Quick start camera on android. Quick Launch - quick application launch

Do you often shoot with a smartphone camera? Are you fond of selfies, do you like to apply various effects to your photos? This guide, first of all, will be of interest to Android users, for a number of reasons, dissatisfied with the Android system camera. By installing camera apps from Google Play(the best ones are here), you will definitely kill a few birds with one stone:

  • you can significantly improve the camera on your phone or smartphone
  • add dozens of colorful eye-catching photo effects, nice filters
  • add a number of functions useful when shooting on the phone and when manually controlling the camera
  • improve camera control by adding new gestures (by the way, monopod owners will be interested in specialized selfie cameras like Selfishop Camera)
  • if on Android - you can fix this common error on your smartphone and tablet

Review participants

How to improve the camera on your phone or smartphone?

Since a camera is installed on most android phones and smartphones, it’s a sin not to use it: actively take selfies, take pictures to capture information, take pictures of friends, family, etc. That's just often the power of a standard Android camera is not enough to fully appreciate all the possibilities: there are no effects, filters, flexible settings. Of course, you cannot improve the physical characteristics of the camera on an Android smartphone: to radically change the situation, it is better to find a phone/smartphone/tablet with good technical specifications cameras.

However, you can make the camera on a smartphone noticeably better - programmatically. The user needs to download and install free applications that replace the usual Android camera with something more interesting. It is these applications that will be discussed in the review. We will first look at the top Android cameras according to Google Play statistics, as well as user favorites that deserve more than 4 stars in reviews.

Camera Zoom FX - spectacular camera for your smartphone

ZOOMFX– paid camera, which, however, is worth attention Android users along with free apps. With high performance and exclusive customization options, Camera ZOOM FX reaches an audience of 400,000 users.

This smartphone camera app is one of the feature rich ones. As part of ZOOM FX - photography functions, an image editor for the Android platform. All this under a simple and clear interface. Judge for yourself: through the small panel of the ZOOM FX Camera, you can quickly switch the shooting mode, activate the stabilizer, the timer, turn on the sound activation of the shutter, HDR.

Camera Zoom FX app settings

While most of the program's functions can be attributed to the basic ones, there are a lot of free extension packs for decoration and customization. Particularly interesting is the possibility of vignetting photos and adding inscriptions.

The benefits of Camera Zoom FX, which have earned it a number of high marks in the media, include:

  • excellent camera performance on Android;
  • 90 > overlay effects, decoration and photo processing;
  • hardware control of "zoom", flash, front camera of the smartphone;
  • you can bind control to the device buttons by adjusting the zoom, for example, with the volume control;
  • automatic adjustment of white balance, lighting level;
  • shooting by sound, timer, motion, at intervals;
  • image stabilization when shooting;
  • creating collages;
  • posting photos on social networks with the click of a button;
  • many effects and filters, including features graphic editor Photoshop.

ZOOM FX works in editor mode - you can easily make your photos truly unique. The price of the program is low, about 5 dollars, and the possibilities are very pleasing.

Summary. In general, Camera Zoom FX is the best camera for Android with the ability to take photos, quickly process the received images. The only thing that scares off Zoom FX is some of the limitations of the free version. If you have a fairly modern smartphone, then you will have to pay a modest $ 4 for the ability to work with photos of 0.8 megapixels +. If you are not ready to give $ 4, look at other similar applications that I have already written about - Camera360 or .

Camera FV 5 is the camera app for serious photographers

The Camera FV 5 app is designed for serious photographers in the sense that you can get the most out of your android camera by manually controlling the shooting parameters. At the same time, fans of "vanilla photos", Instagram filters will not be interested in the FV 5 Camera due to the lack of such add-ons (for such purposes, we recommend installing ).

Shooting process with Camera FV 5

Camera controls are located on the main panel of the fv 5 application. These are white balance, focus mode, metering mode, ISO and exposure compensation. AT additional tools Camera FV 5 includes an interval timer and exposure bracketing.

Another cool feature of the Camera app is that you can set camera settings to mimic those of a regular camera. The Camera FV 5 pro user can set the aperture, sensitivity and exposure time in order to prevent photo blur when shooting with a phone (which happens often even for experienced amateur photographers).

The FV 5 Camera application supports gestures, especially zoom in (zoom) when taking photos. Not to mention the fact that the shooting modes quickly switch in a few simple touches, and, accordingly, it is easier for the user to switch the FV 5 settings - say, change the focus mode, white balance, turn on the grid, focus, change the viewfinder and so on.

Summary. The Camera FV 5 program for Android noticeably surpasses the regular tablet camera, generously sharing all the options with the user and giving freedom of customization. The main advantage of FV 5 is the extreme flexibility of the program when shooting.

