Snapseed, the forgotten photo editor from Google that surprisingly started receiving major updates for the iOS app last year, is officially alive and well. After lying dormant without significant updates for years, Google shipped a major Snapseed 3.0 release in June 2025 with a redesigned editor and grid photo layout. Regular updates keep coming in, but only for the iOS app, with the latest one introducing a "Snapseed Camera" feature with retro film filters.

It's safe to say that Snapseed is officially back. The app is clearly getting attention at Google, with iOS updates coming at a solid pace and Android updates confirmed to be on the way. At a time when filters and nostalgic, anti-processing camera apps like Zerocam or Halide Process Zero are gaining buzz, Snapseed has the potential to be something special.

When Snapseed's latest updates start making their way to the Android app in a few months, I'll immediately start using it on my Android phones — and it seems like a perfect match for Google Pixels.

Snapseed for iOS is now a revamped photo editor

Google's update to Snapseed for iOS last year took us by surprise, and the improvements were tangible. The app gained a minimalist Google design language — somewhat opposite of Material 3 Expressive — with a refreshed iOS icon and a clean photo grid UI. After selecting a photo, you can edit it using three tabs: Looks, Faves, and Tools.

The new Faves tab holds specific tools you've added as favorites for rapid access. It replaces the former Export tab in the old UI, with the Tools tab shifting right to make way for Faves in the center. A share button is now available in the top-right corner to handle the Save to original (replaces the original image with your edits that can be reverted), Save copy (adds duplicate image with your edits that can be reverted), and Export (makes a copy with permanent changes you can't revert) options.

There are more than 25 tools available in the Snapseed editor across four categories: Adjust & Correct, Retouch & Transform, Style, and Creative.

What's interesting about Snapseed as a photo editor is that it blends professional-grade tools with easy-to-use and shareable filters. One one end, you have RAW editing support and color correction curves. On the other, there are film filters that feel like a blast from the past of social media's early days. It's accessible to all and feels easier to navigate than the Google Photos editor.

It's a fun camera with film filters, too

The newest update, version 3.11, adds the "Snapseed Camera" — a retro point-and-shoot capture tool featuring film filters inspired by authentic stocks from brands like Kodak, Fujifilm, and Polaroid. The update began rolling out last month with the interactive, skeuomorphic viewfinder (via 9to5Google).

It's somewhat difficult to access the Snapseed Camera if you don't know how to reveal it. There isn't a button in the Snapseed app that opens the Snapseed Camera. This keeps the main app a photo editor first and foremost. However, those that want to play around with the Snapseed Camera can add a Control Center toggle or change their Camera Control default camera app to Snapseed.

When you first try out the Snapseed Camera, it'll let you know that the selected film style and strength is rendered in the viewfinder in real time. The film grain, though, is rendered after the photo is taken. You can switch films, enable color themes, and control your camera flash to personalize the look of your film-esque photos. The camera functionality supports both the selfie and rear cameras.

Here's the full list of film styles available in the Snapseed Camera:

• KP1: Inspired by Kodak Portra 400
• KP2: Inspired by Kodak Portra 160
• KG1: Inspired by Kodak Gold 200
• KE1: Inspired by Kodak E200
• FS1: Inspired by Fuji Superia 200
• FS2: Inspired by Fuji Superia 800
• FP1: Inspired by Fuji Pro 400h
• AG1: Inspired by Agfa Optima 200
• AS1: Inspired by Agfa Scala 200
• PD1: Inspired by Polaroid 600
• TC1: Inspired by Technicolor

More so than the photo editing features, the Snapseed Camera is where Google can really make its mark with the revamped Snapseed app.

We're living at a time when people are craving nostalgia, and things like record players and film cameras are making a comeback. Brand-new cameras like the Fuji X Half are coming out with the sole purpose of facilitating intentional photography habits and styles that resemble film. The Snapseed Camera does the exact same thing, with a fantastic interface and the hardware you already own.

Yes, Google cares about Snapseed for Android

It's easy for Android users to see Snapseed receive updates for iOS and feel left out. I've seen plenty of theories for why Google has prioritized Apple devices in the early relaunch of Snapseed, and frankly, they're all just speculation. Google started with iOS for reasons unknown, but the process of updating Snapseed for Android is currently underway.

Giles Ochs, the product manager for Snapseed, confirmed in a Reddit post last month that the team began work on updating the Android app in November 2025. "While we’re still a few months away from you all seeing updates, please stay tuned," Ochs wrote. "For all the Android users, please let us know if there is anything that you’d really like to see in the app."

Thanks, happy holidays and a note on Android from r/snapseed

So, that makes it official. While Android users will need to wait a few more months before getting the upgraded Snapseed app, they can rest easy knowing updates are coming eventually. I couldn't be more excited to try out the revamped Snapseed editor and film camera on Android phones later in 2026.

Welcome to Tech Talk, a weekly column about the things we use and how they work. We try to keep it simple here so everyone can understand how and why the gadget in your hand does what it does.

Things may become a little technical at times, as that's the nature of technology — it can be complex and intricate. Together we can break it all down and make it accessible, though!

