Some personal suggestions for the iPhone camera UI-UX, and ideas for the iPhone pro camera:
The first idea is to simplify and integrate the different shooting modes better. Currently there are far too many options for shooting modes. For example, integrate the portrait mode into the direct camera mode. Also, either get rid or integrate of the Slomo and time lapse feature.
Also for the new photographic styles, assuming that the iPhone camera is a creative tool, I would suggest adding options for adding simulated grain, especially when it comes to the black-and-white high contrast noir mode. Add the ability to increase your grain from weak, standard, or high grain. Adding simulated film grain to iPhone cameras will make for more aesthetic photos.
Reconsidering the default options
Currently, there is too much feature bloat when it comes to the iPhone camera settings. Let us consider that honestly, nobody uses Slomo, nobody uses panoramic mode, and nobody uses time lapse.
99% the time people are either using the default camera app, just shooting normal photos, or shooting videos. The new cinematic mode should somehow be integrated with the video mode. If anything, the cinematic mode doesn’t need its own option, the default video mode should be the cinematic mode.
Just keep Live Photos on all the time
I actually think that the Live Photos feature is great. Being able to relive some of your favorite memories later is a great innovation. I do it all the time with Cindy, especially when looking at old photos of Seneca.
Therefore, just keep Live Photos on all the time. There is no need to give it the option to turn it off.
The ”carat” (arrow) UI/UX is not clear
One of the new defaults to hide the extra options is the ”carat”, or the up and down arrow. This icon is not intuitive. The test is figuring out whether my mom knows how to use it, and she has no idea.
Either on/off, or auto all the time.
Also, things like the flash icon. I believe that the best UI is when you push the flash button, it either toggle it on or off. There should be no auto mode.
Either that or just make the flash always auto, and get rid of the option altogether.
Don’t hide options
I also think it is very bizarre that the filters function is hidden. Shouldn’t it be one of the first ones visible? I would say things to get rid of include the aspect ratio icon, and even the timer feature. Nobody really uses it.
I think a good way to better integrate the timer feature is just make it hey Siri feature. For example, you tell Siri to shoot a photo for you. For example, if you put your iPhone on a tripod, you say “hey Siri shoot a family photo for us.”
Macro is very good
The new macro feature is actually very good. I believe the macro feature should be turned on as a default. Also, I think Apple needs to double down on their marketing efforts regarding the macro feature as a very good creative tool for the iPhone. The macro feature alone is worth the iPhone camera upgrade, especially for the photography enthusiast.
Show detected text is more of a distraction
The idea of showing detected text is a good one, yet in integration, it is very confusing. Even myself, somebody passionate about tech, I have never used it, nor do I really understand how it works. Try explaining this to my mom.
In regards to showing Detective text, I would just turn this off by default, and have the power user turn it on in case they want it.