Manual camera controls on iPhone: ISO, Shutter, AE Lock and AF Lock
Apple's own Camera app skips manual exposure controls entirely. In LiDAR Camera, open Controls and tap Manual Camera for ISO and Shutter sliders, plus AE Lock and AF Lock, on the regular camera view. Few iPhone camera apps offer manual control like this. PRO feature, free for everyone during the first 7 days.
Does iPhone have a manual camera mode?
Not in the Camera app, no. It decides exposure, focus and white balance for you, leaving just a simple brightness slider on the preview. If you want a specific ISO or shutter speed you need a separate app, like the Manual Camera panel here.
Open Manual Camera
- Open LiDAR Camera in Normal mode, the regular camera.
- Tap Controls in the tool row above the shutter.
- Tap Manual Camera. Free users see Unlock with PRO here instead of the sliders.
- Drag the ISO slider and the Shutter slider; each is mapped across the range your camera hardware allows.
- Tap AE Lock to freeze the current exposure, or AF Lock to freeze focus, so the picture does not change as you reframe.
What each control is for
| Control | What it does | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| ISO | Sets the sensor's sensitivity to light directly, instead of letting auto-exposure pick it | Push it up yourself in the dark instead of hoping auto-exposure goes high enough |
| Shutter | Sets how long the sensor gathers light for each frame | A longer time lets in more light but blurs movement; a shorter one freezes motion but is darker |
| AE Lock | Locks the current exposure so it stops changing | Panning past a bright window or light without the picture jumping |
| AF Lock | Locks the current focus distance | Recording video or moving the phone without it hunting to refocus |
These sliders sit alongside Night Vision Intensity and Screen Brightness in the same Controls sheet, so a manual exposure stacks fine with any of the 12 looks.
Manual Camera is reachable from every camera mode, but it earns its keep in Normal mode, where the exposure shifts live on screen as you drag each slider. In LiDAR mode it does basically nothing, since depth doesn't care about ISO.
Questions and answers
Is Manual Camera free?
What ISO and shutter range can I choose?
Can I use Manual Camera while recording video?
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