Camera & Video Camera B612 (Selfie from the Heart)

Camera B612 will give new pleasant sensations to lovers of selfie photos on the phone: it is not for nothing that it is referred to as "selfie from the heart." With the B612, taking photos of yourself will not only be fast. In this mobile application, you can literally take perfect photos with your smartphone or tablet camera:

  • The B612 camera supports not only the front but also the rear camera on Android, switching is done with one swipe of the finger across the screen. This option will be useful if one of the cameras on Android does not work.
  • shooting short selfie videos in the b612 is done by simply pressing a button;
  • giving a selfie surprise: a choice of effects in random mode is available;
  • Apply special effects for the Android camera effortlessly: the b612 application has vignettes, frames, blurring the edges is possible with the help of a filter;
  • b612 shift, tilt, easy defocus modes to give softness, liveliness to photos taken on the phone;
  • interval shooting, pre-pause to choose the best angle.
V612 camera interface: take video and photo

The v612 camera is free, but adds its own logo to the received photos. This trouble is not very annoying when shooting and processing photos, since there are more than a dozen options in the set, among which there is one that will not spoil the feeling of the photo, suits the style and location.

Summary. B612 is a good camera for Android that attracts attention with simple, casual settings, excellent opportunities for selfie shooting.

Camera MX is just a good camera for Android

Application Camera MX included in the top cameras for Android. It has already been installed on the phone by more than 9 million people around the world. The Camera MX program is distributed in more than 100 countries, is constantly being improved and allows you to place your photos and videos in online storages, share them with friends. Even work in editor mode is supported, if the tablet or other gadget does not have physical device to get images.

MX Camera interface on mobile smartphone

The functionality of the MX Camera program includes:

  • a rich set of effects, including displacement, tilt, texture mapping and artistic filters;
  • using the Camera MX functionality, you can process a photo or video after it has been saved to the smartphone’s memory;
  • provided presetting effects or their set, when shooting they are applied automatically;
  • posting to the Instagram application and placement in network storages;
  • automatic settings, designed to create near-perfect shots in a particular genre or mode - for example, "selfie", "sunset", "landscape".

The interface of MX Camera is simple, intuitive. The developers managed not only to realize a lot of opportunities for a variety of image processing, but also to simplify the camera control as much as possible. In Camera MX, everything is done literally with one finger - choosing scenery, effects, a template for shooting, switching flash mode and other useful functions. The program is in beta testing, free and available for download on a smartphone.

Snap Camera is the best HDR camera for Android with effects

Snap Camera is one of the few hdr cameras that is constantly updated with interesting shooting features.

Briefly about what HDR is. This feature makes it possible to take photos in a dark and lighted space. Two photos are taken, after which they are mixed, at the output you get a full-fledged HDR photo. The final result (image in hdr format) can be edited in the built-in Snap Camera editor.

The Snap Camera HDR is arranged as simple as possible: all control is carried out thanks to two buttons and a wheel that allows you to quickly change photography modes. Naturally, gestures are supported: zoom, photo preview, photo settings. The volume buttons can be used to focus or zoom.

Other camera features:

Summary. Thus, if you are primarily interested in a good camera with effects on Android, then the Snap Camera app is the best choice among other mobile cameras. You can download the application through Google Play or w3bsit3-dns.com.

Candy Camera - camera for selfies and "instagram" photos

Already looking at the icon of this application, you can guess that girls will like it. Why? Candy Camera pleases with a whole bunch of vanilla effects that change the picture in real time, making the color gamut warmer.

Appearance and camera settings Candy for Android

Not surprisingly, Candy Camera greets its user with a front camera mode and showcases a panel with filters. Most photographic filters are nothing more than changing the color scheme so that the photos look vanilla (like on Instagram). Some people will like it, others will be put off by the relatively small number of Candy Camera settings that you can use to control the shooting process on your phone or smartphone. On the other hand, if your Android does not have a very good camera, this can be compensated by filters, effects - and, as already mentioned, there are more than enough of them in the Candy Camera application.

Thus, we advise you to download Candy Camera if you need a selfie program with nice filters. As the developers write, “your skin will look amazing” (even if you are a pimply teenager or a brutal and battered type).

Selfishop Camera - selfie app for Android

If you have a selfie stick, a tablet with a good camera and you need a camera for your phone with support for monopods, Selfishop Camera is a great solution for Android OS. The application is optimally suited for taking photos in the selfie genre on wired and wireless (bluetooth) monopods.

Selfishop Camera is a great app for taking selfies

In the mobile application "Selfishop" there are no embellishments (effects, presets) - everything is strict. On the other hand, most selfie apps have a different focus, the main focus is shifted towards control: you can significantly improve, expand the capabilities of the android camera, using the potential of monopods to the fullest. You can set up certain actions on the remote control buttons of the selfist (taking a picture, zooming in, changing the camera of the device), etc.

In addition to its selfie orientation, the Selfishop application is valuable for its flexible shooting settings, among them: autofocus, rotation photo, white balance lock, exposure, burst shooting, selfie button action settings.

Finally, two interesting selfie shooting modes should be noted: incognito (without attracting the attention of others) and the usual shooting mode, in which it is convenient to shoot Selfishop Camera without a monopod.

