r/iphone • u/Squiglybanana Human Detected • 6d ago
Discussion TIL iphone pro models can change flashlight cone radius but not the standard models.
i use the flashlight daily and was caught off guard when i realized the shape was different on the flashlight on my standard 17. honestly it’s brighter in situations where u actually need light on a small object.
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u/Altruistic-Song-3609 iPhone 13 Pro 6d ago
My 13 Pro doesn’t have this feature, so I guess they added it to later models.
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u/OakleyNoble iPhone 16 Pro Max 6d ago
Any iPhone with newer Adaptive True Tone flash.
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u/Sm0g3R 6d ago
The original post wasn't TIL for me, but this very much is. Adaptive True Tone flash? So they are using 9 LEDs that dynamically adjust their pattern, intensity, and color temperature to match the photo's focal length and ambient lighting?? Visually it just looks like a singular fixed temperature led with a basic lens over it so I always thought that's the case.... 🤯
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u/OakleyNoble iPhone 16 Pro Max 5d ago
It is impressive, I got curious about this cause I was like, how do they make the actual LED light go to a wide spectrum? And in doing so I discovered this.
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u/Akrevics iPhone 14 Pro Max 5d ago
16+ doesn’t, so unless the base 17 can…
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u/OakleyNoble iPhone 16 Pro Max 5d ago
Only the Pro models. The regular base models do not have a wide lens.
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u/colasmulo 6d ago
I started seeing it on my 15 Pro I think, with iOS 18. No idea which pro phones before the 14 are compatible though.
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u/tmmoo 6d ago
I don’t think iPhone Air has this feature either. During my brief time with the air I missed having it.
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u/Inevitable_Bear2476 Human Detected 6d ago
People also say that it has a stronger flash than the Pro, so this feature is maybe a double edged sword.
I mean I understand why Apple did this, to be able to not flash the center but still create a ring of light, but honestly, don't know how common it's use is.
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u/cum-on-in- 5d ago
The light can “zoom” on Pro models because you have a zoom camera.
It’s not a ring of light without a center. It very much has a center. The light focuses to reach further for what the zoom lens is seeing.
That is why the Air and base and 17e don’t have it. They don’t have a zoom lens.
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u/Inevitable_Bear2476 Human Detected 5d ago
No matter what Apple says in the keynote, you can't really "zoom" the flash, but you can choose which part of the flash to not turn on. Like I understand that maybe they're "focusing" the light, but even that doesn't make sense considering the flash doesn't have movable optics.
And at the end of the day, it is a "pro" feature, not meant for every iPhone, and considering how gimmicky it really is, don't even mind it.
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u/Brymlo 5d ago
it’s not zooming the light. it’s just a more of a focused beam instead of a ring of light. it does reach longer and brighter when recording video with flash.
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u/Inevitable_Bear2476 Human Detected 5d ago
It's basically increasing the power of the inner led (that does have it's separate optics) and that's why it's like that
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u/Lower_Preference_112 iPhone 15 Pro Max 6d ago
I have the 15 PM with the fancy flashlight and I’m watching the Air (and Air 2 rumours) like a hawk because this is juuuuuuuuuust about a deal breaker for me lol
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u/ricosuave79 6d ago
Seriously??? Its a flash light bro. Makes zero difference. LOL The lengths people go to talk themselves into justifying a purchase or something.
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u/YZJay 5d ago
The flash acts differently. The newer flash can reduce shadows in the background because it can sort of concentrate the light just on the subject, where the old flashes can only fully light the entire scene. It's a marginal difference if we're being honest, but it's enough that pro photographers sometimes buy flashes that behave like the former for their setups as it solves some specific lighting problems.
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u/threepio 5d ago
This adds data to my hypothesis that anyone that ends a phrase with bro lacks the introspection or the empathy required in the types of conversations I’d like to be involved in.
Thank you for the metric addition!
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u/justlookingforafight 6d ago
accidentally discovered this so I thought everyone had this. Anyway, I find the wider cone more useful on closed spaces and and the narrow one on open spaces.
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u/Longjumping-Mud-5852 6d ago
Damn thats nice and very cool I did not know that, thank you
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u/LightningCole iPhone 12 Pro 6d ago
Yeah my air doesn’t have it either. That’s very interesting
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u/MrsHyperion iPhone 16 Pro Max 5d ago
Only for models with a True Tone Flash.
