Macro mode on an older iPhone? No problem. You don't need an iPhone 13 Pro anymore

MIRON NURSKI • 3 months ago • 4 comments

Where Apple cannot, developers will send.

The iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max got a macro mode this year, reserved only for these specific models. Reason? Macro photography requires a lens with a close focusing distance, and only those iPhones got new ultra-wide-angle lenses that catch the focus from 2 cm.

However, as it usually happens, hardware limitations can be circumvented by software.

Halide 2.5 introduces macro mode to older iPhones

The creators of the popular photo application Halide boast about adding a new macro mode that can be activated even on 4-year-old iPhones. How it's working?

The main camera of most iPhones can sharpen objects that are no closer than 15 cm in front of the lens. Of course, this is not enough to take a clear picture of an insect, coin or coffee bean.

You can try to save yourself with digital zoom, but as the iPhone cameras have a resolution of only 12 Mpix, it does not give you a great field to show off. For example, this is how a photo of the Apple Watch's crown looks like taken with the main camera with zoom:

And these are the results of the macro mode in the iPhone 13 Pro:

There is a difference, right?

To achieve similar effects on older iPhones, the creators of Halide used the technology of resolution boosting using neural networks. Demonstration photos look really good.

As it is the artificial intelligence of Halide, he adds details to the photos that the matrix has not captured, the application allows you to save the original photos in the gallery.

How to take macro photos in Halide on older iPhones?

After launching the application, simply click the AF button and use the & hairsp; - & hairsp; slider to set the minimum focus distance.

Artificial neural networks are used to boost the resolution, so the macro mode in Halide works only on iPhones with the Neural Engine chip. Apple has been using it for years, however, so all models from 8 and up get caught.

The Halide application can be found in the App Store. Price? PLN 13.99 a month, PLN 57.99 a year or PLN 239.99 once.

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