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It’s not just you, your iPhone camera is getting worse with each new generation

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This is an interesting video from tech YouTuber and smartphone aficionado Marques Brownlee that talks about the iPhone’s camera system and why it appears to be getting worse than the competition with each new generation. Having dumped iPhones myself back in 2017, it wasn’t something I’d really paid much attention to, but on watching his video, I realised that he was right. Their quality seems to be getting worse.

Marques has a theory as to why this is happening, and I think he might be right. In fact, he believes that one of them is something which Google has already fallen foul of with their Pixel series of smartphones. Fortunately, for Google’s sake, it looks like they course-corrected pretty quickly, but will Apple? Maybe.

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Hollyland’s new Lark C1 wireless mic for smartphones lets you keep charging your phone while it’s in use

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We got to see a sneak peek of it at IBC 2022 in Amsterdam last month but now Hollyland has officially announced their new tiny wireless microphone system for iPhones. It’s the Hollyland Lark C1 and it’s essentially an update to the Lark M1 that doesn’t require a headphone jack or adapter cable. It’s available with a Lightning connector for iPhones or a USB-C connector for Android devices.

The Lightning version is fully Apple MFi-certified and both versions are fully plug-and-play, automatically detecting when the receiver is plugged into your smartphone. They’re dual-channel receivers, allowing for two microphones on two transmitters. There is also a Lightning or USB-C socket on each receiver allowing you to continue charging your mobile device while you’re recording.

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Accsoon’s SeeMo turns your iPhone or iPad into an HDMI on-camera field monitor

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Accsoon, a company more traditionally tied to wireless video transmission systems has just announced its newest device. It’s the Accsoon SeeMo and it’s basically an HDMI adapter for your iPhone or iPad that lets you turn it into an on-camera field monitor, complete with all of the usual features like zebra stripes, histogram, waveform, focus assist and even a built-in record feature.

This isn’t the first HDMI to USB adapter that the company has announced, having previously released the Accsoon M1 earlier this year, which offers similar functionality for Android users. Now, the introduction of the SeeMo brings that functionality to the Apple ecosystem with either an iPhone or an iPad, for those who want a much larger display.

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This is how to shoot and frame those new layered iPhone lock screen photos in iOS 16

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The latest iPhone operating system, iOS 16, comes with a new lock screen feature. It’s a sort of layered overlay wallpaper that cuts out your subject and sticks it on top of the clock. It’s a neat visual effect – and one that’s been commonly used on magazine covers over the years – but with the iPhone, there is a trick to creating the images in order to make them work in this way.

In this video, ZY Cheng walks us through the process of how the new layered lock screen photos work and how we need to shoot and compose them in order to get the desired result. It’s a pretty straightforward process and requires no 3rd party tools or funky file formats. In fact, you can even do it with images shot using the phone’s own built-in cameras, but there is definitely a trick to it.

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Exclusive! Sneak preview of Hollyland’s brand new microphone for iPhone

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DIYP got an exclusive first look at Hollyland‘s brand new Audio Lark C1 microphone system for iPhone. It’s so new, it hasn’t even been announced yet. It’s due to be announced in October 2022. But nonetheless, we got to chat to Skylar Liu from Hollyland and see this secret new product with our own eyes and find out why it’s so groundbreaking.

This isn’t Lark’s first rodeo at producing microphones. They already have the Lark M1 and the Lark 150, but the new C1 is a bit of a game changer.

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The Snap Filter is yet another smartphone filter kit for iPhones (only iPhones)

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Smartphone filter kits seem to be coming through thick and fast lately, with the most recent being NiSi’s iPhone filter kit announced a few weeks ago. Now, there’s another hitting the market. It’s the Snap Filter, a magnetic filter system for the iPhone from Pan’s Scheme, a company founded by YouTuber, Mediastorm. It’s an interesting system which offers some familiar filters including ND, Mist and star filters as well as anamorphic look-a-likes, blue and gold streak (in horizontal and vertical flavours).

A base attaches to your smartphone and there are two bases, one for the iPhone 12/13 and 12/13 Pro and one for the iPhone 12/13 Pro Max, that magnetically attach to your phone. Onto these, you attach your filters, and various kits are available depending on your needs. It’s a design that, as usual, is specifically for the iPhone, though. So, Android users can move along. Nothing to see here.

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NiSi scales down their filter system for their new Smartphone Filter Kit for iPhone

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If we take away all the egotistical hyperbole, one of the big things that stops a lot of people from shooting more (and more serious) photos with their smartphones is the lack of available filters. Sure, there are some polarisers and NDs out there, but when have you ever seen a square filter system comparable to that which you’d use on a DSLR or mirrorless camera?

Well, NiSi’s solving that today, at least for iPhone users, with the release of their new Smartphone Filter Kit for iPhone. Technically, there are three kits. There’s the Landscape Kit, the Filmmaker Kit and the Cinema Kit, each tailored to a different type of user. And the filters themselves appear to be exactly the same (only smaller) as those which NiSi makes for regular cameras, too.

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This $12 iPhone app gives you remote focus and LiDAR autofocus on your Blackmagic cameras

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No matter what camera you use, the ability to focus remotely is a wonderful thing. And if you’re filming yourself, it can often be invaluable. I’ve spoken about it before in the Weebill 2 Pro Plus Kit review. And while I tend to avoid it when shooting video, I’m not to big to admit that there are times when autofocus can also make your life drastically easier.

Autofocus is a feature notably lacking from Blackmagic cameras, but this iPhone app gives it back to you using your iPhone’s LiDAR sensor to determine the distance to the subject and telling your camera to focus to it. And, yeah, you get regular remote focus pull features, too. It looks like the app’s been out for quite a while, but has kept itself below the radar (their Facebook page only has 5 followers). YouTuber Michael Tobin discovered it, though, and has made a video showing how it works.

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Did you know your iPhone camera helps you identify plants?

If you like photographing plants and flowers, you might also want to learn what they’re called. I sure know I can never get enough of shooting them, and I’m always curious to discover their names so I can learn something more about them.

But did you know your iPhone’s native camera can help you identify them? It’s as quick as taking a photo, and it doesn’t require any additional, third-party apps.

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New EU law forces Apple to switch to USB-C chargers for iPhones

“Does anyone have an iPhone charger?” a person asks in a panic.  Others shrug their shoulders because they have a house full of chargers – but they’re all USB-C. This is no longer going to happen. Well, at least not in Europe.

The European Union has reached a landmark agreement that wants to unify various consumer electronics and make them feature a USB-C charging port. Yes, this includes the iPhone and AirPods, and it should happen by 2024.

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