According to NPD Group, more than a quarter of photos taken and videos taken are taken using the built-in camera of a smartphone. While smartphone photography is on the rise, using a traditional camera is falling out of favor.
Modern smartphone cameras have the ability to take pretty high-quality photos compared to smartphones a few years ago, and with over 5 million smartphone photos uploaded to Instagram every day, it's the easiest way to share your photos.
While having a good smartphone camera still doesn't guarantee high-quality photos and videos, by setting up your smartphone camera correctly, you can take the quality of photos taken with the built-in camera to the next level.
1. Take care of lighting
One of the main problems with built-in smartphone cameras is poor shooting quality in low light. To fix this and not leave dark objects in your photo, you will have to put in a little effort.
Of course, there is nothing better than natural lighting, but on cloudy days, shooting is unlikely to be possible without additional light sources. When shooting, you should turn your back to the light source, and the objects, on the contrary, should be directed towards the light. If you're shooting indoors, also aim the light at the subjects you're shooting and away from walls and windows.
2. Use flash with caution.
While flash can help solve lighting problems in many situations, too much brightness can make the people in your photo look like ghosts. It's better to always take two pictures, just in case - one with flash, the other without. Later you can look at both options and choose the best one. Or don't use flash at all and use the following tip.
3. Try it increase exposure time
Instead of using the flash, try increasing the exposure time if you're shooting in a dimly lit room. Longer exposure times will allow you to take brighter, better quality photos when your surroundings are not well lit.
In case you are an iPhone owner, you can lock the exposure by pressing and holding a special area on your screen. When using other applications, simply increase the brightness settings to achieve the desired effect.
4. Use HDR mode
Another option supported by modern phones is High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode. By using HDR, you'll be able to capture a significantly wider range of tones and colors, resulting in higher-quality photos than using your phone's flash.
5. Clean the lens
While the lenses of regular cameras are protected from accidental impact thanks to special cases, fingerprints can often be seen on mobile phone cameras.
Wipe your lens with a tissue, otherwise your photos will end up with dirt from your lens, no matter what camera you use.
6. Increase your resolution
To take a high-quality photo, make sure you set your resolution settings to maximum. High-resolution photos will fill up your smartphone's memory much faster, but you can enlarge the photo you take without any risk.
7. Don't use digital zoom.
While optical zoom actually magnifies objects in a photo, digital zoom only ruins the quality of the photo. You're better off just getting closer and then, if necessary, cropping or enlarging the photo with the same effect as with digital zoom.
8. Keep your phone level
Hold your phone steadily while you take pictures. to avoid blur in images. There are several ways to ensure a stable camera position.
Some phones use a built-in accelerometer that senses device movement to only take a photo when the camera is at rest. Be sure to enable this feature on your phone if it has an accelerometer.
To ensure a stable position for your body and your phone, hold your smartphone with both hands and keep your arms at your sides. If there is a surface nearby, such as a table or shelf, use it as support.
9. Adjust white balance
White balance is another potential shortcoming of a smartphone camera when shooting in low light. Most cameras automatically adjust white balance before turning on the shooting app. If your photos look unnatural, try manually adjusting the settings to improve the quality of your photos in the given lighting.
10. Pay attention to shutter lag
Most cameras don't take a photo the moment you press the button. Experiment and determine when you need to press the shoot button to take the photo at the exact moment you want, given your shutter lag.
11. Adjust color balance
To adjust the color balance, you'll have to dig a little deeper into the settings. Fine-tuning saturation, contrast, and sharpness can give your photo a completely different look when the default settings don't produce the desired results.
Changing colors on your computer can be a lot easier than fiddling around on your phone. Software such as Gimp, IPhoto, and Adobe Photoshop can help you adjust the color balance after you take the photo.
12. Use the "rule of thirds" for good composition.
Of course, you can capture the subject in the center of an empty frame, but real professionals don't do that, so you don't need to. Instead, use the "rule of thirds" by imagining vertical and horizontal lines dividing the screen like a tic-tac-toe board.
You can easily enable the screen grid on iPhone by turning it on in Display Settings. In the case of Android, the ProCapture app will allow you to do the same. Then use these lines to position your subject and get the best composition for your photo.
13. Check the background.
While you may be focusing on someone's face, be sure to check the background of the photo. Objects peeking over someone's head can distract from what you really wanted to capture in the photo.
14. Update your camera app
While smartphones are sold with a photography app pre-installed, there may be better versions of the app available for download. Such apps provide additional options to customize and improve the quality of your photos.