Thanks to all this, Selfishop Camera is considered one of the best selfie cameras for Android. We recommend this program to all happy owners of selfie sticks, tablets with a good camera.

VSCO Cam

Shell VSCO Cam- not the most convenient Android camera on our list. Despite the minimal user interface, finding the right menu takes some time. But this is one of best cameras for Android, thanks to the amount of customization it offers and the quality of the adjustments and other camera settings when shooting.

The VSCO Cam app combines the actual camera with editing tools. Sharing functions provides an experience similar to Instagram, only more powerful. The option "beautify the photo in one click" is present here, you can also adjust the temperature, hue, contrast, sharpness of the image.

The application provides free integration into a kind of social environment, where many photographers are already registered. You can subscribe to profiles, view images, enjoy the best selections and host your own collections. Benefits of the VSCO Cam program include:

  • many professional-level effects;
  • fine-tuning of work with photography;
  • careful use of tools that allows you to make minimal changes to the picture;
  • the ability to compare the original and the result;
  • corporate set of effects;
  • convenient library, with navigation, the ability to operate with vsco cam filters;
  • creation of own albums and collections;
  • connection with the VSCO community, access to the work of thousands of people; the ability to post images on other social networks.

The VSCO Cam will become the best choice for those who prefer to take meaningful, high-quality and interesting photos. Clear, precise and accurate work of tools, professional level of filters, high quality image processing - all this will help to make photos on Android perfect.

A Better Camera

Better Camera- in fact, exactly what is in the name of the application: an excellent photo camera for Android as an alternative to the standard built-in application "Camera" (Camera). Better Camera brings a number of interesting features, including the Bestshot function - taking a series of photos and then choosing the best shot - the most clear, sharp and high-quality overall. It's a simple idea but works very well.

A Better Camera app interface on Android

A Better Camera also includes immediate post-processing, something that is missing from the camera apps in Sony, Samsung. You can record HDR real-time video. Unfortunately, many of the app's best features are only available with an in-app purchase. This means that most of the features of the app will only be available in trial mode.

However, if you shoot a lot of photos, have a small investment, A Better Camera will certainly live up to its name as a decent camera for Android.

Camera 360 Ultimate

Camera360- a very popular application on Google Play, which will quite serve as a replacement for the standard camera when shooting for Android. Camera 360 Ultimate has been installed on devices by more than 400 million users.

Camera 360 app offers a complete set of android camera app tools. When taking a photo, a lens filter is applied, and these filters can be applied before the picture is taken. That is, you do not have to wait for the result to appear when applying the filter - it is available in the preview mode. In addition, the Camera 360 app offers a solid set of options, presets, useful in various shooting modes, including selfies. Even if not all functions are unambiguously useful, it is curious to “play around” with them.

Camera360 app installed on Android

Camera360 is easy to use, presents the most important shooting options on one screen, and you can adjust multiple settings at the same time. Actually, this is something that is clearly lacking in other cameras.

What other features does Camera 360 offer to an Android user:

Additional features of the Manual Camera mobile app:

  • Adding geo-tagging
  • Photo timer
  • Composition control guides
  • Sound control
  • Adjusting the screen brightness

Also, the Manual Camera on Android will allow you to save pictures in uncompressed RAW format, which gives new perspectives for further post-processing of the image.

If you are serious about taking pictures with your phone or smartphone camera, mobile app Manual Camera will be a great camera for Android OS. Please note that the camera for the phone is stable only starting with Android 5.0 Lollipop.

ICS Camera

Mobile app Camera ICS- an extended version of the official camera for Android, which is included with Ice Cream Sandwich. This camera will appeal to owners of both smartphones and tablets, since the interface here adapts to the size of the screen, however, and to the needs of the user.

The application has 3 modes of operation:

  1. Camera
  2. Panorama
  3. Video recording

It should be noted that Camera ICS is a free and ad-free application. You can download the distribution apk from the link below.

Google Camera

Application Google Camera offers a simple and straightforward interface with a few manual settings (no ISO, white balance or filters, for example). The camera from Google also has photosphere and panorama modes. Google Camera for Android has such a thing as Lens Blur, a filter that creates a depth effect. First, you take a photo, then slowly raise the device - the application creates a blurred background for the focus object, making it stand out in the frame.

The result of the photosphere ranges from interesting to very impressive. In fact, on the camera of an inexpensive tablet, you get a panoramic 360-degree interactive photo that can be freely rotated.

Google Camera on Android has some problems on various devices. However, we advise you to install the Google Camera on your mobile device - if this works, then everything will be OK and you can safely take interesting photos with excellent quality.

Paper Camera - "cartoon" camera for android

If you have never heard of “paper camera”, there is a chance to download the application paper camera from our site. This camera gives you the opportunity to see hand-drawn effects live. For example. you can place your subject in a piece of cardboard or a line drawn with a pencil. Even though Paper Camera can eat up some of the resources, the results justify the cost. In addition, this camera takes both photos and videos.

