You’ve seen the TikToks. Some creator is holding a chunky phone with a home button, claiming it takes better photos than a brand-new flagship. Usually, people roll their eyes. But when it comes to the camera of iPhone 8 plus, there’s actually a grain of truth buried under all that nostalgia.
It’s weird.
In a world of 200-megapixel sensors and AI that "fixes" your face until you look like a CGI character, the iPhone 8 Plus feels… human. It was the last of its kind. The final "classic" design before the notch took over, and it brought a dual-lens system that honestly still holds its own if you know how to use it.
What the camera of iPhone 8 plus actually is (The Specs)
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way. You get two 12-megapixel sensors on the back. One is a wide-angle lens with an $f/1.8$ aperture. The other is a telephoto lens at $f/2.8$.
Basically, the wide lens is your workhorse. It has Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which keeps your shaky hands from ruining a 4K video. The telephoto lens is what gives you that 2x optical zoom. It doesn't have OIS, which is why your zoomed-in shots might look a bit jittery if you aren't steady.
Honestly, 12 megapixels sounds tiny now. Samsung is out here pushing 200MP. But here’s the thing: megapixels are mostly marketing. The sensor in the 8 Plus was "deeper" and faster than the 7 Plus, meaning it handled light better. Even in 2026, a 12MP shot is plenty for Instagram or even a small print.
The Portrait Mode Obsession
People still hunt for this phone on eBay just for the Portrait Mode. It’s funny because it was technically "beta" for a while, yet many photographers prefer the way it renders skin compared to the iPhone 15 or 16.
Why? Natural processing.
Modern iPhones use a ton of Smart HDR. Sometimes it’s too much. It lifts the shadows so much that the photo looks flat. The camera of iPhone 8 plus doesn’t do that. It leaves the shadows alone. You get contrast. You get a "mood" that feels like a real camera rather than a computer's guess of what a photo should look like.
The Portrait Lighting effects:
- Natural Light: The classic blurred background.
- Studio Light: Brightens the face. It's subtle. Kinda like a reflector.
- Contour Light: Adds dramatic shadows. Great for jawlines.
- Stage Light: Drops the background to pitch black.
- Stage Light Mono: Same as above, but black and white.
Austin Mann, a pretty famous travel photographer, actually praised the "Studio Light" mode when this phone launched. He noted how it emulated a gold bounce card. That’s high praise for a device that’s nearly a decade old.
Video quality that actually surprises people
If you want to record video, this thing is a sleeper hit. It was one of the first phones to do 4K at 60fps. That’s still the industry standard for most creators today.
The colors are accurate. They aren't oversaturated like some modern budget Androids. If you’re a YouTuber on a budget, an 8 Plus on a tripod is a legit setup.
But there's a catch. Low light.
The camera of iPhone 8 plus absolutely hates the dark. Since there’s no "Night Mode," your photos in a dim restaurant will look grainy and muddy. It’s just physics. The sensors are too small and the software isn't smart enough to stack frames for a clean night shot like a modern Pixel can.
✨ Don't miss: sjsu one is down: What Most People Get Wrong
The "Slow Sync" Trick
One thing nobody talks about is Slow Sync flash. This was a big deal for the 8 Plus.
Traditional flash usually gives you a bright, white face and a totally black background. It looks like a deer in headlights. Slow Sync keeps the shutter open a fraction longer while the flash fires.
The result? You actually see the background. The lighting looks balanced. It’s the reason why party photos from an 8 Plus often look "vibey" rather than just bad.
Is it still usable for social media in 2026?
Yes, but with caveats.
If you are shooting outdoors in daylight, 90% of people won't be able to tell you’re using an old phone. The detail is there. The dynamic range is surprisingly good thanks to the Auto HDR.
However, you'll miss out on:
- Ultrawide Lens: You can't "zoom out" to get that 0.5x look.
- Macro Mode: It can’t focus on things an inch away.
- Deep Fusion: You lose that hyper-sharp texture on sweaters or pet fur.
- Cinematic Mode: No rack-focus for video.
How to get the most out of it
If you’re stuck with an 8 Plus or just bought one for the aesthetic, don't use the default camera app for everything.
Download an app like Halide or ProCamera. These let you shoot in RAW (DNG format). When you shoot RAW, the phone doesn't apply its own sharpening or noise reduction. You get the raw data from the sensor.
Throw that file into Lightroom Mobile, and you’ll be shocked at how much detail you can pull out. You can actually fix the "softness" that sometimes happens with the 8 Plus’s aging lens.
Summary of the Essentials
The camera of iphone 8 plus represents a specific era of photography. It’s for the person who wants a "real" looking photo without the aggressive AI sharpening of the 2020s.
It’s great for:
- Street photography with natural shadows.
- Portraits in bright, outdoor light.
- Stable 4K video for stationary setups.
It’s terrible for:
- Night clubs or dark alleys.
- Wide landscape shots where you need an ultrawide.
- Extreme close-ups of flowers or bugs.
Actionable Next Steps
To maximize the life of your iPhone 8 Plus camera, start by cleaning the sapphire crystal lens cover with a microfiber cloth; even a tiny smudge ruins the contrast. If your Portrait Mode isn't "saving" the blur, it's usually because you're too close—stay at least two to eight feet away from your subject. For the best video results, lock your exposure by long-pressing on the screen so the brightness doesn't "jump" while you're filming. If the battery is old, the camera app might lag or crash because the processor can't draw enough power, so a battery replacement is often the best "camera upgrade" you can buy for this specific model.