Last month, when my iPhone Upgrade Program came around to its full year, I debated on whether I should stay with an s model or upgrade to the 7+. I upgraded to the 7+ only for the dual lens. Why would I want to upgrade to a phone that is quite literally the size of my hand?

Under the following circumstances, I would highly recommend that you also purchase one:

  • You are a business owner/sole proprietor who does not have a nice camera
  • You are already considering the iPhone or it’s time to upgrade
  • You have an understanding of basic photography concepts or are willing to learn
  • You have no marketing budget
  • Your marketing is very heavily reliant on social media

After a month or so of snapping photos under a few different light conditions, I’ve come to appreciate what the Portrait mode can do. If you don’t have a nice camera to whip out during a photogenic moment, this can be the next best thing.

The model combines two cameras’ photos into one, resulting in a bokeh effect (blurry background).

The below photos were taken by me on the iPhone 7+ and edited by me in A Color Story. For my website’s sake, I had to scale down the images. The longest sides were at 4032 px, now scaled down to 1000 px. You’ll notice that the photos look best when under indirect, natural sunlight.

This last one was taken a few days ago. My friend, with no official photography training, tried out the Portrait mode on me.

This being great and all, but when should you not use this phone?

  • If you intend to enlarge the photo up to anything beyond an iPad screen, it becomes a little grainy
  • If the majority of your photos are going to be taken in low light, the photo will be grainy and/or you will receive the low light warning

In the end, I think this can be a game changer for small businesses who can’t afford a photographer or a nicer camera.