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Photo: Apple
Portrait Mode on the iPhone XR may not be as fully-baked as the version found on Apple’s other iPhones.
The iPhone XR looks like it has almost all of the same features as its higher-priced siblings. Even though it only has one camera lens in the back, it can still take Portrait Mode photos. However, attendees at Apple’s keynote yesterday found out the iPhone XR version only works on people.
Apple’s camera on the iPhone XR boasts all the new features you could want. Portrait Mode, Smart HDR, Portrait Lighting and Depth Control are all there. But if you’re trying to use Portrait Mode on say your dog or cat, the results will be totally underwhelming.
Gimped Portrait Mode
Techpinions founder Ben Bajarin found out yesterday during his hands-on with the iPhone XR that regular objects are immune to Portrait Mode’s powers. That may not seem like a big deal because most people use Portrait Mode to take photos of people. But you can use Portrait Mode on the iPhone X and iPhone XS to get some great bokeh in photos of everyday objects.
Also, as Bajarin notes, Apple’s biggest competition in the camera space, the Google Pixel 2, can pull off portrait style shots of normal objects with just one lens. Google’s camera gets a big boost from its AI algorithms that seem to be a bit more advanced than Apple’s. Hopefully, Apple will be able to catch up to Google’s tech in the near future.
Despite its humans-only weakness, the iPhone XR Portrait Mode does have one trick the iPhone XS can’t match: you can use it with the wide angle lens. Portrait Mode on previous iPhones only use the telephoto lens, which is kind of a pain if you’re trying to get up close. Apple hasn’t said whether wide-angle lens Portrait Mode will be coming to its dual-lens cameras, but we’re not holding onto hope for it.
Unlike the iPhone XS and XS Max, the new iPhone XR features a single rear camera. Despite this hardware difference, the LCD model supports depth capture in the form of Portrait mode, but there's a notable difference: it only works on human subjects. Camera app Halide's developers, however, have brought that same functionality to pets and objects, they've revealed.
A tease of the newly discovered feature was published on Reddit over the weekend, where a Halide developer explained that they'd discovered depth data that allowed them to use Portrait mode on an image of a cat. The same was true for an object of a can on a desk, indicating the third-party camera app can give iPhone XR users functionality not present in the stock app.
Depth on iPhone XR vs iPhone XS. The XR has 1/4 the depth data. [Ignore color differences.] pic.twitter.com/WMkDtznY5o
— Ben Sandofsky [@sandofsky] October 27, 2018
There are some "catches" involved, Halide has explained both on Reddit and in a newly published blog post. The expanded Portrait mode is described as "temperamental" at times, requiring a certain amount of depth data variance to work. As well, the iPhone XR's depth data has a lower resolution than the iPhone XS models.
Halide's team is bringing the ability to the iPhone XR in Halide v1.11. It's not perfect, the company explained in a blog post, due the lower quality data provided in the absence of dual-camera hardware. Despite that, images of non-humans taken with the feature show a nicely blurred background alongside a sharp foreground.
iPhone XR users aren't able to preview the blur effect, however, nor can they automatically detect people with this new tool. "Unfortunately, the iPhone XR does not stream depth data in realtime, so we can't do a portrait preview," the company explained. The updated Halide app has already been submitted to the App Store and should be live soon.
SOURCE:
Halide
iPhone XR vs XS vs XS Max: Which iPhone to buy for photo and video?
- August 10, 2021
When it comes to upgrading your iPhone, you have plenty of options. And while the current lineup of iPhones is widely available, a lot of the older models still hold up. But what about the camera? Do the cameras on older iPhones still pass muster? Yes! While Apple has always pushed the iPhone camera with each new model and the current ones are top-of-the-line, iPhone XR and iPhone XS still have decent cameras. In this article, you’ll read specifically about
iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. We’ll compare these iPhone models and show you just how well each stacks up. A comparison between any of these models and the current lineup will reveal many similarities
in camera capabilities. All three of these iPhones have familiar features like Portrait mode, Portrait Lighting, True Tone flash, and Smart HDR [introduced in this line of iPhones]. And although iPhone XR only has a wide lens, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have dual-rear cameras with wide and telephoto lenses. Here’s a quick overlook of the camera specs in each model: iPhone XR iPhone XS/iPhone XS Max Despite not having a dual camera, iPhone XR is capable of Portrait mode, but it’s somewhat different. Because it only has a single rear camera, iPhone XR relies on software and facial detection to achieve the effect, meaning the
effect only works when taking a photo of someone’s face. This may not sound like a huge deal; after all, the feature is called Portrait mode. But on iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, you can use Portrait mode on photos of objects like a coffee mug, flowers, or, most notably, your pets. Of course, when choosing your next iPhone, you should consider a couple of other factors that could impact your mobile photography: physical size and storage. The latter is a bit more obvious because you want to make sure you have enough space to store your pictures and videos. But when it comes to physical size, you’re going to want a phone you can comfortably travel with. When making an iPhone size comparison,
the most notable difference is screen size. Here is a breakdown of each model’s physical and screen dimensions:iPhone XR vs iPhone XS vs XS Max: The camera comparison
Does iPhone XR have dual camera and Portrait mode?
The size and storage differences between iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS
Max
The iPhone size comparison
iPhone XR
- Height: 5.94 in.
- Width: 2.98 in.
- Depth: 0.33 in.
- Weight: 6.84 oz.
- Screen size: 6.1 in.
iPhone XS
- Height: 5.65 in.
- Width: 2.79 in.
- Depth: 0.30 in.
- Weight: 6.24 oz.
- Screen size: 5.8 in.
iPhone XS Max
- Height: 6.20 in.
- Width: 3.05 in.
- Depth: 0.30 in.
- Weight: 7.34 oz.
- Screen size: 6.5 in.
Comparison of 2018 iPhone models by storage options
Storage space is always an important consideration when you buy a new iPhone, especially if you plan on using it to capture pictures and videos. The iPhone XR has smaller options [at 64 GB and 128 GB], while iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have 64 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB options.
iPhone XS vs XR vs XS Max: Which is the best choice?
Between these three models, we believe it’s a tie between iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Both have identical camera specs. That being said, iPhone XS Max has a bit of an advantage because it features a larger screen, which is nice to have when you’re taking pictures. But if it makes the phone too big and unwieldy in your hands, then the trade-off for a bigger display isn’t worth it.
There’s a lot to love about the 2018 iPhone lineup and their cameras. Of course, if you conduct a thorough comparison of newer iPhones, you’ll see some all-new features and improved specs. Still, that doesn’t mean iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max can’t hold their own. And if you’re curious how iPhone XS compares to iPhone X, we’ve covered that as well.
- iPhone Comparison