Paper Camera - paper camera for android Paper Camera app settings

Answers on questions

1. I press “take a photo”, and the phone not only does not save the photo, but also goes to the main menu. Samsung phone Galaxy A3. Please help, I'm nowhere without a camera on Android.

2. The camera on the phone is gone. It's not in the app. Can the camera be restored? When I turn on the application - only shows front camera in the settings (there is no “go to main” option). I tried to reboot - again it was the same as before. And the camera shows an inverted image.

Answer. It is likely that this is a software conflict. The easiest solution to the problem is to download an alternative camera for Android on Google Play: Google Camera, Manual Camera, Candy Camera and others. There are many options, choose according to your taste and color. Many applications give odds to the standard camera. What is not a way to improve the camera on the phone?

The second way to fix the camera (if you really need a standard one) is to change the Android firmware.

When I turn on the camera on my phone (Android OS), the system tells me that the “Camera” application is not available. What to do?

Answer. There are several options for fixing the error: radical and softer. The problem may be related to the firmware of your phone - it may be problematic. In such a case, it is best to flash the mobile device if you know how to do it.

A milder option to fix the Android camera (in the event that the Camera application does not start) is to install one of the alternative cameras from the list. In addition to fixing the bug, you get an app with more interesting settings, effects, and photo modes.

Such a problem. From the phone, or rather to be from the memory card, the photos of the camera application for android disappeared from the Camera section. The size of the remaining memory on the flash drive has not changed, but the photo is not visible, the phone itself does not take pictures either, the sound of the camera and so on is heard, but there is no gallery. If you turn off the flash drive, internal memory everything goes.

Answer. In the settings of any software camera, you can specify the location where photos are saved. If this method does not work, instead of the standard one, try downloading the camera for Android from the list.

Check if there are problems with saving data to the memory card in other applications. If they are observed, format the sd card.

This guide completes a series of reviews of applications related to viewing, editing and capturing photos. Last time we were talking about editors, today we will try to find a replacement for the standard Android camera. The checklist for selected participants is as follows:

  • Shooting modes, video recording capability
  • Presence of effects
  • Editor features, if available
  • Save formats, export to the Internet

Key contributors to the review:

Applications will also be mentioned:

  • Candy Camera - Selfie Selfies
  • Cymera - Photo Editor & Camera

Camera MX allows you to take photos and videos, use real-time effects in the process, edit and share the results in the cloud and social networks. The application is available for Android OS 2.3 and higher in Russian.

There are no additional photo and video shooting modes in Camera MX, except for “as is”. On the top panel of the application - a switch for the flash and a timer for the front and rear cameras. You can use the volume keys to control. Effects, overlays, and frames are available in the left panel (FX) list.

In Camera MX, effects are applied not only in real time, but also after being captured on camera. In total, there are about 20 effects to choose from: HDR, TiltShift & Little Planet, Vintage, Lomo, Color Splash, Pop Art, Black & White, Sepia and others.

In the camera settings there are several interesting options for optimization - including for Android platforms 4.3 and above, so you can allocate resources optimally. However, it should be noted that when shooting a video, inevitable freezes begin, while photos can be taken with the effects turned on.

In addition to the camera itself, Camera MX includes a functional editor. With it, you can apply standard operations to photos and videos: auto adjustment and white balance, brightness, contrast, saturation, rotate clockwise, etc., right up to trimming the video after shooting. From the pictures you can create a full-fledged slideshow with an audio track, you can add effects, overlays and borders to an existing image, add text.

The resulting images are saved in their original format, for JPG you can specify the quality. The camera takes photos in 16:9 ratio, even if it is not officially supported by the camera.

It is possible to save files to the cloud (there are corresponding sections on the start page of the application), publication on Facebook, Flickr, Tumblr and Twitter, Instagram. When you save a snapshot, location information (GPS) will be included in the file - which will not be superfluous for Instagram.

Summary. There are a few interesting features to note about Camera MX. First, setting the JPG quality and optimizing the device. Secondly, the ability to seamlessly store data in the cloud. Thirdly, a convenient and functional editor that allows you to make changes after capturing an image or video.

ProCapture extends the capabilities of the standard camera by adding a number of interesting capturing features. There is no own editor here, although there is a minimal set for photo post-processing. There are two editions of ProCapture - paid and free. Paid version allows you to save pictures in a higher resolution, use the selective focus function, and more. The application also does not include a video camera, you can shoot a video only through an external application.

In the camera settings, on the main screen, you can specify the focus mode, enable location recording, histogram, grid or fibonacci spiral.

The Fibonacci Spiral is an asymmetric grid that is handy when focusing. Just like the standard composition grid, it is overlaid on top of the image. These tools are complemented by custom focus and histogram respectively.

Next come: exposure adjustment, white balance, color effects - they are superimposed in real time. There are also many shooting modes, including night, sports, etc. - about two dozen to choose from. The adjacent ProCapture section also applies to shooting modes - you can set up timer shooting, turn on noise reduction, take a wide-angle photo or panorama. The most interesting in this section is the noise reduction mode: you can take two pictures and combine them into one, thereby improving the quality of the result.

