Mobile photography

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Mobile photography:

iPhone photographers get more than a button with ShutterGrip2

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ShutterGrip2 for smartphone photography
Get a better grip on your iPhone photography.
Photo: Just Mobile

CES 2020The iPhone is the best camera because it is already with you – that is until it slips out of your hands while taking a picture and it is damaged on impact.

Just Mobile solved this ergonomic shortcoming last year with a Bluetooth grip topped with a proper shutter button right where the index finger naturally rests on a camera.

But Just Mobile decided to attack additional mobile photography challenges with ShutterGrip2, which is currently being demoed at CES 2020 in Las Vegas.

New Samsung smartphone camera sensor is a 64-megapixel monster

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Samsung 64-Mp smartphone camera sensor
How much detail can fit on a half-inch-square canvas? We'll find out.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung says it will begin mass production later this year on a 64-megapixel smartphone camera sensor, the most powerful salvo in the megapixel war among the smartphone companies.

A megapixel-packed half-inch sensor is only as good as the accompanying software and with highly regarded sensors in its current Galaxy smartphones, Samsung’s announcement today makes some rather exciting claims.

Killer underwater photos could be iPhone’s next big camera upgrade

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underwater iPhone photography
Future iPhones could encourage users to dive into underwater photography.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

The iPhone makes a pretty nice picture underwater. Whether it’s with a 6s in a waterproof case or the latest submersible iPhone XS, you can record an image that rivals any picture produced with a dedicated underwater camera.

But only in a limited range of conditions and with a little luck.

Now, Apple believes it can improve future iPhone cameras to automatically sense when a picture is being made underwater and adjust according to light, depth and the degree of murkiness.

Is iPhone in danger of losing its photography crown? [Opinion]

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iPhone camera
The Nokia 9 PureView has five main cameras.
Photo: Nokia

On Sunday, Nokia quietly launched a first-of-its-kind smartphone called PureView with an array of five main cameras on its backplate.

Apple set a high bar just two years ago with the dual-camera iPhone 7 Plus. In a year where iPhone users are waiting for Apple to release its first model with a third camera, it’s hard not to feel like Apple has fallen behind in the mobile photography space it defined and owned.

Galaxy S10+ tops iPhone XS in new camera rankings

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Galaxy S10+ camera
Can Samsung's top-rated camera system convince you to switch?
Photo: Samsung

The ink on all the press Samsung is getting for its new line of Galaxy smartphones is barely dry, but the camera on the S10+ already has received top marks from testing lab DxOMark.

One of five new Galaxy phones launched this week, the S10+ tied two Huawei handsets as the best-rated smartphones for mobile photographers.

Galaxy S10 cameras look promising, but will they deliver?

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Galaxy S10 cameras
Lots of new Samsung Galaxy smartphones, all with multiple cameras.
Screenshot: Samsung

The cameras on the Samsung Galaxy smartphones have always ranked among the best. But there were always two or three other smartphones that kept the Samsung cameras from being the leader.

Samsung hopes to change that after launching new smartphones today that feature multiple cameras, new effects and a partnership with Instagram that builds the photo-sharing app directly into the native camera.

iPhone photographer turns lengthy commutes into works of art

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Dina Alfasi
Israeli photographer Dina Alfasi finds beauty in her work commute.
Photo: Dina Alfasi

Dina Alfasi is like most commuters. As soon as she finds a seat on the train or bus, she pulls out her iPhone.

Alfasi may look like she is catching up with emails, streaming music or reading the news. Instead, Alfasi is making a discreet photograph of the person across from her.

iPhone snaps top pics for Mobile Photography Awards

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Mobile Photography Awards
This street scene photographed by Nobuko Kmiya with an iPhone X won in the Darkness category.
Photo: Nobuko Kmiya

The winners of the eighth-annual Mobile Photography Awards were announced today and it is likely there are some members of the jury still losing sleep over the selections.

First place is awarded in 19 categories followed by a slew of honorable mentions most stunning enough to hold down top honors.

The jury slogged through more than 7,000 images from 65 countries.

Pixel 3 camera proves its might in DxOMark test

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Pixel 3 camera
The Pixel 3 camera has an eye on the competition.
Photo: Google

The iPhone XR is the best single-camera smartphone on the market.

Well, it was for about two weeks. The XR now shares the mantle with Google’s Pixel 3.

Google’s new flagship handset achieved the same ranking as the iPhone XR by the engineers who test mobile phone cameras for DxOMark Image Labs.

Adobe Lightroom plays nice with new iPad Pro and Apple Pencil

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Adobe Lightroom
Lightroom mobile updates bring Apple's latest mobile tools into the fold.
Illustration: Adobe

Adobe added fresh tasks to its iOS version of Lightroom so that it can be used with Apple’s newest mobile tools.

Beginning today, Lightroom Mobile will support both the latest iPad Pro models and the redesigned Apple Pencil. With the pencil, users can double-tap to switch between paint and erase modes with certain tools.

Moment releases sharpest iPhone telephoto lens yet

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Best iPhone photo accessories
The 58 mm telephoto lens.
Photo: Moment

Mobile photography lensmaker Moment just launched a redesigned telephoto attachment for the iPhone, boasting that it’s sharper than any other smartphone glass on the market.

The 58mm lens works on single- or dual-lens handsets. Pair it with the iPhone XS for a true 100mm optical reach.

olloclip’s new Pro lenses make iPhone cameras even better

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olloclip lenses
Going wide with the new Super-Wide Pro lens from olloclip.
Photo: olloclip

olloclip, one of the best brands in smartphone lens attachments, today rolled out a new line of Pro and intro lenses that will expand the view of the iPhone’s native camera.

