iPhone user? Consider upping your camera's ability.


I have used both Android and iPhone cameras over the years and have discovered a few things.  I understand why compact point-and-shoot cameras have pretty much disappeared from the market, although there is still a place for cameras with long focal lengths such as Nikon's P1000.  Smartphone cameras have all the ease and most of the capability of their stand-alone brethren, and then they offer a whole lot more.

Having said that, I have found that both platforms have limited abilities in the control offered.  Much of that has to do with the fact that they have a fixed aperture (often around f/2), which is great for low-light situations but problematic when a need to stop down is required.  While Android offers some capacity to pick ISO and shutter speed independently, that is usually not usually true of iPhone.  Even when the capacity is there, the experience could be better.

I think that the cameras are built around people whose interest in photography is limited to events around friends and families.  If all you want are snaps of these, how your day went, or a photo of some physical thing for various purposes, the level of control offered to you is more than enough.  If you want more control, it turns out there is a way.

It turns out there are a lot of third-party apps, for both Android and iPhone, that provide a more interactive experience.  I have used them on both platforms and find that they do offer many missing controls and features that the included apps miss.  iPhone, for example, does not allow you to pick ISO or shutter speed independently, does not provide a histogram, and offers limited file types.  You can gain all these by adding a capable app.

The great thing is that you can stick with your pre-existing software for normal stuff but then switch over to a different app when you want more control.  The app can be downloaded from the App Store and used when desired.  Some are free, others cost a bit of cash, but I find most of them are under $20.  That represents a significant upgrade to your phone's capability.

Another thing to consider is the use of cellphone camera filters.  These clip onto the phone's lens.  Polarizers, macro, neutral density, star, and a variety of other filters means you can produce better images in certain situations.  I have a few that I pull out from time to time.

The bottom line is that, if you are happy with what your phone can do image-wise, keep it that way.  If you want more control, buy a third-party camera app and consider picking up a few filters.  Amazon offers quite a variety for little money.  You still won't have the level of control and quality you find in DSLR and mirrorless cameras, but you will certainly be a lot farther ahead than you were before.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

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