The Camera+ app for iPhone offers 16 scene and shooting modes to enhance your shooting experience in specific environments. In the case of Android smartphones, pay attention to Camera ZOOM FX, an application with similar parameters.
To add a retro effect or interesting shades to your photos with a few touches, use Instagram. Instagram focuses more on funky photos with friends rather than customizing settings for professional-looking snaps, but it's very easy to use and allows you to share photos instantly.
15. Try professional shooting techniques
You shouldn’t give up special shooting techniques to get unique photographs just because you don’t have very expensive professional photographic equipment. Try the "panning" technique by moving your camera at the same speed as the object or person moving. The background will be slightly blurred, but the subject in motion will be captured quite clearly.
Plenty of apps will also give you the ability to take panoramic photos using your phone. It's quite simple, you just need to enable the required option and take a series of pictures, and your smartphone itself will assemble a complete picture from them.
Modern phone cameras have made owning point-and-shoot cameras pointless. High resolution quality, automatic stabilization and HDR, flash and slow start, panorama and quick shooting modes - this and much more makes our phone an excellent tool for taking high-quality pictures. South Korean Samsung phones are famous for their pictures, but when you open the Camera app on your phone, you may be confused by the variety of settings available. What to do? Below we will look at how to properly configure the camera on your Samsung.
Camera functions on Samsung smartphones
Of course, there are a great many models of Samsung smartphones, and each of these models has its own specific settings for the phone’s camera. But the vast majority of these cameras have the following basic settings, which we will discuss below.
Samsung Galaxy S5 camera settings
Flash - 3 settings available
Flash settings are usually available in three main options - on, off and auto. In the latter case, the system itself will decide when it is necessary to use the flash, which allows you to get higher quality pictures.
Timer
With this option, you can set the delay time between pressing the shooting button and the shooting itself. Typically available options are 2, 5, 10 seconds.
You can customize your Samsung camera using HDR
HDR option (high dynamic range - high dynamic range) changes the ratio between light and dark images in real time. This allows us to achieve realism in the color rendition of the photographs we receive. When you activate this option, your Samsung phone takes three photos at different exposures, and then blends them together to create the most realistic image possible.
It is recommended to use HDR for landscape shots, low-light shots, and shots with a lot of sunlight. Wherever the light source is, you should use HDR for optimal results.
Using HDR allows you to get higher quality results
Effects
The Effect button allows you to add filters to your photos that give your photo a unique look. Just click "Effect" and select the filter you want to customize. A Download icon may also be available here, allowing you to go to the Samsung App Store and download additional filters.
Picture size
To set up the camera on your Samsung correctly, you need to specify the size of the future photo. Increasing the size will improve its quality, but will make the photo file larger. Downgrading will reduce the potential file size, but will also degrade the quality of the photo.
Video size
The same as with the image, but in the video area. The higher the video quality you select, the more space it takes up in your device's memory. Typically, the highest quality video recording on Samsung phones is 4K. Remember that such videos take up a lot of space in the device’s memory.
Options for selecting image and video sizes in Samsung
Aspect Ratio
Parameter " Aspect Ratio» shows the photo's horizontal and vertical aspect ratio. For example, a 16:9 ratio corresponds to a wide screen with a resolution of 1080p. If you are interested in the 4:3 ratio ( old TV formats) or 1:1 ( square size), then you can also select the specified option in the settings.
Tracking AF
This parameter is used to track an object that you select by tapping on the screen during the shooting process. The phone maintains focus on that subject no matter where it goes or what happens. This feature, typical of expensive DSLR cameras, is also supported on Samsung phones.
Video stabilization
This option is theoretically capable of smoothing out video shakes caused by hand movements, gusts of wind and anything else. Please note that the option " Video stabilization" And " Autofocus tracking» often cannot be activated at the same time.
The video stabilization function will allow you to get better and clearer videos
Grid lines
This option displays grid lines on your camera screen. This can be useful for aligning pictures, especially when taking pictures of mountains, landscapes, and others.
Location Tags
Thanks to this option, GPS tags will be added to each photo you take. If you are concerned about your privacy, then this option must be disabled on Samsung.
Voice control
This option allows you to take pictures by saying a key phrase. For example, it could be “Cheese”, “Smile”, “Record video”, after saying which a photo is taken or video recording begins.
