iPhone processing
I am sure everyone has heard the saying by now that the best camera is the one that you have with you at the moment you need it. Well, it seems these days that statement could be revised to include the best photo lab as well.
I have been having a great time exploring the photography apps available for the iPhone. It used to be that the iPhone’s camera was nothing special, and particularly horrible in low light. The iPhone 4 has a much improved camera, although still struggles in low light conditions. But what makes the iPhone’s camera so special isn’t so much the pixels or technology of the camera itself, but of the thousands of apps in Apple’s App Store that support it.
At the time of this posting, I believe there are over 2800 photography paid apps, and another 1500 or so free ones. So you can spend quite a bit of time on these things as well as some money. However, most of them are quite reasonably priced, most less than 5 bucks, many more only 0.99.
Towering Trees
Most phones these days have cameras built into them, so we have already seen the launch of a whole new genre of “phone photography” that I am sure will be looked back on just like Holgas and the like. The cameras in them keep getting better. Some with more features than the iPhone.
However, I took a look at the Android store just to see what they offered for photography apps, and I couldn’t even find a photography category – just “multimedia.” Photo apps of the caliber at Apple’s App store were absent. Perhaps this will change as their store matures, but I see the iPhone still as the clear leader for photographers who want to do more with their images.
The value of an idea lies in the using of it. – Thomas Edison
The photography apps available now are quite powerful and offer a lot of creative idea generators in working with your images. Since all of the input is touch based, it also provides a new way of interacting with your photographs. Even if many of these images don’t end up anywhere except on my phone or this blog, they might stimulate new ideas in working with larger images.
In some forthcoming posts, I will highlight some of my favorite apps I have been playing with and some photos created using them. I have created a new category of posts labeled “iPhone processing” for those that want to follow them. Who knew that a phone could become such a powerful processing tool?
The technological advances in the last 20 years have been truly amazing. To be honest, I still don’t even own a cell phone & have no intention of getting one. If I ever need to borrow a friend’s, I have to have them “make it work” before they give it to me. *L*
And to think, I’m a certified computer network administrator! I’m just not living up to the “geek” title…
Just think of how primitive all of this is going to look in the next 20!
Mark, It seems like the consumer camera quality range is condensing. The lower end P&S and Phone Cameras seem to be advancing quicker then the upper end SLR’s. For a few hundred dollars now you can have a camera which in the right hands renders excellent professional results. Amazing times we live in.
Applications: Just the number of Apple iOS applications of all types is stunning. With the right mix of applications you can have a device that is custom fit to your own needs and wants. No wonder they’re so popular.
Agreed on the amazing times Earl. I have been wondering if DSLR’s are hitting a wall of pixels right now. Once people get a taste of the higher iso capabilities with the lower pixel densities, it is very hard to give that up, even if for more MP.
It would certainly be very cool if someday all of these apps could be utilized on a more sophisticated camera. I have wondered if Apple would ever license iOS to a company like Nikon or Canon. Or at the very least, an iOS device capable of syncing with a DSLR to utilize the applications.
Thanks for bringing this up and writing on it Mark. I just got my iphone4 so the apps are on my radar as well. I look forward to following your endeavors in this.
Congrats Brad, there are quite a few really good ones to choose from now.
Fortunately the gadgets, as great as they may be, will never completely replace a professional camera, though they are doing their best and replacing the professional photographer in the process.
Hey all! I am a professional wedding photographer, and have begun dabbling with my iPhone camera a bit – just for fun. I have posted some of my favorite iPhone shots on my blog. As you guys are the experts here, I’d appreciate you checking out my work & letting me know what you think!
http://www.danoksnevadphotography.com/blog/2010/04/27/iphone-photography/
All photographs I’ve posted on this page are captured, edited, and uploaded with my iPhone 3GS.
Cheers,
Dan