How to Shoot Macro Photos on iPhone 12, iPhone 11, and Older iPhones

BY Parth Shah

Published 2 Nov 2021

shoot macro photos in iPhone 12 and older models

Instead of using a dedicated macro camera, Apple relies on the Ultra-Wide camera on iPhone 13 Pro for macro photography. Users can take close-up images of any objects as close as 2cm to the camera lens. Even though Macro Mode is limited to the iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max, anyone with an iPhone 8, iPhone X/XS, iPhone 11, or iPhone 12 can shoot macro photos by following this guide.

You can also use this guide to click macro photos on the non-Pro iPhone 13 models since they lack an ultra-wide camera with autofocus support. Halide, a popular third-party camera app, will let you click macro photos using your existing iPhone. It achieves this by relying on the powerful Neural Engine of the A-series chip inside your iPhone and its new AI-based Neural Macro engine.

Before you go ahead and try out Halide, let’s talk about compatibility. The app will let any iPhone with a Neural Engine click macro photos. This means you’ll be able to click macro photos using any of the following iPhones:

  • iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini
  • iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini

Shoot Macro Photos on iPhone 12, iPhone 11, iPhone X/XS

Here’s how you can click macro photos using Halide on your iPhone:

Step 1: Download and install the Halide app ($2.99 per month) from the App Store. 

Download

Step 2: Launch the app and tap on the AF button to switch to manual focus. 

Step 3: Tap on the Flower button at the bottom left-hand side corner. 

Step 4: Adjust the focus using the slider at the bottom and capture a perfect macro photo using the app. 

halide macro mode on iPhone 12

For existing users, Macro mode comes as a free upgrade. New users will need to purchase the app at $2.99 per month or $11.99 a year. You can also go with the $49.99 one-time purchase option. Halide offers a seven-day free trial with a yearly subscription. 

How are you planning to use the macro mode on Halide? Share your thoughts in the comments below.