Take Portrait Mode Photos of Animals and Objects on the iPhone XR
Even with just a single-lens camera, the stock camera app on the iPhone XR camera will allow users to take Portrait Mode image of people. That’s due to software improvements that provides the bokeh effect just like dual-lens handsets.
The software tweaks on the iPhone XR don’t cover other objects and pets. But a new update to Halide Camera is here to help.
Version 1.11 of the app will allow users to take Portrait Mode images of pretty much anything, just like the dual-lens brethren.
A comprehensive Halide blog post, that goes in-depth on how depth photos, describes how the feature works:
We do this by grabbing the focus pixel disparity map and running the image through our custom blur. When you open Halide on iPhone XR, simply tap ‘Depth’ to enable depth capture. Any photo you take will have a depth map, and if there’s sufficient data to determine a foreground and background, the image will get beautifully rendered bokeh, just like iPhone XS shots.
You’ll notice that enabling the Depth Capture mode does not allow you to preview Portrait blur effect or even automatically detect people. Unfortunately, the iPhone XR does not stream depth data in realtime, so we can’t do a portrait preview. You’ll have to review your portrait effects after having taken the photo, much like the Google Pixel.
The app has quickly become a powerhouse for anyone looking for a professional-grade alternative to Apple’s Stock Photos app. An update earlier this month brought a Smart RAW feature for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. It allows photographers to expose and capture the best possible RAW shots.
Halide Camera is designed for the iPhone and can be downloaded on the App Store for $5.99.