Submitted by Fred Straker on
One of the many enhancements included with the recent iOS 7.1 update makes it easier for iPhone 5s owners to snap HDR photos. Leaving HDR on all the time means that in some cases, photos are not improved. Not only this, but saving both the normal and HDR versions of images can clog up the Camera Roll quickly and lead to time wasted deleting photos.
Apple has added a new, convenient way for iPhone 5s users to allow the Camera app to decide whether HDR is likely to improve the exposure of a scene. Once the iPhone is updated to iOS 7.1, the Camera will default to HDR Auto mode when first opened. A yellow box above the shutter release button will indicate when HDR mode is being used.
Left in this mode, photos will automatically be recorded in HDR mode when needed. To manually change this setting, open the Camera app and tap HDR Auto at the top of the screen. Three choices will appear: HDR Auto, HDR On, and HDR Off. Tapping the selection will enable that mode, and the next time Camera opens this will be the default setting.
Even when the iOS 7.1 camera automatically shoots in HDR, it will save the normal version of the photo if this is specified in Settings. To save both versions of every HDR photo, navigate to Settings -> Photos & Camera -> Keep Normal Photo -> ON (green slider). To automatically trash the normal version and only keep HDR on the Camera Roll, make sure this selection is turned OFF.