Button binding (Volume Keys)
You can bind your volume buttons to take photos, zoom, or record videos. This can be handy for taking selfies and other functions that you can use the volume buttons to launch.
Mode Button
In the camera settings of your Samsung you can find the “Mode” button ( Mode), which will give you access to the functionality of the “Pro” button.
Settings for "Pro" mode in Samsung
The latter will give you access to professional camera settings.
In particular, here you can configure:
- Brightness;
- ISO ( Camera sensitivity to light);
- White balance;
- Focal length;
- Filters and other options suitable for digital camera professionals.
Having become familiar with the basic camera settings, we’ll figure out how to set up a camera on a Samsung using examples from a number of models.
A way to set up photo and video shooting on the Samsung Galaxy A-7
Setting up the built-in camera on a Samsung A-7 smartphone is as follows:
- Tap on the camera icon on the home screen of your smartphone;
Tap the Camera app icon
- Then click on the gear icon at the top left ( Settings);
Click on the settings icon
- Click on the “Video size” option to set the optimal size ( FHD, HD and VGA available). After making your selection, click on the “Back” button;
Choose the optimal video mode
- Next, if necessary, activate the option “Grid lines" ( Grid Lines);
Recently, mobile device cameras have become so functional that some of them can already be compared with mid-price cameras. It is difficult to meet a person on the street with a point-and-shoot camera in his hands, trying to squeeze out of it a more or less acceptable photograph. All the work is now done automatically by the smartphone camera. However, this particular function does not yet allow you to take decent quality pictures, and the question of how to improve the camera on an Android phone is still relevant for many home-grown photographers.
Modern smartphone camera
It is important to understand the main points. In the following article, we will explain how to configure the camera on an Android phone to suit the user's needs.
- Check resolution.
- Enable image stabilization.
- Adjust white balance.
- Adjust exposure.
- Adjust color rendering.
The quality of the photos will be comparable to the best examples that we sometimes see on Instagram, provided that you can configure the Android camera correctly.
Checking permission
When we choose a camera (smartphone), we first pay attention to the matrix size (number of pixels). This is not entirely correct, since the image quality, in addition to this parameter, is affected by the aperture, software capabilities and stabilization. The higher the resolution, the better the photo will look on the big screen.
To get the best resolution picture, you need to set the settings to the highest possible setting. The thing is that the default value is the average value. Therefore, it would not be superfluous to check this.
The size of the final photo in megabytes is always indicated next to the parameters. If you don’t need a high-quality photo or there is not enough space in the device’s memory, you can set the resolution lower.
Enabling image stabilization
It's not enough to set up a camera well on Android. The less mobile the smartphone is at the time of shooting, the better the resulting photo will be. The slightest fluctuation caused by breathing or banal trembling of the hands will certainly lead to blurring of the image. You have to hold your breath and put as little pressure on the smartphone as possible.
This is not easy, so developers equip cameras with two types of stabilization:
- digital (on mid-price gadgets);
- optical (on top models).
The first one should not be trusted one hundred percent. If your settings have options for self-timer, voice control, or gesture control, you should use them. Especially in poor lighting. For greater confidence, it is recommended to install the camera on a stationary surface.
The second increases shutter speed and allows you to take good photos even while moving, but the maximum effect is achieved in video mode. The user can simply enable/disable the option in the camera settings. No additional actions are expected. With rare exceptions, the type of stabilization is not reported.
Setting White Balance
This feature can adjust color by adding warm or cool tones. The smartphone camera is able to independently select the optimal balance depending on the lighting. However, with a sharp change in illumination, the automation does not have time to work out, and it has to be given some time to adapt.
The user can set the most suitable option from the modes offered in the settings:
- "Auto";
- "Daylight";
- "Sunny";
- "Cloudy";
- "Shadow";
- "Incandescent lamp";
- "Fluorescent"
The choice of options may vary on different smartphone models, but the meaning of the names is always clear. All you have to do is turn on the camera, go into the settings and select the mode that best suits the current light level. You can do it like this:
- Point the camera at a piece of paper and evaluate how white it looks on the screen.
- Find the optimal balance.
Before shooting, you need to pay attention to the location of the main light source. If it is behind the subject, the photo will turn out dark. The best option is when the light falls from behind the photographer.
Adjusting exposure
Exposure refers to the amount of light that hits the camera lens. The photo may become too light or dark if the option is not selected correctly.
An Android camera with shutter speed in automatic mode usually has a variable digital exposure parameter in the settings ranging from “-3” to “3” units. If you shoot a dark subject against a light background, the value is set to a negative value and vice versa.
