Inner visions

One of the benefits of updating my phone last year was getting an extra camera — well, two actually, but I never use the wide-angle camera; too much distortion for my liking. The so-called ‘telephoto’ though, with its 52mm equivalent view has been a lovely and often-used addition to the standard 26mm equivalent lens on the iPhone 12 Pro, which can often be a little wider than I prefer. This year’s new iPhone Pro models naturally have some camera and lens improvements; they now also have added macro photography capability. It could be tempting to update my phone for this feature, but the 52mm lens has been replaced on both Pro models with a longer, less versatile 77mm equivalent lens. Fortunately I can have my cake and eat it, as they say. Thanks to some clever engineering from the team at Lux, a recent Halide camera app update has given my iPhone — and other recent models — a similar macro capability, and I now have three very capable cameras in my pocket. And mixing it up is always good for one’s creativity.

Photos captured with Halide camera using macro mode on an iPhone 12 Pro.

ProRAW & the mechanics of digital photography

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Last month Ben Sandofsky, a developer at LUX Optics, published an informative article on the new camera software enhancements that were recently released for the iPhones 12 Pro and Pro Max.

 

As we dug deeper into ProRAW, we realized it wasn’t just about making RAW more powerful. It’s about making RAW approachable. ProRAW could very well change how everyone shoots and edits photos, beginners and experts alike.

 

Sandofsky’s article is a great primer — technical yet accessible — on digital photography in general and RAW photography in particular. Not surprising, considering Lux Optics is the company behind one of the finest iPhone photography apps on the market: Halide, a manual camera that has seamlessly incorporated ProRAW technology.

As the author says early in his piece: Grab a coffee, because this is a long read.

Photos captured with Halide camera and ProRAW+ using the 52mm equivalent lens on an iPhone 12 Pro.

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