Alex Coleman writes about camera apps and why they’re probably not worth the purchase.
After shooting extensively with the latest versions of some of these apps, including an in-depth comparison against the stock camera app, I don’t believe there’s much value in keeping them installed. Put simply, the phone manufacturers have added enough “secret sauce” to their imaging pipeline that an app just won’t create a better quality image, in most cases.
You know, I have to agree with this. Just based on my own experience, I’ve used a ton of different camera apps over the years, and eventually stopped using every single one, until now I stick with Apple’s built-in camera app.
Check It Out: Are Camera Apps Worth the Expense?
Gotta agree. Most of them don’t offer enough. Then there’s the ones that subscriptions.
Forty years ago, I insisted on a guitar amplifier (actually a bass amp) using transistors rather than tubes, as I wanted the amp separated from effects. These days there are amp effect suites for several computing platforms. Not to proliferate the unchanged sound, but to add that certain characteristic distortion (or whatever).
Some of the many camera apps for iOS and Android seem to have a similar goal: not storing the equivalent of a RAW image, but rather apply the characteristics of analog cameras or of light bleeding. Or sepia film. Others address the ease of use or your access to more functions.
Me, I have many of these light or sound apps, but I don’t use them. (Could change next minute!) I have yet to default to third-party camera apps, and something automatically saving as both JPG and RAW (like my DSLR camera) will win.
If you do astrophotography with an iPhone as I do you will definitely want to buy NightCap Camera. It is also a great app to capture night scenes.
Same here. I own a lot of paid, some higher cost photo apps, and I am a photographer for a zillion years – I have never and I’ve tested one show with Apple Camera and same shot with name your paid app (in RAW) etc – bring into Lightroom and I always came to the conclusion the Apple camera app was better photo. Either slightly or big.
Wish I could get all the money back for all those paid camera apps. Stick with apple, save money.