How to change the front camera optics. How to set up and improve the camera on Android. Tips for shooting video

Flagships and budget smartphones have long replaced tablets and cameras for people. Mobile phones perform a huge number of tasks and cope with all everyday problems.

When going on vacation, many people don’t even take a laptop or camera with them, because all this fits into a no longer compact, but still small phone. But some people still try to avoid taking photos with their phones because they think the quality of the photos leaves much to be desired. In reality, you need to figure out how to set up the camera on your phone.

Market situation

Previously, the phone camera was considered to be quite mediocre, so users rarely used it. Only in extreme cases in order to capture some moments of your life. But the pictures came out very badly.

With the development of the photo industry and new capabilities of smartphones, it turned out that flagships can more than replace SLR cameras and ordinary soap dishes. But with budget smartphones the situation is somewhat different.

Most Chinese models have powerful camera modules, but not all can produce high-quality images. But the point here is not the manufacturer’s modifications. The problem rather lies in the fact that many do not understand how to set up the camera on their phone. If “a bad dancer’s pants get in the way,” then even an inexperienced photographer with a professional camera will not be able to cope.

When buying a new smartphone, most users pay attention to appearance device and “talking” parameters. What is meant? Stores, when creating advertisements for certain phone models, often create a certain image of the device.

For example, a smartphone can become a camera phone despite its mediocre camera characteristics. The advertisement also praises the presence of 3 GB in the device. random access memory, while this parameter is considered not an advantage, but a necessity.

As a result, a budget phone can be so praised that after purchase the user will be disappointed, not getting the desired result from the pictures or the performance of the model.

Selecting a smartphone

In order to figure out how to set up the camera on your phone, you need to evaluate the actual capabilities of the device. Until recently, models with a 5 MP main camera were considered popular. It seemed that the phone took beautiful and high-quality pictures.

But technology is moving forward. Now a budget smartphone for 200-250 dollars, which is approximately 14 - 17 thousand rubles, offers a 13 megapixel camera. Although the catch is now different: flagships for $1000 (69 thousand rubles) can also have similar camera module indicators. This suggests that these same megapixels, which are vehemently praised in stores and advertisements, are not so important.

The point is that it is best to pay attention to other characteristics of the lens. For example, on aperture indicators. The lower this value, the better the image will be, even in the evening. It is also important to have a variety of “tricks” that help improve the picture: stabilization, noise reduction, autofocus, extended color range, etc.

The more similar technologies a camera module has, the less you have to figure out how to set up the camera on your phone.

Preparing for the photo

But first, you should understand that not only the camera settings play a huge role, but also the preparation for the photograph. It's important to do a little preparation.

To begin with, it is better to wipe the lens of the lens. This part of the camera can often suffer from fogging or contamination. Therefore, it is better to immediately wipe the module with a special cloth so that there is no blur in the picture.

Next you need to understand the right angle. Not everyone understands that composition and other “tricks” of photographers often affect the quality of the photo. Remember that it is not advisable to shoot against the sun. It is better to remove all unnecessary objects that could ruin the frame.

Despite the Instagram fashion for taking selfies everywhere, most of the beautiful accounts on this resource are maintained with the help of professional cameras. This once again proves that the front camera can only be used in the case of group photos and some spontaneous moments.

Otherwise, it is better to take pictures with the main module. To do this, of course, you will have to ask others for help or get a tripod.

Digital zoom is not recommended. It is rarely used in professional photography, although the quality of the equipment there allows this to be done. But the smartphone copes very poorly with zooming. It loses stabilization and autofocus, which makes the pictures blurry and grainy.

Basic Settings

How to set up the camera on an Android phone? It’s immediately worth noting that the full range of settings is available both in the system Camera application and in third-party ones that can be installed from Google Play.

The main settings are located behind the gear icon. Here you can adjust the image and video sizes, shooting frequency, image quality, adjust the grid, level, set the date or location. You can also choose where to store photos, adjust sound and gesture controls.

If you look at your smartphone, you may not find some options. It all depends on the model. But all of the above options are available in this submenu.

