Every smartphone comes with a camera app with some pretty basic features included as standard. However, the default camera apps may not have the full range of features you might want or need. Which may be a disappointment for serious smartphone photographers.
Luckily, there are plenty of alternative camera apps for your smartphone, but which app is best for you? To help you narrow down your search, here are the best camera apps for Android and iOS that you can install right now.
Camera + 2
Camera+ was the pinnacle of iOS camera replacement apps, but now it's been completely overhauled and relaunched as the imaginatively named Camera+ 2.
You can leave everything in automatic mode or take control with manual settings for focus and exposure, shutter speed and ISO settings. You can also save your photos in RAW format for the ultimate photo editing experience.
Camera + 2 has too many features to mention. However, casual users need not worry as you have plenty to work with, with basic editing tools such as cropping and image filters readily available. You can also quickly view all your photos in the Lightbox area, which will be synced to your iCloud storage.
Download : Camera + 2 for iOS ($2.99)
VSCO Cam
If you're looking for a simple shooting and editing program, VSCO Cam includes social media and the ability to get great photos with the tap of a finger. You can manually set focus, shutter speed, white balance, and exposure compensation. You can add filters and edit them within the application.
The simplicity of the editing tools makes the program suitable not only for advanced mobile photographers, but also for beginners. The latest iPhone models support RAW format here.
Free.
Kimera
Cymera isn't trying to compete with any powerful photography apps. It's strictly for casual users who just want to add a little extra flair to their photos, offering over 100 selfie filters, different shooting modes, and automatic retouching tools. You have seven different lens options to choose from, as well as some of the more basic editing features like red-eye removal.
For new or casual photographers, this is great because you don't have to get bogged down with a bunch of features you're unlikely to use. You also have built-in sharing features to quickly upload photos to social networks like Instagram, so it's a good app for social media junkies.
Download : Cymera for Android | iOS (free in-app purchases)
iPhone camera shooting modes
Portrait mode
In this mode, it is best to use the front camera. Its principle is based on blurring the background of the photo, and you can also change the light. You will be given a choice of several light modes - studio, natural, stage, contour. In the latter mode, the contours of the face will be emphasized. In stage light mode, the background will turn black, and there are also opportunities to take photos in black and white or select a different light tone mode. Using filters will help make your photo even more interesting.
Panorama
This feature allows you to create wide horizontal or vertical photos depending on the movement you direct.
Movie mode
There are also various functions in video mode that can be used as desired or depending on the situation. In the upper right corner there is a function for selecting the quality of the material being shot. The captured videos can be edited in the gallery. A video trimming function is also available.
Management
If you're an iPhone user looking for a minimalist interface with pro-levels, you'll want to take a look at Manual. The clue is in the name - it's an app designed for customization, so it's not an app that regular users should think about.
Photographers can manually adjust settings not typically available in most camera apps, including shutter speed, focus, and exposure. If you want to enhance your photography even further, Manual allows you to save in RAW format to ensure the best quality photos, which is useful when you're learning to edit in Photoshop.
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You also get basic histograms and photo maps built into the viewfinder as you take pictures. Rule of Thirds Grid Overlay Can Help You Create the Perfect Photo
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Download : Guide for iOS ($3.99)
The best smartphones with a camera like the iPhone
The iPhone 8 was destined to become a “second-class” iPhone - mobile phones that came out simultaneously with the revolutionary iPhone X, which were released only as a consolation prize. Like, if you don’t have enough money, then at least fork out for such half measures.
Marketers calculated everything correctly - the audience of buyers was divided into those who are willing to pay extra for framelessness and prestige (laugh, laugh, but Vertu has long been in the grave, and there are no other options left to show off a cool smartphone except the iPhone X), and those who “ and I have a new processor and almost the same cameras, but 24 thousand rubles cheaper!”
If you really want to get the “all the stuff” of the iPhone at the lowest price, take the iPhone 8 for 46 thousand and be happy. No sarcasm - a very fast smartphone with power reserves, battery life for a day and cameras in the top four best smartphones in the world. Yes, yes, in the top three - after the universally good Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus, Huawei P20 Pro, HTC U12+ and iPhone X. Not a very romantic title? But 24 thousand rubles in savings!
And against the background of these 24 thousand, everything in “white” retail pales. Why do you need a Huawei P20 for 40 thousand if the iPhone 8 is superior to the “Chinese” in terms of screen quality, video detail and, what’s more, speed too?
To be fair, Huawei has a longer battery life and takes better photographs in the dark, but the difference in photo quality is tiny, and Android with the EMUI shell is Chinese Android, not iOS, to be honest. And the Samsung Galaxy S9 with its “recommended” 60 thousand rubles in official Russian retail is simply walking through the forest, because it is not so much better as it is more expensive.
Another thing is “gray” retail. If the Chinese have become completely insolent with their idolatry of the Huawei P20 Pro (55-60 thousand! On Aliexpress!), then the Germans are offering to snatch a Samsung Galaxy S9 for 38-39 thousand rubles with delivery to Russia! This means that you get a cooler screen, a headphone jack, a memory card slot and an iPhone X level camera for 6 thousand rubles cheaper than the “dead” iPhone 8 in Russian cell stores!
