Although the logical thing in a new iPhone modelis that it has better functions than the previous ones, sometimes setbacks happen, and that tool that we have been using for years, suddenly, in the new iPhone 17 Pro, we do not see it anywhere.
And the worst thing is when Apple has not given any explanations, nor is it known if it will be available again in future updates. This is a camera mode that, although it is not the most used, was important in certain conditions, and that we will not be able to activate now.
Night mode on the iPhone 17 Pro?
If you had the habit of taking photos like “night portrait” with your previous iPhone, bad news: the iPhone 17 Pro (and its older brother) no longer show the option to night mode when you activate Portrait mode. Previously, on models like the 12 Pro, 13 Pro or even the previous 16 Pro, you could keep the background blur and the phone will improve the lighting automatically in dark scenes, now that combination does not appear in the native camera app.
It doesn't mean that the camera is bad (quite the opposite: the new sensors, zoom and dynamic range have improved, as usually happens in new generations), but it does mean that Apple has removed a specific tool that many used for low-light portraits. This means that if you want a night portrait with the 17 Pro you'll have to choose between using Portrait without Night mode (and relying on available lighting) or using Night mode outside of Portrait mode (with less control over portrait blur).
For some this is a step back: they expected that, with better hardware, these combinations would be even more powerful. For others it may be a minor change. It is solved with retouching or third-party apps (although it is tedious). At the moment Apple has not given a public explanation as to why this option was removed or if it will return in a software update, so it is a problem for many, who were looking to take better photos at night, and despite having better sensors and cameras, they now have it more difficult, unless they use manual settings that are not so simple for amateurs.
Models with “night mode”:
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
In summary, the iPhone 17 Pro introduces improvements in sensors and performance, but it is surprising that it has lost a useful function in dark scenes: the combination of Portrait mode with Night mode. In previous generations it allowed you to effortlessly achieve portraits with a blurred background and good lighting, something that many took for granted. Now, that option just doesn't appear and Apple has not clarified the reason or if it will return through software. Anyone who wants night portraits will have to improvise between separate modes or resort to manual settings, less accessible to casual users. The curious thing is that older models did maintain that tool, which makes the change feel like an unexpected setback for those who take advantage of low-light photography.
And you, what do you think of all this? Have you noticed?