Exposure in automatic shooting mode is also affected by the built-in exposure meter mode. As a rule, the function in the settings is called “Exposure Metering”. Typically there are three options to choose from:
- point;
- center-weighted;
- matrix
The first is good when photographing a bright object against a dark background or a dark object against a bright one. For example, if you are shooting against the sun. The second allows you to improve the quality of the front camera on Android when the brightness of the object and background differs slightly, or the object takes up most of the composition. The third is optimal in any situation.
Unfortunately, there is no color adjustment on the phone camera. Color effects don't count. Essentially, these are filters that only smooth out errors and add stylization. There is also the possibility of very conditional adjustment of image quality.
The user has three options to choose from:
- the best;
- excellent;
- ordinary.
And that is all. That is, apart from adjusting white balance and exposure, there are no other tools for adjusting light and color. If the result is not satisfactory, the finished photograph will have to be adjusted in a graphics editor.
Now, more specifically about how to properly use the camera on an Android smartphone. There are many aspects, but we will highlight the main recommendations that will always allow you to get the best result.
- Use light correctly.
- Keep your lens clean.
- Focus your subjects.
- Avoid using zoom.
- Use flash on rare occasions.
Using Light
As we have already noted, it is better for the light source to be located behind the photographer. If light enters the lens, it is very difficult to get a good photo.
Cameras are not very sensitive to light, so it needs a well-lit subject. The weaker the lighting, the more noise there is in the photo. Therefore, you need to make the most of the correct frame composition. In the dark, it is advisable to use a flash.
Clean lens
The objective lens should always be clean. Before shooting, you can wipe it with a dry soft cloth. This will help get rid of mechanical defects in the frame. Sand, dust, fingerprints and dirt stains will always be visible.
Correct focus
Most gadgets use only automatic focus, which does not work perfectly due to the small focal length. When there is not enough sharpness when capturing a subject, you should limit the movement of the smartphone as much as possible, accurately point the camera at the subject and give it time to capture.
But on some models you can find other modes:
- Infinity. Used for shooting distant objects and landscapes;
- Hyperfocal. Ideal for shooting through glass, in motion, as well as sports;
- Close-up. Suitable for photographing from a distance of up to half a meter.
These modes somewhat expand the user's capabilities, although they do not provide the freedom that is characteristic of a real camera.
Impact of zoom
Optical zoom on smartphone cameras is even more rare. This is a great success for a home-grown photographer, and you can use the option without restrictions. Digital zoom, which is found in every gadget, only spoils the image, sometimes distorting the proportions quite significantly.
If there is no optical one, it is better to get closer to the subject, otherwise you won’t get a good shot. As a last resort, the picture can be cropped in the editor - it will become visually closer. You can improve the camera on your Android phone at home by purchasing a head-mounted camera.
Should you use flash often?
Taking pictures at night without a flash is bad. If there is insufficient lighting, the photo will be difficult to distinguish. You shouldn’t get carried away with this matter, so it’s better to turn off the automatic mode. The fact is that there is enough illumination even at night, if we are not talking about absolute darkness.
A bright flash in this case can leave an unpleasant glare for half the frame. When in doubt about the need for use, it is recommended to take a couple of shots for comparison - with and without flash.
Apps that are an alternative to the camera
No matter how good it is, sometimes you want to upgrade the camera. There are a lot of reasons for this: a boring interface, buggy software, lack of functionality, or something else. Fortunately, the standard application can be expanded. On Google Play you can choose an option to suit any requirements.
Camera upgrade: HD Camera
The application does not support the Russian language, but is considered one of the best. Supported by devices running Android 4.0 and later. This camera has autofocus, but is amazing with the number of advanced settings. The main feature is a beautiful and user-friendly interface with three design themes: gold, pink, blue.
Shutter control and stabilization are implemented here, allowing you to take pictures without blocking the horizon and a built-in QR code scanner.
There is a paid version of HD Camera Pro.
DSLR Camera: great functionality with many settings
This is a manual focus camera for Android and one of the best apps of its kind. Compatible with gadgets running OS version 4.0 and higher. There is a paid version.
It differs from its analogues in its dual-mode shutter button, the ability to set the focus area anywhere, select ISO, a clear histogram, a convenient framing grid with three modes and focus tracking.
In addition, it is possible to use the volume keys instead of the shutter button. Thus, replacing a standard camera with this one will radically transform photography.
