How to make the front camera on your phone better. Choosing the best camera with effects for Android smartphones and tablets. Setting up a camera for Skype
Smartphones are now available to absolutely everyone. Even with the worst camera you can take cool pictures. Let's see how to improve the quality of photos on your phone if the camera is not very good?
Basics
The quality of the pictures directly depends on what phone or tablet you shoot with. Not all people can afford to buy a new iPhone or Samsung model. Moreover, many simply do not have the money to purchase a professional camera for taking pictures on Instagram.
Almost every modern person has a phone with a camera, but sometimes they leave much to be desired. If you don’t know how to improve the quality of photos on your phone, iPhone, Android or Samsung, then our 6 simple methods will help you.
Light
Good lighting is the key to great photos. Always take photographs only in good daylight and street lighting. Remember that your subject should always be looking at the light source. If you have additional sources (lamps, flashlights, soft boxes), then don’t be lazy and turn them on.
Lens
Don't forget to wipe the lens of your smartphone with a clean cloth or napkin. This way you will save yourself from blurry, smudged and unclear pictures with dots and dust.
Permission
Every smartphone has basic settings installed as standard. If you want to improve the quality of your photos, then it's worth digging into the settings and turning them to maximum.
Filters
Processing and filters can greatly improve the quality of your photos. but there are filters that improve the photo, and there are those that spoil the quality of the image (Drama, HDR).
A black and white filter hides a large number of defects in a photograph. Make it look like you are a hipster and just see it that way.
Sharpening
Without sharpening, the photo looks a little blurry and of lower quality. Almost every photo editor for your phone has a similar setting. But with an increase in this parameter, the images become clear with detailed details.
Lifehack
If you don’t know whether you can improve the quality of a photo on your phone, just simulate a low-quality photo. You can treat it in some retro styles from the 90s or 2000s with scuffs and noise. Using this effect, no one will even guess that this was not originally intended by you.
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Be the most stylish! Use super effects.
Many modern smartphones that run on the Android operating system are equipped with a number of options. There are many applications for this most popular OS in the world. They are aimed at customizing the camera on devices. This way you can get the most beautiful pictures and bright videos. It will also be important to learn how to set up the camera on your phone to conduct video conferences on Skype.
Smartphones have many possibilities. All of them are described in the instructions that come with them. Sometimes, the factory settings are not able to satisfy the requirements of the device owner. You can change them yourself by going into an application called "Camera".
Within the framework of this article, we propose to dwell in detail on the process of setting up the camera so that photography brings only positive emotions.
Setup for shooting
Go to the application, which is indicated by a special icon. Select settings for a specific mode. There are several options. We will talk about auto, infinity and macro. If this is the first case, then it is suitable for creating unique frames when there is no time to change parameters manually. There is also an infinity option, which allows you to learn to photograph objects at a long distance. But for photographing objects as close as possible, you should choose Macro.
The photography mode itself should be chosen depending on the location where the photography is taking place. It could be a snowy plain, a beach, a landscape, etc. It is possible that this is the time of day, for example, you choose when the photo is taken - night or day.
The size of photographs is presented in pixels. The size is standard 640x480, which allows you to take photos in excellent quality. It is designated VGA. The quality of the image must be determined in view of the file size for saving. The color effect is also selected. It can be sepia, negative, monochrome, etc.
The exposure option is equally important. Due to this, you can determine the number of light rays that pass through the lens. If you increase the exposure on the lens, more light will enter. The photos will be bright and clear.
To improve the quality of your photos, there is a “White Balance” option. Thanks to it, it is possible to adjust the color depending on the lighting option. This can be an incandescent lamp or daylight, sunny or cloudy weather, natural lighting. There is also automatic light balance adjustment.
You can also set the option to record the location where the photo was taken. This is accomplished through the use of GPS. But it is likely that you will want to remove this feature.
There is also the ability to customize the flash mode. If you don’t know at what point you need to use it, you should set the “Auto” mode and then the device will turn on the function if necessary.
It is also important to note the image stabilization option. This option will not only allow you to ruin the picture if you move the phone due to uneven breathing or shaking hands when taking pictures.
Digital zoom allows you to zoom in from 1x to 2x.
It should be noted that all options are regulated separately. It is possible to track the results on the display. The “Back” button will serve to exit the section.
Video mode setting
The video mode includes all the settings categories listed above. There are also additional steps that allow you to configure both cameras. We are talking about the main and frontal ones. You can also set the duration of video recording, select the lighting, and adjust color effects.
