iPhone 11 update lets your camera take better photos with genius ‘Deep Fusion’ trick
APPLE has upgraded the cameras on new iPhone 11 handsets through a software update.
The new iOS 13.2 update adds Deep Fusion, genius camera technology first revealed in September – but only now available to the public.
Deep Fusion was shown off during the iPhone 11 launch event, but wasn't available when the phones came out two weeks later.
It aims to significantly improve your photographs in "medium light" by using computational tricks.
Every time you take a photo in this type of lighting, your iPhone is actually capturing nine images.
And the Deep Fusion software takes the best bits from these images to produce a stunning final snap – all in around a second.
With the telephoto lens, Deep Fusion will be used most of the time unless the scene is very bright.
And the ultrawide-angle lens won't use Deep Fusion at all.
How does Deep Fusion work?
Here's what's happening behind the scenes...
- It works by taking nine photos in total (though you only ever press the shutter button once)
- Before you've pressed the shutter button, the camera has snapped four frames with a fast shutter speed
- It's also taken another four frames with a standard shutter speed
- And when you press the shutter, a ninth long-exposure shot is taken for added detail
- Next, Deep Fusion will combine three of the standard shots and the long-exposure shot into a "synthetic long" frame
- This is then combined with the most detailed of the four short-exposure images
- Deep Fusion then trawls these two images pixel by pixel to identify the best detail
- A weighting system is create to blend the photos, with detail taken from one, and tone, colour and luminance nabbed from the other
- Finally, an image is generated after mere moments, which should have more detail than a non-Deep Fusion snap
To get Deep Fusion, simply update your iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max to iOS 13.2.
Go to Settings > General > Software Update and you'll be well on your way.
Then Deep Fusion should kick in whenever lighting conditions aren't perfect (but not so dark that you require Night Mode).
Frustratingly, there's no way of knowing whether Deep Fusion has activated.
Unlike Night Mode, you won't get a little icon or timer showing that Deep Fusion technology is being used.
You'll just have to hope it's working in the background.
If you're in a particularly well-lit area – like when you're outdoors on a sunny day – then Deep Fusion won't activate.
And if it's so dark that Night Mode activates, Deep Fusion won't switch on either.
In other news, the latest iPhone update has added 398 new emojis including a "period" icon.
Apple has announced a new premium version of AirPodswith noise-cancelling technology.
Another recent rumour suggests Apple is working on a £399 iPhone that would be its cheapest in years.
And, Apple is also preparing to launch a Netflix-slaying £4.99-a-month streaming service in November.
Are you tempted by the new iPhone 11? Let us know in the comments!
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