How to Get the Most out of Apple's Macro Mode | Tips, Lenses, Etc.

Alec Ploof @alecploof

March 13, 2024

With the introduction of the iPhone 13 and its successors, Apple has incorporated an exceptional yet often underappreciated feature into the Pro series: Macro Mode. This innovation enables users to use smartphones to capture detailed close-up images of intricate textures or subjects.

Nonetheless, Apple necessitates certain modifications to ensure the proper functioning of this feature. In earlier models, the ultra-wide lens could not focus effectively due to its fixed nature, which prompted the incorporation of new hardware for the ultra-wide lens in the iPhone 13, 14, and now iPhone 15 lineups to achieve precise focusing.

These enhancements have revolutionized the experience for mobile content creators. Before this development, taking close-up images with the iPhone's native camera was exceedingly challenging. In comparison, Samsung Galaxy phones could accommodate Macro functionality a year earlier, thanks to their minimum focus distance at an optical level.

iPhone Photography With Moment Lenses

The changes to the hardware and software of the iPhone will affect how Moment lenses work with these lineups. Customers are required to change some settings for our lenses to work flawlessly. While simple to alter, these settings hide under layers of menus.

We also recommend a fantastic article by 9to5 Mac on enabling the macro toggle on the iPhone. A reader's digest is listed below.

Running iOS 15.2 on iPhone 13 Pro/Pro Max, open the Settings app.
Swipe down and choose Camera.
Swipe to the bottom and tap the toggle next to Macro Control.
- Now you'll see a flower icon (right in the Camera app). You can quickly toggle off/on after Macro mode kicks in (bring the camera close to something to get it to show up)
In Settings > Camera, you can also now tap Preserve Settings.
Tap the toggle next to Macro Control.
- With this on, your Macro on or off preference will be preserved as the default when opening the Camera app.

Why We Must Adjust Settings for iPhone's Macro Mode

The iPhone camera system is designed to detect proximity to a subject. Suppose it recognizes that the subject is closer than the minimum focus distance the primary camera lens allows. In that case, the system seamlessly transitions to the phone camera's-native macro lens, ensuring proper focus.

When utilizing an add-on Moment Lens, the built-in lenses are partially obscured, which can impede the iPhone's ability to accurately gauge the distance to subjects. Consequently, the device may mistakenly assume that the user is approaching an object and attempt to switch to the macro lens, which is not the desired outcome. Users gain manual control over this functionality by activating the macro toggle button.

Tips for Great Macro Photos & Video

A dedicated add-on lens, such as the Moment 10x Macro Lens, is required to achieve astonishing magnification, better colors, and rich clarity that comes from REAL glass, not a computer-generated A.I.

1. Use Lots Of Available Light

just like other forms of photography and filmmaking, light is essential with macro shots. Because we are in the realm of the tiny, there are several ways to make that light shine right. You will probably be leaning over what you are taking a picture of, so ensure you are not blocking the light. Sometimes this is very hard, and this is where a small pocket LED light can come in handy. You can position this light between you and your subject and have it brighten your shot. You can also play with the angles of light, creating different angles of shadows. This makes textures pop.

2. Use The Macro Hood

You might already know that our macro lens has a very shallow depth of field. The lens hood will help you position your subject to get perfect focus. The focus is clear and sharp at the edge of the lens hood, so if you press it against your subject, get the guide right. There is somewhat of a wiggle room of a few millimeters where you can adjust focus to dial it perfectly.

3. Use Focus Peaking

In most professional camera apps, like the Moment Pro Camera App, you can enable focus peaking, which is an excellent guide to getting focus clear and sharp. It is a visualization of where the focus plane is. This will help you dial in focus just right.

4. Use a Steady Hand or Tripod

Because focusing can be challenging, you want to keep your phone steady. Small tripods like these can help keep everything in place and free up your hands to use a light or position your subject.