The new lenses, which include super-wide and telephoto pro lenses, are part of olloclip’s expanding Connect X line, a mount-lens system developed for the iPhone X.

Pixel 3 camera taps into Google’s AI to top iPhone

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Pixel 3 camera
The Pixel 3 camera has an eye on the competition.
Photo: Google

Google called its new Pixel 3 “the best end-to-end photography experience” Tuesday and has adopted features and marketing strategies that made the iPhone a global success and camera industry game-changer.

But marketing and megapixels will not be where these two smartphone cameras do battle. The competition shifts to artificial intelligence and how it makes each phone camera perform.

iPhone XS Max camera takes second place in DxOMark rankings

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iPhone data privacy
Data privacy comes with the price.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The iPhone XS Max camera is one of the best mobile cameras ever tested by the digital camera testing lab DxOMark. It’s just not as good as Huawei’s triple-camera P20 Pro, the tests show.

The XS Max scored a 105, four points less than the flagship of its Chinese competitor, a result only wonky photophiles are likely to debate ad nauseam.

LG latest smartphone to one-up Apple on camera count

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LG V40
The LG V40 and its many cameras.
Photo: LG

Korean electronic’s giant LG is teasing the rollout of a new smartphone with multiple cameras.

The LG V40 will feature three cameras on the back plus two front-facing cameras, joining Samsung and Huawei in what is shaping up to be a marketing war featuring the phone with the most cameras.

iPhone pix of craggy lunar surface sends photog over the moon

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iPhone moon pictures
Here's what you get when you mount an iPhone to a telescope.
Photo: Tom White

An iPhone 7 is not the first camera you’d think about when figuring out how to get good shots of the moon. It certainly wasn’t Tom White’s first choice.

But after trying to get his DSLR mounted to a telescope just so, White wondered if his iPhone could do the job. The end result feels like the view astronauts would have from an Apollo command module in the moon’s orbit.

Galaxy A7 one-ups Apple with three-camera smartphone

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Galaxy A7
Samsung's latest has three cameras.
Photo: Samsung

While the camera upgrades have some Apple fans considering paying the price of a MacBook for an iPhone, Samsung announced a three-camera smartphone today that will retail for about $400.

While Apple is reportedly on track for a three-camera iPhone sometime next year, the Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 joins Huawei’s P20 Pro as the only handsets to feature a third rear-facing lens.

Travel photog ‘thrilled’ with iPhone XS camera

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iPhone XS review
Austin Mann in Zanzibar with the iPhone XS.
Screenshot: Austin Mann/Vimeo

Travel photographer Austin Mann, among the first to get an iPhone XS for testing, expected to be underwhelmed before his shoot in Zanzibar off the east coast of Africa.

However, the upgrades to the camera left him impressed, saying “I’ve never worked with a camera that can balance light like this – not even close.”

Phoneslinger is a fancy fanny pack for iPhone photogs

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Phoneslinger
Mobile photography from the hip.
Photo: Cozyspeed

The serious iPhone photographer has forsaken their DSLR and the weight of a bag full of gear. But they’re running out of pockets.

That’s because mobile photographers, much like a DSLR shooter, are starting to carry some of the same accessories: lens attachments, filters, a battery, jump drive, and a tripod.

Carrying a bag feels like a cumbersome step backward. A Phoneslinger could keep you quick on the draw.

Smartphones covered in camera lenses will change everything

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multi-camera smartphones
Take a picture or nine with this smartphone prototype from Light.
Photo: Light via Photo Rumors

Mobile phone photography has been through a mostly meaningless megapixel war. Now on to the next battle – the smartphone with the most cameras.

Apple, true to its playbook, will watch while other companies fire opening salvos with smartphones packing three or more lenses.

Now you can use olloclip lenses with all your devices

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olloclip
One mobile photography lens amount for many devices
Photo: olloclip

Rarely is a mobile phone lens attachment one-size-fits-all. But olloclip’s new Multi-Device Clip may come the closest.

Announced by the California-based company this morning, the new clip brings flush alignment of the camera and ollociip lens, even on handsets with screen protectors and thin protective cases.

Future iPhones may pack moving camera sensors for external lenses

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Moment lens on iPhone
Don't retire that wide-angle lens attachment just yet.
Photo: Moment

A lens attachment can extend the view of your native iPhone camera. It can also botch an otherwise nice image if not attached properly.

Apple is suggesting hardware and software changes to the iPhone and iPad camera systems that can reduce operator error and aid an extra lens in delivering that promised DSLR quality.

These eye-catching iPhone photos win top contest honors

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IPPA 2018
Rohingya children watching an awareness film about health and sanitation near Tangkhali refugee camp in Ukhiya. Shot with iPhone 7.
Photo: Jashim Salam

Behold the possibilities of what could happen when you take your iPhone out of your pocket to make a picture.

Below is the ultimate camera roll, the first place award-winning pictures from the 11th iPhone Photography Awards, announced today in New York City.

Cinematic photo app uses AI to fix your snaps

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Relonch camera app
Relonch Alfred plans to add cinematic style to its AI-fueled photo app.
Photo: Relonch

In 2016, a startup called Relonch started a camera club and next-day image editing service that was largely panned online by photographers.

Who would pay $99 per month to use a camera they will never own plus $1 per professionally retouched photo? The iPhone and other capable smartphone cameras now dominate photography, helping novices and pros make great pictures instantly styled with the touch of an app.