How to properly set up the camera on your phone? Of course, it all depends on individual needs. But most users recommend using manual settings.

Depending on the operating system version, certain shooting modes and options will be available to you. Among the modes you can find “Manual”.

A line appears at the bottom of the screen in which you can adjust a number of parameters. For example, here you can adjust ISO. This parameter is responsible for photosensitivity. It has several indicators, as well as an automatic operating mode. It is best to adjust the parameter in case of poor lighting; in other situations, its automatic setting is suitable.

Here you can choose the shutter speed. This setting delays the aperture opening for a specified amount of time. The longer this happens, the more light will hit the matrix. You need to watch out for overexposure. Shutter speed is usually dealt with during night or evening shooting.

Exposure display icon with plus and minus. This parameter helps you adjust the lightness or darkness of the frame. White balance allows you to adjust the cool or warm tone of your photo. Here you can adjust the saturation and contrast of the picture.

Some people think that the best way to apply HDR is to get a good camera setup on your phone. This function, on the one hand, can really take a beautiful photo, but on the other hand, it is not always applicable. HDR creates several frames with different exposures, and then combines everything into one photo that is devoid of darkened or overexposed areas. This function is best suited for landscape photography.

Camera modes

How to set up the camera on a Samsung phone? As with any other model that runs on Android, this is not difficult to do. You just need to understand the parameters described above and experiment.

You can also try using photo modes. One of the popular ones is now considered “Makeup” or “Beauty Shooting”. This is a mode that smoothes the skin, enlarges the eyes, applies makeup and does everything to improve portrait shot. Many people call this feature “mobile photoshop.”

There is also the option of using a panorama for landscapes. The mode creates several shots, combining them into one wide frame. The slow motion speaks for itself. It is possible to create a GIF animation or blur the background.

Setting up your smartphone camera

How to set up the camera on a ZTE phone? As mentioned earlier, in general, the settings on different models are practically the same. But the difference can be noticed if you get a camera phone in your hands. Typically, in such models, in which the emphasis is on the camera module, the menu is expanded, and a huge number of technologies allow you to create colorful pictures.

But the above parameters are also saved, which means they can be configured. The main thing is to understand the purpose of each, and then experiment to understand the principle of creating a photo on a smartphone.

Everyone has wondered how to improve the camera on a smartphone or tablet, because there are always some problems with the quality of photos, or someone wants to record videos of better quality at 60 FPS, familiar?
Of course, you won’t be able to improve the hardware, since the structure of a smartphone or the same tablet is not block-based, you can’t just take and replace a certain block (for example, Google had such a concept, it seems, Project Tango).

What's the problem?

In fact, the main problem is the “noise” in pictures that appears in poor lighting. It is logical that more light is needed. How to do it? Simply point the existing light source at the object being photographed, or shoot in sunny weather. By the way, the sun is the best source of light (natural and free).

First, clean your lens before shooting. For what? This will allow you to get rid of subtle dots and glare in your photos.
Secondly, don't zoom. The best way out is to crop it after you've taken a photo or shot a video. Or come closer - this is generally an ideal option; you can move the object (if the situation allows).
Thirdly, you should not use the flash where it is necessary and where it is not necessary. LED flashes are not the best solution; previously, some Nokia smartphones used xenon flashes - this is a completely suitable solution, but it should not be used in all situations.
Fourth, download some other camera apps (there are a lot of them). There are multifunctional programs that not only provide the most from the hardware, but also offer a built-in editor.

That's all, now you know how to improve the camera quality on Android. Perhaps you know some more interesting ways that will improve the quality of photos or videos?

Admit it, how long has it been since you picked up a camera? I mean, a real camera. I would venture to guess that in eight cases out of ten the answer will be: rarely! You probably film everything with your phone. And please don’t think that I’m not going to shame you at all. Over the past two to three years, built into Cell phones cameras have become so close in characteristics to “real” cameras that the functional boundary between them has practically disappeared. Not long ago, there was even an open test (if you wish, you can take it now: see “Photographic Truth”): it was proposed to distinguish between a video shot with a good smartphone and a very good digital SLR camera. So it’s not that the difference between them is not visible, but the subjective assessment often turned out to be in favor of the smartphone!

