How useful are Apple's "photographic styles" & "Smart HDR 4" image processing features?

[Andy Burnelli]

How important are "Smart HDR4" & "Photographic Styles" anyway?
(Particularly compared to dual cameras and Night Mode tradeoffs)

Part of the debate on which iPhone is a better budget buy today (given the
iPhone 11 is essentially the same price as a new iPhone SE 3) is camera QOR.
*The best cheap iPhone isn't the new iPhone SE*
<https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/the-best-cheap-iphone-isnt-the-new-iphone-se-this-is>

That article makes convincing arguments that the iPhone 11 is a better buy
if you want a larger screen with more "camera flexibility" but then you have
to compare the iPhone 11 cameras to the iPhone SE 3 camera post processing.

iPhone 11
a. 12MP wide and ultra-wide camera "giving you more shooting flexibility"
b. Night mode "so you can get very good shots even in low light"
c. Smart HDR 4
d. Photographic Styles.

iPhone SE 3
A. 12MP single camera
B. No night mode
C. Smart HDR 4
D. Photographic Styles

The Toms Guide author favors night mode over HDR/Styles but nospam claimed
otherwise so I'm simply asking those of you who know what's really useful.

How important are "Smart HDR4" & "Photographic Styles" anyway?
(Particularly compared to dual cameras and Night Mode tradeoffs)

[mike]

On 12-03-2022 04:01 Andy Burnelli <sp...@nospam.com> wrote:

> iPhone 11
> a. 12MP wide and ultra-wide camera "giving you more shooting flexibility"
> b. Night mode "so you can get very good shots even in low light"
> c. Smart HDR 4
> d. Photographic Styles.
>
> iPhone SE 3
> A. 12MP single camera
> B. No night mode
> C. Smart HDR 4
> D. Photographic Styles

You got that wrong but it may have been only a sloppy cut and paste.

The iPhone 11 doesn't have "Smart HDR 4" (and doesn't need it).
It also doesn't have "Photographic Styles" (and doesn't need that either).

[nospam]

In article <t0jso4$1g73$1...@solani.org>, mike <th...@address.is.invalid>
wrote:

> The iPhone 11 doesn't have "Smart HDR 4" (and doesn't need it).
> It also doesn't have "Photographic Styles" (and doesn't need that either).

both are very useful, and are features the se 3rd gen has, which the
iphone 11 lacks.

[mike]

On 13-03-2022 11:22 nospam <nos...@nospam.invalid> wrote:

>> The iPhone 11 doesn't have "Smart HDR 4" (and doesn't need it).
>> It also doesn't have "Photographic Styles" (and doesn't need that either).
>
> both are very useful, and are features the se 3rd gen has, which the
> iphone 11 lacks.

You don't buy a cheap iPhone for its camera output and even so, the iPhone
11 has better cameras that don't need it but you're welcome to say it does.

If you think they're required then make an argument for how they're useful.

Otherwise you are making a case for nothing which I can't argue with you
about as we both would then be already agreeing that they're nothing.

[RJH]

I'd imagine HDR would be handy - never noticed when it's invoked TBH but the
explanations of what it does make it seem worthwhile, especially in low light.

Not sure about Styles - my phone (12 mini) doesn't have them, but I'm not sure
I'd use it if it did, especially if it was non-reversible.

--
Cheers, Rob

[nospam]

In article <t0k293$1j3g$1...@solani.org>, mike <th...@address.is.invalid>

wrote:

>
> >> The iPhone 11 doesn't have "Smart HDR 4" (and doesn't need it).
> >> It also doesn't have "Photographic Styles" (and doesn't need that either).
> >
> > both are very useful, and are features the se 3rd gen has, which the
> > iphone 11 lacks.
>
> You don't buy a cheap iPhone for its camera output and even so, the iPhone
> 11 has better cameras that don't need it but you're welcome to say it does.

the iphone 11 has two cameras, wide and ultra wide, which is better for
some things. the iphone se has only the wide camera, but with smart hdr
and photo styles, which is better for other things.

for most people most of the time, smart hdr and photo styles on the
iphone se will result in better photos than the additional ultrawide on
the iphone 11.

[David Brooks]

I have a two-year-old Apple SE. Some of the photographs are marked
'Live' (a mini-video).

Please can you tell me how to 'pause' partway through the mini-clip to
capture a permanent image from part way through?

Thanks if you can.

[nospam]

In article <8rrXJ.587915$_5r7....@fx09.ams1>, David Brooks

<B...@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> Please can you tell me how to 'pause' partway through the mini-clip to
> capture a permanent image from part way through?

strychnine will definitely pause things.

[mike]

On 13-03-2022 10:38 RJH <patch...@gmx.com> wrote:

> I'd imagine HDR would be handy

Don't be fooled by a feature list of the SE 3 as the iPhone 11 has HDR too.
https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/adjust-hdr-camera-settings-iph2cafe2ebc/ios

The iPhone SE 3 has a fancy name for almost the same HDR as the iPhone 11.
It's not important.

If it is important then make a case of how its better than regular HDR.
Otherwise with no case it's not anything to make a decision based on.

[nospam]

In article <t0lqan$2mah$1...@solani.org>, mike <th...@address.is.invalid>
wrote:

>
> Don't be fooled by a feature list of the SE 3 as the iPhone 11 has HDR too.

not smart hdr, it doesn't, nor does it have styles or deep fusion.

the 11 has an ultrawide angle lens, which is occasionally useful, far
less so than smart hdr, something that benefits most photos most of the
time.

[David Brooks]

Couldn't find the answer on Google, eh?

No worries. I couldn't find the answer either.

[nospam]

In article <WkuXJ.430433$EjU2....@fx07.ams1>, David Brooks

<B...@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> >> Please can you tell me how to 'pause' partway through the mini-clip to
> >> capture a permanent image from part way through?
> >
> > strychnine will definitely pause things.
>
> Couldn't find the answer on Google, eh?

google relies on me for answers, not the other way around.

> No worries. I couldn't find the answer either.

that's because you're too stupid to know what to look for, let alone
find anything.

[David Brooks]

So what is the answer?

[Whisky-dave]

Select the live photo, select edit it, then press on the thing that looks like a preset gear wheel type thingy .
It's on the far left of my iphone when held vertically. you then get an iMovie type thingy you can drag.
You can then "Make Key photo" the others are still there if you want to go back and change your mind later.
You'll only lose the other images if you export to JPG or anything elese other than HEIC I assume.


Where thingy is a name given to something I can;t remember on a monday morning or any other time.

[David Brooks]

Who'd have thought you were more knowledgeable than 'nospam'?!!!

Very many thanks, Dave.

You are a star! ⭐️