I'm aware that this is years after this app first appeared, however I wanted to review together with writing about the use of phone cameras. Nowadays our mobile phones have become more and more advanced and are capable of producing some truly impressive images. I am not here to discuss phones that are designed around cameras, but more focus on the type of phone an average person may have that means fixed (around 28mm) lens, with 5-8mp sub-16mm film size sensors.
Phones come in so many shapes and sizes, and naturally some will be better than others, however the approach to using them is largely similar, you will have to trick them into doing what you want in different ways. Having tap-to-focus, digital zoom, etc will help, but by no means something you can’t live without.
Tap-to-focus is very handy if you have it, most modern smartphones will have this function, but it’s so much more than focusing. When you tap to focus it also changes the exposure, so if you tap on something dark it will make the shutter speed longer or the ISO higher. This can sometimes be useful as you’ll give detail to your main subject, equally this can have the reverse effect making your subject too bright. With experience you will be able to learn how to best use tap to focus.
Early cameraphones, or cheaper smartphones will have lenses that are set to the hyperfocal distance and unable to change focus, equally these cameras lack the ability to change the exposure metering point. However you still can trick the camera into correctly setting the exposure, this can be done by changing the composition and zoom of the shot, if you have more dark areas the camera will tend to overexpose, whilst if you have more bright areas, it will underexpose.
This may seem rather irrelevant, but you'll notice that the noise will reduce greatly in your main subject when you don't underexpose it, sometimes sacrificing highlights is essential.
With rare exceptions, mobile phones generally don’t have zoom lenses, or large enough resolution for heavy cropping. However it doesn’t mean you should discount the zoom of a cameraphone.
The 28mm is a useful length by itself, it’s wide enough for most scenes, and groups, and it’s easier to crop or zoom than stitch people together when it’s not wide enough. However for portraits a small amount of zoom will make the image more flattering as you can take a step or two back and give a generally more appealing perspective. Likewise if you’re taking something a bit further away, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to let the digital zoom algorithms give you a little more.
This brings me back to my original comment, about the 645 Pro app. 645 Pro is different to your run-off-the-mill camera apps, it doesn’t offer any mock vintage filters, instead experienced photographers will feel right at home with it’s selection of frame sizes, grad and solid filters (complete with density options), and imitations of real films. Add to that really useful functions such as AE, WB, and AF locking functions, and a TIFF output this app really brings you a full range of controls into your pocket.
So you might be thinking what’s not to like about it, well trying to pack so much into the tiny screen of an iPhone has it’s drawbacks, it also tries to look like a real camera which is a big mistake as the smartphone requires a new approach to ergonomic design, what may make sense on hardware fails to transfer to software.
The lesson to be learnt is pick your apps wisely, there are loads of good apps offering serious control to your phone camera, but consider compromising features for better ergonomics. I have the 645Pro app, but due to the fiddliness, use the normal app most of the time.
Above: Even some surprising subjects can be captured. Using a camera without any focusing capability can help with speed.
The best camera is the one you have with you – Chase Jarvis
Not all phones are made equal
Phones come in so many shapes and sizes, and naturally some will be better than others, however the approach to using them is largely similar, you will have to trick them into doing what you want in different ways. Having tap-to-focus, digital zoom, etc will help, but by no means something you can’t live without.
Tricking the camera
Tap-to-focus is very handy if you have it, most modern smartphones will have this function, but it’s so much more than focusing. When you tap to focus it also changes the exposure, so if you tap on something dark it will make the shutter speed longer or the ISO higher. This can sometimes be useful as you’ll give detail to your main subject, equally this can have the reverse effect making your subject too bright. With experience you will be able to learn how to best use tap to focus.
Top: This photo is decently exposed, not highlights clipping, but actually the main subject is underexposed.
Above: Instead by tapping on the face the camera exposed the person much better, it doesn't matter so much to slightly overexpose the sky. However if I tapped his jacket instead, it would've pushed the exposure slightly too far to the side of overexposure.
Above: Instead by tapping on the face the camera exposed the person much better, it doesn't matter so much to slightly overexpose the sky. However if I tapped his jacket instead, it would've pushed the exposure slightly too far to the side of overexposure.
Early cameraphones, or cheaper smartphones will have lenses that are set to the hyperfocal distance and unable to change focus, equally these cameras lack the ability to change the exposure metering point. However you still can trick the camera into correctly setting the exposure, this can be done by changing the composition and zoom of the shot, if you have more dark areas the camera will tend to overexpose, whilst if you have more bright areas, it will underexpose.
This may seem rather irrelevant, but you'll notice that the noise will reduce greatly in your main subject when you don't underexpose it, sometimes sacrificing highlights is essential.
Digital zoom better than no zoom
With rare exceptions, mobile phones generally don’t have zoom lenses, or large enough resolution for heavy cropping. However it doesn’t mean you should discount the zoom of a cameraphone.
The 28mm is a useful length by itself, it’s wide enough for most scenes, and groups, and it’s easier to crop or zoom than stitch people together when it’s not wide enough. However for portraits a small amount of zoom will make the image more flattering as you can take a step or two back and give a generally more appealing perspective. Likewise if you’re taking something a bit further away, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to let the digital zoom algorithms give you a little more.
Above: Close-up is one of the examples where a little bit of zoom is useful, this can declutter the background better.
Camera apps
This brings me back to my original comment, about the 645 Pro app. 645 Pro is different to your run-off-the-mill camera apps, it doesn’t offer any mock vintage filters, instead experienced photographers will feel right at home with it’s selection of frame sizes, grad and solid filters (complete with density options), and imitations of real films. Add to that really useful functions such as AE, WB, and AF locking functions, and a TIFF output this app really brings you a full range of controls into your pocket.
Above: You always have some serious controls in your pocket. This made use of coloured filters (green) which brings out the colour in the lips.
So you might be thinking what’s not to like about it, well trying to pack so much into the tiny screen of an iPhone has it’s drawbacks, it also tries to look like a real camera which is a big mistake as the smartphone requires a new approach to ergonomic design, what may make sense on hardware fails to transfer to software.
The lesson to be learnt is pick your apps wisely, there are loads of good apps offering serious control to your phone camera, but consider compromising features for better ergonomics. I have the 645Pro app, but due to the fiddliness, use the normal app most of the time.
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