Smartphone photography has come a long way since the first iPhone’s single two-megapixel camera in 2007. With phones now boasting multiple cameras with 48, 50 or even 200-megapixel resolutions, the camera software has also gotten more complex, with more fine-tuned controls and features. Some are even boosted by artificial intelligence.
If you’re still finding your way around the latest app update or just got a new phone, here’s how to find the tools that let you create your best photos and videos.
Apple iOS Camera
Apple redesigned the Camera app with its latest operating system iOS 26 so your first step might be finding where everything went. In the bottom centre of the screen, there are now two buttons: Video and Photo.
Tap Photo to adjust the exposure, aspect ratio, flash and other settings for pictures. Tap Video to see the settings for frame rate, resolution and other controls. (You can also get to these controls from the small row of icons in the top right-corner of the screen.)
In the Photo menu, you can choose a photographic “style” filter to apply to the photo you’re about to take, like vibrant colours or black-and-white. The camera’s timer settings are here as well, so you can set a shutter delay and get yourself in the holiday family picture.
Wondering where the options for panoramic photos, portraits, time-lapse videos and other shooting modes moved to? Drag your finger on either Video or Photo to see the mode menu.
You can still switch lenses by tapping the numbers at the bottom of the window that correspond to the wide-angle, main and telephoto lenses. The flower icon continues to indicate macro mode for extreme close-ups.
On the iPhone 16 and later, you can zoom in using the Camera Control button, found on the lower-right side of the phone. Press and slide your finger through the lens options, or double-press the Camera Control button to quickly get to the Styles, Exposure and other settings.
You can customise the Camera Control button by going to the Settings and selecting Camera. You can then choose a preferred resolution for your photos and videos and a default lens to use when you open the app, and even opt for a lens-cleaning warning when the software senses a smudge.
And if you have a pair of late-model Apple AirPods earbuds connected to your iPhone, go to the main Settings screen and tap AirPods to get to the camera-related controls. With these, you can pinch the earbud’s stem to take a photograph, start a video or use the AirPods as a recording microphone.
Google Pixel Camera
Google’s Pixel Camera app has also been updated this year, although some features work only on the newest Pixel phones, like the Camera Coach tool that use the company’s Gemini AI software to make compositional suggestions. (Don’t have a Pixel? Many Android phone makers have their own software and guides, such as Samsung’s camera app for its Galaxy devices and Motorola’s Moto Camera 3 app.)
The Pixel Camera app displays most of its controls when you tap the camera or video camera icon at the bottom. The icon in the lower-right corner of the screen holds manual controls for settings, including exposure, focus and shutter speed.
Tap the Settings icon in the lower left corner of the Camera screen to get to the General and Pro controls. The Pro tab has options for image resolution, file type and lens selection. Tap the three-dot icon for additional settings, including those for night-sky photography, colour enhancement and the dirty-lens warning.
The timer is included in the General settings, but an alternative for group portraits is the “Add Me” feature. It lets you take two versions of a group photo, including one with you in the picture, and then merges both images into one shot.
If you are confused about what a mode or feature does, select it and tap the question-mark icon in the upper-right corner for more information.
Google and Apple both have online guides to their camera apps, and the Internet is never short of advice for digital photographers who want to learn more.
Experimenting with the camera settings takes time, but it ultimately gives you more understanding and power over the way your pictures look — and can save you editing time later.
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