iPhone X Portrait Lighting Versus Real Studio Lighting

The new iPhone X has a number of Portrait Lighting looks that allow users to “fake” professional lighting styles. Here’s a 4-minute video by photographer Daniel DeArco that compares the iPhone X’s Portrait Lighting with the real studio lighting setups they’re designed to mimic.

All the images in these comparisons are taken with the iPhone X, with those on the left having been shot with the digital lighting modes. On the right are images shot with the iPhone X without any of the digital lighting enabled, but instead with the lighting replicated with a real lighting rig.

Here are the comparisons of the different digital lighting modes of the iPhone X:

Natural Light

Studio Light

Contour Light

Stage Light

Stage Light (Mono)

“At this point the Apple Portrait Lighting doesn’t replace professional lighting quality, but it’s still a fun gimmick to use,” DeArco concludes. “We think that the results are pretty good.”

Check out the full video above to see the shoot in action. You can also find more of DeArco’s videos by subscribing to his channel on YouTube.