Monday, September 10, 2012

iLightningcam gets an Update

One of my favorite apps called iLightningcam just got a new update that comes with tons of improvements. These include:
Captured with iPhone 4S & iLightningcam - unedited
  • Completely new and redesigned UI
  • Assistant for easily finding the best settings
  • New artifact reduction mode (only for night and fixed position)
  • New exclude lower 4th mode for better city pictures
  • Better feedback in video mode (click sound, picture preview)
And perfectly in time came a thunderstorm when i updated the app, giving me the opportunity to try out the new features. In fact, if you just started with this app, you will find the assistant very helpful. Before the update it was easy to get confused by the sheer amount of settings and options, now the app guides you through everything before you start off, making it almost impossible to screw up the settings. And as you can see in the screenshots below, every step comes along with a small example-picture.

Every step is self-explanatory



My thoughts on the update:
The update makes a perfect addition to what has already been a great app. Now its even easier to capture lightnings even under worst conditions. One of the improvements i like most is that you can exclude the lower 4th of your frame. As you can see in the picture below, before the update the shutter would always  have triggered when someone of my neighbours turned the light on or i just didnt hold my iPhone that steady. If that happened and right afterwards a lightning occured, the camera wasnt fast enough to get it. Now this isnt a problem anymore!


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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2012 at 3:02 AM

    Congrats to these shots! perfect choice of view and exposure parameters.
    Which size did you choose for this scene? middle or small lighnting?

    a lightning enthusiast

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. iPhoneographySeptember 12, 2012 at 6:30 AM

      Thank you! 'Small' worked fantastic with these, although i wish i would have been a bit closer to them.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousDecember 28, 2012 at 10:01 PM

    great article and good lightnings from a perfect view point!
    if you liked the exclusionbar, it's now freely adjustable...

    version 5.5 is out
    it features a fireworks option!

    Benefits:

    It triggers automatically.
    Therefore no vibration of the iPhone from touching the trigger (no blurring)
    True iso-control (we recommend the night mode, choose the left small strike in the assistants menu for best results)
    It takes three pictures when it is activated with half a second interval
    lower iso means better pictures with less noise

    Instructions Fireworksmode:


    Go to the options in the main screen.

    Switch erverthing on(including fireworks)

    Use Video mode.

    Use the assistant.

    Choose Night mode.

    Choose the smallest lightning size (left button).

    Choose exclude the lower fourth(!).

    Follow the assistant.

    Set the phone down or use a car windshield holder for best results.

    Choose your view, then drag the "exclude from detection" rectangle to at least the middle of the screen, otherwise the rocket trail will trigger the camera too early.

    When triggered, the app takes then three shots of the scene, until it gets ready again.



    the timing of every rocket is different:

    we recommend

    for small fireworks: fireworks on and video mode

    for large fireworks: fireworks off and photomode


    we are happy for all recommendations.


    And ... you need some distance between you and the fireworks, if you are too close, it is almost impossible to estimate the explosion height of the particular rocket.



    Have fun!
    the iLightningcam devteam

    Visit our facebookpage https://www.facebook.com/LightningCam

    to see a short demovideo of the fireworks mode from Zandros.

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