The panorama and extended shot modes are similar in essence and processing speed to the capabilities of a standard camera.

When saving a photo, the user can specify the aspect ratio, size and quality of the photo, the save format is the original one.

Summary. ProCapture's features are focused on creating the right picture. This is done through fine tuning camera: the necessary focus is set, the “shutter” mode, etc. Transformations after shooting, in this case, are secondary.

A feature of Camera FV-5 is full control when creating a picture. The viewfinder in its design is slightly closer to the "SLR" (DSLR). Effects and editor are not provided here.

The viewfinder displays a histogram (RGB) and a grid, both of which are configurable in detail: you can enable a live histogram, change the grid style, and so on.

The user can flexibly control shutter speed, exposure, focusing in real time. The left panel contains the following options: white balance, focus mode, sensor sensitivity (ISO), exposure compensation.

On the top panel - shooting utilities: exposure bracketing, intervalometer, auto-start, stabilizer, continuous shooting.

About some parameters - a little more. Shutter speed is specified from 1/80000 to 2", depending on the device. Slow shutter speeds are supported, which allows you to shoot in night mode and more. Focusing works in the following modes: autofocus, macro mode, hover focus, manual focus control, lock focus.

Of the additional options, also important when shooting - the volume of camera sounds, camera behavior when focusing, control keys.

Camera FV-5 works with various formats: JPEG, RAW (16 bit) DNG format, lossless PNG. The save format is defined in the main settings. For long exposure photos, you can specify it separately.

Summary. Camera FV-5, like ProCapture, provides full control when shooting. Again, there is no editor and any decorations, effects, but the exposure settings, shutter speed, focusing are adjusted in detail, there are additional tools. Several save formats are supported - which is actually a rarity for such applications.

Camera360 Ultimate is another well-known photo and video capture app for Android. Available for Android OS 2.3 and above, Russian version is not available.

First, a few words about shooting modes. There are more than a dozen of them - a selfie, with effects, a poster, a "funny" camera, tilt-shift, audio and video modes and others. Of the options available on the screen - flash, timer and shooting when you tap. Additionally, in the application settings, you can enable the grid, live view, enable / disable sound, and more.

In total, more than 200 expandable filters, add-ons can be purchased on the Camera360 website. When live view is enabled, all changes are shown through the viewfinder, however enabling this option results in a noticeable slowdown in screen refresh rate.

Camera360 includes basic editing tools: crop, rotate, blur, texture, color adjustment, and more. Facial recognition features - perhaps main feature editor, which makes the camera suitable for selfies and portrait photos. After shooting, the photo is analyzed, the shape of the face is determined, after which adjustments can be made. Of the tools, smoothing the skin, changing the shape of the face and eyes can be noted.

The cloud in Camera360 is free. Photos can be uploaded to secure albums with the ability to sync. The cloud also provides editing and file management functions, you can access uploaded photos at cloud.camera360.com. Speaking about the network capabilities of the camera, it should be noted the quick publication in social services Facebook, Flickr, Instagram and Twitter.

When saving a photo, the aspect ratio (16:9, 4:3, 1:1) and the image resolution are indicated. If necessary, a GPS and time stamp can be written to the file.

Summary. Of course, Camera360 cannot compete with functional applications in terms of exposure, ISO and other shooting parameters. The tasks of this camera are different - creating a selfie, applying quick effects. The editor, first of all, will be useful when processing portraits on mobile device. Additionally, there are two features worth highlighting in Camera360: cloud storage and photo album management.

comparison table

Application
DeveloperAppic Labs Corp.NEast StudiosFGAEPinGuo Inc.
Full version price is free$3,97 $3,55 is free
Russian localization + + (machine translation) +
Android version2.3+ 2.2+ 2.2+ 2.3+
Shooting video+ +
effects+ + +
Graphics editor + +
Cloud storage + +
Publication on social networks + + + +

Worth a mention

Candy Camera - Selfie Selfies

Candy Camera is a camera with a simple functionality. There are few control buttons on the main screen: turn on / off the flash, overlay the grid, set the timer and activate shooting by touching the screen. Effects are divided into two categories - selfie and normal and, for the most part, give the photo a "vanilla" tint.

The fact that Candy Camera is suitable for selfie photos is indicated not only by effects, but also by the correction tools of the editor. In particular, there is a filter for smoothing the skin - it will help hide individual flaws and various artifacts after shooting on camera. Correction functions are as follows: whitening, stain removal, make-up. Post-processing tools include adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation and resolution, crop and rotate, mosaic, lomo effects and blur.

There are practically no settings in the Retrica camera, it cannot be optimized, despite the fact that the application does not work quickly. And yet, the program is valuable for its effects. There are about a hundred of them, they are applied in real time.

Of the main effects, blur, vignetting and collage can be noted. The collage is created directly during shooting, the time interval is preliminarily set. As a result, you do not need to use a separate editor, the collage can be immediately saved to a file, quickly uploaded to the Web.

