Leveraging the power of the iPhone, photography has become an accessible art form for everyone. However, even with the best technology in our hands, our photos sometimes don’t turn out as expected. This is where iOS 17 comes into play, the latest update from Apple unveiled at WWDC 2023, featuring a new tool that addresses the most common flaw in any photo: the camera leveler.
The end of crooked photos
iPhone has always been a favorite phone for its photography capabilities. Now, with iOS 17, Apple has added a small yet significant detail that makes a big difference when taking our photos: a level. This hidden gem feature may go unnoticed, but it proves to be highly useful in various circumstances.
While the rule of thirds grid, which we have had in our viewfinder since iOS 16 and previous systems, may suffice when photographing horizons, it is not always the case. Sometimes it’s challenging to find a reference to align with, and this is where the new level feature comes in.
This feature is independent of the grid, so we can enable one, the other, or both at the same time. It utilizes the iPhone’s gyroscopes to indicate when our shot is level. Activating this feature is as simple as going to the Settings app, entering Camera, and enabling Level.
We can then test it in the Camera app. Pay attention to a few things. First, the level works both vertically and horizontally. Second, it only appears briefly, and if we ignore it for a little over a second, it disappears from the composition, giving us a clear view for the photo. Third, and most importantly, it only appears when the tilt angle is small. If the tilt angle is larger, the system understands that we intentionally want to capture the photo that way since it’s evident from the iPhone’s display that it is tilted.
The line appears in white when the phone is unbalanced and turns yellow once we achieve a level orientation, indicating that we are ready to capture the perfect shot. Additionally, this is accompanied by a small haptic response, something we can quickly get used to as a cue that the composition is off-horizontal.
The new Level feature in the camera is just one of the many enhancements that iOS 17 has added to the system. From customizable posters in Contacts to improvements in autocorrect (even if Elon Musk doesn’t believe in them), it brings a wealth of changes to our iPhone’s operating system. In this case, the era of tilted photos is over.
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