How To Increase The Clarity of the Mobile Camera

How To Increase The Clarity of the Mobile Camera:

          The cameras in cell phones just keep getting better and better. Features like auto focus, flash, and high-resolution image sensors have made grainy, unfocused, washed-out cell-phone shots largely a thing of the past. Still, they're not up to par with dedicated digital cameras, that come equipped with larger image sensors and features like optical image stabilization. And all cell-phone cameras aren't created equal. 

      For example:  the Apple iPhone 4 offers 5-megapixel captures, while the inexpensive Samsung Contour SCH-R250 can only deliver tiny 0.3-megapixel VGA-quality photos—that's like shooting pictures with a webcam.

      With the right settings and a few handy tips, though, a cell phone camera can take some fantastic shots. Even if you have a pretty crummy camera phone, following some of the guidelines below will greatly improve your chances of snapping a decent photo.

Shoot at High Quality:

      By default, many cameras aren't set to shoot in high-quality mode, and this is often true of cell phones too. Go into your camera settings and check to make sure you shooting at maximum resolution and that picture or image quality is set at the highest setting.

Reduce The Chance of Blur:
      Blurry images are often the result of slow shutter speeds. The longer the shutter is open, the longer the sensor is exposed and then even the steadiest hands will still inject a little blur in the photo. One feature I've yet to see in a cell phone camera is optical image stabilization, which reduces the chances of taking blurry photos. A camera with a mechanical stabilizer keeps the lens in the same position, so photos with slow shutter speeds have a better chance of not turning out blurry. Without image stabilization, there are two ways to decrease the chances of taking a blurry photo. The first is to shoot in a well-lit environment (even if it means turning on the flash). The more light you have, the less time you have to expose the image sensor, which will decrease the amount of movement the sensor will experience. (That's why the pictures you take outdoors are typically sharp.) Another way to reduce blur is by resting the camera on something steady like a ledge or a table—or, try fashioning a makeshift tripod.

Turn Off Digital Zoom:
     Only true optical zoom can get you closer to your subject, and I've never seen a cell phone with optical zoom. Digital zoom might make you feel like you're getting closer to your subject, but all that feature really does is crop your resolution and expand the image. You're better off shooting the photo at full resolution (by turning digital zoom off) and cropping it later.

Shoot in Landscape Mode:
      

     Cameras are horizontal devices. Virtually every camera on the market is built to compose and shoot images in landscape mode, and only on occasion will you shoot in portrait mode by turning the camera on its side. Phones are the exact opposite—they're almost always meant to be used in portrait mode. The camera in a phone will not shoot in landscape mode unless you physically turn the phone on its side—you should do exactly that. Figure out which way to hold your phone in order to shoot in landscape mode, and shoot that way whenever you can. This will bring you one step closer to replicating the compact camera shooting experience.

Make Use of Apps:

     There are tons of applications that can add effects to your photos or more control over your phone's camera. Android's stock camera application is good, but free apps like Camera360 offer access to more controls, like ISO sensitivity and timer. The iPhone, too, has a seemingly endless supply of camera apps that can jazz up your photos with fun effects. Instagram is a popular, free app that infuses your photos with a retro or antique look—it's a good way to disguise a not-so-great-quality photo as something better.

Make use of Camera add-ons:

      You can check out the rest of Olloclip's lineup here, and look for more Android device support in the coming months. For instructions on setting up and using the 4-in-1 smartphone lens system, check out Olloclip's help page.

      If you just need a macro lens and don't feel like spending that much on merchandise, there are always DIY solutions like water drops and door viewer lenses, but the magnification won't be as good (or as crisp), though you can get amazing results at 175x with a laser pointer lens.