Latest news with #CameraApp
Fast Company
6 days ago
- Fast Company
This new app makes using your iPhone camera tons more fun
I have not found much joy in iPhone photography of late. Between the flat, HDR-heavy image processing and the stagnant hardware compared to competitors, it's rare that I'll use my iPhone for anything beyond quick, functional snapshots. 'Here is the price of eggs at the supermarket today' in a chat message. That sort of thing. But over the past week, I've been having more fun with my iPhone camera than I've had in years. The reason for that is !Camera, a new app that completely reimagines the experience of taking photos on your phone. Inspiring design !Camera—no, I am not entirely sure how you're meant to say that out loud—comes from Not Boring Software, which also makes a suite of iOS apps including a weather app, a timer, a calculator, and more. I've tried some of these in the past and admired their stylish, original design, but none of them really stuck with me; I tend to lean into functionality if I'm going to learn a new app. But cameras are the opposite. Unless I'm shooting professionally at a critical event, I want cameras to have their own personality and inspire me to use them. That's exactly what you get with !Camera. Although !Camera solely exists in software, its unique 3D interface makes your iPhone feel like a new device. The colorful, customizable UI is not intended to look realistic, exactly, but the combination of visual effects and haptic feedback is surprisingly believable. I set up a shortcut to open !Camera with the iPhone's physical Action Button, which adds to the verisimilitude. The chunky virtual dials show shadows in the knurls as you tilt your phone, based on input from the gyroscope. The iPhone's haptic system lets you feel every notch along the dials, together with satisfying clunks when you swap between lenses or turn the flash on. And I can't remember the last time I didn't immediately turn off the beeps on a digital camera, but the stereo sound effects here actually add to the experience. Simple UI The UI itself is extremely simple. There is a huge shutter button that's impossible to miss, plus two key dials: one for exposure compensation, and the other to select photo styles. You do have the option to switch to a manual mode, but it feels intentional that the two virtual dials are dedicated to accessible features that are more likely to make a real difference on a phone camera. There's also a clever take on manual focus that brings up a loupe-like ring when you drag directly on the viewfinder. The UI is rounded out by two switches for the flash and to swap between lenses—there's no option for 2x or any other 'fake' digital zoom—as well as a settings button that takes you to a more conventional menu with all the customization features. One feature you won't find is the ability to view all your photos; they just get saved straight into your iPhone's photo app. This is presumably so that you don't spend half your time 'chimping,' or immediately checking the pictures you took rather than concentrating on taking some more. It's a good decision, especially since the photos themselves can take a second or two to process. After pressing the shutter button, you get a quick preview on the viewfinder that doesn't quite match the final results but is enough to let you know whether you got the shot or not. Great results The results are usually great. !Camera can shoot in Apple's ProRAW format or use the basic JPEG processing, but it defaults to its own SuperRaw system that adds a slight grain and goes for punchy exposure. These photos can all capture HDR data, and you can also save a regular RAW file at the same time for editing later. !Camera supports importing LUTs, or lookup tables, the same kind of presets used by many pro photographers. It also comes with several styles of its own, including a couple of monochrome filmlike options by Tokyo-based AgBr, the collective behind the excellent Mac and iOS photo editing app of the same name. These aren't just filters: They're embedded right into the image-processing pipeline. Last month Apple announced that it is shifting all of its operating systems to a new visual style built around a virtual material called Liquid Glass. Design chief Alan Dye said in a statement that it 'combines the optical qualities of glass with a fluidity only Apple can achieve, as it transforms depending on your content or context.' !Camera takes a similar approach in some ways, as it acknowledges the physical properties of the iPhone and reacts in real time. But you couldn't make !Camera out of Liquid Glass—it's already made out of something else. Its materials have a style and a charm entirely their own, and they make your phone feel like a timeless camera in the real world rather than something that exists only in the Apple universe. More to the point, it is simply a heck of a lot of fun. I'd fallen out of love with iPhone photography, but !Camera has pulled me right back.
