The camera controls on the iPhone 16 are nice, but could be better

Now, as the year begins to end, all the most important premieres of flagship smartphones of 2024, including the Apple iPhone 16 line, are already behind us.

As an iPhone user for the last decade, the launch of the iPhone 16 was exciting for me as Apple finally gave us some of the best base model colors in a long time. And don’t forget that the entry-level models also have quite a few features that were previously exclusive to the Pro models, like the action button, a two-year power bump for the A18, and a new camera control button that’s available on all iPhone 16 variants.

Camera control is one of the features of the iPhone 16 series that I was most looking forward to and I’m still very happy that we have it. But there are also some things I think Apple got wrong with the camera controls, at least in its current state.

The position is awkward

Last year, the action button replaced the old silence/ring switch above the volume buttons. This year, Apple added camera controls, an entirely new button that didn’t replace anything before.

Currently, on the iPhone 16/Plus/Pro/Max, the camera controls are located flush with the right side of the flat bezel on the bottom half. It’s not quite at the bottom; is just under half.

After using Camera Control, I’m not a fan of having it on the iPhone 16. I often find myself inadvertently pressing this button when picking up the phone from a table, which is annoying because it can unlock the phone when I don’t have any intention of using it (due to my Apple Watch).

Another thing I noticed is that the current position is a little too far away to be comfortable to use for landscape photos. When I use it in landscape orientation, I have to cover the screen with my fingers to be able to reach it with my index finger. If I’m using touchscreen controls, my index and little fingers are on the top and bottom and my thumb is the easiest method. Controlling the camera requires me to adjust how I hold my phone while taking a photo or recording a video.

For portrait photos, the position seems to work (as long as you’re right-handed). I find it a little easier for me to at least take a selfie, but that brings me to my next point: the force required to press the button.

A physical button means camera shake

Before the introduction of the camera control button, there were two options for taking a photo: use the shutter button on the touchscreen or the volume up button. I never used the volume button to take photos; I just used the on-screen shutter button.

However, ever since Apple debuted Camera Control, I’ve been dying to use it as a shutter button. My enthusiasm waned a bit when I realized how much force it takes to click the button, which can cause camera shake. We all know what happens to a still photo when there is even the slightest movement (especially photos taken in low light): blur.

One press of the Camera Control button launches the Camera app, and another press takes a photo. Press and hold to start recording. A double half-press allows you to cycle through different settings, and a single half-press allows you to select a different setting. By swiping your finger on the camera control panel, you can adjust the setting using the slider.

I noticed that Apple’s default setting for camera control requires too much pressure and I hated using it because it caused a little movement when taking a photo, making the image blurry or blurry. Adjusting the button sensitivity helped a bit, but I still experience some camera shake, especially when I try to use it with one hand. Sometimes, I just find it easier to stick to the shutter button on the touchscreen.

A fun addition for growing pains

The camera control button was the biggest feature I was looking forward to, but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. Is this similar to the MacBook Touch Barexcept iPhone?

Don’t get me wrong; I still like to use camera controls to at least launch the Camera app. Previously I used the Action button to perform the same action. But now with Camera Control I can quickly get to the camera, which opens up the action button to something else.

I may have gone overboard by using camera control as a dedicated button for all my camera needs. During the keynote, it seemed like Apple intended camera controls to be primarily for visual intelligence, which I think is a good place for such a feature. But since the iPhone 16 launched without Apple Intelligence out of the box, things seem a little off.

I hope that in the next few years Apple will consider changing the arrangement of the camera control panel to make it less awkward to use. It really should be lower, closer to the bottom than it currently is. Perhaps the ability to press the button by touch could help solve the annoying camera shake problem.

I want Apple to improve camera controls over time, rather than eliminating them as an afterthought like they did with the Touch Bar. There’s a lot of promise and potential here – it just needs some refinement.