Over the years cellphones have become extremely popular and a necessity. On the other hand, cameras have become an integral part of cellphones. From VGA to 8.0 megapixel or even higher, users can pick and choose camera phones according to their needs. In fact, innovations in the mobile camera segment have, to some extent, eaten into the market share of digital camera manufacturers.
Sensing Images
Before delving into tips for better photography with mobile cameras let us first understands the most important part of digital cameras-- image sensors.
These are chips that convert visible light into electronic signals. Basically your mobile’s camera can come with a Charged Couple Device (CCD) or a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) enabled image sensor. Both sensors have the capacity to produce high quality images but CMOS sensors, which are relatively new to the market, seem to have an edge over the commonly used CCDs.
While the CCD versus CMOS sensor debate continues among manufacturers, let us discuss how these sensors can be made to give the best possible performance.
Enhancing Quality
Most camera phones today come with features that help in improving image quality. These include changing resolution, ISO settings, exposure value, self timer, various types of shooting modes, etc. There are some features of cellphone cameras that are common to all devices irrespective of whether they are high-end with multipixels or entry-level ones with VGA cameras.
Self timer
This feature is common in all mobile camera phones and allows users to click self shots by setting a particular time for delaying the shutter release. The self timer can be set for a single shot or for multiple shots. Self timer and multiple shots is a good combination especially when the subject is moving.
Shooting modes
Usually we tend to take pictures in automatic mode but there are many modes that can be used according to the surrounding conditions for better pictures.
Macro: This mode can be used to take close-up shots of small objects, flowers and insects with this mode.
Night: It helps in taking better pictures in night, both potraits and landscape. It has features like built-in flash and red-eye reduction. Since the shutter-speeds are low on has to be extremely still while taking pictures using Night mode.
Sports: Users can click photos of a fast moving subject using Sports mode. Owing to fast shutter speeds, its also good for clicking photos in bright light.
Portrait: In this mode, the focus is on the subject and the background is out of focus. Landscape: This mode is the exact opposite of portrait mode and can be used to shoot a large part of the scene i.e. wide angle.
Panorama: Images clicked using this mode are stitched together to give a better and bigger final picture. The numbers of images that can be stitched together may vary from 3-16 shots. Some panoramic features can even give a complete 360 degree shot.
Added Advantage
Image size
Some camera phone features allow users to choose the image size and thus save memory space. The image quality varies from low to normal to high and excellent. The terms used may vary from camera to camera but they perform the same functions.
Digital zoom
This function makes the subject seem closer by simply cropping the image as we zoom in. It leads to loss of quality and resolution because the image is simply being enlarged without any extra details or pixels being added.
Optical zoom
This is the real zoom feature that actually moves the lens to bring the subject closer. However, this feature is extremely rare in camera phones and till now only one phone Samsung G800 has been introduced in India with optical zoom feature.
Shake control/Image stabilization
These help click good pictures even when the hands shake. Basically these settings increase the shutter speed to give steadier shots.
Flash
Most cellphone cameras come with a flash and the most common ones are LED and Xenon flash. LED consumes less power and is good for continuous shots, especially video recording and gives a softer light on the subject. Xenon, on the other hand, also gives a stronger burst of light and is suitable for shooting still images during night and day.
Face/Smile Detection
Face detection and smile detection are features of point and shoot digital cameras that have now been integrated into mobile phones. In face detection, the camera detects faces in a scene and then automatically focuses and optimises exposure and if needed uses flash if available to get the right picture. Whereas while using smile detection, the camera clicks automatically once it detects the smile once the shutter release button is clicked.
ISO settings
The ISO basically controls the image sensor’s sensitivity to light and adjusts it accordingly. The lower the number selected the less sensitive the sensor is to light and vice-versa. This is useful while shooting in different lighting situations --particularly when there’s low light and you might not be able to use a flash.
Some other features available on camera phones include geo-tagging and flash. With geo-tagging users can connect to the geo satellite through their service provider and pinpoint the location where the pictures are being clicked. The longitude and latitude are then embedded into the photographs.
Megapixel Race
The best thing about cellphones with digital cameras is that users don’t have to take multiple gadgets with them all the time. The Nokia N95 was the first 5.0-megapixel camera phone. It started a trend with other handset manufacturers integrating multiple megapixels into their devices. Now almost all the enterprise level phones come with a minimum 3.2-megapixel camera.