No exception is the ability to adjust video resolution and quality. It can be high or low. There are also options for video hosting on YouTube or sending MMS.
Setting up a camera for Skype
Setting up a camera for communication on Skype is not difficult. To do this, go to the section called “Advanced settings” for video recording and check the “Forced calls” box. The settings will apply to the front and main cameras. After this, you should reboot the device and decide on which camera is more convenient for you to communicate with your interlocutors. As a rule, the frontal one is more appropriate in this case.
Troubleshooting camera problems
As you use your smartphone, the camera quality may deteriorate over time. This is caused by various reasons. For example, contamination of the sensor, clogged cache, or mechanical damage to the module can affect the settings, which is responsible for settings and infection by viruses. Improving the quality of device operation is possible in several ways.
In the case of automatic firmware updates, basic settings can often be lost. All this will lead to incorrect operation of applications. To fix the problem, just follow these steps:
- Go to the gadget settings;
- Go to the “Backup” section;
- Enable the "Reset to factory settings" option.
The problem with the presence of viruses can be solved by cleaning the system and installing an antivirus program. To clear the module cache, go to the Settings option and select the “Applications” section. The menu will have a Camera subsection. There you should enable the Clear Cache option.
Setting up and downloading an application that is an alternative to a standard camera, HD or DSLRCamera, ShotControl, etc. By wiping the lens before use, you can eliminate the risk of dots or subtle spots appearing on your pictures. Try not to use Zoom either. Photos can be corrected using a graphic editor. With digital zoom, the likelihood that it will be damaged beyond repair will increase dramatically.
Manual camera settings in a modern smartphone
Essentially, each picture is a combination of shadow and light. The more light that hits the matrix, the brighter the picture will be. If there is not so much light, then the information will be lost over time. Such a photo will be overexposed. At the same time, very dark photos can be corrected using any editor. If the picture is overexposed, then it is not possible to correct it.
Experts call the combination of light the exposure of a photo. Those. If the picture does not have many dark or too light moments, then it can be called ideally exposed. Please note that the entire exhibition, i.e. the amount of light in the image will consist of 3 key components. These are aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Some users may find this information confusing. We suggest you better understand each component.
The Key to Frame Exposure: ISO Setting
This parameter is responsible for the sensitivity of the smartphone camera matrix that receives light. The noise that appears in the photo is associated with it. The higher the ISO, the brighter the photo and the more noisy the matrix. This parameter is usually measured in units. In smartphone cameras, it is designated 100-1600 and higher. If the lighting is excellent, it is better to turn the ISO down to its minimum positions. It is also worth minimizing the parameter in a situation where high detail of the image is required.
Shutter speed - the effect of light on the camera matrix
The parameter is usually measured in fractions of a second. For example, this is 1/60, 1/500, etc. These shutter speeds are short. Those. by we divided 1 second by the specified amount of time and selected only 1 part, which is not large. When photographing with a smartphone, if you use a fast shutter speed, all objects will be frozen in the camera. This option is ideal for capturing the most important sports moments, recording raindrops or a ball that was thrown into the air. Photos of a person jumping will also be very impressive. But remember that the shorter the shutter speed is set, the more light is needed to take a quality shot. For this reason, it is worth increasing 2 other parameters. Moreover, there is also natural light, which should be more than sufficient. Fast shutter speeds are best used on a sunny day or if you are working in a studio.
But keep in mind that shutter speed can be measured in seconds. For example, smartphone cameras can have settings of 4, 15, 30 seconds. Such long shutter speeds are used to photograph slow-moving objects in low light conditions. You can shoot stars, landscapes at night and even water surfaces. At long shutter speeds, it is worth minimizing the ISO and aperture values. Remember that if you hold your smartphone at long shutter speeds, you won’t be able to take a high-quality photo. The picture will be blurry and quite blurry.
Let us immediately note that many photographers use the blur effect for their own purposes in order to emphasize the speed of movement in the picture. But for simple shots it is still worth using a portable tripod. Those. we can draw a small, but very useful conclusion, which is that if the task is to film a fleeting process, then it is better to set the shutter speed on a smartphone shorter. How much shorter will depend on natural lighting.
It is better to choose smartphones that have static stabilization, in which case the image will be as clear as possible.