But it was not for nothing that I said “practically”. In fact, the difference, of course, remains. A good real camera is a wide lens (read: more collected light, which means high-quality shooting in the dark and visibility of small details), a large range of depths of field, this interchangeable optics, (almost) full-size photosensor, and something else. There is only one thing bad about the camera: it is not a smartphone! And jokes aside, and this is a really big minus: on a smartphone you can immediately process pictures, share them, respond to criticism and praise - with a camera you can only take pictures.

So, of course, no one will exchange a smartphone for a camera. But why not try to bring the smartphone camera closer to the camera so that the difference between them practically disappears? Let's do this today: consider five simple recipes for significantly expanding the capabilities of your smartphone camera. Moreover, the recipes are universal: they are all suitable for both Android and iOS devices.

Let's start with something funny: a tripod! If you have been involved in photography at least somewhat seriously, then of course you know that a tripod is an extremely useful thing. Securely fixing the camera helps a lot when you need to take a difficult shot. This avoids, in particular, hand tremors during long exposures. Cameras have a special threaded socket for this purpose, into which the tripod is screwed. But what about a smartphone?

There is no such nest here and it is unlikely that one will ever appear: space in mobile devices, the count is literally in cubic millimeters! Therefore, a lot of ways have been proposed to quickly mount your smartphone on a full-fledged tripod. Personally, I like the car phone holder option with a flexible leg and a little tape ( here is a video instruction).

However, it would be better to purchase a special tripod for smartphones (there are plenty of these in online stores). It is especially good if it is equipped with flexible legs, which allows you to control the tilt effortlessly, and also perform tricks that are difficult to do with a regular tripod: for example, attaching it horizontally, clinging to vertical objects.

Don't be satisfied with the default settings! Most users never look at their smartphone's camera settings - and often don't even realize they exist! Meanwhile, if you dig very shallowly, you will find things that are familiar to anyone who has dealt with a real camera: sensitivity in ISO units, focus settings, shutter speed, various white balance modes, frame resolution. The idea is that the automatic shooting mode (when the smartphone independently sets the parameters) may not be bad, but by cleverly managing the settings manually, you can almost certainly get better results. So take a look at your camera settings. Sometimes, if they are hidden, you need to select the "Pro" camera mode. After that, here's what you should pay attention to first.

Firstly, ISO. The higher its value, the more sensitive the camera is to light, the shorter the shutter speed is required. However, remember that due to the way electric sensors operate, the amount of noise increases as ISO increases. Therefore, especially if you have a tripod, it may be better to be content with a lower ISO value, but a longer exposure: this will give a noticeably clearer picture.

Secondly, play with the white balance. In the simplest case, you should set the mode to match the shooting conditions: when working outdoors, set it to “daylight” and “cloudy”, and indoors to “incandescent” and “fluorescent”. This way you can get much richer shades.

Finally, thirdly, the frame resolution must be maximum, that is, match the number of pixels on the photosensor. This will provide the clearest picture with the least amount of blur. And then it will be possible to cut out pieces from such a frame - simulating “zoom” (smartphone cameras can do real “zoom”, but only within insignificant limits: this requires moving the lenses in the lens, and smartphones simply do not have enough thickness for this).

Remember that a smartphone is not a “phone plus a camera”, but a “small computer plus a camera”! This means that you can not only flexibly control the shooting process, but also immediately process the image. For which, of course, thousands of applications have been written. Most users will be better off starting with photography apps that don't require extensive photography knowledge. For example, from the popular Camera MX and the like.

Programs in this class provide several automatic modes that allow you to quickly and flexibly apply a variety of filters - often even before you press the shutter button. This is simply impossible to achieve with a regular camera! But you can play not only with frame parameters, but also with time: in Live mode Shots, the camera again starts shooting before the shutter is released, and if you are late, you can “rewind” a few seconds back and choose the best moment. Or turn the resulting stream of frames into animation.