The megapixel race has just begun. The highest megapixel camera seen in a phone so far is the 8.1 megapixel. Soon, phones with higher megapixels (approximately 12.0 megapixels with 3X or higher optical zoom) will also be introduced.
Tips And Tricks
After understanding the camera features, it is important to know how to get the best out of your camera phone. Here are a few pointers for the same.
Proper Lighting
To get good picture, its important to place the subject in well lit conditions. Always remember that, the better lit your subject is the clearer the image is likely to be.
Some cameras come with a built in flash or light. This can really lift a shot and add clarity to it, even if you’re shooting outside or against the light.
Closer Pictures
Usually, while clicking pictures using a camera phone is that the subject ends up looking tiny and unrecognisable. Camera phone images tend to be small due to low resolution so make sure that you fill up your view finder with the subject by going closer instead of zooming in. Especially if your camera just has a digital zoom.
Having said this, getting too close to the subject can also distorts the image at times and brings up focusing issues.
Steady Hand
As with all digital photography, the steadier your camera phone is while clicking pictures, the clearer the images will be.
This is especially important in low light situations where the camera selects longer shutter speeds to compensate for the lack of light. One trick is to lean your hand holding the camera phone against a steady object (like a tree, wall, ledge) when taking shots.
Keep in mind that many camera phones also suffer from ’shutter lag’ (the time between pressing the shutter and when the camera clicks the shot can be a second or so). This means that users need to hold the camera still a little longer to ensure it doesn’t take a shot as it is being lowered away from the subject.
Editing Images
Now-a-days cameras come with built in editing features but it is advisable that you edit pictures on the PCs for better images.Taking colour shots in high resolution is your best bet if you wish to edit images later.
Second Chances
One of the most important things to remeber while taking phtots using a camera phone is that many times an image might appear dull or unclear due to the screen resolution of the phone. So dont discard any picture before checking it out on a PC.
Experiment Creatively
Last but not the least comes the creativity. Always have an open mind and experiment with various features of your phone's camera. These include exposure vlaue, white balance, contrasts, brightness, effects, angles etc.
Constant experimenting will surely dole out some very interesting shots that will surprise you!
Finally, while one needs to get the technical aspects right, its the moment that matters the most. So, dont let any memory slip out of you hand. Just take your camera phone and click away!
Before delving into tips for better photography with mobile cameras let us first understands the most important part of digital cameras-- image sensors.
These are chips that convert visible light into electronic signals. Basically your mobile’s camera can come with a Charged Couple Device (CCD) or a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) enabled image sensor. Both sensors have the capacity to produce high quality images but CMOS sensors, which are relatively new to the market, seem to have an edge over the commonly used CCDs.
While the CCD versus CMOS sensor debate continues among manufacturers, let us discuss how these sensors can be made to give the best possible performance.
Enhancing Quality
Most camera phones today come with features that help in improving image quality. These include changing resolution, ISO settings, exposure value, self timer, various types of shooting modes, etc. There are some features of cellphone cameras that are common to all devices irrespective of whether they are high-end with multipixels or entry-level ones with VGA cameras.
Self timer
This feature is common in all mobile camera phones and allows users to click self shots by setting a particular time for delaying the shutter release. The self timer can be set for a single shot or for multiple shots. Self timer and multiple shots is a good combination especially when the subject is moving.
Shooting modes
Usually we tend to take pictures in automatic mode but there are many modes that can be used according to the surrounding conditions for better pictures.
Macro: This mode can be used to take close-up shots of small objects, flowers and insects with this mode.
Night: It helps in taking better pictures in night, both potraits and landscape. It has features like built-in flash and red-eye reduction. Since the shutter-speeds are low on has to be extremely still while taking pictures using Night mode.
Sports: Users can click photos of a fast moving subject using Sports mode. Owing to fast shutter speeds, its also good for clicking photos in bright light.
Portrait: In this mode, the focus is on the subject and the background is out of focus. Landscape: This mode is the exact opposite of portrait mode and can be used to shoot a large part of the scene i.e. wide angle.
Panorama: Images clicked using this mode are stitched together to give a better and bigger final picture. The numbers of images that can be stitched together may vary from 3-16 shots. Some panoramic features can even give a complete 360 degree shot.
