Remember when shooting photos on your phone meant accepting whatever the camera decided was best? For a while, that was the reality. But with Apple's ProRAW, that's all changed, especially if you're rocking an iPhone 12 Pro or a newer Pro model running iOS 14.3 or later. It's like Apple handed you the keys to a more creative editing studio, right there on your phone.
So, what exactly is ProRAW? Think of it as the best of both worlds. It takes the raw, unprocessed data straight from the iPhone's sensor – the kind that professional photographers have long relied on for maximum editing flexibility – and cleverly combines it with Apple's own sophisticated image processing. This means you get the deep control of a standard RAW file, but with the added benefit of Apple's computational photography magic already baked in. You can tweak exposure, fine-tune colors, and adjust white balance with a level of freedom that was previously unimaginable on a smartphone.
What's really neat is that you can capture ProRAW images using any of the cameras on your compatible iPhone, even when you're using features like Smart HDR, Deep Fusion, or Night Mode. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities, allowing you to push the boundaries of what your iPhone can capture, especially in challenging lighting conditions. And when it comes to editing, you're not limited to Apple's Photos app; many third-party editing apps also support ProRAW files, giving you even more choices.
Now, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. ProRAW isn't available for Live Photos, Portrait mode, or video. It's strictly for still images. To start shooting in ProRAW, you'll need to enable it in your iPhone's settings: go to Settings > Camera > Formats, and under 'Photo Capture,' toggle 'ProRAW & Resolution Control' on. Once it's enabled, you'll see a 'RAW' button in your Camera app. Tap it before you shoot, and you're good to go. If you turn that RAW button off, your photos will default to HEIF or JPEG, depending on your 'Most Compatible' setting.
For those of you with the latest iPhone 14 Pro or newer Pro models, Apple has given you an extra layer of control: resolution. You can choose to shoot ProRAW in either 12MP or a whopping 48MP. The 48MP option is fantastic if you want to retain an incredible amount of detail, giving you more room to zoom and crop without losing quality. It's like having a higher-resolution canvas to work with. On the flip side, the 12MP files are smaller, which can be a consideration if storage space is a concern. To select your resolution, head back to Settings > Camera > Formats, turn on 'Apple ProRAW,' and then choose 'ProRAW & Resolution Control' to pick between 12MP and 48MP. Just a heads-up: the 48MP resolution is only available when shooting with the main camera at 1x zoom. For ultrawide, telephoto, Night mode, flash, or macro shots, you'll be working with 12MP ProRAW files.
It's worth noting that Apple also has a professional video format called ProRes, and a related format called ProRes RAW. While ProRAW on your iPhone is for photos, ProRes and ProRes RAW are designed for video workflows, offering incredible flexibility for professional video editing and HDR content creation. Apple licenses these technologies to various software and hardware manufacturers, ensuring a robust ecosystem for creators. You can find lists of authorized products on Apple's website, and they even have white papers detailing the technical aspects if you're curious. It's a testament to Apple's commitment to providing powerful tools for creators, whether they're working with stills or video.
