The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the most powerful iPhone Apple has ever released. The hardware enables its users to do so much more than what was previously possible on an iPhone — but even still, there are some features that aren’t available on the device. Fortunately for the vast majority of pro users out there, third-party developers have come up with their own solutions that bring those features to the device. From camera hacks to new apps, here are six of our favorite additions from developers outside of Apple.
Double-Tap to Zoom
Zooming into photos is a great way to check details on your images. It’s also one of the most frequently used features on DSLR cameras. With the iPhone, you can pinch to zoom, but it only zooms in on a photo to a certain point. If you want to zoom even further, you must access it from the photo editing menu, which takes you out of the moment — and can be quite a pain if you’re shooting an event and want to zoom in on details. On the iPhone 14 Pro Max, a double-tap on the screen zooms into the photo as if it was a DSLR camera. We love this because it lets you zoom into photos on the fly. This lets you check details and see if you got the shot you were looking for without having to wait for the image to be processed, open the photo in the editing menu and then zoom in again.
2x Zoom Button Hack
The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 3x zoom button, which is a welcome addition on the device, but it can be a little annoying to have to reach for the top-left corner to activate it. Fortunately, there’s a hack that lets you use the volume up button as a zoom button. This means you can use the camera with just one hand, and you don’t have to stretch your thumb to the top of the device to use the zoom button. This hack works on both the regular and Pro versions of the iPhone 14, even though only the Pro Max has a 3x zoom button. We love the convenience of this, and it’s especially great for when you want to quickly zoom in on something and then put your phone down (instead of keeping your thumb on the screen).
ProCam 5 Camera Hack
The current iPhone camera is excellent, but it can be even better. For example, it’s not possible to have manual controls over the ISO or shutter speed and have the ability to change your aperture like you can on a DSLR camera. On the iPhone 14 Pro Max, a developer has added an option to include a ProCam mode within the iPhone camera app. The hack provides a menu that lets you control the ISO, shutter speed and aperture (which changes the depth of field). In the past, you could only achieve this with a third-party camera app, but with this new hack, you can have manual controls right inside the default camera app. This means you can use the iPhone’s excellent image processing and still have manual controls like you would with a DSLR camera.
3D Touch Lock-to-Focus Button
Another camera feature that’s not available on the iPhone is lock-to-focus. With this feature, you can turn on autofocus and then press down on the screen to lock that focus in on an object. This lets you take a photo without having to tap on the screen to select a focus point. This feature is particularly useful when taking photos of moving subjects, like people and animals, or when you don’t want to risk tapping on the screen and disrupting the subject. You can use this hack to get a similar experience. The 3D Touch Lock-to-Focus Button hack lets you set a button as a lock-to-focus feature, which is ideal for taking photos of events. This means you can set the button to lock the focus on a particular subject and then snap away until you’re happy with the photo.
Darkroom Speed Key
As great as the iPhone 14 hardware is, it doesn’t have a dedicated hardware key to instantly launch the camera app. We understand that Apple does this to keep the device slim and lightweight, but for many photographers, it would be great to have the ability to launch the camera app instantly. The Darkroom Speed Key hack instantly launches the camera app whenever you press down on the volume button. This is great for photographers who have their camera app set up to automatically shoot on launch so they don’t have to fumble around to open the app when it’s time to shoot.
Instagram’s Boomerang and Hyperlapse Apps
The Instagram app for iPhone is one of the best social platforms for photographers. It’s a great place to share your images, get feedback and grow your audience. One of the biggest drawbacks of the app is that some of the most useful features, like the Hyperlapse video app, are only available on Instagram’s website. The Instagram app on the iPhone doesn’t have these features. However, there are third-party apps that bring these features to the device. We recommend using the Boomerang and Hyperlapse apps that work on the iPhone 14. They let you create and upload Instagrams on the go, which is perfect if you need to quickly post an image and don’t have time to access the Instagram app on a computer.
Conclusion
As you’ve seen from this article, it’s possible to extend the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s functionality beyond what Apple normally offers. With third-party apps and hacks, you can use the device to its full potential and make life easier as a photographer. Of course, the device is still a smartphone, so it’s good to be aware of how much time you spend on it. To read more about how to stay productive as a photographer, check out this article on Hitrendsetter.