I asked a pro photographer for the best iPhone camera settings — my pics are now better than yours

I thought I had the best iPhone camera settings simply because I have the iPhone 16 Pro Max — the latest and greatest smartphone from Apple.

However, I was humbled quickly when I saw Mashable’s professional photographer, Joe Maldonado, shooting out in the field with a highly tuned iPhone 14 Pro. Although we were taking the same photos, and despite using the best handset out of Cupertino, Maldonado’s photos turned out more crisp, sharper, and more vibrant than mine.

Woman using the iPhone 16 Pro Max inside the park

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

At first, I thought a dirty lens was the problem. But even after carefully cleaning the sensors with a microfiber cloth, Maldonado’s photos were still far superior to mine.

Finally, I asked, “Wait, how does your iPhone 14 Pro take better pictures than my iPhone 16 Pro Max?”

“It’s all about the settings,” Maldonado said.

Best iPhone camera settings, according to an expert

So how do you get the crème de la crème of photo quality out of your iPhone? Follow these steps — and thank our pro photographer Maldonado later.

Total Time

5 min

What You Need

iPhone
preferably a recent Pro model

Step 1:
Go to ‘Settings’

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 2:
Tap on ‘Camera’

Blue arrow pointing at Camera option on iPhone

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 3:
Tap on ‘Formats’

Here, make sure “High Efficiency” under Camera Capture is ticked as well as “24 MP” under Photo Mode. Plus, make sure “ProRAW & Resolution Control” is toggled on.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 4:
Tap on ‘Pro Default’

Ensure there’s a checkmark next to “ProRAW Max (Up to 48MP)” as well as JPEG-XL Lossy (the latter is only available for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max).

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 5:
Go back to ‘Camera’ menu and tap on ‘Preserve Settings’

Make sure the following are toggled on: Camera Mode, Creative Controls, Macro Control, Exposure Adjustment, Night Mode, Portrait Zoom, ProRaw & Resolution Control, Live Photo. Like the menu name suggests, this ensures that your current settings are preserved every time you open the Camera app.

Preserve Settings menu on iPhone 16 Pro Max

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 6:
Return to ‘Camera’ menu

Enable ‘Grid’ and make sure ‘Level’ is toggled on. According to Maldonado, these settings help him line up his shots. Plus, ensure that ‘Portraits in Photo Mode,’ ‘Prioritize Faster Shooting,’ ‘Lens Correction,’ and ‘Macro Control’ are enabled.