To enable Apple ProRAW on your iPhone, you need to access your device's Camera settings, navigate to the Formats section, and toggle the Apple ProRAW option on.
Enabling Apple ProRAW on Your iPhone
Turning on Apple ProRAW is a straightforward process that takes just a few steps through your iPhone's Settings app.
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Open Settings App: Begin by tapping the Settings app icon on your iPhone's Home screen.
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Navigate to Camera Settings: Scroll down through the list of settings and tap on Camera.
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Select Formats: Within the Camera settings, tap on Formats. This section controls how your iPhone captures photos and videos.
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Toggle Apple ProRAW: Under the "PHOTO CAPTURE" section, locate Apple ProRAW and toggle the switch to the On (green) position.
- Quick Tip: After enabling ProRAW, you might want to go back one screen to the main Camera settings and review the Preserve Settings option. This ensures that your Camera app remembers your last-used mode (e.g., if you switch to ProRAW in the Camera app, it will stay in ProRAW the next time you open the app) or other specific settings, providing a more consistent shooting experience.
Once enabled, you will see a "RAW" indicator in the top right corner of your Camera app interface. Tapping this indicator allows you to quickly switch between standard HEIF/JPEG and ProRAW capture modes directly from the camera interface.
What is Apple ProRAW?
Apple ProRAW is a feature introduced with the iPhone 12 Pro models that combines the benefits of a standard RAW format with Apple's computational photography capabilities. Unlike traditional RAW files, which offer minimal in-camera processing, ProRAW integrates information from Apple's Deep Fusion and Smart HDR technologies, providing photographers with greater flexibility for editing while still capturing rich detail and dynamic range.
Benefits of Shooting in ProRAW
- Enhanced Editing Flexibility: ProRAW files contain significantly more image data than standard JPEGs or HEIFs, allowing for more aggressive adjustments to exposure, white balance, shadows, and highlights without degrading image quality.
- Richer Detail: Ideal for complex lighting conditions, ProRAW preserves more detail in both the brightest and darkest areas of your photos.
- Professional Workflow: It enables a more professional post-processing workflow, similar to what photographers use with traditional DSLR and mirrorless cameras.
Compatibility and Considerations
Apple ProRAW is available on specific iPhone models. Currently, it is supported on:
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
Important Considerations:
- File Size: ProRAW files are considerably larger than standard HEIF/JPEG files (typically 10-25MB or more per image), so they will consume more storage space on your device.
- Editing Required: While ProRAW captures excellent data, it often requires post-processing in an editing app (such as Apple Photos, Adobe Lightroom Mobile, or other third-party editors) to achieve the best results.
- Performance: Capturing ProRAW photos can sometimes be slower than capturing standard photos, especially in burst mode or low light, due to the increased data processing.
For more detailed information on Apple ProRAW, you can refer to Apple's official support documentation: About Apple ProRAW.
