Digital Camera World » photo app

Adobe Photoshop Touch phone app now available for Android, iPhone, iPod touch

jmeyer — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:59:41 +0000

Adobe has announced that a new version of its Photoshop Touch software is now available for iPhone, iPod touch and Android smart phones.

Inspired by the version for tablet devices, the Photoshop Touch phone app incorporates some of the core features of Photoshop desktop photo editing software, such as layers, selection tools, filters and tonal and colour adjustments.

Users can also apply effects and add graphical text with the new Photoshop Touch phone app, and edit images as large as 12 megapixels with layers.

Other features include a Scribble Selection tool, which lets users combine images and a version of the Refine Edge tool.

The Photoshop Touch phone app will also automatically sync images to Adobe Creative Cloud with 2GB of free storage space.
Adobe’s Photoshop Touch for phone is available now in the Apple App Store and Google Play, priced £2.99.

For iOS devices, the app requires iOS 5, iPhone 4S and iPod touch 5th generation; Android phones must run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or later.

Below is a short video from Adobe showing the Photoshop Touch app in action.

How to do time lapse photography: tips for best practice

jmeyer — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:21:02 +0000

Have you wondered how to do time lapse photography? All you need is your camera and some free time lapse software. Here’s how to do it.

Fancy capturing people rushing around crowded cities or the transition of day into night? Time-lapse may seem tricky, but it’s actually easy.

The most important requirement is an interval timer, which many Nikon and Pentax cameras have built-in. If your camera doesn’t have this, you can buy a remote control such as the Hähnel Giga T Pro II, or use an app to control your camera from a tablet or smart phone – try DSLR Controller or try ioShutter.

Each shot will become a single frame of video, so it will be played back at around 25 frames per second. This means if you shoot one frame every second, a minute’s shooting is 60 frames, and will give you just over 2 seconds of video.

For fast-moving subjects try an interval of one to two seconds, while for slow-moving subjects you’ll get more obvious movement if you use an interval of ten seconds or more.

You’ll then need to compile your video, which can be done in most video-editing software. Google Picasa is a great free alternative time lapse software.

Top time lapse photography tips

Interval timer
You’ll need an interval timer to take your shots. Many recent Nikon cameras have this built-in, but otherwise you’ll need a remote control that offers this facility. The Hähnel Giga T Pro II will fit the remote control socket on a range of digital cameras (www.hahnel.ie).

Camera settings
To ensure the exposure, colour and focus remain the same throughout your time-lapse video, put your camera in Manual mode and choose one of the preset white balance options, such as Daylight or Cloudy, to suit the lighting conditions. Switch to manual focus too.

Set the interval
Now decide how long there will be between each shot. This depends on how fast the subject is changing, but for a landscape with clouds moving fast across the sky start with one shot per second. For slower moving subjects try selecting between two and five seconds.

Make your movie
In Picasa, select all the time-lapse images, then click on Create Movie Presentation. Select Time Lapse in the Transition Style drop-down menu, 1/25 sec for the Slide Duration and 1280×720 from the Resolution options. Finally, click on Create Video to save your finished file.

Triggertrap review: use your smartphone to control your camera

dcworld — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:00:56 +0000

There’s not really a great deal that a smart phone can’t do these days, and thanks to Triggertrap, it can now also be used as a remote shutter release for your DSLR.

Remote shutter releases are handy for setting off your camera without you having to touch it (introducing shake), or for setting your camera up near something that doesn’t appreciate human activity, such as wildlife, or the finish line at a sporting event.

Several kits are available to connect most current Canon and Nikon DSLRs to your phone while the Triggertrap app takes control.

In addition to standard single-shot and long-exposure release modes, the app also includes a highly customisable time-lapse intervalometer and an impressive DistanceLapse function.

This works in conjunction with your phone’s built-in GPS to snap only when a set distance has been covered. There’s even scope for taking long exposures in HDR (high dynamic range) mode.

