How to turn OFF 'Smart HDR' on iPhone 13 pro max camera?!

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.

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 😡

I HATE all the pictures that I took with my iPhone 13 pro max now. Colors are unrealistic and everything seems sharpened/darken. Horrible!!!!! Even my XS Max takes better pictures now. Please fix this!!!

they will do this only if this topic get a lot of replies. Its kinda shame that we can’t turn off this "feature" off. They probably think that they optimise it perfectly :) who said this to quality manager should quit his job. Thread on reddit also full of negative comments. Camera app is broken on iPhone 13 since the launch and its a shame that they can fix it easily but they want!

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.

My iPhone 12 forces HDR on all photos as well, the only way I can see the genuine representation is in the live preview, which in most cases I much prefer and is obviously more faithful and accurate!! Why on Earth would there not be the option to turn this off and capture the most faithful representation of an image?!!

Because this forum is specifically designed to allow Apple users to solve other Apple users’ technical issues.

It’s not designed to collect reports of issues or feedback.

Thats what the feedback forms are for.

Yes.

By definition RAW photos are direct output from the camera's sensor; Apple's ProRAW is that with some light processing.

In either case, it is assumed you will use a program like Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Apple Photos or Apple Preview to tweak the parameters of the photo as it won't look good without some processing.

Grading is usually defined to be editing all your photos to use the same color space and similar color parameters.

You mean file a report that you'll never get help with and won't be acknowledged? I called. Spent 2 hours. Gave them my logs. The rep was super nice but had no knowledge this was a thing. Callback scheduled tomorrow. 99% sure this phone is going back.

Couple of possibilities.

A. Some people got good batches of this phone.

B. Some people don't notice the HDR overcompensation, over sharpening, lens flares or don't care.

C. Some people tend to shoot outside in the daytime where the issues are minimized. They show up mostly inside in lower light or with any mixed lighting situation. Or at night when shooting towards lights.

As far as C goes, should we have to cover all our windows with blackout material? Or should we have to change all our bulbs to be vaiable CRI balanced color temp to match the current window light or computer / light in a room? That's just ridiculous.

I can literally take my phone with the live screen preview and tilt it up and down and if it catches ANY window light the whites in the room visibly shift to a pale yellow. If I move slightly and elminate more of the window light all the whites look white. So yeah, I can adjust the angle of my shot, sometimes. But what about video? Does anyone want their whites ping ponging back and forth between yellow and white? Does anyone want their skin tones jumping back and forth one shot to another looking fine and then like a tangerine?

Again, If you got a good iPhone 13, awesome for you! Envious.

They shouldn't call it RAW. In my case I have yet to see one single photo where the color or lighting compensation looks any different between regular and RAW. The only thing Apple RAW does is preseve more data so you have more to work with in adjustments in post. This is NOT true RAW. For my particular device is makes ZERO sense to shoot RAW. It looks the same and the results are equally horrible.

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.

I don’t see any of that.

No yellows or colors that are off in video.

Do you need to cover all windows in your case? Yes!!

Any cinematographer knows that having a mix of color temperature lighting is going to be a mess as far as white balance is concerned, and auto white balance does what it can.

If you insist on mixing natural and artificial light, you either need to have daylight artificial sources or color grade in post, which every professional does anyway.

The phone does what it can when presented with two wildly different “whites.”

That's nonsense.

In fact many photography magazines and blogs have declared the iPhone 13 Pro's the best cameras on any smartphone.

You don't like the way the photos look, and that's fine, but millions disagree, including professional photographers and editors.

*including PAID photographers and editors*

The cameras are great, sensor is great, I agree there. It’s the HDR, simply needs a toggle for still images.

Maybe it’s just the detail it brings out in my face and I hate my face. Oh no. I’m sad now. Where is my popper? Can you find my popper please my hands need kept busy.