Whether your smartphone is your behind the scenes, some of the time, or primary camera… it’s important you make the most of it. While the sensors in many smartphones often rival point-and-shoot cameras, I frequently see people underutilize their capabilities.
For example, here’s a single image taken on the iPhone 5s. You’ll note that the image lacks sufficient contrast.
This particular scene is difficult to shoot due to the wide dynamic range of the subject. Many phones include an in-camera HDR mode. While this mode is frequently better, it often produces results that are negligibly better.
This is where an in-camera upgrade comes in. Buy an app! There are many HDR apps. My absolute favorite is Pro HDR which is available for both Android and iPhone. It takes two photos with a much wider exposure range, then fuses them together.
Taking the photo takes much longer than the in-camera HDR mode. As such, you’ll need to hold the camera fairly still. I recommend tucking your elbows into your sides or even bracing the camera against a flat surface. The results it produces however are superior.
You’ll note that not only are colors richer, but textures and details are much better preserved.
For shooting landscapes, interiors, or high contrast scenes, I can’t recommend the app enough. It also works well for portraits in tough lighting if you can get your subject to hold still for two seconds.
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I agree whole heartedly. VividHDR is my go to camera for my iPhone 4S. Was showing a friend why I prefer HDR last night. Rarely use a “regular” camera any more
I like the results, but rarely can stand a 2 sec exposure. Is there an in-between app that is better than the iPhone 5 in camera HDR mode, a bit slower, but (sadly) not as good as the Pro HDR app?
It’s not a two second exposure. The iPhone just takes 2 seconds to switch between brackets. Exposure is quite quick and the app will auto align within reason.
I recently started shooting with hdr on my Motorola G phone and was quite taken aback with the quality of the pictures. The standard of the new photos would give my camera a run for its money!
I agree whole heartedly. VividHDR is my go to camera for my iPhone 4S. Was showing a friend why I prefer HDR last night. Rarely use a “regular” camera any more
I like the results, but rarely can stand a 2 sec exposure. Is there an in-between app that is better than the iPhone 5 in camera HDR mode, a bit slower, but (sadly) not as good as the Pro HDR app?
It’s not a two second exposure. The iPhone just takes 2 seconds to switch between brackets. Exposure is quite quick and the app will auto align within reason.
I recently started shooting with hdr on my Motorola G phone and was quite taken aback with the quality of the pictures. The standard of the new photos would give my camera a run for its money!