You should never forget how “alternatively gifted” Samsung’s firmware developers are—the powerful and cool Galaxy devices begin to “slow down” and “freeze” soon after the next generation of flagships comes out. But here and now, the S9, delivered from Germany, looks like a smarter investment than a “minimal” iPhone with a decent camera for 2020.
Camera FV-5
Camera FV-5 is another Android camera app aimed at the professional photography market. It comes as a free or paid app, with a paid version giving you access to higher camera resolutions and RAW support.
With the FV-5, photographers have DSLR-like manual controls at their fingertips. Every photographic setting on the FV-5 is adjustable, including exposure, ISO, metering, white balance, shutter speed and even program mode. The viewfinder also displays useful EXIF data such as exposure time, aperture, and aperture.
If you want to take incredible night shots, the Camera FV-5 has a long exposure mode that makes it possible. You can even make time-lapse videos. All photos taken with the FV-5 can be saved as JPG, 16-bit RAW DNG or lossless PNG.
Download : FV-5 Lite Camera for Android (Free) Download: FV-5 Camera for Android ($3.95)
How to turn off camera sound on iPhone
And if you have mastered the Camera application, and the only thing that bothers you when creating images is the shutter sound, we suggest doing the following:
- Put your iPhone on silent mode.
- Now launch the camera and take pictures.
Yes, unfortunately, there is no other way to turn off the shutter sound on official devices.
If you are using a jailbroken iPhone, you can completely turn off the shutter sound as follows:
- Connect your smartphone to your PC and launch a file manager - any application of this kind will do.
- In the root folder, locate the "Raw File System" directory.
- Browse to the system folder, then select Library/Audio/UISounds.
- Add photoShutter.caf to the file name. the letter "B" before the extension, at the end of the name.
And if you know how to use tweaks, you can simply download the SilentPhotoChill file from Cydia—when using it, the shutter sound will be disabled.
With these tips, you'll be able to take even better photos and images with your smartphone camera, and you'll now know how to turn off the shutter sound if it's annoying you. Such advice is definitely worth using, because the camera module in Apple devices is worth studying it thoroughly, and can completely replace your regular digital camera.
Halide chamber
As you'd expect from an app developed by former Apple and Twitter developers and designers, Halide Camera is powerful, functional, and above all, intuitive.
Halide focuses on gesture control to make it easier for users to take photos. Swipe your hand to change exposure and switch to manual focus. There is a fully automatic shooting mode, but you can also manually change the shutter speed, ISO and white balance.
You have depth visualization (thanks to the Halide Peth Peak tool) and a real-time depth map view to help you with photo quality. Halide's interface was designed with the iPhone X in mind, giving you portrait mode shots and one-handed controls.
Download : Halide Camera for iOS ($5.99)
Obscura 2
As with Halide Camera, Obscura 2 is designed for one-handed control. The iPhone can be used in any orientation - the key features of the program will be under your thumb.
On the sides of the “trigger” there was space for buttons for manually adjusting focus and exposure. The remaining shooting parameters are placed in a special carousel, which I personally never managed to completely get used to.
Firstly, it takes a lot of time to scroll through it to the desired element. Secondly, there are accidental clicks. But from the outside it looks really cool: the developers lost in ergonomics, but gained in style.
Examples of using filters:
The main feature of the program can be considered filters that create a mood. Some of them are included in the initial price of the camera, but for additional ones you will have to pay through in-app purchases.
From the carousel you can turn the grid on and off, activate the level, adjust the white balance, select the required camera, and so on. The viewfinder screen also has space for controlling ISO and shutter speed.
Application interface:
(379 rubles + in-app purchases)
VSKO
VSCO is one of the best all-in-one camera apps for Android and iOS. It has a fairly minimalistic camera mode, but underneath it is full of powerful features. Smartphone photographers can shoot in RAW mode. You can also manually adjust ISO, white balance and exposure.
A $19.99 annual subscription gives you access to hundreds of enhancement presets (only 10 are available for free). If you subscribe, you'll also get more advanced editing tools, including more detailed color adjustments.
The app is built on a community of photographers where you can share your photos, share tips, and participate in photography competitions. This is the perfect app for photography lovers who want to share their content with others.
Download : VSCO for iOS | Android (free, subscription available)
Halide Camera
The developers of this program were clearly trying to make a camera for one hand. To do this, they moved absolutely all the switches to one side. If you hold the iPhone horizontally in your right hand, they will all end up under your thumb.
Unlike Pro Cam 6, there is only a standard grid in thirds - you can either turn it on or off. It’s not possible to take photographs with two cameras at once, even if you want to, and you can’t even shoot video.
However, all the features that Halide Camera has are much more convenient to use even on the huge XS Max precisely because of its well-thought-out interface. By the way, the buttons in it can be swapped using a separate menu in the settings.