Let's draw conclusions
Don't forget about such a parameter as ISO (light sensitivity). It can also be adjusted in the camera settings of smartphones. As a rule, the “Automatic” mode and several numerical values (100, 200 and more) are offered to choose from. A higher value allows you to take clearer pictures in low light. At Normal, it is recommended to use lower values to limit the appearance of noise and increase sharpness.
Nowadays, it’s difficult to imagine a mobile gadget that lacks the ability to take photos and record videos.
Today, any device, even the most budget one, has a full-fledged photo and video camera with a bunch of parameters for customization. The problem is that not every smartphone owner can navigate all the variety of these settings. In this article we will try to shed light on the main camera parameters of phones (Android) and reveal their purpose.
Camera resolution
Shutter speed/aperture/aperture
This setting is intended to control the aperture. The greater the value of the parameter, the better the camera will be open to light. You don't need to set the shutter speed too long, as this may result in overexposure.
All the details about the camera's aperture and aperture are collected and.
ISO
The short name of this function can be deciphered as (Image sensor optimization). Changing the characteristics of this parameter makes it possible to increase or decrease the lens's sensitivity to light. It is recommended to increase the ISO value only when shooting in low light conditions, otherwise extraneous noise will be noticeable in the photo.
Exposition
Thanks to this function, you can adjust the brightness of the photo. By moving the slider left and right, the user changes the illumination level of the frame. This allows you to set the most suitable aperture mode to improve the visibility of objects.
We talked about the most important camera parameters in Android phones and smartphones. By using all available settings wisely, you can achieve better shooting quality.
If you like to take photographs with the camera of your favorite Samsung Galaxy S5, S6 or other smartphone, then you probably know that it is not always possible to take a photo of normal quality. Unfortunately, the cameras in the top gadgets also do not yet reach full-fledged point-and-shoot cameras.
The tips below are more suitable for beginners and amateurs in photography, but from my own experience I know that 90% of smartphone owners can be classified as such.
1. Don't use ZOOM. In modern smartphones, using even the most minimal zoom leads to a sharp deterioration in picture quality. Noise appears on it and sharpness is lost. If you want to photograph an object closer, approach it. If this is not possible, take photographs without zoom; in the end, the fragment you need can simply be cut out from a large photograph. And remember, the closer the object is, the better and more detailed it will be in the picture.
2. Keep your smartphone lens clean. Try not to scratch the lens of your gadget, and also rub it with a cloth before taking photographs.
3. Take multiple photos. Even professional photographers always take several photos, take them as an example.
Often you can get blurry photos due to poor focusing or the slightest twitch of your hand while shooting. When taking a series of photos, you can always choose the best shot and delete the rest. Especially considering that the Galaxy S3, Note 2 and Galaxy S4 have excellent burst shooting capabilities.
4. Lighting. Normal pictures can only be taken in good lighting. If you decide to have a small photo session with your friends, it is better to do it during the day and on the street. Also remember, if the light source is in front of the lens, turn on HDR mode.
But you should not take pictures in the open sun or in deep shadow, and also try to avoid contrasting light transitions.
5. Set the “resolution” and “image quality” parameters to the highest. Don't skimp on photo size if you want maximum quality.
6. Make the most of your camera. In the camera settings of Samsung Galaxy smartphones there are quite a lot of different settings for all occasions. Feel free to use them.
For example, when shooting close-up, switch to “macro” in the “focus mode” tab. Sometimes it is useful to manually set the white balance.
Also pay attention to the “Story” tab. Depending on the situation, try to choose the item that suits you. For example, “night mode” automatically increases ISO to maximum, and makes for better visibility when shooting at night.
7. Edit photos. In Photoshop and other graphic editors, you can smooth out noise a little, adjust brightness/contrast, and add beautiful effects.
8. Try not to shake your hands when you take pictures. This is very important, especially in the latest Samsung models such as the Galaxy S6, which uses a fairly slow shutter speed by default for better post-processing.
9. Use third party camera apps. Fortunately, this can be done on Android. Typically, third-party cameras, such as Camera 360 for example, have a large number of options that are hidden in the standard application. This is especially true for Nexus smartphones, where camera settings are always very limited.
10. Practice. Read literature on photography, practice it yourself. Understand how optics work, what exposure, ISO, aperture, shutter speed are. After all, even the most expensive DSLR will not turn you into a pro, and on the contrary, a real photographer will get good pictures from a smartphone. An example is the interesting article "