Aperture setting
This concept refers to the size of the hole through which light passes. He ends up in the matrix. The measurement of this quantity is indicated by the letter “f”. The higher the parameter, the less it is set. Those. you will be able to get a hole. As for the average performance of ordinary smartphones, the value here varies from 1.9-2.2. Please note that if in cameras the aperture is adjusted manually, increasing or decreasing the camera shutter, then in the case of smartphones, changing the aperture value will occur at the software level.
The smaller the aperture, the higher you need to set other camera parameters. And if it is set to the full power of the smartphone, this makes it possible to make the ISO lower when the shutter speed is shorter. The opening size of the aperture will affect the depth of field.
Shooting in RAW on a modern smartphone
First, it’s worth understanding what this format is. RAW makes it possible to capture information in its original form. Those. you will be able to get untouched pictures as output, which can be edited in special programs, as expected. Therefore, it is better to take important photos in it. They allow you to correct inaccurate parameters that were specified during shooting. Of course, these frames take up more space, and therefore it is worth using the RAW format only for those frames that are important. Increasing the memory capacity is possible using memory cards. Choose and buy a memory card for your smartphone. This can be done in any store that sells modern mobile devices.
It is important to note that in order to take truly high-quality photographs, it is important to have not just a camera, but also the hands and skills of the person who takes the photo. Therefore, if there is no opportunity to buy a device with cool camera characteristics, then you can learn how to configure it manually. The mobile device will delight you with good photos.
It is important to note that some owners complain that the standard plan application, which is used by default, may not give the desired shooting result. Then don't wait, download another one. Today Google Camera is very popular. Note that the result is really pleasing. The pictures will be very beautiful. They turn out noticeably better in quality. But keep in mind that this method will be appropriate for those who are advanced users. In the case of ordinary users, it is worth noting that there is no need to even try to take pictures with it. The thing is that you will need to carry out a lot of manipulations. As a result of a number of mistakes made, the smartphone will become a brick. But if you did everything correctly, the result may surprise you.
But the list of camera applications is not limited to this. One of them is Open Camera, thanks to which you can achieve good quality pictures.
I would also like to note the fact that you should not be shy about using photo editors to correct defects in photos that are already in your arsenal. For Android platforms, it is recommended to visit the Play Market. There you can download good utilities. They can use all the same settings as the phone camera, but apply them to the finished photo. You can spend not a single hour processing photos and experimenting with filters. The most popular applications will be VSCOCam, Snapseed, Adobe Photoshop Express, Pixlr Express. All of them are free to access and easy to use.
We advise you to take a photo of the same object, but taking into account different angles. Change your phone camera settings, use editors, and soon you will be able to amaze your friends and loved ones with the wonders of photos taken on your usual smartphone.
In turn, we hope that you find our article useful. Share in the comments below how you set up your smartphone, reveal the secrets of the perfect photo!
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However, some smartphones do not come with good camera apps installed by the manufacturer, and therefore you cannot take advantage of a high-quality camera.
But this is not a problem if you have a good Android phone with an 8 or 13 Megapixel camera. Install these applications on your phone and you will be able to take professional-level photographs using your smartphone.
#5. Line camera
Line camera is one of the best apps to take selfies and photo collages on your smartphone. The app has high quality filters that are easy to customize.
It's not just a camera app, it also allows you to edit photos as you take them, stack photos side by side, and create a collage. This app is three in one! You can shoot, edit and create a collage of images using this application. And all this is absolutely free.
#4. Open camera
Open camera is one of the smallest (approximately 500 KB) applications of its type for Android devices. But despite its small size, the app has a lot of features and pretty decent exposure control. Open camera is recommended for night photography on an Android phone.
Simply tap anywhere on the screen to focus on an object and the image will magically become brighter. Open camera is also a completely free application for Android devices.
#3. Google Camera
Google Camera is Google's app for photographers and it has a ton of unique features that will help you take better photos. Google Camera takes photos and videos quickly and easily, taking advantage of the processing power of your Android device, as well as photo enhancement features such as HDR+, shallow depth of field blur, wide angle, panorama and 360 degree panorama.
But if you want to use Google Camera, you need to own an Android smartphone or tablet running Android KitKat 4.4 or higher. In this case, you can download the application for free from the Google Play service.
#2. A Better Camera
As the name Better Camera suggests, this app will allow you to take better quality photos with its high-end functionality. This app will allow you to take photos and videos in 11 different shooting modes such as HD panorama, HDR, Night, Group and others.
Apart from this, this camera app also has various features such as exposure mode, ISO settings, smart mode, autofocus, and more. This application is available on Google Play in both paid and free versions.