Other useful Retrica features include watermark and/or logo overlays, geotagging, and setting a timer when shooting.

Line camera - Selfie & Collage

Similar to Candy Camera, Line camera will benefit from correction features. The editor's toolkit allows you to "smooth" the skin, brighten certain areas in the photo, eliminate dark circles under the eyes, change the size of the eyes, and improve detail.

Line camera includes several auxiliary functions: silent mode, timer, grid, shooting by tapping the screen. You can specify the aspect ratio yourself: 1:1 or 3:4.

Instagram, a photo and video publishing service, needs no introduction. The Android application of the same name allows you to conveniently integrate your device's camera with this service.

At first glance, the camera on Instagram is modest: a shoot button, a composition grid overlay, a flash, and switching the camera from the front to the inside are placed on the screen. In the neighborhood you can find about three dozen filters for further processing of the material (the application does not support real-time effects).

It is convenient that the filters can be ordered through the settings by disabling unnecessary ones in the list. In addition to filters, the editor contains basic tools: control of brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, shadows, darkening edges, etc. - that is, a complete set of options for creating an instagram.

Captured images and videos can be uploaded directly to the service (optional: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr and Foursquare), added to the feed, shared with friends, commented.

Compared to other cameras for Android, GIF Camera is somewhat different. Cuts taken with this camera are compiled into an animated gif file. Moreover, this is the only possible format for export. When saving, you can specify the frame rate (up to 20 per second), set the cards in reverse order (reverse). Alternatively, it’s easy to “glue” a gif-movie from local photos by selecting the necessary ones from the gallery.

Briefly about the rest of the GIF Camera features. There are built-in albums - with examples and user records. The program contains ads, but the functionality is not limited.

Open Camera features an informative and customizable viewfinder. When shooting, you can control the angle and direction of the camera, the format for saving the future image. The screen also displays the time and battery life.

Second important point. The Open Camera user has a full set of saving options for both photos (format, JPG quality, resolution) and videos (bitrate, frame rate, video duration, audio availability, etc.). The saved file can include geotagging, date and time.

Other conveniences available when taking photos in the Open Camera app:

  • flash control (you can enable silent mode)
  • lighting, color, balance, ISO and exposure settings
  • composition grid setup
  • focus mode selection (macro and custom focus, i.e., by touch)
  • auto image stabilization.

Cymera - Photo Editor & Camera

Cymera is a one-stop solution: it's a photo-sharing app, a camera, and an image editor at the same time.

On the top panel of the viewfinder, you can control blur, select a shooting mode (selecting self-timer, touch shooting and stabilization); on the bottom panel - zoom control. You can also turn on the composition grid and silent mode shooting.

One of the distinguishing features of Cymera is the possibility of using lenses with different effects. Lenses imitate "analogue" effects and not only: film, collage, fisheye and more. The Cymera supports Bluetooth monopads and is generally great for taking selfies.

After capture, the photo is sent to the editor, where photo retouching is available: enlargement, cleaning spots, “stretching” certain areas of the skin. Decorative elements (annotations, frames, backgrounds), filters (more than 100), creation of collages are possible.

As for online options, this includes creating private albums and posting photos online.

Little Photo is a small camera with a built-in editor and the ability to add vintage effects. About 70 tools and filters are available - this is perhaps the main thing in the application. There are practically no interesting options, except that when applying this or that filter, you can specify the intensity.

Little Photo has a minimalist interface. On the screen - only the flash and camera control buttons, there is almost no graphic design. The application is not demanding on resources, in the main settings you can specify the original resolution for pictures (low rec camera) in case of system errors.

Many users of smartphones running on operating system Android users are often disappointed in the quality of photos taken with the camera of their device, because in online reviews and other owners of similar devices, photos turned out much better. What could be the causes of this problem and how to improve the camera on Android?

Some of the possible reasons:

  1. Marriage of the camera;
  2. Errors in the program "Camera";
  3. Incorrect camera settings.

Let's take a closer look at each of them.

1 Camera failure. Multi-colored stripes in the photo, spots, strong blurring are, with a high probability, a marriage of the camera itself. That happens. And if your smartphone is still under warranty, you should take it to the store for an exchange or take it to a service center.

2 Errors in the program "Camera". Firmware manufacturers sometimes make “blunders” by launching unfinished software for sale. Typical symptoms of such a “hack” are: inverted colors in the photo, an inverted image, or the camera completely fails to start.

What to do in this case? Fortunately, there are many programs that are analogous to a standard camera, and if you wish, you can install any of them on your smartphone, or even all at once.

Applications - replacing the standard "Camera"

HD Camera

Great app with lots of manual settings, which allows you to adjust the image size (number of megapixels) and image compression quality, as well as white balance, and select different shooting scenes. As a bonus, there is a tilt position of the smartphone, which will allow you to take photos without filling up the horizon and a QR code scanner.

