Macro to manual: How to use each camera mode

Smartphone cameras were initially seen as devices that would make it easier to point and shoot images on the go. However, they have come such a long way that they are now vying to replace DSLRs, and for many people, smartphone cameras are not only the first camera they use but also the only camera at their disposal.

It should thus not come as a surprise that smartphone makers are increasingly packing more features to make their mobile cameras as powerful as a DSLR. If DSLR and mirrorless cameras relied on different photography modes like program mode, shutter priority mode, aperture priority mode, and manual camera mode to bring out the best result, smartphone cameras are playing a balancing act.

Here is a look at various camera phone modes and how to use them.

Camera phone modes: Various modes and how to use each of them

Camera has now become the single major differentiator between a good smartphone and an excellent smartphone. When it comes to phone cameras, they don’t replicate the same modes found on professional cameras. While smartphone cameras are still all about opening the camera app and clicking the photo, they do offer different modes to replicate the big camera experience.

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The most common camera phone modes include macro, portrait, night mode, Pro mode, slo-mo, time-lapse, cinematic, and others. To use each camera mode on your mobile device, all you need to do is open the camera app and swipe through different modes or tap on one.

These modes also differ based on your smartphone manufacture. With an iPhone, you are limited to modes like photo, portrait, pano, video, cinematic, slo-mo, and time-lapse. Android phones, on the other hand, offer a Pro mode where you get manual control to adjust settings such as ISO, shutter speed, exposure, and other settings. Here is a look at various modes and how to use each camera mode:

How to use Photo mode

This is the default mode of your camera phone and one that works similarly to a point-and-shoot camera. This is akin to Auto mode on your camera and it works by taking care of all the camera settings with focus and exposure being the ones you can tweak. Here’s how to use the photo mode:

1. Open the camera app on your smartphone.

2. Go to Photo mode.

3. Tap to focus and simply press the shutter button

How to use Portrait mode

Portrait mode on your iPhone or Android phone allows users to create a depth-of-field effect and lets you capture photos with a sharp focus on the subject while the background is blurred. Here’s how to take photos in portrait mode:

1. Open the camera app and swipe to Portrait mode.

2. Follow the tips on your screen.

3. When portrait mode is ready or the subject is within the field of view, you will see Portrait mode is ready.

4. Tap the shutter button to capture the image.

How to use Video mode

With the video mode, you can record videos in different formats. If you have an iPhone, you can switch between cinematic, slow-motion, and time-lapse videos and even enable Action mode to improve video stabilisation. Let’s look at how to use video mode on your camera phone:

1. Open the camera app on your phone.

2. Select Video mode.

3. Tap the record button or press the volume button to start recording.

4. While shooting the video, you can also click the white shutter button to take a still photo, pause the recording or pinch and zoom.

5. Press the record button or volume button again to stop recording.

How to use Manual or Pro mode

With Pro mode, Android smartphone makers are looking to emulate the manual mode on professional cameras. With this mode, you can change settings such as ISO, shutter speed, exposure, white balance, etc. Here’s how to use Pro mode on Android:

1. Open the camera app on your Android phone.

2. Go to Pro mode.

3. Change the settings using the icons for different parameters.

4. Tap the shutter button to capture the image.

How to use Macro mode

Macro mode allows you to get closer to your subject allowing you to capture details not typically visible to the naked eye. 

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While macro mode engages automatically on select iPhone models, Android users can experience this mode in one of two ways. Since some Android phones have a dedicated macro camera, your phone’s camera app might have a dedicated macro lens identified by a flower symbol. Here’s how it works:

1. Open the camera app on your phone.

2. Switch to the macro mode if there is an option.

3. Now, try and get as close as your camera can to focus on the subject.

If your phone doesn’t have a dedicated macro camera, you must choose an ultra-wide camera since it will be able to focus significantly closer than the primary camera of your phone.

Best camera mode in Android

While these common modes dominate your primary camera experience, Android phones also come with a dedicated night mode that changes how you take photos in low-light scenarios. With iPhone, the night mode is triggered automatically depending on the light in your environment whereas Android phones allow you to manually enable the option. To use this mode, follow these steps:

1. Open the camera app.

2. Switch to night mode or Night Sight mode.

3. Tap the shutter button.

As smartphones get more lenses and bigger sensors, they are becoming capable of getting closer to far-away subjects and capturing detailed images. The modes like Pro mode will come into their own and will differentiate how you experience the camera on your mobile device going ahead.