Spatial photos and videos look incredibly lifelike in full 3D while wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset. But how do you take photos with Vision Pro? It might be confusing at first since there’s no Camera app in the headset. Instead, Vision Pro uses a new Capture app.
But don’t worry. Any photos or videos you take with Vision Pro will sync to your Photos library. And they’re fully compatible with your other Apple devices, although you’ll only see them there in a boring two dimensions, like it’s still 2023. Yawn.
How to take photos and videos with a Vision Pro
Of course, you don’t actually have to own a Vision Pro to take spatial videos. You just need an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max. (We wrote that up in a separate article: How to record 3D spatial video on your iPhone.)
Still, there are definite benefits to taking photos and videos with Vision Pro. If you’re wearing an Apple headset, you have a first-person perspective and both your hands are (probably) free. So it might prove easier to capture certain moments in spatial photos or videos with the Vision Pro. Of course, you also have a bizarre headset covering your face, so people in a group shot might steal a few weird glances at the camera.
Take a spatial photo with Vision Pro
It’s easy to take photos with Vision Pro, but it’s not exactly like using an iPhone. Here’s how to do it:
- If you want to take a spatial photo with Vision Pro, press the top button on the left part of the headset’s frame. This opens the Vision Pro’s Capture app.
- You’ll see a toggle switch on the bottom of your field of view to choose between photo and video. Set it to Photo.
- Click the top button again.
- The front of the headset will flash white to indicate to people around you that you’ve taken a picture.
- To close the Capture app, press the Vision Pro’s Digital Crown.
Record spatial video with Vision Pro
Recording spatial video works much the same as when you take photos with Vision Pro. Just follow these steps:
- When you want to capture spatial video with Vision Pro, press the top button on the left to open the Capture app.
- You’ll see a toggle switch on the bottom of your field of view to choose between photo and video. Select Video.
- Click the top button again.
- The front of the headset will continuously pulse white to indicate you’re capturing video.
- To stop recording, press the top button again. Alternatively, you can tap the red stop button inside the Capture app.
- Once you’re finished, press the Vision Pro’s Digital Crown to close the Capture app.
Tips for capturing the best spatial photos and videos with Apple’s headset
Most of the usual photography tips apply when you want to take photos with Vision Pro. However, if you want to make sure all the spatial photos and videos you take with the headset look their absolute best, follow these tips.
- When you’re recording video with Vision Pro, try to keep your head still. The crosshair in the middle of your field of view will remind you to stay centered.
- If you move too much while recording a video, it will play back in an Immersive view so the motion doesn’t prove too disorienting.
- Make sure the subject is no closer than 3 feet from you. If it’s too close, Vision Pro’s cameras can’t capture a convincing 3D effect.
- A level will appear in your field of view if you tilt your head too much. Try to stay straight.
After you take photos with Vision Pro, you can browse through them (and your spatial videos) in the Photos app at any time. Simply tap the Share button to send a photo or video taken with Vision Pro to a friend. It’ll appear in 2D on any iPhone, iPad or Mac, or in full 3D if they own their own Vision Pro.
