Camera+

I've been using this Camera+ app in the last 3 months, which is a collaboration between Canadian photographer Lisa Bettany and Taptaptap, and is now celebrating 4 million downloads.

The camera part of Camera+ is pretty straightforward, you simply point and shoot, as if you were using the iPhone’s native camera app. However, Camera+ has distinct features that really help improve the quality of your photos.

Camera+ features a grid that makes sure you’re photos are straight and helps you using the rule of thirds. As of iOS 5, iPhone's native camera app also has this feature.

Touch Exposure & Focus. Set exposure separately from focus for the ultimate control of your shots… simply touch with a 2nd finger while focusing to adjust exposure until your shot is perfect.

Image stabilizer. Basically, you turn it on, and then press the shutter. Making use of the iPhone’s built in accelerometer, the shutter button blinks red, yellow or green, depending on how still you’re holding the iPhone. Green means still, and as soon as it flashes green, Camera+ will automatically take the picture. This eliminates those blurry pictures that occur when you are unable to hold the camera still.

Lastly, Camera+ offers a bunch of features for editing and sharing your images. This is where the app really shines. The photos you take with the app are stored in the lightbox, and once you open a photo, you can apply a number of preset exposure adjustments and special effect filters. You can also crop your photos as you want and add a border. Once you’ve edited the photo to your liking, you can then save it to your iPhone camera roll, email or share it to Facebook, Flickr or Twitter, right from the app. AND, you can also import and edit photos from your camera roll into Camera+.

I think that the auto exposure did a good job adding contrast and vibrancy to my photos, certainly as well as any basic level adjustment you can do on the computer, but then you would have to import the photo, open it up in the software, and blablabla… To be able to do that right within the app is incredibly handy.

Only features I'm missing is the volume button shutter (as of iOS 5) and a noise reductor. Sometimes Camera+ (and also iPhone's native camera app) will produce images that are grainy and full of little speckles, called “noise”. A noise reduction feature that could smooth out these imperfections would be certainly welcome. #tipfordevs

Well, even being used to use DSLRs and Photoshop to create and edit my photos, I found Camera+ to be an awesome and well designed camera app to have in your iPhone/pocket. Very easy to use, great features and I'm convinced it inpires a world of creative images.

It turns out to be also a nice gift for friends and family. I bought it for my girlfriend today, let's see if she will enjoy.  :)