Panorama modes are a staple on smartphone camera apps, allowing users to pan their device to take a composite photo. This means you can get a wider field of view than a conventional main camera on a phone.
We have a feeling that the ultra-wide camera has replaced the panorama mode for at least some users. So when was the last time you used panorama mode on your phone? Let us know by taking the poll below.
Ultra-wide cameras have several advantages over panorama modes, starting with the ease of it all. Ultra-wide cameras don’t require users to stand still while carefully panning their phones to the left or right. All you need to do is press the shutter key and you’ve got a photo with a wide field of view.
Another reason why some people might prefer ultra-wide photos is that panoramas rely on stitching algorithms to compose the final image. And stitching still isn’t perfect in 2021 for many phones, leading to scenes potentially looking very wonky. Finally, ultra-wide cameras are capable of video recording too, and you can’t record a video in panorama mode.
Still, some people might prefer panorama modes in some situations. Ultra-wide cameras on many phones tend to lag behind the main camera at night, so panoramas on some phones might look better than ultra-wide shots at night. Fish-eye distortion can still be a problem for some ultra-wide-toting phones as well, and panorama modes generally don’t suffer from this issue when taking shots with the main camera. Then there’s the wider perspective to be had with panoramas too.
