There seems to be some conflict regarding how people want the iPhone to process photos. On one hand, especially when I see YouTubers comparing the iPhone with other flagship Android devices, they often complain that the iPhone isn’t “HDR” enough. It doesn’t brighten the shadows or bring down the highlights as much as the competition. They use that to argue that the iPhone has the “inferior” camera. To them, if the photo isn’t flat—with brighter shadows and toned-down highlights—its “dynamic range is weaker.” Another frequent complaint is that “it’s not sharp enough.” These criticisms don’t just come from non-photography experts who "review" these phones, but from professional photographers as well.
On the other hand, some people—especially those on online forums like this one, as well as some professional photographers—hold the opposite view. They think the iPhone brightens the shadows and brings down the highlights too much. “It’s over-sharpened,” “it’s flat,” “it’s too HDR-y,” and “it’s over-processed” are some of their complaints.
So, what should Apple do now? They’ve provided Photographic Styles, yet many still shoot with the default settings and complain. How can they satisfy everyone, considering the fact that the main target demographic for these phones are ordinary users who just want photos that “look good”?
