How do I get the best results with a cell phone camera?

Question

I know cell phone cameras are the lowest rung, but when reading reviews of phones, the reviewers always have sample shots that are much better than what I can manage.

What are some ways to take decent shots with a cell phone camera? (I'm thinking of the higher end Android or iPhone cameras).

Answer 1

• Composition is king. No matter what kind of camera you're using, all the usual composition techniques still apply. Sophisticated camera features won't save a poor composition, but a strong composition will shine through even when other aspects of the image aren't perfect.

• Work with the camera, not against it. Don't try too hard to impose your will on the image you're creating. Your (phone) camera has a number of characteristics that you can't change (fixed focal length, fixed focus, tiny aperture), so you need to find the image that you can create with those features rather than trying to adjust the device to recreate the image in your head.

• Manipulate the environment instead of the camera. If you can't zoom, move the camera closer or farther from the subject. If you can't control the exposure, do what you can to improve the lighting (sit your subject near a window, aim some lights at an adjacent wall, go sit under a tree...).

• The LED "flash" isn't worth much. It's fine for taking utilitarian pictures of text or objects, but it doesn't make for great photographs. On the other hand, if you happen to be using an iPhone, the HDR feature in iOS 4 can really improve the lighting in an image.

Answer 2

First, a few examples of what an iPhone 4 can take straight out of the camera, no manipulation or post processing done.

Tips and tricks that helped me to get shots like these:

• Pay close attention to your horizons. With a small camera or cell phone it is easy to take a shot tilted from one side to another.
• Become familiar with the focal length of your camera, and pre-visualize good shots
• At night, try using software such as Camera+ to take multi-shot exposures to improve your chances of getting a shot that is blur free
• In the iOS camera app, using the "touch the screen to focus" method really comes in handy. This allows you to set the exposure off of an area of the screen, and also focus where you would like. You almost need to do this in many situations.

Understand that the resolution is not the limiting factor for these cameras. Things like the maximum aperture and sub-par high ISO performance are really where you are going to hit brick walls. This isn't any different from the basic understanding of regular photography, you just have to know that small cameras(sensors) typically have even more issues on a cell phone than a point-and-shoot.

Accept the fact that at least in today's world, the built in LED flash that these units have is nearly pointless. If you find yourself in a situation that REQUIRES it to get the shot, you must understand that the outcome will not be pleasant.

Finally, I absolutely do not consider my iPhone 4 to be the lowest rung on my camera list. I find it to be a joy to carry, pull out of my pocket, and snap shots at anytime or place I wish. I have a high end point and shoot camera(USD $500) that I leave at home, because the iPhone 4 is better, that is right I said BETTER. Better because I have it with me 100% of the time, I don't have to worry about memory cards, storage, battery, or anything of that sort. I can just take pictures, and excellent quality pictures I might add.

Answer 3

I would encourage you not to think of cell phone cameras as the lowest rung -- rather, they are the "best camera" (paraphrasing, among others, Chase Jarvis) because they are the ones you most often have with you. Some photographers like Jay Meisel are disciplined enough to take their cameras everywhere -- even out to the corner drugstore. Not so for most of us.

So tips:

• Use it a lot
• Learn to hold it parallel to the plane of the subject to avoid strange parallax or focus falloff
• Look into apps that may enhance your creativity, but don't use them as crutches. Hipstamatic comes immediately to mind as an app that is so kitchy it is hard to ignore but also can affect your shooting style and lend a certain "sameness" so your work
• Find a clip/clamp setup so you can keep the darn thing still between composition and when the exposure is actually made. These are usually lighting accessories designed to hold light flags or cards -- bendable arm, clips on each side. They're not hard to make either.

Answer 4

This is a great question since the best camera is the one you have with you... and no one leaves home without their cellphone.

Limitations

There are a few reasons why cellphones aren't good cameras.

• Sensor size: There is a lot of items packed into the camera. The sensor needs to be able to distinguish one thing from the other, and the less space it has to do that, the less the quality. This is why you're going to get much better quality from a full-frame with less megapixels than a compact with more.
• Aperture: The lens can only do so much with so little size. Apple has been really good at putting more elements in their cameras in order to get the image to hit the sensor clear and with a larger sensor.
• Control: Many cellphones don't have a conventional means of focus or a variable aperture. This means that no app can give you the control you need to bring out better quality. The DOF is impacted by the focus, and vice versa. Much different from a regular camera.
• Shutter speed: In order to compensate for the sensor not being able to take in a lot of light, the shutter needs to be longer. This is one of the biggest problems as far as stabilization.

Get the most out of a picture

You're going to need to keep those limitations in mind in order to compose a good shot with a low quality camera

• Light: Since you're working with a small sensor and limited aperture, try to take photos in good light or manipulate them accordingly. People should be positioned into the light so the sensor doesn't have to take as long. With newer phones, you can select where you expose to. Use this, it will greatly improve your photos.
• Stability: With slow shutter speeds, you're going to have to be very steady. It looks goofy, but it will make a world of difference if you set the phone down or rest your elbows when taking the photo. If you have an actual button you can use to snap the picture, use that (iphone). Just the movement from tapping the screen is enough movement to blur the image.
• Depth of field: Remember the rules for depth of field. A great post can be found here. In short, think about your distant from your subject and the distance from the subject the background. Be close to your subject and keep your subject far from backround to get that nice bokeh.
• For the love of God, don't zoom: Just don't do it.

Answer 5

Short answer - shoot outside.

At least on my iPhone 3GS the problems are extremely poor low light (and even not-so-low light) performance, relatively high lens distortion and that I can't seem to hold the thing straight.

Obviously the fixed focal length, fixed focus and complete lack of manual controls are limiting - but I'm not going to talk about that - that's just the way things are and you are better off using your creativity to work within those limitations than fighting the camera.

The first problem is solved by making sure you have lots of light, if you shoot outside or near a window you'll be fine - otherwise, either learn to love noise or clean it out in post (the 3GS doesn't have the led flash - but I don't expect it would have made a difference).

The distortion can be "solved" by choosing subjects without to many parallel lines - again, most outside photographs should be ok (except architecture, and even that can be ok if you don't have strait lines too close to the edge of the frame) - you can even use that for effect by placing the subject in the middle and have the background slightly "wrap around" it

The third problem - that it's hard to hold the thing strait (it's possible this is just me, if you don't have that problem ignore this paragraph), well, if upgrading the photographer is not an option the only choice left is to be extra careful when composing and tap really lightly to take the picture.

Answer 6

In my opinion, it really depends on your skill & your phone. There are phones that are simply equipped with better optics.

The best camera phone I ever used is the Droid X. It beats the iPhones or a more expensive point and shoot camera. Because it has a mechanical shutter and dual LED light.

In terms of skill and how to:

• shoot in good lightning condition
• know the limitation of your camera by experimenting (every camera has its own shortcoming and strengths, even the most expensive camera)
• Use flash more on phone camera

Answer 7

For those of you using an iOS device (other than an iPhone 4S which already takes great photos), you can increase your device's photo ability by jail-breaking it. I have an iPod 4th generation which I was able to improve by hacking it a little.

So if you are adventurous this might be for you. Just visit http://greenpois0n.com/ and download the version that matches your device to install "Cydia".

Keep in mind that it will void your warranty - but at this point I am more interested in the photos.