The iPhone Digicam app is a complicated mess in iOS 18 – so when Apple introduced a giant overhaul for iOS 26 I used to be delighted. The redesign was lengthy overdue – however in fact Apple nonetheless needed to ship on it. And for essentially the most half, it has.I have been test-driving the brand new Digicam app within the iOS 26 public beta and might fortunately report that Apple has made large strides on bettering an app that beforehand felt very similar to my backyard shed: it contained a number of years of muddle and no actual try at group.The reworked Digicam app seems very completely different, a lot so that you’re going to initially surprise the place it is tidied every part to. General, I would name it successful thus far, however with a couple of reservations…
It’s possible you’ll like
The likes1. The clear minimalismThe iOS Digicam app (left) is loads busier than the brand new iOS 26 one (proper) (Picture credit score: Apple)First, the excellent news – the brand new Digicam app in iOS 26 is way cleaner and easier than the previous one in iOS 18.There are actually fewer buttons to unintentionally press, and the consistency of the Liquid Glass redesign makes every part really feel extra cohesive and fewer complicated.To assist cut back unintended faucets, Apple has opened up more room across the shutter button. Happily, the shutter nonetheless helps its typical shortcuts – maintain and swipe proper to shoot video, or maintain and swipe left for burst mode. Enjoyable truth: do you know the latter is named QuickTake, after Apple’s forgotten digital digital camera?However maybe the largest enchancment over the previous Digicam app are the brand new Liquid Glass menus…Join breaking information, critiques, opinion, prime tech offers, and extra.(Picture credit score: Apple)My least favourite characteristic of the present Digicam app is its Digicam Management menu. That is the one you open by tapping the complicated shortcut arrow on the prime of the display, or by swiping up wherever within the viewfinder.Happily, Apple has given this an entire overhaul. Gone is the little horizontal row of hieroglyphics for options like Photographic Kinds and Night time Mode.Now, if you swipe up from the underside of the display to disclose a a lot clearer grid of choices (housed inside Liquid Glass, naturally), with labels for every. Merely, it is significantly better.Sadly, the opposite large minimalist change – the straightforward Picture and Video tabs – is barely much less profitable, however extra on that within the dislikes…(Picture credit score: Apple)I are inclined to shoot extra photographs than video on my iPhone, however I’ve at all times been annoyed by the fiddly video settings menu within the iOS Digicam app.Fortunately, that is now been fastened in iOS 26. Somewhat than having to faucet the decision or body fee a number of instances to scroll via numerous choices, you now get the improved Liquid Glass panel above.Like in Picture mode, you may swipe as much as entry separate video choices (flash, publicity, and motion mode), which are actually simpler to know at a look. The Video expertise remains to be simple total in comparison with Apple’s Last Lower Digicam app, however that is sensible for a point-and-shoot expertise.The dislikes1. The brand new nav bar(Picture credit score: Apple)In principle, I like the simplicity of the brand new navigation bar on the backside of the iOS 26 Digicam app. It begins with simply Video and Picture choices seen. To disclose the opposite modes – Timelapse, Slo-Mo, Cinematic, Portrait, and Pano, to call all of them – you simply swipe left or proper.However a few niggles have given it a little bit of a studying curve. Firstly, the default scrolling setting sees each the Liquid Glass toggle and the navigation bar behind it shifting concurrently, which is slightly disorientating. It additionally makes it troublesome to see the choices beneath your thumb.(Picture credit score: Apple)Happily, in more moderen betas, Apple has added a brand new choice within the Digicam Settings in a piece known as Mode Switching, the place you may discover a toggle for ‘Basic Mode Switching’. This makes it behave extra just like the earlier Digicam app, the place you are straight swiping the wheel beneath, whereas the toggle stays central.Hopefully, this makes it to the ultimate model of the Digicam app. I initially additionally discovered it difficult to see the navigation bar choices beneath my thumb, however then found you may nonetheless scroll via them by swiping the display as a substitute. Whereas minimalism is an enchancment total, I believe some will likely be initially flummoxed and discover it trickier to decide on a number of the picture and video modes.2. The dearth of a Professional mode(Picture credit score: Apple)I have been hoping to see a Professional digital camera mode come to iPhones for a couple of years now, however iOS 26 has gone firmly within the different course. Does that doubtlessly open the door for a photograph equal of Apple’s free Last Lower Digicam app for video? Possibly, however there isn’t any signal of a type of both.To be truthful, a number of the greatest digital camera apps like Halide, ProCamera, and Digicam Obscura greater than adequately fill that hole, and Apple is maybe cautious of Sherlocking them, which is when Apple kills a preferred app by constructing the performance into its personal software program.But when now we have a easy Liquid Glass toggle for Video and Picture, why cannot there even be one for Fundamental and Professional picture modes? That might be loads simpler than switching apps for one thing like guide focusing, and would flip the iPhone into a good higher rival to one of the best compact cameras.That also would not look seemingly, so for now to one of the best different is to arrange your iPhone Digicam app with a number of the helpful instruments hidden within the settings menu. I usually activate the Grid and Degree, choose Apple ProRaw within the Codecs part, after which go to Protect Settings to allow Digicam Mode and Publicity Adjustment, making my iPhone behave extra like a digital camera.However for extra tweaks, take a look at my information on methods to arrange your iPhone 16 (or older mannequin) to take nice photographs.You may also like
