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iPhone Camera Aspect Ratio Option!

I don't know if anyone else is as mystified as me about this but here is my gripe with the interface and capture process of the iPhone's camera. Let me say this up front; I'm fairly happy with the image quality of the camera. My beef isn't with the image quality(although I dearly wish HDR would be much better but I digres....)


here's the issue. I just recently returned from a cruise in the Mediterranean with my family and i took probably close to 600 photos using the iphone 6s plus. Upon returning home and wanting to print 4x6 (2:3) prints of my faves for our album only to realize that some major cropping will have to be done to 100% of my images. WHY? Because the native aspect ratio of the iphone camera is 4:3!! Seriously?!?!? NOTHING in this world is no longer 4:3 aspect ratio. Old "square" tube televisions use to be 4:3 but who uses one of those to view their iphone images? Even the iphone screen when turned horizontal to "landscape" mode is not 4:3 so why does Apple even have this as a default setting for taking photos on what they tout as a "high-end" camera?


When I compose a shot I typically use the display/viewfinder edges as my guide for what to include or exclude from the frame. I dont have time to think "wait a second, remember if you want to print this shot on a 4x6 print you have to account for the crop that will need to be done so give yourself more room etc".


How about Apple give us the ability to choose what aspect ratio we'd like to take the photo in. Similar to the useless "square" setting (hello?....Instagram no longer requires square-only photos), give us an option for 4x6 INSTEAD of 3:2 which can confuse people and besides, when you go to your local film developing place the prints are called and have been called 4x6 loooooong before Apple started making iPhones. So a 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 16:9(native aspect ratio of iphones and 98% of people's TV's or computer displays) and if you must 1:1(square) option. All before taking the photo and whichever choice you make that choice is the default the next time you start the camera app.


DIsclaimer: I recently purchased a camera app that offers choices for aspect ratio BEFORE taking a photo.


RANT OVER!

iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 10

Posted on Sep 15, 2016 11:22 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Sep 15, 2016 11:44 AM

This isn't really a question is it? Apple doesn't yet provide aspect ratio's. I agree, 4:3 is horrible for photos. They should at least offer a decent 3:2 ratio. But, this isn't the please to give feedback. This is iPhone feedback.

13 replies

Mar 24, 2017 1:33 AM in response to bajancanuck

I know this thread is older but I wanted to mention that 4:3 is actually a VERY common and useful aspect ratio for photography. If you have any 5X7's, 8X10's or 11X14's around they are closest derived from the 4:3 ration with a slight crop to allow for cutting. 4/3 format has been around several decades and Micro 4/3 is the MOST popular version of the mirrorless options out there for quality bodies and lenses for serious photo enthusiasts and professionals alike. Panasonic and Olympus are the largest driving companies in this arena with several others following suit. The Olympus OM-D EM-1 (and 2) cameras as well as the Panasonic DMC-GH4 are leaders in the pack having won multiple image awards. I have traveled the world with both doing professional work. I agree that Apple should offer options for camera ratios but know there is nothing wrong with 4:3. It just doesn't play nice with 4X6 prints.

Mar 24, 2017 1:47 AM in response to bajancanuck

LIke I said, I agree Apple should give us options - lots of them just like the camera manufacturers have done. It's simple software to do so. My point was to the original poster who said, "NOTHING in this world is any longer 4:3 aspect ratio." That is simply not correct. He/she is mistaking television and video aspect ratios with long established photography formats. There is a difference that shouldn't be confused just because his/her pics weren't playing nice with a 4X6 print.

Sep 15, 2017 12:28 PM in response to bajancanuck

I have this same issue. My favorite way to view my photos is full screen mode on my large, living room HD TV (have a laptop hooked up to one of the HDMI ports). I like it best when the photos are optimized for full screen mode and take up the entire screen. Until recently, I was using a Galaxy Android and all photos were automatically maximized. I believe that the Galaxy, by default, uses the 16:9 ratio. Well I recently switched to an iPhone 7 (my employer "made me" do it). I was really disappointed by the default photo ratio of the iPhone and that there does not seem to be a way to change the aspect ratio. Thank goodness I ran into this thread and saw there is a free app (Camera +) that allows you to easily take all of your standard photos using the 16:9 ratio. Note that I found an article (https://www.online-tech-tips.com/smartphones/view-photos-widescreen-169-iphone/) that explains how to use this function in Camera +. Now I am happy again. My iPhone photos are now optimized for my TV viewing experience. :-) . (Interesting side note, I note that when I take a photo using Whatsapp on my iPhone, it also seems to use the 16:9 ratio by default).

Nov 23, 2017 8:07 AM in response to bajancanuck

I don’t usually add to any debate as I am so slow to type and not too good on pc so please forgive any mistakes.

I am driven to join this one because of my disappointment at the photo ratio on my new IPhone X

I changed my phone from Samsung galaxy because of the fantastic camera‘s on the latest iPhone, I don’t know why but it never occurred to me that the only choice of ratio would be 4:3 or square. I am a Nikon dslr user so am used to 3:2 ratio although have printed off from the galaxy‘s 16:9 ratio by cropping to 3:2

Either way pixels are lost because of the crop. I immediately downloaded Camera+ and can now shoot with the 16:9 widescreen so at least when cropping to 3:2 I don’t lose the tops of heads or feet. The thing is though that this is now a ‘double’ crop. The widescreen format has already cropped in camera and then again for the purposes of printing 4x6 inch prints or a canvas of say 20x 30 inches so even more pixels are lost.

As I say I thought I had read every single last review of the IPhone X but dont think I ever read anything about the aspect ratio of the onboard camera’s.

I have other camera’s with 4:3 ratio so am used used to it but prefer 3:2 which lends itself better to composing a good photograph as opposed to a snap

I think many people would have loved the iPhone to have had 3:2 ratio and daresay someone better at doing the math than me will say the double crop using the Camera+ app ratio of 16:9 down to 3:2 will work out the same as a single crop from 4:3

I think the hype about the IPhone using the full screen with no bezel fooled me into thinking it would take widescreen pics.

As it is I find viewing the photos taken without using the camera app I downloaded look stunted and boxy.

It is indeed a phone and not a camera but the camera’s capabilities were a big selling point of this phone and I think the phone is fantastic APART from the Camera ratio

Best wishes to all

Sep 15, 2016 11:54 AM in response to bajancanuck

I think the photo size and aspect in the Camera app is the full sensor. I agree, a 16x9 (for slideshows on HDTVs) and 4x6 (for printing and framing) setting would be a nice choice to have in the Camera app. Meanwhile your options are:

1) edit in Photos after taking, or

2) use another camera app. I use the free Camera+ app which has the option to shoot in 16x9. I've come to like the exposure and focus controls better than Apples Camera app as well.


LOL, just noticed your disclaimer, so maybe I haven't added much to your original post...😁

iPhone Camera Aspect Ratio Option!

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