In the field Triggertrap performs reasonably well, but a laggy interface puts something of a dampener on the user experience. We’d also like an option to turn off the phone’s screen during long time-lapse sequences to help conserve battery power.

Triggertrap isn’t the only device of its kind – ioShutter is a very similar product, but sports a slicker interface and is generally more pleasant to use. Triggertrap is significantly cheaper, but unfortunately the cost-cutting shows.

Price: £27.50 (+£2.99 for app)
Buy it: www.triggertrap.com

SCORE: 3/5

Get free trial to photography mags on Google Play, Nook, and Kindle Fire

samanthacliffe — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Future Publishing has extended the devices its photography portfolio are available on to include for the first time Nook, and Google Play, as well as Apple Newsstand and Zinio, and will soon extend this availability to Kindle and Amazon.

To celebrate this, there are some great offers available across all platforms.

Digital Camera World, PhotoPlus, and N-Photo each have a free 60 day subscription trial available on Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD, a free 14 day subscription available on Nook, and a free 30 day subscription available on Google Play.

In addition, Practical Photoshop has a free 14 day subscription available on Nook, and a free 14 day subscription available on Google Play.

Free trial offers

Digital Camera World

UK: Claim your free 14 day trial to Digital Camera World for Nook

Worldwide: Claim your free 14 day trial to Digital Camera World for Nook

Claim your free 30 day trial to Digital Camera World for Google Play

On Kindle and Kindle Fire HD (search on the Kindle Fire app store)

N-Photo

UK: Claim your free 14 day trial to N-Photo for Nook

Worldwide: Claim your free 14 day trial to N-Photo for Nook

Claim your free 30 day trial to N-Photo for Google Play

On Kindle and Kindle Fire HD (search on the Kindle Fire app store)

PhotoPlus

UK: Claim your free 14 day trial to PhotoPlus for Nook

Worldwide: Claim your free 14 day trial to PhotoPlus for Nook

Claim your free 30 day trial to PhotoPlus for Google Play

On Kindle and Kindle Fire HD (search on the Kindle Fire app store)

Practical Photoshop

UK: Claim your free 14 day trial to Practical Photoshop for Nook

Worldwide: Claim your free 14 day trial to Practical Photoshop for Nook

13 best Android paid apps for photographers

jmeyer — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 01:00:25 +0000

Your mobile device is a great tool for photography. Whether you’ve got a mobile phone or a tablet, both can come in incredibly handy both for taking pictures or working with and sharing those you take on your “real” camera. We’ve already explored the best free Android photo apps for your mobile device. In this follow-up post we take a look at the best Android paid apps for photographers you’ll actually want to splash out on.

Best Android Paid Apps 01: Adobe Photoshop Touch

Price: £6.99

The free version of Adobe Photoshop for tablets (Adobe Photoshop Express) is a great tool, but it has its limitations.

The full version allows you much more of the control you’d expect from the desktop version, including Levels, Brightness and Contrast and the ability to reduce noise.

This is a great option if you often find yourself out on the road and want to edit your photos to a good standard. There’s also a bunch of digital filters for getting creative with your photos.

Read the Photoshop Touch review by our friends over at Practical Photoshop!

Download Adobe Photoshop Touch

Instagram to sell users’ photos to advertisers

jmeyer — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:12:01 +0000

Your Instagram photos could soon be used by advertisers whether you want them to or not, according to changes in the photo-sharing website’s terms and conditions.

Instagram has changed its privacy policy, allowing the company to sell its users’ photos to advertisers without giving users any notice.

The Instagram changes will also allow its parent company, Facebook, to access information about Instagram users, as well as other affiliates and advertisers.

Instagram users have until 16 January 2013 to delete their account if they do not want their photos to be subjected to the new terms and conditions.

Following the 16 January deadline the new guidelines will be in place and Instagram users cannot opt out.