You might not care how any of this stuff happens, and that's OK, too. Your tech gadgets are personal and should be fun. You never know though, you might just learn something ...

One to one

You might have a dedicated macro setting on your phone; a lot of phones have them now. That doesn't mean you have a macro lens per se, but phones break all the "rules" when it comes to photography, so it works. If you see the word "macro" or a little flower icon in your camera software, you have, for all intents and purposes, a macro lens.

But what does that really mean? Probably not what you think.

A macro lens setup is a method for capturing a 1:1 photograph. That means the size on your display is the same size as real life. It doesn't mean the subject is magnified or you can zoom way in, just that the size of what you see is "right." Probably not exact, but don't use a macro photo as an engineering drawing; however, it's close enough so that our eyes perceive it the right size.

Think of taking a picture of an ant. If you point your phone at an ant, you're going to get a picture with a tiny black dot where an ant is. Now imagine seeing the ant closer, close enough to see its head, maybe. A regular camera setup isn't going to be able to recreate that, but a macro lens can.

Remember that "the same size" is relative. We're talking about the viewfinder of your camera here. If I take a macro picture of my angelfish like I did above, the size you see while reading this is probably not the same size it was when I saw it in the viewfinder. What's important is that the details are preserved, even at very close distances.

A macro lens is what you need to capture all the tiny details and retain them once the photo is enlarged.

How does it work? Can I just use a "normal" setup?

Sometimes, you can achieve the same quality in the details using a regular camera lens, but usually, you won't. That's because a macro setup is not simply a regular lens with close-focusing capabilities. It's an instrument optimized for extreme close-ups and to perform flawlessly at the edge of visibility.

You'll need a few basic hardware components to get started. On your phone, some of these are actually done via software, but like I said, phones break the rules. What's important is that the setup can focus at very close distances, has a flat field to make the entire photo sharp, and the ability to adjust the focal length while adjusting anything else. Some cameras can even go extreme and use a higher magnification, such as 2:1 or even 3:1, and act as a sort of microscope.

Most importantly, all this needs to be optimized. Whether you have a big full-frame camera and a $2,000 prime macro lens or something like a Motorola Razr (which has a great macro setting in its camera), none of it will work unless it produces a picture with the right color, sharpness, and contrast.

Macro myths

When we all started to realize we had a good camera with us all the time on our phones, most didn't have any macro setting. That means we learned to compromise in amazing ways.

Now that it has become commonplace, there are some leftover myths to dispel.

Myth 1: Macro lenses are ONLY for tiny things. False! Their exceptional sharpness and versatile focal lengths make them excellent for portraits and general photography. A proper macro setup will actually focus out to infinity while maintaining a 1:1 view.

Myth 2: You NEED a macro lens for ALL close-ups. Not necessarily. Take food photography as an example. You don't want or need to see every crumbly Parmesan cheese edge on your spaghetti. You can achieve a very nice and artistic photo with a normal lens, even at close distance, if you're willing to sacrifice some of those tiny details.

Myth 3: More light is better. Not necessarily. The quality and direction of light are crucial. A macro photo is one of the few times you might want to try using the flash to freeze motion and control shadows. You want the details to be clear and unobstructed as well as bright enough to see.

Myth 4: Small apertures (f/22+) always mean sharper macro. Nope! Diffraction can soften your image at extremely small apertures. You want the aperture set small enough to make sure everything in the viewfinder is crisp and clear, then stop. Any smaller won't make it better.

Myth 5: Cropping is a substitute for magnification. Not always. You can crop the result to frame it in the right spot, and a small bit of magnification will happen. When you crop in close, you need a high-magnification image (such as a 1:1 image) to avoid ending up with a blurry mess where the details should be.

You should try it!

A macro photo is a great way to capture a detailed image of something like the traces on the back of a circuit board. That can be very helpful and means you don't need to keep examining the actual board to follow along.

Fortunately, macro photography is a great way to capture some beautiful and interesting images as well. Your end result doesn't have to be a sterile carbon copy of what was there to begin with, and the same types of creative editing you apply to a "normal" photo work in the same way.

If your phone has a macro setting, use it to the fullest and see what you can achieve. If it doesn't, remember the goal is a sharp, clear photo that's well-lit. You can often take the same type of picture with a regular setup, too.

If nothing else, you're going to have fun and, really, isn't that what matters?

Welcome to Tech Talk, a weekly column about the things we use and how they work. We try to keep it simple here so everyone can understand how and why the gadget in your hand does what it does.

Things may become a little technical at times, as that's the nature of technology — it can be complex and intricate. Together we can break it all down and make it accessible, though!

You might not care how any of this stuff happens, and that's OK, too. Your tech gadgets are personal and should be fun. You never know though, you might just learn something ...

How does Night Mode work?

Ever wondered how your smartphone, a tiny device you carry in your pocket, can capture stunningly clear photos of a starry night sky or a dimly lit city street? It's a question that's probably crossed your mind while scrolling through your gallery. The magic behind those impressive night shots isn't a single feature, but a symphony of hardware and software working in perfect harmony.

It's a far cry from the blurry, noisy images that were once the hallmark of low-light photography on older phones. Today's "night sight" and "astrophotography" photos are a testament to how far mobile technology has come.

