iPhone 17 Pro camera issue with manual settings in third-party apps

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iden1981 Author

Level 1

4 points

iPhone 17 Pro camera issue with manual settings in third-party apps

I bought the 17pro with high hopes of a true pocket camera, and it is almost there, BUT when I try to shoot 48mp in jpeg, heic og raw, the phone overrides my manual settings in third party apps with «full» control, and when I lower the resolution, I some times get to shoot with manual exposure and iso.

As a photographer with the need of a pocketable everyday camera, this is insanely frustrating.

I have tried so many tutorials, settings and combinations, but looking at the exif is like hoping to win the lottery.

Am I missing something or was the move from Android to iOS just hopes and dreams?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: IPhone 17pro camera frustration.

Posted on Oct 21, 2025 7:41 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Jeff Donald

Level 8

44,586 points

Oct 21, 2025 8:19 AM in response to iden1981

Third party apps can access the 48 MP processing pipeline when Apple ProRAW is used. If the user selects HEIF the images are processed through the 24 MP processing pipeline and if they choose RAW it gets processed through the 12 MP processing pipeline. This is a limitation that Apple imposes on third party apps.

Under certain conditions the app may only have access to the 12 MP processing pipeline. This includes setting manual controls, macro, night mode and several others.

I’ve found I get the best results when I use Apple ProRAW and then import them into Lightroom Mobile and using the Adobe ProRAW profile I set the processing adjustment slider to -100.

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Answer 2

Jeff Donald

Level 8

44,586 points

Oct 21, 2025 5:46 PM in response to iden1981

Yes, that’s what I explained above. When you select RAW (not ProRAW) Apple limits third party apps to the 12 MP processing pipeline. If you want 48 MP shoot in Apple ProRAW with manual ISO and manual shutter speed and manual focus Jf you want. Import into Lightroom and select Adobe Apple ProRAW and move the processing slider to -100. Another way to do it is make a Linear Profile and it will essentially give you an unprocessed 10 bit 48 MP DNG file. I’ve printed them 20x30 with ease.

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Answer 3

Jeff Donald

Level 8

44,586 points

Oct 21, 2025 9:02 AM in response to iden1981

If the third party app is being overridden, talk to the developer of the app. I use primarily the Leica app, ReeFlex app and Halide app. What app are you using?

ProRaw files can run 75 MP to 80 MP under various conditions.

Apple tends to support third party developers in various software categories. Pro’s should be used to spending a few dollars to get what they need. How much did the last body or lens cost compared to a decent third party app?

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Answer 4

Jeff Donald

Level 8

44,586 points

Oct 21, 2025 12:47 PM in response to iden1981

Yes, I have a 17 PM. Do you have HDR enabled? If so, the device is taking multiple images and merging the images.The EXIF data is from one of the merged images.

It depends what you mean by full control. It sounds like as a new iPhone still photographer your frustrated by controls that are exactly like your mirrorless or dSLR.

I shoot lots of cameras from 4x5 film to iPhones and several in between. I’ve been doing this for almost 50 years and I find using iPhones to be very satisfying.

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Answer 5

iden1981 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 21, 2025 8:55 AM in response to Jeff Donald

Well yes, but no, the phone still overrides the manual settings in various third party apps.

Seems like I cant get both, either 48mp or manual control.

And the ProRaw-files are insanely large, larger than my 60mp Sony full frame files..

I also dont get why Apple havent implemented an app or settings for the Pro user, the phone is called Pro after all..

It is kind of the reason why I bought this in the first place, as a Pro product..

Just why?

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Answer 6

iden1981 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 21, 2025 11:01 AM in response to Jeff Donald

So you use the iPhone 17 Pro yourself?

I have tried at least 6-7 apps, and they all give me the same result, including Reeflex and Halide.

The override seems to be the shutterspeed, I set it to i.e. 1/125 and the phone takes a 1/30 photo..

I’ll gladly pay for an app that gives me what I need, but so far not a single one can give me full control over my settings.

What my professional gear costs has nothing to do with what an app costs for a smartphone camera, that really should have a «pro» option anyway.

The options you have on the video-side of this phone i guess is the Pro part here, the quality people have made with this phone is insane.

Too bad I’m just a photographer.

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Answer 7

iden1981 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 21, 2025 2:08 PM in response to Jeff Donald

I have tried both with hdr and without, about the same result. But of course I want to shoot without.

By the exposure in the exif, it seems correct since you have motionblur etc.

By full control I mean setting resolution (48mp), iso, shutter and aperture without any interferance from the phone, on all three lenses.

I have been around cameras since the 90’s, so I should know something about manual control..

The point is, the phone is not letting me do exactly what I want.

I bought this because it was my impression that I could set:

Resolution - 12/24/48mp

File format - jpeg, heic, raw, proraw

File quality and prosessing

Lenses - 13/24/100

Aperture for each lens

Shutterspeed

Iso

That seems to be impossible to combine in any app I have tried without interference from the phone.

Lets use Halide as example, I tried all the combinations I could find in the trial, no luck. In all three prosessing modes.

No doubt the iPhone would be satisfying to use for photography, the results are way better than my S23 Ultra, but that gave full control over my settings without problems.

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Answer 8

iden1981 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 21, 2025 3:48 PM in response to iden1981

This message pops up in Halide when I want to switch from auto to manual in 48mp ProRaw.

Why?!

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