Camera tips

[Google_Superuser]

I am going to the pebble beach car show tomorrow. (pretty much the worlds best car show for those that don't know.) I am going to do something crazy and just use my S4 GE for photos. My whole family has gone for the last 8 years and I have always brought my DSLR with multiple lenses. In an effort to just enjoy the show and not have my eye behind the viewfinder all day long I am going to delve into the world of cell phone photography. This will also have another benefit....an elderly family member has gone with us every year but is sadly no longer able to attend for health reasons. I can enable google+ photo backup while I am there so they can view live photos and videos of the event as we go.

Now the thing is I have very little experience with android photography since I have always just used my DSLR for most things I want photos of. I feel though that the S4 has a good enough camera that it just make work. My only worry is that the lense is a little bit narrow which may make it a bit difficult to get full frame pictures of the car from close up but I am going to try.

So....I am looking for tips. Should I use stock camera, are there better camera apps, will the screen work well enough in daylight and so on. What do you guys use in terms of software/apps? Is there any app that has deeper settings like iso speed etc?

 

[Golfdriver97]

I am going to the pebble beach car show tomorrow. (pretty much the worlds best car show for those that don't know.) I am going to do something crazy and just use my S4 GE for photos. My whole family has gone for the last 8 years and I have always brought my DSLR with multiple lenses. In an effort to just enjoy the show and not have my eye behind the viewfinder all day long I am going to delve into the world of cell phone photography. This will also have another benefit....an elderly family member has gone with us every year but is sadly no longer able to attend for health reasons. I can enable google+ photo backup while I am there so they can view live photos and videos of the event as we go.

Now the thing is I have very little experience with android photography since I have always just used my DSLR for most things I want photos of. I feel though that the S4 has a good enough camera that it just make work. My only worry is that the lense is a little bit narrow which may make it a bit difficult to get full frame pictures of the car from close up but I am going to try.

So....I am looking for tips. Should I use stock camera, are there better camera apps, will the screen work well enough in daylight and so on. What do you guys use in terms of software/apps? Is there any app that has deeper settings like iso speed etc?

Actually wouldn't be a bad time to test a couple apps. Test something tonite..see if more than one camera app can be open. So open stock, hit home, open app x, and see if you can switch between the two easily. You know, the hold home for recent apps. Either that, or right now test just the stock camera app in your yard. Best to play with it now as opposed to tomorrow.
FYI, you can pinch to zoom on the camera.

Sent from a SlimROM S3.

 

[planoman]

Check out the reviews and try

JB+ camera, procapture and zoom fx

They are all paid apps. JB+ is like stock with some enhancements. Procapture is nice but no pinch to zoom but you can set the volume buttons for zooming and zoom fx has a crazy fast burst mode etc.

Sent from my GT-I9505G

 

[Google_Superuser]

Ok tried those. Procapture seems the best it is less focused on "fun" vignettes and effects.

 

[planoman]

Ok tried those. Procapture seems the best it is less focused on "fun" vignettes and effects.

I like procapture also. If it had pinch to zoom it would be better. I have all three and switch up depending on what I want.

Sent from my SGH-I337

 

[Google_Superuser]

Messed around took some identical (or close to it) pictures with my DSLR (Canon 60D) and with my S4 GPE. I showed them to several people and about 50% of people were able to successfully identify the right picture with the right camera but it took everyone some time to make a judgement. This may just work out!

Procapture does a much better job with close up photography.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Messed around took some identical (or close to it) pictures with my DSLR (Canon 60D) and with my S4 GPE. I showed them to several people and about 50% of people were able to successfully identify the right picture with the right camera but it took everyone some time to make a judgement. This may just work out!

Procapture does a much better job with close up photography.

Cool. Start a thread posting some of the yummy cars!!!

Sent from a SlimROM S3.

 

[Google_Superuser]

Cool. Start a thread posting some of the yummy cars!!!

Sent from a SlimROM S3.

Alright I will. Never thought I would even consider leaving my DSLR at home. Will be interesting to see how they turn out. I used to be snobby and look down on people who used their camera phone at a major event but they have come a very long way.

My girlfriend who is a much better photographer than me anyway is taking her dslr with her so if things go too wrong I still have pictures.

