I just bought the new iPhone 13 pro max. I cannot figure out how to turn off the auto smart HDR on my camera. All of the photos I take look overly sharpened and unrealistic. There is no toggle in camera settings to turn off 'Smart HDR' like there used to be. PLEASE HELP!
iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 15
ProRAW has some processing done, but less than images from the Camera app.
Third party apps have access to RAW sensor data, but you must save the files as RAW DNG files and post-process them using additional software such as Lightroom on a Mac as you would need to with any camera's RAW files.
The "sharpness" missing from the RAW files are because it's a single photo, and ProRAW (and Camera) photos are actually computationally combined images of multiple photos taken at multiple exposures - the processing you dislike.
RAW photos are just a single shot so are much more sensitive to exposure and lighting.
ProRAW has some processing done, but less than images from the Camera app.
Third party apps have access to RAW sensor data, but you must save the files as RAW DNG files and post-process them using additional software such as Lightroom on a Mac as you would need to with any camera's RAW files.
The "sharpness" missing from the RAW files are because it's a single photo, and ProRAW (and Camera) photos are actually computationally combined images of multiple photos taken at multiple exposures - the processing you dislike.
RAW photos are just a single shot so are much more sensitive to exposure and lighting.
Apple never said it was; emboldening mine:
Apple ProRAW combines the information of a standard RAW format along with iPhone image processing
About Apple ProRAW - Apple Support
You can create true RAW format photos by using a third-party photo application such as Halide, Lightroom Mobile or Snapseed.
You can’t turn it off and Apple has no announced plans or ETA to give it to you. I spoke with them Monday.
Solution! In part at least.
Its not perfect, but at least you can do this, and you can easly turn off Raw diretlybin camera app
You can’t turn it off but you can select your picture go on edit. Then you click at the live symbol ( the circle). It will show all the pictures taken to live mode. Select the other one and then come back to the one you like. It will take off the HDR effect. Then you click on make key photo. Click on done.
No one from Apple Engineering reads comments here - we're all just other users.
You can complain to Apple here:
I want that too but there is no way to do that on iPhone 13 models!
I don't know if this helps anyone, but I was having problems editing a photo in VSCO and it looks one way, and then when I saved it to my iPhone (13 Pro) library and viewed it there, it looked completely weird and different. I couldn't figure out why it was doing that. However, I just went to Settings > Photos > *unselected* "View Full HDR" and that totally fixed that issue. So, I don't know if that's the same thing, but I wanted to throw that out there at least.
Because most users don't want that and others haven't expressed the desire for it.
Again, make your feelings known here, it's the only way Apple would be convinced to do so:
So in Quicktime or Premiere with the proper updated codecs the footage should look unusable with pale yellow everything? I should have to color correct every shot? Hmmm.
Yes. iPhone 13 removes the HDR toggle. My RAW shots look 100% the same even using Lightroom or Hallide. It's the phone.
Again, that’s your impression.
If you feel it’s wrong, you can leave a comment here:
From what Apple and other vendors are currently doing, it’s intentional; do an Internet search and you will see the same complaints about phones from Google and Samsung to name just two.
This is insane photos looks very ugly and no option to turn it off. They suppose to improve camera in iphone 13 models towards iphone 12 but they made it even worst. Can’t turn off smart HDR. Auto macro mode on release version of iOS. Apple what’s wrong with you. How can’t u see it yourself in daily usage or your software engineers are still using iPhone 12 😡
What Apple does has nothing to do with the quantity of replies received to this thread.
This is a user to user technical support forum and Apple is not here.
Griping and venting in this thread will accomplish absolutely nothing.
For anyone in this thread that actually wants a message to be read by someone at Apple, then you need to follow the feedback link below
Talked to Apple Support for a long time today about the overblown HDR look with no toggle to turn off. Also noticing DNG Raws seem to have the same autocorrections as the normal JPGS which shouldn't be the case. Also on my phone the ProRes video looks pale and yellow in Quicktime and Premiere.
I am supposed to hear back on Monday after Engineering has looked at my photos and phone data. Anything significant I will report back.
Likely returning the phone if they say it's how it is or will be addressed in a future IOS release without any ETA. $1,300 is too much for horribly over saturated or pale yellow photos. My old iPhone has better color.
People should complain more calmly when talking about things they’re not familiar with.
If your ProRes video looks “pale and yellow” it’s because you’re viewing it in a Rec709 color space while it’s being recorded in Rec2020 without conversion. As you’re talking about ungraded 10 bit footage that’s pretty reassuring that the video looks pale, it means that there’s plenty of information to play with.
About smart HDR, agreed, there should be a toggle. But If it bothers you that much, shoot Raw and grade it, the DNG is indeed RAW, it’s just post-processed on device when you’re viewing it.
How to turn OFF 'Smart HDR' on iPhone 13 pro max camera?!