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Nikon Android camera: the Nikon S800c review

jmeyer — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 16:35:54 +0000

Nikon was the first major camera manufacturer to introduce a compact camera powered by the Android operating system, announcing the Nikon S800c shortly before the Samsung Galaxy Camera was revealed. Here Amy Davies of our testing team takes a look at what the Nikon Android camera has to offer in our Nikon S800c review.

Android user? Check out our round-up of the 13 best free Android photo apps to use with your Android camera

The Nikon Coolpix S800c also introduces an integrated Wi-Fi feature that lets photographers download apps to use with the Android camera, as well as send emails and images.

The Nikon Android camera works best if you’re in a Wi-Fi hotspot, but if you’re not you can also tether the Android camera to your smartphone to share its 3G signals.

See our Nikon S800c review video below to find out how it fares.

Nikon Android Camera Review – Video Transcript

This is the Nikon Coolpix S800c, it’s a compact camera with a bit of a difference as it features the Android operating system.

Its standard camera spec includes a 16 million pixel CMOS sensor, which is physically larger than those found on a mobile phone, a 10x optical zoom, an OLED 819k dot touchscreen and Full HD video recording.

So, what this camera should offer in real terms, is a high quality camera device, coupled with all the benefits of an Android operating system, such as the ability to download apps, upload to social networking sites and browse the internet.

Many people will probably question the point of that, but the ability to use a myriad of photographic apps currently available on the market with a camera which is better than your average smart phone optic is an intriguing prospect.

Currently, there’s not many cameras like this on the market, with its biggest rival being the recently announced Samsung Galaxy camera. However, unlike that camera, this S800c is roughly the same size as the average compact camera, and therefore fits much more easily in a jeans pocket.

It’s perhaps a little surprising that a large 10x zoom can fit into this camera’s sleek body. This is just one of the features which elevates this camera above a standard mobile phone camera.

There’s very few physical buttons on the S800c, with most of the operation taking place via the touchscreen itself. The touchscreen is capacitive – like the screen you get on an iPhone – and is therefore very responsive and easy to use.

If you’re already an Android user, picking up and using the S800c will seem like second nature. You can also choose to ignore the Android element altogether and use the S800c as a standard device, by choosing “shooting” from the home screen. This will extend the lens ready to use.

Unfortunately the start up time of this camera can be a little slow… this is basically akin to switching on a mobile phone, rather than super quick speeds we’re used to seeing from cameras. However, once it’s on, operation is generally pretty quick, and the camera will enter standby rather than switching completely off.

When you do want to access the different apps available, you’ll find that several, such as Google Mail are already installed. You can download more by visiting the Google Play store. Look out for the photography category of the app store for dedicated photographic apps.

Once an app is installed, using the camera becomes pretty much identical to using the same app on a mobile phone. So let’s take a look at the incredibly popular Instagram. As you can see here, it’s just like using a phone, you just take the picture, add the effect and then you can choose to upload to Facebook, Twitter and so on.

The camera is equipped with WiFi, so you will need to be in a WiFi hotspot to upload your shots, however if you’re out and about and you’ve got a smartphone, you could always use your phone as a personal hotspot to get online.

There’s currently thousands of apps available for the Android system, so it can be really fun experimenting with what’s available. The camera has a built in memory of 1.7GB which can be used for apps or storing photos. There’s also an SD card slot to expand that capability.

Images straight from the camera are pretty decent, and having the ability to use a 10x optical zoom is definitely what elevates this above the realms of a smartphone. The larger sensor also makes it perform better in low-light as well, worth bearing in mind if you want to photograph at parties and nights out. Those images which have been run through photo apps also appear to be of a higher quality than from a standard phone.

Ultimately, the Nikon S800c is a very interesting proposition. With not much competition in the market at the moment, in terms of standalone cameras, it’ll be interesting to see if this takes off – and whether other manufacturers decide to also include an operating system on camera devices.