#1. Ucam Ultra Camera
The quality of a photo taken on a phone depends not only on the technical characteristics of the camera, but also on the correct settings and user skills. In the article below we will analyze all aspects of improving the camera on Android: shooting rules, standard application parameters and engineering menu settings. We will also name several third-party programs that expand the capabilities of the lens.
Rules for taking a good photo
Before directly changing camera settings and searching for applications with advanced functionality, you should make sure that the basic shooting rules are followed:
Standard Camera app settings
If you want to know how to improve the quality of the camera on Android, you should pay attention to the parameters of the application with which you take pictures. Depending on the manufacturer of the smartphone and the software used in it, the number and location of settings may differ. However, their names and effects will be similar.
So, to improve the camera you will need to set the following parameters:
- Photo and video quality is set to best or maximum. In some smartphones, the parameter is set by resolution or number of megapixels - in any case, you should set the highest possible value.
- Frequency or flicker elimination - the maximum value is set (usually 60 Hz) or automatic detection.
- Shooting mode. These are preset parameters suitable for certain photo creation conditions. For example, you can set the mode to “On the beach” or “In the city”.
- If the preset modes do not give the expected effect, you should switch to manual control and set the parameters according to your own feelings:
- HDR - high dynamic range. With this option activated, the pictures become more saturated, but at the same time the amount of noise may increase.
- Sharpness - determines how well the outlines of objects will be visible.
- Saturation is the amount of color. The minimum value is a black and white photo.
- Contrast is the difference between the characteristics of different parts of the image. It's better to set the average.
How to improve the camera on an Android phone through the engineering menu
In some smartphones, you can change camera settings through the engineering menu. Often the parameters presented there mostly repeat those that are already present in the application settings. This method of adjusting photo quality should only be used by people who have adequate knowledge of how to handle electronics.
Instructions:
- Open the dialer and enter the code: *#*#3646633#*#*. Attention! The method for opening the engineering menu may differ depending on the phone model. Detailed recommendations should be sought on specialized forums.
- Go to the “Hardware testing” tab.
- Select the “Camera” section.
- A new window will display parameters that allow you to improve the camera on Android:
- After setting the settings, you can exit the menu and test the camera's capabilities.
After launching DSLR Camera Pro, the user will be able to adjust:
- Flash operation: automatic, constant firing, shooting with the backlight on.
- Focus mode: constant, after releasing the shutter, by pressing the object, macro photography, face detection.
- White balance.
- ISO value.
- Scenes.
- Image quality and resolution.
- Exhibition and much more.
With such an application, the phone turns into a professional camera on which you can set all parameters manually to get the best result.
HD Camera Pro has similar capabilities. The program is paid - 129 rubles.
Flagships and budget smartphones have long replaced tablets and cameras for people. Mobile phones perform a huge number of tasks and cope with all everyday problems.
When going on vacation, many people don’t even take a laptop or camera with them, because all this fits into a no longer compact, but still small phone. But some people still try to avoid taking photos with their phones because they think the quality of the photos leaves much to be desired. In reality, you need to figure out how to set up the camera on your phone.
Market situation
Previously, the phone camera was considered to be quite mediocre, so users rarely used it. Only in extreme cases in order to capture some moments of your life. But the pictures came out very badly.
With the development of the photo industry and the new capabilities of smartphones, it turned out that flagships can more than replace SLR cameras and regular point-and-shoot cameras. But with budget smartphones the situation is somewhat different.
Most Chinese models have powerful camera modules, but not all can produce high-quality images. But the point here is not the manufacturer’s modifications. The problem rather lies in the fact that many people do not understand how to set up the camera on their phone. If “a bad dancer’s pants get in the way,” then even an inexperienced photographer with a professional camera will not be able to cope.
When buying a new smartphone, most users pay attention to the appearance of the device and the “talking” parameters. What is meant? Stores, when creating advertisements for certain phone models, often create a certain image of the device.
For example, a smartphone can become a camera phone despite its mediocre camera characteristics. The advertisement also praises the presence of 3 GB of RAM in the device, while this parameter is considered not an advantage, but a necessity.
As a result, a budget phone can be so praised that after purchase the user will be disappointed, not getting the desired results from the pictures or the performance of the model.
Selecting a smartphone
In order to figure out how to set up the camera on your phone, you need to evaluate the actual capabilities of the device. Until recently, models with a 5 MP main camera were considered popular. It seemed that the phone took beautiful and high-quality pictures.
