The Best Aspect Ratio for the iPhone Camera

Which aspect ratio is best for iPhone? Should my iPhone take 4:3 or 16:9 photos? Which is better 16x9 or 4x3 iPhone camera? Here's Guide.

In photography and videography, the aspect ratio is the relationship between the width and height of the displayed photo or video. Aspect ratios are most commonly represented as width and height units separated by a colon. They can, however, be displayed as a single number equal to the width divided by the height.

Across film and television history, there have been many different aspect ratios, but currently, three ratios are prevalent, with a few classic ratios making a comeback. The most popular aspect ratios on phones are: 4:3, 16:9, 1:1.

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Aspect Ratios available in iPhone Cameras

Apple has modified the native Camera app in newer iPhones to accommodate the numerous shooting options available in its latest flagship phones, with the range of new aspect ratio shooting modes being a particularly refreshing change.

The Camera app-only offers a single 1:1 multi-aspect ratio shooting mode as it existed on previous iPhones. Square is apt for clicking shots for social handle Instagram. It means that the users can choose varied aspect ratios later for editing. When shooting in the Camera app on newer iPhones, users could use amongst three popular aspect ratio options: 1:1 (square), 4:3, and 16:9.

Whenever you take a photograph or record a video on an iPhone, you must decide on an aspect ratio. 16:9 and 4:3 stands as the two most common aspect ratios in media, but which one is best for you? Certain aspect ratios may have advantages depending on the purpose of your project.

Aspect Ratio 16:9

– Since it is 78% wider than tall, the 16:9 aspect ratio, also popularly known as the widescreen, is ideal for videos. It allows you to fit more horizontally in your frame while optimizing your video for modern screens.

Aspect Ratio 4:3

– The 4:3 aspect ratio is better for photography because it is only 33% wider than tall, and it is also better for printing.

There are many more aspect ratios than just 16:9 and 4:3, but these two are the most common in photography and videography. A third significant aspect ratio in contemporary photography is 3:2, which corresponds to a full-frame sensor’s 35mm size.

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Which is the best aspect ratio for iPhones?

When choosing your aspect ratio, you tell your iPhone camera which parts of the frame you would like to record. There will be recordings of less information vertically in a 16:9 ratio frame. However, it will appear better on the modern TV and PC monitors. As such, one should choose the aspect ratio taking into consideration the final purpose of the captured photo or video. Where will it display, and how will your intended audience view it?

If you capture your photo or video in a particular aspect ratio that does not match the display, you will crop or distort the image. For instance, if you have a 4:3 aspect ratio photo/video but want to present it on a 16:9 display, your image will have borders on both ends or be distorted. The same thing goes for the 16:9 image that you want to put on a 4:3 display. Hence, it is crucial to consider and fix the appropriate aspect ratio before capturing a photo or any video with the iPhone.

For Photography: 

4:3 stands as the perfect aspect ratio for any photography as it is the best compatible one with print and also appears well on social media. As the 4:3 aspect ratio is slighter wider than being tall, it’s better and everything comes into the frame. Using a wider aspect ratio, such as 16:9, makes little sense, mainly since photos are clicked horizontally and vertically.

For Videography:

The best video aspect ratio is 16:9 because it fits in most modern displays like Televisions, tablets, phones, and computer monitors. In addition, this aspect ratio allows you to display the entire video without having black bars around your footage.

The aspect ratio is a crucial element as it determines the width and height of your shot. You should use the one solely determined by how you want to display your images once you capture them.

Can you change the aspect ratio on iPhone?

Yes, you can change the aspect ratio on the iPhone camera screen. Unfortunately, some iPhone models do not offer aspect ratio settings on-camera screen. So, to all those users, I suggest you take a picture and open the photo up in edit mode to change the aspect ratio.

What aspect ratio does iPhone shoot in?

Typically, the iPhone photo shoots aspect ratio is 16:9. However, users can switch it buddy hidden camera settings on their iPhones. For a big viewfinder, 16:9 is the perfect space to capture a large area.

In addition, Edit Mode Picture shows the below-given aspect ratio on iPhone.

  1. freeform, 
  2. square, 
  3. wallpaper, 
  4. 9:16, 
  5. 4:5,
  6.  5:7,
  7.  3:4,
  8.  3:5,
  9.  2:3

What is the default iPhone camera aspect ratio?

Apple iPhone’s camera default camera aspect ratio is 16:9. However, you can change it with the help of the guide given above.

Should my iPhone take 4:3 or 16:9 photos?

It depends on you; if you need a square image, you should keep a 4:3 aspect ratio which will show you a tiny viewfinder on your Phone camera screen compared to 16:9.

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Karly Wood

Karly Wood, a Wellington-based journalist, excels in covering Apple and tech trends. With a diverse background in public safety, government, and education reporting, her insights bridge multiple disciplines, offering readers a well-rounded perspective on today's technological advancements. Contact Her Team:- [email protected] [OR] [email protected]

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