Get creative with Camera and Photos

Camera file formats

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus take photos and videos in the new and very efficient HEIF and HEVC formats. In Settings > Photos, Transfer to Mac or PC is usually set to Automatic, which tells iOS to work out whether to transfer in these new or older (JPEG and H.264) formats. You might pick Keep Originals if you’re transferring media to your computer purely for archival purposes.

If an app or part of your workflow doesn’t work with the new formats, force iOS to record in JPEG/H.264: in Settings > Camera > Formats, tap Most Compatible. Cellular data usage

In Settings > Photos, you can turn off the Cellular Data option to stop iCloud Photo Library updates using your limited data allowance. If you have a generous quota, you might leave this on, in which case you may also want to enable Unlimited Updates. Sc an QR codes

There’s now a QR code scanner built in to iOS. If Settings > Camera > Scan QR Codes is enabled, and Camera is in its Photo or Square mode, you only have to point the rear camera at a QR code.

You’ll instantly know when a QR code has been detected, as a banner appears at the top of the screen, describing what the code contains and what’ll happen when you tap the banner. Drag down on the banner if you want more info about the code’s contents before acting on it. Improved color filters

Apple has changed the range of color filters you can apply when taking a photo in Camera, or later on in Photos.

In Camera, filters are now shown in a scrolling strip below a persistent preview of whichever filter you tap on the strip. They’re organized in three groups of three: Vivid, Vivid Warm, and Vivid Cool; Dramatic, also with vivid and cool types; and Mono, Silvertone, and Noir. We like the striking contrast of Silvertone’s blown-out highlights and dark shadows.