iPhone XR Camera Review – Single Lens, Incredible Depth Control

Features:

The iPhone XR broke away from Apple’s trend of dual-lens systems by featuring a single 12MP wide-angle lens but still delivering impressive photography capabilities, thanks to computational photography and advanced image processing. Despite having just one rear lens, the XR offered features like Portrait Mode and Smart HDR, proving that even a single-lens setup could produce stunning photos.

• 12MP Wide-Angle Lens (f/1.8): The iPhone XR’s rear camera featured a 12MP wide-angle lens with an f/1.8 aperture, allowing for sharp and bright photos, especially in well-lit conditions.
• Smart HDR: As with the iPhone XS, Smart HDR ensured better dynamic range in high-contrast scenes by combining multiple exposures into a single, balanced image. This feature was particularly useful for bright skies and shadowy landscapes.
• Portrait Mode with Depth Control: Despite having only one lens, the iPhone XR still supported Portrait Mode, which used software-based depth sensing to blur the background and create a bokeh effect. Users could also adjust the depth of field after taking the photo, offering more control over the level of background blur.
• TrueDepth Front Camera: The 7MP front-facing camera also supported Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting, enabling high-quality selfies with the same depth effect and lighting options as the rear camera.
• 4K Video at 60fps: Like its more expensive siblings, the iPhone XR supported 4K video recording at 60fps, with optical image stabilization and extended dynamic range for smoother, more vibrant videos.

Reviews:

The iPhone XR’s camera received widespread praise for its ability to deliver high-quality images with just a single lens. Reviewers noted that Portrait Mode and depth control worked surprisingly well, even without a dedicated telephoto lens, thanks to Apple’s advanced software. Smart HDR was another standout feature, helping the iPhone XR capture excellent dynamic range in challenging lighting situations. However, some noted that the lack of a second lens limited zoom capabilities and the variety of portrait effects.

Pros:

• Smart HDR for Better Dynamic Range: The inclusion of Smart HDR ensured that the iPhone XR could handle bright and high-contrast scenes with ease, capturing well-balanced photos that preserved detail in both highlights and shadows.
• Impressive Depth Control with a Single Lens: Despite lacking a second lens, the iPhone XR’s Portrait Mode, paired with software-based depth control, allowed users to capture beautiful portrait shots with adjustable background blur, providing a near-professional look.
• Sharp and Vibrant Photos: Thanks to the wide-angle lens and f/1.8 aperture, the XR performed well in various lighting conditions, delivering sharp, detailed, and color-accurate images.
• High-Quality Video Recording: With 4K video recording at 60fps and extended dynamic range, the iPhone XR produced smooth, high-resolution videos that looked great even in low light.

Cons:

• No Telephoto Lens: The single-lens setup meant that the iPhone XR didn’t offer optical zoom or the variety of Portrait Lighting effects available on dual-lens models like the iPhone XS.
• Portrait Mode Limitations: While Portrait Mode worked well, it was limited to human subjects, meaning users couldn’t apply the depth effect to objects or pets like they could on dual-lens iPhones.
• Less Versatility in Low-Light: The absence of a second lens and dedicated Night Mode (introduced in later models) made the XR’s performance in low light slightly inferior compared to its dual-lens counterparts.

Benefits:

The iPhone XR proved that a single-lens camera could still pack a punch, thanks to Apple’s computational photography advancements. Smart HDR improved the quality of photos in various lighting conditions, while the ability to adjust depth control in Portrait Mode allowed users to capture stunning portrait shots without the need for a second lens. For those who prioritized simplicity and high-quality photography without needing advanced zoom or telephoto capabilities, the iPhone XR’s camera was more than capable of delivering impressive results.

Conclusion:

The iPhone XR camera may have only had a single lens, but it didn’t fall short on performance. With Smart HDR, Portrait Mode, and adjustable depth control, it provided users with high-quality images and portraits that rivaled more expensive, dual-lens models. While it lacked some of the versatility of the iPhone XS, the XR still held its own in terms of image quality and was a solid choice for those who wanted great photos and videos without the added complexity or cost of a dual-lens system.