, don't use it!

 

[Kylo83]

The more I use it on my 16PM, the more I am liking it.

Don't like it, don't use it!

That’s not the answer tho is it; a trillion dollar company makes a button that’s slower than what we had before

 

[Jackbequickly]

Good humans learn to adapt!

 

[Guacamole]

can this camera button be turned off from settings? To me it looks that accidentally you can press this button or miss the shot because of this sensitive button can trigger the video when you want the camera and viceversa

 

[haruhiko]

This camera control button was originally designed for Apple Intelligence usage but because it was not ready, they change the usage for camera control at the last moment so this is the reason why it is gimmick.

You’re exactly right I think. Also it is probably like this to avoid issue with the EU.

 

[L92]

I'm a photographer/videographer, and I think it's bad. That being said, I don't think it can be implemented any better.
The position is not good for portrait orientation or horizontal. They wanted to make it so you could kinda use is for both, but it's just bad for both. For portrait it would need to be way higher up, for horizontal it would need to be more to the bottom.
Other issues: It's too hard to press, you're gonna get camera movement in lower light, or your framing will shift slightly. I'm talking about the actual physical press, I don't think they can improve that via software.
It's also too complicated. Settings like styles, portrait depth can be altered after you take the photo. It doesn't make sense to adjust these on the fly. The only useful thing for swiping is zoom (or camera switch) and exposure. Those you can not change after you take the shot.
The promised half pressed focus update also feels useless. I have many issues with phone cameras, acquiring focus is not one of them. Autofocus on iPhones works great as it is.
Apple is trying to solve a non existing problem.
I think this is force touch 2.0, it will be gone in 2-3 years. It's a waste of space and resources.
This take is based on my 16Pro.

 

[Kylo83]

I'm a photographer/videographer, and I think it's bad. That being said, I don't think it can be implemented any better.
The position is not good for portrait orientation or horizontal. They wanted to make it so you could kinda use is for both, but it's just bad for both. For portrait it would need to be way higher up, for horizontal it would need to be more to the bottom.
Other issues: It's too hard to press, you're gonna get camera movement in lower light, or your framing will shift slightly. I'm talking about the actual physical press, I don't think they can improve that via software.
It's also too complicated. Settings like styles, portrait depth can be altered after you take the photo. It doesn't make sense to adjust these on the fly. The only useful thing for swiping is zoom (or camera switch) and exposure. Those you can not change after you take the shot.
The promised half pressed focus update also feels useless. I have many issues with phone cameras, acquiring focus is not one of them. Autofocus on iPhones works great as it is.
Apple is trying to solve a non existing problem.
I think this is force touch 2.0, it will be gone in 2-3 years. It's a waste of space and resources.
This take is based on my 16Pro.

Well said exactly how I feel, it makes everything we normally do worse and slower. It’s way to hard of a press a causes camera shake, it should have been a soft haptic shutter button