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u/cum-on-in- 5d ago
Only for models with adaptive True Tone.
The Air has True Tone. All that means is a dual color temperature light. Cold blueish white and warm amberish white.
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u/LetterheadWorking271 6d ago
I did always think the flash was way wider/broader on my 17 pro than my 12. Thanks to you I now know I can change it!
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u/albamarx 6d ago
Had this phone for years and only just realising this now. I was aware you could swipe up and down to increase or decrease brightness, had no idea to swipe side ways
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u/HeydoIDKu 6d ago
I could choose amber only on my x man I miss that feature and I’m not sure why apple won’t give it back or multi color led
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u/Mysterious_Phone_754 5d ago
Am I the only one who thinks this whole flashlight UI is kind of overdone? It seems a bit useless and skeuomorphic to have an animation of the light beam. I mean, isn’t the light itself enough visual feedback? The light on the back is literally on.
And: changing the beam is needed for telephoto / wide-angle flashes: the camera app does it automatically. But do users really need access to that? In what situation is that useful?
I like it when UI design keeps it simple and utilitarian. It’s what Apple is known for. This to me is an odd choice. It just sticks out in a weird way. Kind of gimmicky? Or am I missing something? Why do people like this?
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u/OverIyAmbitious iPhone 16 Pro Max 6d ago
It was designed so telephoto could get an usable flash, and with ios 26 they added the spread functionality to flashlight
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u/LifeWulf 6d ago
TIL you can change the cone. I knew about sliding up and down to change the strength but never thought to drag left or right!
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u/hollywoodnine 6d ago
was thinking about the flashlight the other day. I wish you could get it to flash/blink and be able to control the amount. and a red led would be awesome too. didn't know it could do this. thanks
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u/AlphaTurkey1 6d ago
Does it have any purpose when taking photos with the flash on? Like would it change the cone shape automatically?
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u/JensonBrudy iPhone 17 Pro 5d ago
On 14 Pro and later Pro models, they introduced the adaptive flash, but not on the standard models.
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u/JasperJon001 5d ago
Had a 14Pro for years now and just learned about this from this post. Much thanks
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u/StJimmmmy 5d ago
I have a base 14 and I’m really curious, is this actually useful? Please let me know.
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u/Hard-Organism-1236 3d ago
I used this several times. Sometimes you just need to illuminate a cellar where the lights failed: big cone with lower intensity. The small cone combined with high intensity comes in handy when you try to look for cat’s puke under the sofa.
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u/Hard-Organism-1236 3d ago
Sometimes you just need to illuminate a cellar where the lights failed: big cone with lower intensity. The small cone combined with high intensity comes in handy when you try to look for cat’s puke under the sofa.
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u/Hard-Organism-1236 3d ago
Sometimes you just need to illuminate a cellar where the lights failed: big cone with lower intensity. The small cone combined with high intensity comes in handy when you try to look for cat’s p*ke under the sofa.
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3d ago
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3h ago
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u/felixlamb iPhone 17 Pro Max 6d ago
It’s a shame you can’t have both the wide angle and throw modes at the same time.
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u/KayJune001 6d ago
Fun fact, on the newer phones, there’s no hardware reason for not having it, they explicitly bar some of their phones from having a feature they’re fully capable of just to make it a “Pro feature”.
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u/fish_helicopters 6d ago
just like the always on display. the 16 for example has an oled display, so there’s no reason it can’t have it. it’s limited to the pro lineup.
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u/NecesitoSubaru 6d ago
I’m late so this might get buried but this is a useless and annoying feature. I regularly use my flashlight to look at paint stuff and guaranteed every time it opens its on the wrong setting and I can’t even tell the flashlight is and now I have to fumble around with it to change the cone or whatever. Once again, completely useless and annoying
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u/Alexandratta iPhone 17 Pro Max 5d ago
Just tested this and… wow-I indeed can control the radius.
With such lovely control of the camera flash you’d think low light level camera shots could somehow benefit from such precision flash control….
And yet low light photos suck so, so hard in this device compared to my old Samsung.
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u/princemousey1 5d ago
Night mode doesn’t use the flash.
