The camera control button's half-press and soft touch features were too sensitive, leading to accidental changes in settings like exposure or tone profiles during client work. He had to disable these additional controls to avoid disrupting shoots.
The camera control button is primarily designed for launching the camera and taking photos. However, it also has additional controls for adjusting settings like exposure and tone, which Stalman found too finicky to use reliably.
Stalman believes the button's placement is optimized for horizontal shooting but feels awkward for vertical shooting. He suggests it should be closer to the corner for better ergonomics when shooting horizontally.
Stalman predicts that the camera control button will eventually be used for visual intelligence features, allowing users to press and hold it to activate Apple's AI to identify objects, provide information, or assist visually impaired users.
Stalman recommends using the 'Amber' photographic style with the tone slider set to negative 50 to 60 and adding a bit of color back in. This combination reduces over-processing and sharpens the shadows, resulting in more natural-looking photos.
Stalman believes Apple is not interested in replicating the film look because it doesn't align with their focus on clinical accuracy and modern processing. He notes that the 'Mood' styles, while aggressive, don't capture the nostalgic appeal of film.
Stalman sees JPEG XL as a superior replacement for JPEG, offering better compression efficiency, higher image quality, and support for features like animations and transparency. He believes it could eventually replace JPEG as the standard format.
Stalman explains that many commercials are now social-first, meaning they are designed to look native on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Shooting on an iPhone allows for a more authentic, less polished look that performs better on social media.
Stalman believes the choice to shoot on iPhones aligns with the original film's found-footage style, aiming to create a sense of realism and authenticity. However, he is puzzled by the use of professional lenses, which may negate the iPhone's unique look.
Stalman praises the improved audio features, particularly the wind reduction and voice isolation, which make iPhone video sound significantly better without the need for external microphones. He believes this will greatly benefit social media creators.
Tyler Stalman joins the show to discuss the iPhone 16 lineup’s cameras, and the state of iPhone photography.
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Links:
Tyler Stalman on YouTube:
Undertone: Amber
Tone: -50 to -60
Color: 20
Palette: 100
JPEG XL).
Steven Soderbergh has shot two feature films on iPhones:
Robert Rodriguez:
El Mariachi) — his debut feature film, shot for just $7,000 in 1992.
Desperado) — his big-budget 1995 sequel, starring Antonio Banderas and Selma Hayek.
Rebel Without a Crew) — Rodriguez’s book on the making of El Mariachi.
Benedict Evans: “The Best Is the Last)”.
This episode of The Talk Show was edited by Caleb Sexton.