Added Advantage
Image size
Some camera phone features allow users to choose the image size and thus save memory space. The image quality varies from low to normal to high and excellent. The terms used may vary from camera to camera but they perform the same functions.
Digital zoom
This function makes the subject seem closer by simply cropping the image as we zoom in. It leads to loss of quality and resolution because the image is simply being enlarged without any extra details or pixels being added.
Optical zoom
This is the real zoom feature that actually moves the lens to bring the subject closer. However, this feature is extremely rare in camera phones and till now only one phone Samsung G800 has been introduced in India with optical zoom feature.
Shake control/Image stabilization
These help click good pictures even when the hands shake. Basically these settings increase the shutter speed to give steadier shots.
Flash
Most cellphone cameras come with a flash and the most common ones are LED and Xenon flash. LED consumes less power and is good for continuous shots, especially video recording and gives a softer light on the subject. Xenon, on the other hand, also gives a stronger burst of light and is suitable for shooting still images during night and day.
Face/Smile Detection
Face detection and smile detection are features of point and shoot digital cameras that have now been integrated into mobile phones. In face detection, the camera detects faces in a scene and then automatically focuses and optimises exposure and if needed uses flash if available to get the right picture. Whereas while using smile detection, the camera clicks automatically once it detects the smile once the shutter release button is clicked.
ISO settings
The ISO basically controls the image sensor’s sensitivity to light and adjusts it accordingly. The lower the number selected the less sensitive the sensor is to light and vice-versa. This is useful while shooting in different lighting situations --particularly when there’s low light and you might not be able to use a flash.
Some other features available on camera phones include geo-tagging and flash. With geo-tagging users can connect to the geo satellite through their service provider and pinpoint the location where the pictures are being clicked. The longitude and latitude are then embedded into the photographs.
Megapixel Race
The best thing about cellphones with digital cameras is that users don’t have to take multiple gadgets with them all the time. The Nokia N95 was the first 5.0-megapixel camera phone. It started a trend with other handset manufacturers integrating multiple megapixels into their devices. Now almost all the enterprise level phones come with a minimum 3.2-megapixel camera.
The megapixel race has just begun. The highest megapixel camera seen in a phone so far is the 8.1 megapixel. Soon, phones with higher megapixels (approximately 12.0 megapixels with 3X or higher optical zoom) will also be introduced.
Tips And Tricks
After understanding the camera features, it is important to know how to get the best out of your camera phone. Here are a few pointers for the same.
Proper Lighting
To get good picture, its important to place the subject in well lit conditions. Always remember that, the better lit your subject is the clearer the image is likely to be.
Some cameras come with a built in flash or light. This can really lift a shot and add clarity to it, even if you’re shooting outside or against the light.
Closer Pictures
Usually, while clicking pictures using a camera phone is that the subject ends up looking tiny and unrecognisable. Camera phone images tend to be small due to low resolution so make sure that you fill up your view finder with the subject by going closer instead of zooming in. Especially if your camera just has a digital zoom.
Having said this, getting too close to the subject can also distorts the image at times and brings up focusing issues.
Steady Hand
As with all digital photography, the steadier your camera phone is while clicking pictures, the clearer the images will be.
This is especially important in low light situations where the camera selects longer shutter speeds to compensate for the lack of light. One trick is to lean your hand holding the camera phone against a steady object (like a tree, wall, ledge) when taking shots.
Keep in mind that many camera phones also suffer from ’shutter lag’ (the time between pressing the shutter and when the camera clicks the shot can be a second or so). This means that users need to hold the camera still a little longer to ensure it doesn’t take a shot as it is being lowered away from the subject.
Editing Images
Now-a-days cameras come with built in editing features but it is advisable that you edit pictures on the PCs for better images.Taking colour shots in high resolution is your best bet if you wish to edit images later.
Second Chances
One of the most important things to remeber while taking phtots using a camera phone is that many times an image might appear dull or unclear due to the screen resolution of the phone. So dont discard any picture before checking it out on a PC.
Experiment Creatively
Last but not the least comes the creativity. Always have an open mind and experiment with various features of your phone's camera. These include exposure vlaue, white balance, contrasts, brightness, effects, angles etc.
Constant experimenting will surely dole out some very interesting shots that will surprise you!
Finally, while one needs to get the technical aspects right, its the moment that matters the most. So, dont let any memory slip out of you hand. Just take your camera phone and click away!
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