But Camera FV-5 and similar applications already belong to the class of tools aimed at experienced photographers. Its interface is as close as possible to what the owner of any good “DSLR” sees in the eyepiece: all the most important parameters are visible and, most importantly, all of them can be quickly changed. In fact, even more information is shown here than on conventional cameras: for example, you can pull out color histograms that are built on the fly. However, the fundamental difference between this class of applications and the previous one is that there are absolutely or almost no automatic modes filming. Everything is set manually by the user, or adjusted according to a user-specified scenario.

Unfortunately, not all camera capabilities can be implemented “honestly” on a smartphone; sometimes you have to resort to tricks. For example, in order to shoot with a very long shutter speed (tens of seconds), the FV-5 accumulates frames taken constantly, but with a resolution less than the maximum possible. But it becomes possible to do something that the camera is incapable of: for example, there is a bracketing function - quickly shooting several frames at different shutter speeds, which allows you to compose an HDR photograph. There is also a low-noise ultra-low sensitivity mode (ISO 50): however, it will not work on every smartphone. And this rule applies to many “extreme” and unusual functions: not every smartphone camera is equipped with the appropriate capabilities.

Like those mentioned in the previous paragraph, such applications are usually paid, and the free version is either fully functional, but limits the resolution, or allows you to use the maximum resolution, but lacks some functionality. In any case, you shouldn’t waste money on them: they expand the standard capabilities of the camera much beyond what conventional cameras can do, and cost around hundreds of rubles.

However, no matter how cunning you are with the software, settings and tripod, the main drawback of the smartphone will not go away: a flat camera with a narrow lens. And there is only one way to fix it: by attaching an external lens that has the best characteristics!

Fortunately, this is no longer a problem: AliExpress offers many external lenses for smartphones at quite reasonable prices (again, hundreds of rubles). Such a thing is attached to the smartphone immediately before shooting (usually with a special clip to the case), so it is difficult to carry the assembled structure all the time. But it radically changes the parameters and capabilities of the standard optical system. You can take a lens that collects more light and shoot in the dark. You can take a convex one and turn the camera into a fisheye. You can find a model for macro photography.

It is always useful to supplement such a design with a good photo application, like the one mentioned in point 4 - because you will certainly have to experiment a lot with the parameters before you get the expected result. But it's worth it! Look, for example, what miracles one enthusiast works on the most ordinary Galaxy S4 with attached (homemade!) lenses...

If you liked the article, recommend it to your friends, acquaintances or colleagues related to municipal or public service. It seems to us that it will be both useful and pleasant for them.
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Many users of smartphones running on operating system Android users are often disappointed in the quality of photographs taken with the camera of their device, because in online reviews and other owners of similar devices the photos turned out much better. What could be the reasons for this problem and how to improve the camera on Android?

Some of the possible reasons:

1. Camera defect;
2. Errors in the operation of the Camera program;
3. Incorrect camera settings.

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

1 Camera defect. Multi-colored stripes in the photo, spots, severe blurriness - this is most likely a defect in the camera itself. That happens. And if your smartphone is still under warranty, you should take it to the store for exchange or return it to a service center.

2 Errors in the operation of the Camera program. Firmware manufacturers sometimes make mistakes by launching unfinished software on sale. Typical symptoms of such “hackwork” are: inverted colors in the photo, an inverted image, or the camera simply refuses 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, or even all at once, on your smartphone.

Applications - replacement for the standard “Camera”

HD Camera

An excellent application, with a huge number of manual settings, thanks to which you can adjust the image size (number of megapixels) and the quality of photo compression, as well as white balance and select different shooting scenes. As a bonus, there is a tilt position for the smartphone, which will allow you to take photos without blocking the horizon and the 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 functions, it is worth noting the choice of ISO, a visual histogram, a grid for convenient framing, 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 stated presence in the cell of five, eight, thirteen, etc. megapixels, this parameter can be set arbitrarily. And when purchasing a device, it is not always set to maximum. Therefore, first of all, you should go into the settings of your camera and see what mode is set.