Phone Arena
27-06-2025
- Phone Arena
This small Pixel update could make a big difference for casual photographers
How the new education hub in the Pixel Camera app works The hub can be accessed by tapping the question mark icon in the top-right corner of the Camera interface. From there, you are taken to a new "Explore ways to take photos" section. This part of the hub includes sample images for each feature and a 'How To' section that walks you through the steps of activating and using that mode. You can also jump straight into any mode via an 'Open Camera' button. Receive the latest Google news Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy What do you think about Google adding an education hub to the Pixel Camera app? Love it – great way to learn all the camera features It's useful for beginners, but I won't use it I already know how to use my camera — not needed I'd rather see Google simplify the interface instead I didn't know Pixel had some of these features! Love it – great way to learn all the camera features 0% It's useful for beginners, but I won't use it 0% I already know how to use my camera — not needed 0% I'd rather see Google simplify the interface instead 0% I didn't know Pixel had some of these features! 0% The feature was first announced as part of the June Pixel Feature Drop , but it is now showing up in version 9.9 of the Camera app for Pixel 6 and newer idea behind the education hub is pretty simple: the Pixel camera is gaining more and more advanced modes — like Action Pan, Astrophotography, and Macro Focus — and many users may not realize how to use them properly or might not even know they exist. Google's solution is a built-in tutorial experience right inside the camera Google has tailored the camera education hub and made it personalized depending on your device. Pixel 9 users will see newer tools like Add Me or Video Boost, while older models will focus on legacy modes like Night Sight and Motion Blur. There's also an 'Explore ways to take videos' section with guides on Cinematic Blur, Time Lapse, and other video-centric also a 'More Tips' tab that offers general advice on framing, lighting, and improving your overall photo quality. This is ideal for beginners who want to maximize their camera skills to get that perfect shot on a trip or of a family member, especially for elders who are having a bit of trouble using the hub is styled using Google's latest Material You (Material 3) Expressive design, which has a softer and friendlier feel with dynamic color accents and rounded might be a small tweak and one that many of us tech enthusiasts will simply skip. But for regular folks that don't know the ins and outs of a Pixel's camera, this education hub is a meaningful addition.
Phone Arena
24-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Google removes popular and useful feature from the Pixel Camera app
On Monday Google started to disseminate an updated version of Pixel Camera 9.9. The newer version of the update, 9.9.106.773153235.19, does not have the Social Share feature which seems to indicate that Google intentionally removed it from the Pixel Camera app. The feature is design yo allow users to quickly share images shot using the Pixel Camera app. With Social Share, you slide up from the image preview and see a total of six destinations you can share an image with. Up to three of them are selected by you by going to settings. My Pixel 6 Pro with Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 installed is running an older version of the Pixel Camera app (9.8.102.748116395.16) which means I still have Social Share on my phone. I can select up to three destinations to share an image with by opening the Camera app, and tapping the settings gear icon in the bottom left. Press on More settings in the pill-shaped container on the bottom right, tap on Social Share, toggle on the feature at the top, and select up to three destinations. Until you change the three, those destinations will always be an option when you open Social Share. Without this shortcut, to share photos you've snapped, you will have to go to the Photos app, open a photo, and tap on the share icon to summon the share sheet so that you can share an image. To reiterate, those with the most recent version of the pixel Camera app will no longer have the Social Share feature. The Social Share feature is gone from new versions of the Pixel Camera app. | Image credit-PhoneArena Pixel Camera 9.9 also includes a new look for the 3, 5, and 10-minute timers. This new look improves the visibility of the numerals 3, 5, and 10 inside the timers making them easier to see. Instead of showing white numbers against a black background inside a small icon of a stopwatch, the new look has the numerals 3,5, and 10 inside a stopwatch with the numbers in black against a white background. This is the version that is easier to see. The old version is on the left with the updated version on the right. Note the difference in the timer numerals. | Image credit-9to5Google Also missing from the update is the Education Hub that was listed as part of the Pixel Feature Drop for June. When the feature arrives, you'll see a question mark in the viewfinder on the top right corner. Tap on the question mark to read "Explore ways to take photos." You'll see instructions and "How to" instructions for every mode. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area.
