More and more of us are abandoning our real cameras for the cameras built into our smartphones. This trend is bound to continue as phone makers continue to expand camera quality.
The first cell-phone camera that I owned was a super-simple two megapixel camera, but today Nokia makes one with a 41-megapixel camera (a resolution that exceeds most professional SLR cameras). The current crop of phones, like my Samsung Galaxy S5, also provides a sophisticated array of options in terms of focus, exposure and other technical controls.
As with any camera, however, no single specification determines picture quality, and your phone camera will be only as good as your knowledge of its capabilities and your willingness to probe some of its more high-tech options. Most of the controls consist of tap-on/tap-off features. The trick is knowing which options to tap on—and when. Below are some of the challenges and simple tricks for handling them…
Blurred photos are probably the most common cell-phone camera flaw. As with any camera, they’re caused by either camera jiggle or subject motion…or both—and the situation is made worse by low light levels that cause the camera to use slower shutter speeds. The longer the shutter remains open, the more likely you’ll get shaky images. Many cell-phone cameras now have built-in optical image stabilization (the image is stabilized before it reaches the sensor) that significantly improves sharpness in low-light situations, particularly compared with less effective digital stabilization (where images are sharpened after capture). So your first dose of prevention is to make sure that the feature is turned on. For most cameras, it’s a simple tap-on menu item.
It also helps to find something solid to rest your elbows on—a rock, fence post, car fender. Keep in mind that the more zoom you use, the more you’re magnifying not just subject size but the jitters as well. If your subject is distant, it’s best to use less zoom power and then crop the photo later in editing—your photos will be much sharper. No place to lean? Rest the camera on the palm of one hand, and keep your elbows close to your body—and use the shutter trigger (typically the up and/or down volume button) rather than a screen tap to shoot the photos.
Helpful: A portable tripod such as the JOBY GorillaPod (less than $25 on Amazon.com) that fits in a jacket pocket.
When you’re shooting action shots, prefocus on a spot where the action is likely to happen—third base in a softball game, for example. Zoom in enough to fill the screen, focus on the base and then shoot at the peak of action.
Another key factor is direction of motion. You can stop action better if the subject is coming right at or going away from the camera. The toughest action to stop is when your subject is moving sideways. Burst modes (a common feature in most smartphones, also available as an app—see below) allow you to fire a quick series of shots and then choose the best shot later.
Indoor events such as school plays and concerts are tough to shoot for three reasons—the light typically is dim…the color of the lights often creates odd color casts…and you’re too far away to get interesting shots. Many cell-phone cameras now have LED flash, but the distance range typically is limited to a maximum of six to eight feet. Better fix: Disable the flash and keep the camera in the auto mode, and it will automatically raise the camera’s light sensitivity (ISO speed) to match the existing light levels. On some cameras, you also can raise the ISO speed manually. But beware: Increased ISO speeds mean more image noise (that grainy sandlike texture often seen in low-light photos).
Unattractive (and sometimes outlandish) color casts are common in any artificial-light situation. They’re created because each type of lighting produces its own unique color balance. In the auto mode, your camera will try its best to match the sensor’s response to the prevailing lighting, but it doesn’t always work effectively. If your camera has manual white-balance settings (check your phone’s camera menus to see if your camera has this feature), pick the option that most closely matches the dominant light source. Typical selections include daylight, cloudy day, incandescent lights and fluorescent lighting.
Rain, snow, salt spray and beach sand can wreak havoc with electronics, but a growing number of phones are well-sealed against both dust and moisture. A cell phone’s resistance to dust and water comes as an “IP” (Ingress Protection) rating. My Galaxy S5, for example, has an IP67 rating—the first number (6, the highest possible rating) means that it is completely dust-resistant, while the second number (7 out of a top 9 rating) means that it is waterproof to a depth of about one meter (or 3.3 feet) for up to 30 minutes. Not that you’d want to shower with your phone in hand, but with that rating, you probably could.
Ask about the IP rating before buying. Apple’s iPhone 6 (and 6 Plus) don’t currently have an IP rating (and are less water-resistant and dust-resistant than phones that carry an IP rating), which is potentially a deal breaker for some people—but that will likely change with the next generation of iPhones.
Helpful: There are inexpensive cases available that add more protection and are intended for extended periods of immersion (such as snorkeling). The best cases are designed to give you full touch-screen access to camera controls while underwater. Two good choices, both good to 100 feet and both available on Amazon: FRIEQ Universal Waterproof Cell Phone Carrying Cases, $9.99… and KONA Waterproof iPhone case, about $15.
Some apps offer enhanced or sophisticated camera controls (like a faster burst mode)…others are heavily weighted toward special image effects and editing. Here, useful apps for iPhones and Androids…
iPhone apps…
Simply B&W. An editing app that lets you convert any color photo to black and white. Virtual color filters, similar to those on a camera lens, allow you to adjust the relative tonalities of different colors. Free. Fotosyn.com
Manual. A custom-exposure app that provides precise exposure controls, like those found on a dSLR. Allows you to manually set shutter speed, ISO, white balance, focus and exposure compensation. Good for advanced shooters. $1.99. ShootManual.co
Android apps…
Camera MX. In shooting mode, this allows you to add (and preview) a variety of special effects before you take the shot. In the editing mode, adjust image contrast, brightness and colors and create slide shows. GPS mapping identifies where photos were shot. Free. CameraMX.com
CameraZoom FX. Offers more than 90 special effects, frames, and cropping effects, distortions, etc. A variety of very useful camera functions include a fast burst (10 photos per second), time lapse and image stabilization modes. $2.99. AndroidSlide.com
iPhone and Android…
BeFunky. Photo editor and collage maker. Lots of wild and silly editing effects (for adding shape overlays, frames, text, etc.) and a collage tool with more than 100 different templates for combining different photos. Free. BeFunky.com
Camera360 Ultimate. This is one of the world’s most popular apps (400 million users). More than 100 different creative filters (sketch, dreamlike, colorful—to name just a few). An EasyCam feature detects the type of subject you’re shooting (close-ups, portraits, landscapes, etc.) and sets the camera accordingly. Free. www.Camera360.com
