It is easy to imagine why many of us are quick to underestimate the capabilities of the Android phone camera. They are very small, and we might know relatively little about their full capabilities. Believe me when I tell you that your phone is more capable than you’ve imagined; although, factors do limit their performance – like software, hardware condition, and others. We’ve already told you about tips on how to take good pictures with Android, and now I’ll show you how to improve quality and fully utilize the functionality and capabilities of your Android phone camera.
Improve Camera Quality of Android Phones
Method 1: Clean The Lens
Make sure the lens is clean from fingerprints or dirt. Dust and microparticles block the light entering the lens which results in cloudy or blurry pictures. Step 1: This first step is the simplest but the most important thing you need to do before taking a picture with your Android phone. You’ll need a lens-cleaning cloth or a microfiber to wipe the lens. Don’t use a paper towel or other materials; it might scratch the surface. Cleaning fluid, isopropyl alcohol, or distilled water is also great if you have it on-hand. See if you can find a few of the products that we will be using here. Step 2: Fold the cloth into a triangle and moisten the inner corner for the cleaning of the lens. At this point, it is important to mention that you should only spray, dab, or moisten the cloth and not the phone. Step 3: Wipe the lens gently. Avoid applying too much pressure to avoid scratching or damaging the lens of the phone’s camera. The rubbing motion with the moist cloth will soften and remove all the dirt from the lens. Step 4: Using the dry part of the cloth, gently dry the lens. Repeat the steps, until the lens is completely clean. Do this occasionally to prevent gunk and grime from building up. Always carry a cloth and avoid using random materials to wipe the lens.
Method 2: Keep Your Phone Stable
By keeping your phone stable, you will ensure that you get clear, sharp, high quality pictures. Shaky hands can ruin the quality of a picture. Step 1: Use a solid and stable surface to rest the elbows while taking a picture. Or, you might need to use a tripod or monopod. Some tripods in the market are designed for any device. These are incredibly helpful, especially when taking pictures with HDR. With so many varieties available, there is always one that will fit your needs. For selfies, use the monopod, aka selfie stick, to take a shot of yourself from a distance. These are portable and easy to carry when you are on the go. Be careful though. Some places, like many theme parks and some monuments, don’t allow selfie sticks. Step 2: To use the tripod, easily attach it to the phone and find a surface where you can set it down or wrap it. Then use the phone’s camera to check and see if you got the correct angle and everything you need inside the frame. Tripods are effortless to use and very easy to adjust, so it won’t be hard to maneuver to get the perfect shot. They are not new, but there are many new and improved designs for you to choose from. Step 3: Before tapping on the shutter button, wait for the camera to adjust exposure and focus. Most of the Android camera smartphones that are best for photography have stabilizer and autofocus features which automatically adjust settings when taking photos. The image stabilization feature works to compensate for slight movements or jarring motions of the phone. The autofocus and face detection features, on the other hand, work together to distinguish the focal point in the photo. Always wait for the camera to finish focusing and correcting exposure. You’ll know it’s ready when the picture is sharp and clear on the viewfinder and you can see where the face detection feature has highlighted faces.
Method 3: Adjust The Picture Size and Resolution
When you want high-quality pictures, you need to shoot in higher resolution. Here I’ve used a Nokia 6 phone to demonstrate how to change resolution. Bear in mind that the user interface might differ depending on the model and brand, but the basic method is the same. Step 1: Start by opening your camera app. Then, go to Settings. Step 2:. Scroll to find and tap on Resolution or Picture Size. Step 3: Now change the resolution for the camera you want to use. In this case, I’m changing the resolution of the Rear Camera. Step 5. Now, we select the highest resolution settings for either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios. Step 6: Last, don’t forget to Save the changes. While shooting photos, avoid using the digital zoom. Otherwise the pictures turn out grainy and highly pixelated.
Method 4: Download Camera Apps
Not all camera applications are created equal, and the default camera app on your phone might not be utilizing the full capability of the device’s hardware. Try out other camera apps to see if they take better photos than your default app. Here are five free camera apps that you could use to take good pictures with an Android phone.
1. Open Camera
Open Camera is a light-weight app packed with a fully-featured camera designed for Android phones. Open Camera features include an auto-stabilizer, focus modes, scene modes, color effects, remote controls, configurable volume keys, GUI optimizer, overlay options, HDR, widget, dynamic range, and so much more.
2. Camera MX
Camera MX is one of the most popular full-featured camera apps. Users have complete control of resolution and ratios. With this app, you can create animated GIF, videos, add effects, filters, frames, and other tools for image editing. Camera MX’s best features include a gallery, live shots, and the Shoot The Past option that allows you to choose a perfect moment or photo after taking the picture.
3. HD Camera
HD Camera has a minimalist design that makes it very easy to use. As the name would suggest, HD Camera shoots HD photos and has panorama and photosphere features. Users have control over white balance, photo size, exposure, and others. HD Camera also supports HDR and photo editing options like applying filters, cropping photos, and modifying colors.
4. Noah Camera
We love Noah Camera because they have tons of real-time filters which come in very handy when we want to test out different filters before we take a picture. The app lets you swiftly and conveniently switch filters by simply swiping left or right. It also offers tools for making a collage, applying watermarks, and taking a mirror image selfie.
Final Words
These methods are practical and easy ways to take good pictures with an Android phone camera. We find that cleaning the lens and using a tripod are the two most helpful pointers for improving picture quality. However, using third-party apps are great when we want to fuel our creativity and have fun while taking pictures. Adjusting the resolution to the highest setting is the simplest way to improve the quality of photos, but it’s also one of the easiest to overlook. Have you ever tried any of these methods? Which of these methods have you found the most useful? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