But technology is moving forward. Now a budget smartphone for 200-250 dollars, which is approximately 14 - 17 thousand rubles, offers a 13 megapixel camera. Although the catch is now different: flagships for $1000 (69 thousand rubles) can also have similar camera module indicators. This suggests that these same megapixels, which are vehemently praised in stores and advertisements, are not so important.
The point is that it is best to pay attention to other characteristics of the lens. For example, on aperture indicators. The lower this value, the better the image will be, even in the evening. It is also important to have a variety of “tricks” that help improve the picture: stabilization, noise reduction, autofocus, extended color range, etc.
The more similar technologies the camera module has, the less you will have to figure out how to set up the camera on your phone.
Preparing for the photo
But first, you should understand that not only the camera settings play a huge role, but also the preparation for the photograph. It's important to do a little preparation.
To begin with, it is better to wipe the lens of the lens. This part of the camera can often suffer from fogging or contamination. Therefore, it is better to immediately wipe the module with a special cloth so that there is no blur in the picture.
Next you need to figure out the right angle. Not everyone understands that composition and other “tricks” of photographers often affect the quality of the photo. Remember that it is not advisable to shoot against the sun. It is better to remove all unnecessary objects that could ruin the frame.
Despite the Instagram fashion for taking selfies everywhere, most of the beautiful accounts on this resource are maintained with the help of professional cameras. This once again proves that the front camera can only be used in the case of group photos and some spontaneous moments.
Otherwise, it is better to take pictures with the main module. To do this, of course, you will have to ask others for help or get a tripod.
Digital zoom is not recommended. It is rarely used in professional photography, although the quality of the equipment there allows it. But the smartphone copes very poorly with zooming. It loses stabilization and autofocus, which makes the pictures blurry and grainy.
Basic Settings
How to set up the camera on an Android phone? It’s immediately worth noting that the full range of settings is available both in the system Camera application and in third-party ones that can be installed from Google Play.
The main settings are located behind the gear icon. Here you can adjust the image and video sizes, shooting frequency, image quality, adjust the grid, level, set the date or location. You can also choose where to store photos, adjust sound and gesture controls.
If you look at your smartphone, you may not find some options. It all depends on the model. But all of the above options are available in this submenu.
How to properly set up the camera on your phone? Of course, it all depends on individual needs. But most users recommend using manual settings.
Depending on the operating system version, certain shooting modes and options will be available to you. Among the modes you can find “Manual”.
A line appears at the bottom of the screen in which you can adjust a number of parameters. For example, here you can adjust ISO. This parameter is responsible for photosensitivity. It has several indicators, as well as an automatic operating mode. It is best to adjust the parameter in case of poor lighting; in other situations, its automatic setting is suitable.
Here you can choose the shutter speed. This option delays the open aperture for a specified amount of time. The longer this happens, the more light will hit the matrix. You need to watch out for overexposure. Shutter speed is usually dealt with during night or evening shooting.
Exposure display icon with plus and minus. This parameter helps you adjust the lightness or darkness of the frame. White balance allows you to adjust the cool or warm tone of your photo. Here you can adjust the saturation and contrast of the picture.
Some people think that the best way to apply HDR is to get a good camera setup on your phone. This function, on the one hand, can really take a beautiful photo, but on the other hand, it is not always applicable. HDR creates several frames with different exposures, and then combines everything into one photo that is devoid of darkened or overexposed areas. This function is best suited for landscape photography.
Camera Modes
How to set up the camera on a Samsung phone? As with any other model that runs on Android, this is not difficult to do. You just need to understand the parameters described above and experiment.
You can also try using photo modes. One of the popular ones is now considered “Makeup” or “Beauty Shooting”. This is a mode that smoothes skin, enlarges eyes, applies makeup, and does everything to enhance a portrait shot. Many people call this feature “mobile photoshop.”
There is also the option of using a panorama for landscapes. The mode creates several shots, combining them into one wide frame. The slow motion speaks for itself. It is possible to create a GIF animation or blur the background.
Setting up a smartphone camera
How to set up the camera on a ZTE phone? As mentioned earlier, in general, the settings on different models are practically the same. But the difference can be noticed if you get a camera phone in your hands. Typically, in such models, in which the emphasis is on the camera module, the menu is expanded, and a huge number of technologies allow you to create colorful pictures.
But the above parameters are also saved, which means they can be configured. The main thing is to understand the purpose of each, and then experiment to understand the principle of creating a photograph on a smartphone.
