Friday, September 7, 2012

iPhone Camera Zoom tips

The iPhone camera zoom has been our companion since the iOS 4 update. That was the day when Apple decided to include a digital zoom in their standart camera app. Now the problem we have here is that this zoom isnt a real optical zoom.
Instead of "dragging" your desired object closer to you, the camera fakes a zoom effect by digitally cropping and resizing what you see on your display. This means that everytime you increase the zoom, the quality of your final picture will get worse and worse. So instead of getting frustrated with some blurry pictures because of your zoom, we got you some important tips on getting the best out of your camera:

1. Don't use the digital zoom
Wait what? Yeah thats right! Just because your iPhone can zoom, doesnt mean you should do it if its not necessary. Try to get as close to your desired object as possible. A short walk is healthy and guess what, your image will look much sharper and better overall. Another reason for doing so is that you can also adjust the point-of-view much better.

 2. Don't use the maximal zoom
If number one doesnt work for you because of various reasons (e.g. a river might block your way), try not to overdo the zoom. In my opinion 2x is perfect because its the best balance between a nice zoom and good quality.

Maximal zoom with the Standart Camera App & Camera+

3. Try out an optical zoom lens
You can find lots of them on Amazon or other retailers. While most of them arent quite good, you might find a gem if you check the reviews. A well-made zoom lens would render the digital zoom of your camera apps almost useless, as it will zoom in much closer to your object, while maintaining the best quality.

4. Prevent shake
The more you zoom in, the more you will recognise that your hands are shaky like an alcoholic, which results again in bad image quality. A tripod for your iPhone would do the trick. But if you don't happen to own one, you can try leaning yourself against a wall or something else and try to exhale before releasing the shutter.

Getting closer to your object > Digital Zoom

1 comment:

  1. using zoom is not as easy as it seems to many people. thanks for the tips

    ReplyDelete