The higher the resolution of the photo, the greater the likelihood that the photo will look better on a computer or TV screen. Also try adjusting the white balance (WB), it may be that it gives unrealistic colors.

It is very important to set up the camera on your smartphone and enjoy high-quality photos. 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, lecture room, etc.). To learn how to mute your camera, check out this article:

Have a nice photo!

Smartphone cameras have come a long way over the past few years. Now, to take a good photo, you just need to take out your favorite gadget and make a couple of taps on the screen. Although, if you look at some photos on Instagram, you can understand that not everyone succeeds even in this.

In fact, there are many ways to improve the quality of photography, and if you think that you have already reached the maximum professionalism in this, then I have bad news for you. Each smartphone camera is different, so sometimes even small changes can dramatically change the picture.

Our colleagues at Lifehacker.com interviewed a variety of photography experts to narrow down their top tips on how to improve your smartphone photography. Take a look at them, perhaps tomorrow you will become a popular Instagramographer.

Use light correctly

This advice applies to all phone models: the subject should be facing the light source, but not the camera. The main problem with smartphone cameras is working with a small amount of light. Therefore, our main task is to give the camera the maximum amount of light. You may have to think a little about how to place the object, but you'll love the results.

Clean the lens

Stupid? But no. By wiping the lens before shooting, you will rid yourself of photographs with subtle but unpleasant spots and dots. If you like to touch your phone with greasy hands, then this tip will come in handy.

Avoid Zoom

Use physical zoom. How? It's very simple: if you need to zoom in on an object, walk up to it. That's all. As a last resort, if you cannot get close to the subject, you can simply crop (crop) the photo in the editor. Thus, you will achieve the same result without losing anything. And a photo taken with digital zoom will be ruined forever.

Flash

Most photographers recommend turning off the flash on your smartphone altogether and using it only as a flashlight. However, in a situation where you need to take a photo in the dark, flash can still come in handy. Just put it in “Auto” mode and the smartphone will decide when to turn it on.

If a situation arises in which you doubt whether a flash is needed, then best choice will take two photos: one with a flash, the other without, and then figure out which one turned out better.

Understand the settings

Of course, if you are the proud owner of an iPhone, then the only setting available to you is to turn the grid on/off. However, if you're using an Android device or a third-party app, the number of settings can make you nervous. But you will have to figure them out, especially if you want to improve the quality of your photos.

Check the resolution

Most smartphones allow you to choose the resolution of your photos. Needless to say, for best quality should it be maximum?

Turn on image stabilization

When you press the button to take a photo, you move the phone slightly. This also applies to breathing and various involuntary gestures, which can also blur and ruin a photograph. Therefore, if you are not a sniper who knows how to control your breathing, then it is worth looking in the settings for image stabilization and turning it on.

Adjust white balance

In most cases, modern cameras determine the white balance themselves. And it’s quite good. But in a situation with little light, even they can mess up and turn your photo into something terrible and suitable only for friends on Instagram. Sometimes the camera takes a few seconds to detect the amount of light. For example, if you suddenly entered a room from the street or vice versa. Giving her those few seconds will reduce the chance of taking a bad photo.

Adjust exposure

Exposure determines the amount of light that hits the lens. It's worth playing around with this setting yourself, as it is highly case-dependent. The longer the exposure, the more light hits the lens, and the photo becomes brighter and lighter.

Adjust color rendering

If adjusting the white balance and exposure does not give the desired results, you can try adjusting the color rendition. For example, in or in a smartphone application.

Make the photo black and white

If all else fails, then you will have to be like the hipsters and make your photo black and white. In most cases, this filter hides major flaws in a photo and makes it more interesting.

Some smartphones support real-time filters, so you can immediately photograph an object in black and white. We do not advise you to do this, as there will be no turning back.

Make your photo look less mediocre with filters

We left this tip for last so that you try the other methods first and use this one only when absolutely necessary. Some filters really make a photo unusual and beautiful. But you don’t eat bad breath with chewing gum in the morning, do you?

You don't need to apply all these tips to every photo. A little experimentation and you will find your style and the tips that work best with your photos. If you have your own tips that we forgot, please share them in the comments!