Camera Control was the standout ironware innovation on theiPhone 16 professional . Adding a two - stage shutter push that lets exploiter control everything from photo and depth to switch lens system and photographic styles was a fantastic toilet facility .
“ I consider it a cunning special feature on the iPhone 16 that I ’ll enjoy using when the time is correct , ” Digital Trends warhorse Andy Boxall write in a fantasticexplainer for the Camera Control . It does a lot more than just mimic the two - leg shutter on a DSLR , occult them with a clever amalgamation of smartphone software package .
However , a protective case quickly bury a glob of its appeal . And trust me . You do n’t want to conduct your iPhone 16 Pro without a protective case . I used to live the no - showcase living , but the headphone is not as bouncy as you suppose , and I can say that after scuffing and rough in up my iPhone 15 Pro into a somewhat bad conformation despite never send packing it .
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
Thankfully , ESR makes a antic case that not only protects the iPhone 16 Pro , but also offers a clever solution to Camera Control concerns and adds a dash of kickstand versatility , as well . The best part ? It cost only $ 25 .
Why cases are a problem?
You see , the Camera Control is a tap and swipe - sensitive surface with a violence sensor underneath and a capacitive layer , as well . The overall system reply to rap , press , handgrip , and swipe gestures . To get the right out of that , your shutter - well-chosen indicant finger ideally call for to pillow well on the button ’s sapphire crystal surface for it to well register the user stimulus .
The bit you put on a casing , three problem raise their head . The ergonomics of comfortably using the Camera Control clit take a cumbersome angle of dip . The button is left exhibit to the force of nature . The cutout left for the button make the cases look worthless .
The thicker the case , the more difficult it becomes to engage the Camera Control . I of late buy myself one of those hulking , metallic cases to protect a phone that cost me close to $ 1,700 from my legendarily clumsy hands and short way . Well , the recondite cutout on the metallic side turn using the Camera Control into a frustrative task .
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
you may tap on the button , but swipe gestures are insufferable to execute across the capacitive Earth’s surface . I have small - than - intermediate hand and thin finger , so I could at least get my fingertip to rest fully on the button ’s surface . For common people with thicker fingers , it ’s not easy . And as the thickness of a case increases , it becomes even more difficult to interact .
Some cases offer a sloping cutout on either end of the Camera Control button , which makes it a shade easier to execute swipe gesture . However , on protective shell with a straight cutout , or those that palisade the release to the full , you are in for some working pique .
Still call back you’re able to go commando ? Here ’s one unfortunate user ’s account onReddit , whose iPhone 16 Pro took a single bead and end up with a shattered Camera Control push — despite using a case with a push button guard .
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
ESR has a solution — on a budget
There are two form of smartphone buyers out there . The first class intends to hold on to their phone for at least a few years and spends well on a rough case without thinking doubly about how it looks . The other category seeks a root that does n’t condemn their phone ’s sleek looks to hell . And if it does n’t cost a bomb , even better .
If you are looking for a case that does n’t leave the Camera Control button unprotected , the price you pay is going to be high . Apple will have you spend a minimum of $ 50 for that contrivance , and so will collaborator brands such as Otterbox and Beats monger their ware on the Apple Store . Options from the likes of Spigen cost even more .
Enter ESR with its HaloLock Classic Hybrid lawsuit . This case offers it all , at half the request price of what Apple asks , even lower compared to a few other brand out there . What you get with this clean face is a design that is … ahem … like … to Apple ’s own , but with a crucial distinction .
Now , if you have n’t come across ESR ’s geartrain before , well , they equilibrize timber and affordability moderately well . I ’ve been using their iPad keyboard cases and multi - machine wireless charger for a while now , and really love their solid build as well as longevity . This iPhone 16 series case is no different .
The real stone , however , is the dedicated Camera Control push button that sit almost flush with the case surface . I retrieve they have used virtually the same stack — and the looks — of every other third - political party sword that is making cases with a white camera restraint button .
Competitive “ inspiration ” aside , what matters here is the experience . And on this all important parameter , ESR does n’t disappoint . Single and double - tap gestures work just ok , and so do the prospicient pressure . I was a tad skeptical about the swipe gesture , but they work flawlessly , as well .
In around a hebdomad ’s worth of examination , I had no issue launching the tv camera from the Lock Screen and digging into the Camera Control shenanigan . It does n’t feel unconvincing , and there ’s no undue sideways motion to it . Everything feel well put together , and so does the rest of the parcel .
ESR says the Camera Control cover has a triple - layer design . There ’s an encroachment - resistant 9H tempered methamphetamine level on the top , which is claimed to handle up to 66 lb point pressure and 256 lb control surface pressure .
Underneath is a polycarbonate skeleton that blocks junk . Then we have a PCB core that binds a six - element capacitive layer cylinder block to register the finger’s breadth gestures . The sum total is a bland experience of interacting with the Camera Control clitoris without receive to worry about functional reliability or protecting the existent thing underneath .
Oh, there is more
There are a few additional rightness that the ESR HaloLock Classic Hybrid case offers , which are an absolute necessity for any iPhone drug user . First , there is MagSafe support . The magnetized tintinnabulation underneath is articulate to offer 1,500 g of hold force .
In my experience , I did n’t function into any troubles with perching my iPhone 16 Pro atop wireless charging stand or Apple ’s MagSafe puck . major power transfer is unobstructed , and I did n’t run into any undue heating .
But a case is nothing without its resiliency spell . This one does n’t disappoint . There are reward shock - absorbing Air Guard corners that can hold drops from up to a height of 11 feet , while the overall fit is also reassuringly close . ESR is claim MIL - STD-810 military - grade protection for this case .
I could n’t severally verify the height examination , but an unexpected drop from my denim pocket a few days ago did n’t leave any scars on my pricey as heck telephone set . A close call with a marble floor , but , phew !
I have used ESR ’s protective cases on a variety of gimmick , and it has been a keystone for my tenth - gen iPad . So far , I have n’t had any foresightful - term complaints about their enduringness , and I expect the iPhone 16 Pro case to deliver a standardized end product .
I have also spring up quite fond of the ingenious television camera island auspices ring , which also doubles as . nifty kickstand . Made out of atomic number 30 alloy material , this stand can prop the iPhone 16 Pro in portrait as well as landscape predilection .
While that is commodious in itself , it also retain the camera lenses from surface liaison , keep off scratches as well as wallop - relate price . However , the metal open bugger off scuffed , so there ’s that aesthetic caution . I would , however , take damage to a $ 25 instance rather than spending hundreds of dollars to determine a cracked lens .
Overall , the ESR HaloLock Classic Hybrid Case for the iPhone 16 Pro ( and its Max sibling ) is an well-off passport . It delivers hard-nosed benefit with a standout functional perquisite , all tied to a $ 25 pricker price . Go , get it !
The ESR HaloLock Classic Hybrid Case is now available , with a 10 % discount for Digital Trends readers using the codeESRIP16NEWon Amazon .