Download the HD Camera app on your smartphone: link

DSLR Camera

An excellent application with many settings that will make you feel like a real photographer. Among the useful features, it is worth noting ISO selection, a visual histogram, a grid for easy frame building, tracking focus, white balance, and much more.

Download the DSLR Camera app on your smartphone: link

3 Incorrect camera settings. It would seem a trifle, but many do not know that despite the declared presence in the cell of five, eight, thirteen, etc. megapixels, this parameter can be set arbitrarily. And not always when buying a device, it is set to the maximum. Therefore, first of all, you should go to the settings of your camera and see what mode is set.

The higher the resolution of the image, the more likely it is that the photo will look better on a computer or TV screen. Also try to adjust the white balance (WB), it is possible that it gives unrealistic colors.

It is very important to set up the camera on your smartphone and enjoy high-quality pictures. And by the way, an important detail is the ability to turn off the sound when shooting. This greatly simplifies life in rooms where silence is required (for example: a library, a lecture room, etc.). To learn how to mute your camera, see the article:

Good pictures for you!

Everyone is used to the fact that a smartphone is not the most suitable photographic equipment for shooting something “quickly”. While you turn on the display, while you unlock the screen, you will find the "Camera" icon and click on it - there will be nothing to photograph. In fact, in almost all modern smartphones, the camera can be turned on instantly - with two presses of the volume down key (Huawei / Honor, LG), the Home key (Samsung) or two turns of the wrist (Motorola, Google Nexus). In some smartphones of other brands, the camera can be activated by double-pressing the volume up key or a separate “special key” (for example, Boom key in Alcatel Idol 4/4S).

Don't neglect the tricks to quickly launch the camera (source: androidcentral.com)

Neither the password on the lock screen, nor the number of background tasks will prevent you from turning on the camera directly from standby mode as quickly as possible. Outlandish key combinations or gestures will take some getting used to, but it's worth it not to fall into confusion every time you need the camera "here and now."

Sign in to apps with your fingerprint

Unlocking with a fingerprint scanner is a useful feature, although not everyone needs it. Because for many people there is no need to hide information in a mobile phone under a password, and attackers will find a way to reset / reflash a smartphone after theft.

With the help of a fingerprint scanner, you can enter applications without a password and pay for purchases on the Internet

But even in this case, the fingerprint scanner comes in handy - not in order to put a password on everything in a row, but in order not to enter a password where it is impossible without it. For example, it is much nicer and faster to touch the fingerprint scanner than to type numbers and letters when entering a bank application or when paying for a game / program / music / video from your phone. However, fans of "hide, be shy and withhold" information on a mobile phone can put a request "show fingers" for every sneeze in Android - branded shells Huawei and ZTE in new models, for example, provide such an opportunity.

Feel free to ask the smartphone - he will understand

But the programmers of Google / Yandex and other corporations-soft writers eat their bread with butter and caviar for good reason, therefore voice search becomes more and more intelligent. And this means that in an unfamiliar city, you may well ask your mobile phone for “the nearest Sberbank ATM” or “Pyaterochka supermarket nearby” and get what you are looking for without entering the Google search box.

Google will always help. Or at least try

Google Now tips are less impressive so far and are associated only with weather information stuck to the notification bar, but Google remembers your GPS movements, tastes and preferences according to search queries and visited sites, information in the contact list, after which Now becomes smarter over time, automatically reminds you of the birthdays of loved ones, the results of matches of your favorite teams, traffic jams on your way to work and changes in the weather in the morning. This is far from ideal in its ingenuity, but already now a largely useful system of artificial intelligence - why not use it, since it's free and not for the needs of special services?

There is an infrared port - there is a remote control

Once upon a time with infrared port you could share ringtones, funny videos and pictures. Those great times are in the past, but the infrared port is still installed in new models. In budget Xiaomi Redmi Note 3/Redmi 4, LeEco, mid-range models like Honor 8, ASUS ZenFone 3, Meizu Pro 6, and even flagships, Huawei Mate 9, HTC One M9 and samsung galaxy S6 for example.

What for? To control household appliances - TVs, VCRs (and what else, to hell, tape recorders in 2017?), air conditioners, microwave ovens, something else very smart. Not a vital function, but turn down the volume when the doorbell rings, and your TV is yelling at the whole apartment, and the remote control is lost no one knows where, it will always come in handy.

Controlling appliances from a smartphone is not always necessary, but very often useful

As a rule, applications bundled with smartphones are designed to control equipment of a brand similar to a smartphone - Xiaomi, LeEco or Samsung, for example. But nothing prevents you from going to Google Play and using the words "IR Remote" or "IrDA" to find the right one for your household appliances alternative. For gourmets, there are even applications that organize the transfer and reception of files via infrared - useful to those who have not yet died Siemens CX65 or Sony Ericsson K500i, but the cable to connect to the PC is already irretrievably lost.

File transfer via Wi-Fi

By the way, about the exchange of files between mobile phones - Bluetooth, which we all used to use for such needs, is also a rather poor and archaic option for exchanging videos and applications of the current size. It is much more reasonable to use Wi-Fi for this, which is about 5 times faster than Bluetooth of the same degree of relevance.