13 best free iPad photo apps

jmeyer — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:27:05 +0000

The iPad is a fantastic tool for photographers, with many uses ranging from a showcase for your best images to image manipulation. There’s a huge number of useful iPad photo apps you can download to make it an even better experience, and what’s more all of those applications featured in this list are completely free.

All of the free iPad photo apps on this list were available at the time of writing.

Best iPad Photo Apps: InstaEditor

This is one of a variety of editors which is powered by the online editing service, Aviary.

Other versions, which all offer pretty much the same editing tools include Photo Editor + and Photo Editor Lite.

Basic, but useful editing tools include adjusting Brightness, Saturation and Sharpness.

There are also lots of filters to experiment with, to give your photos a creative twist.

Download InstaEditor

13 best free Android photo apps

jmeyer — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 11:23:26 +0000

Although probably not quite as ubiquitous as the iPhone or iPad, there are nevertheless plenty of fantastic – and free – Android photo apps that are just as good as those designed for Apple devices.

In this post we round up some of the best of the many free photo apps for Android that cost you nothing at all to download.

All of the free Android photo apps on this list were available at the time of writing.

Android Photo App No. 1: Instagram

It was a long time coming, but Android users finally got access to the iPhone app making waves for months this year. Instagram for Android is pretty much the same as its iPhone sibling, featuring fun filters, the ability to add a tilt-shift (miniature) effect, some borders and of course the all important ability to share with users via the Instagram network.

You can also share via the er, more traditional, methods of Facebook, Twitter and email.

Download Instagram

Works best on: phone

PAGE 1: Instagram
PAGE 2: PhotoArt
PAGE 3: Photo & Pic Collage
PAGE 4: PhotoWonder
PAGE 5: Pixlr-o-Matic
PAGE 6: PicsArt
PAGE 7: Photoshop Express
PAGE 8: Pudding.to
PAGE 9: Pudding Camera
PAGE 10: Retro Camera
PAGE 11: Camera MX
PAGE 12: PhotoStudio
PAGE 13: FxCamera

6 popular photography apps for iPad, iPod Touch tested and rated

jmeyer — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:00:39 +0000

With more and more photographers using tablets and smartphones to pursue their hobby, even the most ardent purists are learning the word ‘apps’. We took six of the most popular photography apps for iPad and iPod Touch and put them to the test to see how well they really help photographers.

LongTime Exposure Calculator

Price: Free
Available for: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad This app takes the pain out of recalculating the exposure value when using ND filters. A two- column display allows exposure (30-1/8000 sec) and filter (from 1 to 20 stops) values to be dialled-in for a recalculated exposure time.

DOFMaster

Price: £1.49
Available for: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
High-end users looking to calculate depth of field and hyperfocal distance will like this app. Easy-to-use columns span focal length from 3 to 1,200mm, aperture from f/1 to f/64 and focus distance. Cameras are listed by brand and sensor size, so it’s easy to match up to your kit.

Geotag Photos Pro

Price: £2.49
Available for: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
Geotag Photos Pro uses your iPhone’s GPS to track your location, and images from an external camera – not the iPhone’s own images – can then be synched with the location data by correlating date and time information (although this part does require a computer).

Teach Yourself Photoshop

Price: £11.99
Available for: iPad
From the makers of Digital Camera, this app takes you from the basics of Photoshop Elements to advanced editing in CS5. Divided into ten sections, each category contains six video lessons. Run the app on an iPad alongside your computer for instant expert tuition.

The Photographer’s Ephemeris

Price: £5.99
Available for: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, desktop (Mac, PC, Linux)
Projects sun and moon rise and set paths for any date/time. Offset your location against the terrain to assess whether light paths will be blocked or cast shadows. Perfect for landscape shooters.

RoadTour OutDoors GB with National Parks OS Maps

Price: £4.99
Available for: iPhone, iPad
This app makes it possible to carry a 1:50,000- scale map of the UK on your iPhone. But without specific photographic spots – unless you record your own GPS routes – this is more for off-road walkers than serious landscape photographers.