Apple ProRAW

Photographs

Another nail in the DSLR’s coffin.


Here’s Apple on the technology.

Your intrepid writer was to be seen at 2AM of a beautiful Scottsdale night (Jammies? Scotch tartan, green. Slippers from LL Bean) banging away in both JPG and ProRAW on the iPhone 12 Pro Max after installing iOS 14.3, the operating system which added ProRAW support.

Great news? My ancient Lightoom 6.4 imports the files faster than a Wall Street shyster can take your money, no questions asked. Apple uses the universal DNG file format, saving us yet another upgrade from the nasty people at Adobe and allowing what is now ‘legacy’ software to continue working fine. No monthly shakedown payment required.

Here’s the import dialog in LR for both the JPG and ProRAW files:


The import dialog.

The files after import:


The imported files.

As Apple advises, file sizes for the RAW images are much larger, suggesting you want to selectively use the technology to conserve storage space – there’s a toggle in the photo taking screen:


File sizes.

The ProRAW highlights in this extreme dynamic range image seem beyond redemption:


ProRAW highlights.

But after working the sliders vigorously ….


Slider adjustments.

….a crackerjack image emerges:


After slider adjustments.

ProRAW is not true RAW, in the sense that Apple (wisely) retains its image manipulation to provide the sharpest images by melding the best, and adding Deep Fusion where appropriate. But the results meaningfully improve on SOOC JPGs, just be prepared to work the post-processing software quite a bit. Nothing a Preset or two in LR couldn’t largely automate.

iPhone 12Pro Max bumper

iPhone

Protecting the lens assembly.



Click the image to go to Amazon.

It’s not that easy to find a pure bumper for the iPhone 12Pro Max. Most cases come with a variety of front and rear covers, neither wanted by this user as I use a belt holster.

I did not want to get a case for the iPhone 12, to keep bulk down and to retain the better grip afforded by the square sides. However I did find the sides rather slippery but, more importantly, noticed that the protruding lens assembly meant that the iPhone would not rest flat on a desk or table, but would rest that corner on the lenses themselves. Not good.

So I caved and got one of the above. It’s slightly less slippery than the native edge, the square profile of the sides is retained, the touch of the buttons remains good (though the mute switch is a bit tough to access) and it has corner protrusions which protect the lenses when the iPhone is placed lens-down on a flat surface. While the package included a screen protector I consider that a waste of time as I have never known an iPhone screen to scratch unless something truly thoughtless is done to it, like putting it in a pocket with unprotected keys. As for covering the lovely Pacific Blue back, why on earth would you want to do that?

Some night snaps

Photographs

Hand held night mode.

The iPhone presents two reticles in the middle of the screen as you hand hold it for long exposures, the idea being that you want to keep the two superimposed for best results. At the same time, and on-screen message exhorts you to keep steady. These two, combined, work well.

Imagine what Brassaï would have done with this technology.

iPhone 12 Pro Max. Hand held.