Even with white balance/ISO tweaks on the default camera app, I'm not terribly impressed. The typical defense I hear for the DNA's camera is, 'don't use it like a point-and-shoot, you don't know how to alter settings therefore your images are crap'. I'm not expecting SLR/MILC quality, or even modern POS quality, but it's still underwhelming. A relatively decent camera
in and of itself, but for a next-gen phone (or even high-quality 2012 phone) HTC definitely skimped on the camera hardware.
I have
Camera FV-5--a lot more controls and an intuitive interface, but you should try the free version first (same thing, just produce low-res images). The main drawback is that it's a little laggy. e.g., shutter takes forever regardless of settings; even on continuous shutter mode w/ a short shutter speed, you still get like, 1FPS tops.
PROS:
-AF Lock: one thing that seriously bothers me about this camera is that its autofocus is always off for me. I wish I had another camera handy to document this; I'll press where I want to focus, and it will reach the optimal focal length BUT seriously overshoot or undershoot--even when the focal length is uniform throughout, like a wall. I have to press like 10 times to get it right on the 10th time. AF lock at least ensures I can get the image in focus if I physically move the camera. This came in handy when I wanted to take a macro of a spider, but the focus didn't recognize its existence. Locked the focus, and manually moved the camera to get the attached shot.
-shutter speed control: if you want that minute-long night shot with light painting, or whatever you'd want a custom shutter speed for. Though, I've tried moving the camera with a long-ish shutter speed, and you get a lot of artifact/pixelation--looks more like you layered 10 images together than something you'd get out of an slr.
-save as PNG's for lossless photo capture--obviously no RAW, but it's nice to have as an option
-custom settings: e.g. location, photo numbering pattern or photo prefixes. custom parameters (saturation, sharpness); live histogram, etc.
-you can set volume buttons as autofocus/shutter. helps reduce camera shake because can steadily grip with both hands, instead of tapping the screen.
CONS:
-$4! really not worth $4 IMO, but I got it just because I couldn't find anything similar.
-slow to start up, compared to default cam. definitely not what you'd use to capture that perfect spur-of-the-moment shot.
-shutter is slow to perform, regardless of shutter speed. it's just that when you press the shutter button, it takes a second to actually TAKE the picture.
Obviously, it can't make the hardware outperform its limitations. But it's a good app to have if you want ultimate customization. I really don't hate or even dislike the DNA's camera, but there was room for improvement. Not saying this pic is amazing, but without AF Lock it would have been literally impossible to capture this little guy. He wasn't even that little..