iPhones still do not provide granular control over how you create images or videos—as they lack a manual camera mode. Here's what you can do to address it.

iPhone 15 Pro Is The Only Major Flagship Without A Manual Photography Setting

iPhones are known for their reliable camera performance and ability to record industry-leading video. And now, on the iPhone 15 Pro, we have more Pro features, including the ability to record videos in LOG format. But despite the availability of all these features, the iPhone still doesn’t offer precise control over creating photos or videos because it lacks a manual camera mode.

Yes, iPhone Pro models, vanilla or Pro, still don’t have a manual camera mode where you can adjust things like shutter speed, white balance, ISO, and focus manually — without having to rely on automatic settings. Notably, this makes the iPhone 15 Pro now the only mainstream mass-market flagship phone to ship without a manual camera. The Pixel 8 Pro, which was released earlier this week, now has a “Pro mode” and other OEMs like Samsung, with their S-series, Foldable devices and even their budget offerings, have offered manual modes.

It’s really strange to see iPhone 15 Pro models shooting in ProRes LOG mode after connecting an external SSD, but still relying on automatic settings for exposure selection. However, it goes without saying that iPhones are the most reliable point-and-shoot cameras you can have in your pocket. But if you’re marketing your phone as “pro,” it should have a manual camera mode so hobbyists and creatives can choose the settings they want and have more control over the images they take.

How to get manual mode on iPhone?

Although the iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t have a native manual mode, you can still rely on third-party apps to get a fully functional manual mode. Apps like Halide, Moment, and Filmic Pro give users precise control over what they shoot—whether it’s ISO, shutter speed, white balance, or even bitrate while shooting video. So, even though Apple doesn’t give manual mode to users, such apps can be useful.

Also, if you have a Pro iPhone like iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro or the latest iPhone 15 Pro, you can try taking your photos in ProRAW mode. This gives you the opportunity to fine-tune them better in post-production. It’s not a perfect solution to the lack of manual mode, but it still makes it easier to make adjustments afterwards and even achieve the desired look for your images.