 

[planoman]

Just temper your expectations. This camera does not really compare to a DSLR or even a good point and shoot IMO. Looking forward to your pics. Feel free to include the real life models as well!

Sent from my SGH-I337

 

[Golfdriver97]

Alright I will. Never thought I would even consider leaving my DSLR at home. Will be interesting to see how they turn out. I used to be snobby and look down on people who used their camera phone at a major event but they have come a very long way.

My girlfriend who is a much better photographer than me anyway is taking her dslr with her so if things go too wrong I still have pictures.

Excellent idea. Nothing wrong with failsafes.

Sent from a SlimROM S3.

 

[Google_Superuser]

I was browsing the internet for android photography and found these accidently The Photojojo Store!

Seems a little gimmicky but $50 isn't exactly breaking the bank for 4 little lenses anyone use these with an S4?

I am going to see how things go tomorrow of course then decide if I want to buy anything of course but I thought it was interesting.

 

[Google_Superuser]

Results:

Everything worked out. For the most part my pictures came out pretty good. Not DSLR good but comparable to a decent point and shoot. The main issue.....the lense is just too narrow. It's very crowded at these events and sometimes it's nice to have a wider lense so you can be closer out of the way and still get the full car. Consequently I didn't really get everything I would have if I got my DSLR but it also was a lot less to carry and I think I enjoyed the event in a funner more casual way. That said if I really really knew how to use my DSLR I would blow these out of the water....but I am not an expert so the shots were "good enough" for me.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Results:

Everything worked out. For the most part my pictures came out pretty good. Not DSLR good but comparable to a decent point and shoot. The main issue.....the lense is just too narrow. It's very crowded at these events and sometimes it's nice to have a wider lense so you can be closer out of the way and still get the full car. Consequently I didn't really get everything I would have if I got my DSLR but it also was a lot less to carry and I think I enjoyed the event in a funner more casual way. That said if I really really knew how to use my DSLR I would blow these out of the water....but I am not an expert so the shots were "good enough" for me.

Couple of samples


https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-...DgR_Hw/w1719-h1289-no/IMG_20130818_131233.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-...FSAgC0/w1684-h1289-no/IMG_20130818_101715.jpg

Dead links....

 

[Google_Superuser]

oops I was rearranging things in my G+ album must have messed something up.

I think the next time I will be able to get more artistic photos vs just snapshots since I am a little more used to it now.

I had a hard time with close up photos of things like hood ornaments.

 

[Golfdriver97]

oops I was rearranging things in my G+ album must have messed something up.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-..._K416E/w1661-h1246-no/IMG_20130818_131233.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-...AUgWmc/w1661-h1246-no/IMG_20130818_101715.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...6reaJo/w1661-h1246-no/IMG_20130818_100317.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...kh1jo8/w1927-h1238-no/IMG_20130818_130935.jpg


I think the next time I will be able to get more artistic photos vs just snapshots since I am a little more used to it now.

I had a hard time with close up photos of things like hood ornaments.

Cool cars. Pics aren't bad. You should have a macro focus setting somewhere.

Sent from a SlimROM S3.

 

[Google_Superuser]

I ended up ordering some photojojo lenses after I confirmed that they would work with the S4. $50 for 4 lenses isn't bad. Hopefully they will at least offer some entertainment value. Includes a fisheye telephoto and macro lens. I'll post here once I get them.

 

[Google_Superuser]

Ok for anyone interested my photojojo lenses arrived. I think perhaps my expectations were a little high but they work as you would expect a $50 4 lense set to behave.

Telephoto: Works but the 2x doesn't make a big difference but I knew that going in.
Macro: Doesn't work at all camera cannot focus properly so they are all blury.
Wide-angle: the most useful, definitely is much wider than the bare stock lense but has quite a bit of barrelling still it adds an interesting effect and could be useful under certain circumstances.
Fish-eye: Much like the wide-angle its more useful as a fun effect than something to create quality shots with.

Overall I probably would not buy them if I had to do it again but I can't really fault them for $50 and I am glad I have them if for entertainment value if nothing else.

Also the magnetic ring that fits over the camera adds a nice level of protection for the camera when laid flat on its back without a case. It is however a bit tricky to install it has to line up perfectly to not interfere with the back. It still works with my spigen neo hybrid case.