The problem is that a single standard for sending and receiving files from using Wi-Fi for Android does not exist - Google either campaigns to put files in cloud storage"Disk", or advocates a hybrid version of data transfer "Android Beam" - when smartphones need to lean against each other, they will establish a connection via NFC, and then continue to transfer files using Bluetooth.

Instead of slow Bluetooth, you can transfer files between smartphones using Wi-Fi

Therefore, for our undertaking, auxiliary means will be needed. For example, known to every enthusiast ES Explorer. One smartphone, two smartphones, each with installed application. Both actors select the “sender” item, one selects “receive”, the second “send”, the choice of files - and transfer at a speed of 30-50 Mbps (depending on smartphones). Everything! As a last resort, download to yourself and transfer to a friend via Bluetooth this same ES Explorer from the official site - 10 MB "weather won't do it", especially since placing a file of several hundred MB in the cloud instead of directly transferring it to a smartphone is a much more stupid idea, especially after the death of unlimited mobile tariffs in Russia.

We connect flash drives and hard drives to a smartphone / smartphone to a TV

“I'm away from my computer right now, I can't transfer the file to you” is a good excuse if you want to take a break, but in other cases, you should keep in mind such a smartphone feature as USB OTG (On-The-Go). This is when the connector, which, as we are accustomed to, is only suitable for recharging the phone or connecting it to a computer, turns out to be able to work with flash drives, hard drives, card readers, keyboards and mice, game controllers and even printers! Through an adapter to a full-size USB connector, of course.

No drivers or other dances with tambourines are required - you plug it in and everything works. Thus, for example, you can immediately send photos from the camera to your relatives/employer “in the field”, download a pack of films from the HDD to your smartphone to watch them on a long journey, or vice versa, urgently free up a memory card on your mobile phone so that there is enough space for many hours of video recording .

Almost all new smartphones support connection via USB OTG, but we won’t speak “for all Odessa”, so make sure that your model is able to master this type of connection by searching for the words “OTG_smartphone_name”, or just buy a cable for 50-300 rubles and experiment !

USB OTG allows you to connect devices to your smartphone like a computer

When connecting smartphones to a TV, things are more complicated. In ancient times, mobile phones were equipped with a separate micro-HDMI output, which worked in a predictable way, and it was relatively easy to get a cable to it. Then, when smartphones began to get rid of "extra" connectors, the MHL standard replaced it. Connect one side of the cable to micro-USB / USB-C, and the other to HDMI - the smartphone displays the image on the TV and even recharges (if the connector on the TV also complies with the MHL standard. Does not comply - it does not recharge). For some time it was popular among smartphone manufacturers - the Sony Xperia guard stands out in the list of smartphones with support for this standard.

But then MHL was "blown away" due to licensing proceedings and was replaced by SlimPort - the same egg principles for connecting devices to TV, only free from patent royalties. Found in most new LG, BlackBerry smartphones, some HTC and ASUS models.

In most cases, Google & Company recommends using wireless transmission screen data using Miracast. Connect the receiver to the TV, select "screen broadcast" (or something similar) in the smartphone - and with a delay of a second or two, the image begins to arrive on big screen. What-no, but "vidak".

Guest mode - when you can not refuse to "let you use" your smartphone

Proponents of radical methods of solving problems will not understand this, but there are situations in life when a smartphone needs to be put in the hands of a spouse / child for calls, games or something else, but flaunt a list of applications, photos, correspondence in instant messengers or bank accounts in a client software is not very desirable. A fingerprint request saves you from prying eyes, but in most smartphones you cannot additionally “close” painful information with a fingerprint. Once the smartphone was unlocked - and it is at the complete disposal of your child / soulmate / Petya, who came to visit your child.

Smartphones have long supported separate Accounts for the owner and strangers

But there is also a compromise option - to create a second smartphone user, just for cases when "I just need to call / play." A detailed scheme of these (and many other) "sanctions" for curious mobile phone users we considered in the corresponding article, so today we will not stop at the instructions. Just know - in any modern mobile phone, you can build an "empty" part of the system from which it will not be possible to access your personal data.

NFC - pass, bank card and travel card replenishment from a mobile phone

In addition to all kinds of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 4G modules, many modern smartphones support NFC technology. It is with her help that the owners new iPhones and Samsung pay for goods in stores from a smartphone instead of a bank card. Technically, such tricks can be implemented in a huge army of NFC-enabled smartphones, but only Apple and Samsung have taken care of the bureaucracy and agreements with banks, so in all other devices the technology will be “marinated” for payment until better times.

And here and now, NFC can be used as a short-range connection for short-range communication sessions. For residents of Moscow, a smartphone with NFC can already now replace a travel card (it is applied to the turnstile instead of transport cards), it can work as a terminal for reading the validity period and the number of remaining trips (you need an application, NFC enabled and once attach the card to the rear panel of the smartphone).

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