Examples of using manual focus:
Among the manual shooting settings, the program includes white balance and ISO. There is an advanced focus adjustment - you can even turn on a special mode that highlights objects that clearly fall into it with a bright light green color.
In the additional options menu you can also flexibly configure shooting formats. From here you can switch between JPEG and HEIC if you are not shooting in RAW. Here you can prevent the program from recording geolocation in the photo.
Application interface:
(459 rubles)
ProCam 6
The camera app isn't just about photography. You may also want an app that can capture high quality videos. That's why iOS users should take a look at installing ProCam 6.
It's the Swiss Army Knife of iOS apps. It includes everything you need for photography, such as night mode and burst mode, slow shutter tools, portrait mode, and even 3D photography. You also have a full suite of video creation and editing features: up to 4K Ultra HD 60fps video resolution, video stabilization, and an on-screen audio meter to check the levels of your microphones.
You don't need a separate photo editing app with ProCam 6 as it comes with a complete photo editing suite.
Download : ProCam 6 for iOS ($5.99)
Honor 20 Pro
Being almost half the price of the main model of Apple's main new product, this smartphone can compete with it in its camera capabilities. It, as expected, has three cameras and even has a two-megapixel macro sensor.
The wide-angle lens captures as much as 117 degrees, and is helped by a TOF sensor, whose depth-sensing capabilities greatly help when working with portraits. The 48 megapixels of the main camera are also impressive, but what’s more pleasing is the aperture, which can reach an amazing value of F/1.4, which at least means excellent photos in night mode.
The filling is a little inferior, but at the moment its performance is more than enough for the consumer.
Buy Honor 20 Pro
Camera MX
Camera MX is proof that you don't have to pay to find good camera apps on Android.
It has a clean interface that doesn't make settings too complicated, making it ideal for casual users. You can take photos and videos, and create Live Photos, similar to the Live Photos feature on iOS devices, which combines photos with a short video to create motion.
The flashback burst mode allows you to review photos taken before you even pressed the shutter button. You can pause video recording to apply real-time trims as well as preview effects to any photos as you shoot. You can also make changes within the app itself, thanks to Camera MX's photo editing tools.
Download : Camera MX for Android (free in-app purchases available)
How to activate the grid on the screen
Many have already noticed that there is no grid in the Camera application itself. However, the function still exists, only you will now have to enable it in the settings in the “Photos and Camera” parameter.
When you return to photo mode, you will find that the grid has been highlighted. The developers took care, and now the camera can be accessed fairly quickly from the Control Center. Just swipe up from bottom to top.
Many users prefer the approach used in iOS 6, where the grid settings were located directly in the Camera app. This made it easy to turn on and off as needed. But now it’s worth getting used to the new algorithm.
ProShot
ProShot is another camera app for Android and iOS that wants to turn your smartphone into a DSLR camera for a fraction of the cost.
Just like a real DSLR camera, ProShot provides users with a variety of configuration modes, including manual and automatic, as well as several programmable modes for special shots. You can control focus and exposure, as well as shutter speed, ISO settings, and white balance. You also have a set of settings to help you replicate the DSLR experience.
Video recording is also possible with ProShot, with a resolution of up to 4K. Burst mode and slow motion help you capture moments quickly. ProShot records in RAW format, so all data remains intact for later processing in Photoshop.
Download : ProShot for iOS ($4.99) | Android ($3.99)
Camera Style OS9
As the app's name suggests, it's an iPhone-style camera. There is a familiar interface here. Only the three lower function keys remind you of Android, helping you return to the desktop. Otherwise, this is a typical camera, which is endowed with the ninth version of the iOS operating system.
The utility was created by developers from Night Shift Pro. This is not to say that the program is widely popular. No, as of May 2020, less than 10 thousand people have installed it. However, one cannot help but notice that the developers do not abandon their brainchild, updating it regularly. For example, new effects have recently been added to the application. And last fall the design changed, in accordance with all the changes that occurred with iOS.
The functionality of the camera depends on the smartphone you have. In any case, you will get the opportunity to shoot video. Here you can also create a square photo, thereby adapting it to Instagram. The captured frame moves to the lower left corner. If you click on it, you will begin editing it. In particular, you can apply one of the eight proposed filters to your photo.
Advantages:
- Availability of eight filters;
- Ability to turn on the flash (if available);
- Quick cropping for Instagram;
- The interface is exactly the same as on iOS 9;
- Availability of self-timer (1, 5 and 10 seconds);
- Distributed free of charge;
- Works even on old and budget smartphones.
Flaws:
- There could be more filters;
- Some devices are experiencing problems.
Grade: 8/10
Open the camera
There are many open source apps on Android
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It comes with gesture controls, GPS tagging, and automatic stabilization. There are also advanced features such as HDR improvements, manual focusing, and dynamic range optimization. The app also allows you to take photos in RAW format.
It's not just for photos, as the app supports both standard and time-lapse video creation. It also has support for external microphones, as well as video resolution up to Full HD.
Download : Open Camera for Android (Free)