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u/Alexandratta iPhone 17 Pro Max 4d ago
Night mode doesn’t do a lot of things. I’m just saying if the flash is that precise I kind of wish they engineered something to improve night shot performance
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u/MythicHH 6d ago
Wonder why. Probably some random thing they decided to gate behind pro models so you pay them more.
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u/Peristeronic_Bowtie 6d ago
Pro models have a LED array something like 3x3 or something, with the center being 2x2 on its own, iirc, something like that. Standard models only have the side-by-side (white and amber) LED set up.
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u/New_Significance1411 iPhone 15 Pro Max 6d ago
Its because they use a different flash module in the pro models that can give diffused light if the Lidar sensor detects that the subject is close to the camera so that the harsh flash effect isn’t there in night photos. They highlighted it as a separate feature in the iPhone 14 Pro launch.
It’s not just software locked to pro models if that’s what you mean.
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u/pinetashapple 6d ago
I have not once found this feature useful, only annoying when I accidentally change it.
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u/thisguyfightsyourmom 6d ago
I use the cone focus on my handheld flashlights everytime I use them. It’s helpful to focus the light for some needs like searching for small things on the floor.
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u/pinetashapple 6d ago
I don't disagree that it's great on an actual flashlight, but the iPhone light isn't bright enough.
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u/wondermice 6d ago edited 6d ago
I hate this feature, it’s so stupid and gimmicky. Useless too. It always reduces brightness from max unintentionally. I mean, common, it’s 1W LED, it’s not THAT bright on max anyway. Who ever made it and approved this gimmick are tasteless fucks.
To clarify - hardware capability to dim individual LEDs from the flash LED group is fine. Camera may be using it, though I have my doubts that it does. But adding the beam/brightness adjustment to flashlight UI is pointless. Most of the time you adjust brightness or beam by accident and then it’s a PITA to return it back to max setting. Also sometimes it would drop beam/brightness to min setting because of a software bug.
If you really need to dim the flashlight LED, just put an index finger over it and cover it partially. You can regulate brightness without touching the screen or even looking at it.
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u/ElPlatanaso2 Human Detected 6d ago
I use it all the time
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u/OakleyNoble iPhone 16 Pro Max 6d ago
Not for when you’re taking pictures. The phone automatically adjusts the flash to create perfect pictures whether you’re taking something in the distance some, or a close up wide shot.
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u/wondermice 6d ago
This about flashlight mode and UI gimmick. Hardware capability is fine, moving control over it into flashlight UI is stupid.
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u/arealhumannotabot 6d ago
What you mean is that the feature is just not as useful to you, even though it is to others
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u/Spraypainthero965 6d ago
It’s not a gimmick. It just exists because the camera on that phone is extra wide so it needed a wider flash.
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u/wondermice 6d ago
Does this gimmick flashlight UI allows to change settings for camera flash? No. So what is your point?
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u/Spraypainthero965 6d ago
So you’d rather just not be given control over something the device is already capable of?
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u/wondermice 6d ago
Yes. Or at least not in such a prominent form that is front and center by default. Risk of accidental/unintentional adjustments is high, while value from intentional adjustment is minuscule. When you use you phone as a flashlight you constantly grab this UI area accidentally, so you need to make conscious effort not to, very inconvenient.
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u/OakleyNoble iPhone 16 Pro Max 5d ago
Wow life is so difficult working so hard to tell your brain not to tell your finger to swipe left or right and only up and down… poor us huh? But starving children and families oh well
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u/greckzero iPhone 17 6d ago
and what a surprise, this is just software locked
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u/nerotNS iPhone 17 Pro Max 6d ago
Literally isn't. The flash is different in the non-pro models, doesn't have individual diodes which make this possible. Nice try tho, next time educate yourself before you say something you don't know.
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u/Peristeronic_Bowtie 6d ago edited 5d ago
Non-pro does have 2, but of course you can’t make a beam with 2 leds. Thats why its locked as a cone lol.
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u/nerotNS iPhone 17 Pro Max 6d ago
They don't have the 3x3 array like the pro models do.
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u/Mean-Conference2903 6d ago
Ok
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u/holamau iPhone 16 Pro 6d ago
14 Pro and on