A great night shot begins with the most fundamental component: the camera sensor. Think of the sensor as the camera's eye, capturing light and converting it into an electrical signal. In low-light situations, the challenge is to gather as much light as possible.

A camera sensor can see a lot more than your eye can, and sees more colors. That's why photos of the Northern Lights looked better than the real thing; the camera processed all that information we couldn't see into something we can.

This is why a larger sensor can be important. A bigger sensor has more surface area, allowing it to collect even more photons (light particles) and produce a cleaner, less noisy image.

Alongside a larger sensor, a wider aperture helps, too. The aperture is the opening in the lens that lets light in. A wider aperture, represented by a smaller f-number (e.g., f/1.8 vs. f/2.2), allows more light to reach the sensor in a given amount of time. This combination of a large sensor and a wide aperture is the hardware foundation of a good night camera.

Now for the software magic

But hardware is only a small part of the story. The real secret sauce is the software, which uses a technique called computational photography. This is the brain behind the brawn, processing and enhancing the raw data captured by the sensor. The most important technique in this arsenal is image stacking.

When you press the shutter button in night sight mode, your phone doesn't just take one picture. It takes a rapid-fire series of photos, often a dozen or more, in a second or two. These individual photos are all slightly different, some a little underexposed, others slightly overexposed. They all contain a bit of noise, too, but the noise is random and different in each frame. That's important, and means that with enough frames, you can have a clear set of data for everything.

After capturing these multiple images, the phone's processor gets to work. It aligns all the frames, compensating for any minor hand shake you might have had while holding the phone. Then, it uses a sophisticated algorithm to "stack" them on top of each other.

By averaging the pixel values of all the aligned images, the random noise that appeared in each individual photo is effectively canceled out, leaving behind a much cleaner, sharper base image. This is a lot like how a student might get a more accurate grade by averaging the scores from multiple tests instead of just one.

Off to you, AI

The process doesn't stop there. Once the noise is reduced, the software performs further processing to enhance the final image. It "intelligently" brightens the darker areas of the photo without blowing out the highlights. It also adjusts the contrast and color balance to make the image look more natural and vibrant. This is where different smartphone brands develop their unique "look."

Google's Pixel 9, for example, is known for its strong emphasis on realistic colors and contrast, while other manufacturers like Samsung might opt for a more vibrant, saturated look with the Galaxy S25.

AI also helps the software identify objects in the scene, like faces or landscapes, and apply specific optimizations to make them look their best.

This is why every "night mode" photo you take will look a little bit different. The source may be the same, but there is a bit of wiggle room for the software to process everything. It may slightly change the color, sharpen some areas more than others, and even make the edges of objects slightly different. The end goal is to produce something that meets a set of overall parameters that we like to see.

The next time you marvel at a stunning night shot from your phone, remember what's happening under the hood. It's not just a lucky shot. It's a complex, multi-step process that starts with an adequate sensor and lens, captures a burst of images, uses powerful software to stack and average them, and then intelligently enhances the final product.

It's a perfect example of how computational photography has democratized a once-specialized area of photography, allowing everyone to capture beautiful images even when the sun has gone down.

We've come a long way

The journey from grainy, unusable night photos to the clear, vibrant images we see today has been a rapid one. Early smartphone cameras were simply not equipped for low-light conditions. Their small sensors and narrow apertures meant they couldn't gather enough light. To compensate, the camera would increase its sensitivity (a setting called ISO), which made the image brighter but introduced a massive amount of noise, turning the photo into a pixelated mess.

The breakthrough came with the realization that instead of trying to capture a perfect image in a single shot, it was better to use software to combine multiple imperfect shots. This idea, which had been used in professional astrophotography for years, was adapted for the mobile world.

Google's introduction of Night Sight on the Pixel 3 in 2018 was a landmark moment, popularizing the concept and pushing other manufacturers to develop their own versions. Apple's Night Mode, Samsung's Night Mode, and others all follow a similar principle of computational photography using specialized hardware and custom software.

These features have fundamentally changed how we think about mobile photography. They've given us the ability to capture moments that were once impossible without a bulky DSLR camera and a tripod.

Tips for Taking Better Night Photos with Your Phone

Even with all this technology, there are a few simple things you can do to get the best possible night shots.

Hold Still: This is the most important tip. Since the phone is taking multiple photos over a few seconds, any movement can cause blur. Find a stable surface to rest your phone on, or simply hold it as still as you possibly can.

Tap to Focus: Before you press the shutter, tap on the darkest part of the scene to tell the camera where to focus and expose correctly. This will help the phone's algorithm work more effectively.

Clean Your Lens: A smudged lens can make a huge difference in low light. A quick wipe with a soft cloth can improve sharpness and reduce glare from light sources.

Don't Zoom: Digital zoom is a recipe for a blurry, noisy mess. It's always better to get closer to your subject or crop the photo later.

Packing for a work trip always involves trade-offs. Do I want to bring my Steam Deck for the long flight, or would it make more sense to use that space for the tea kettle I like to bring to hotels? Can I fit my DSLR and tripod, or will I have to figure out something else? Maybe I can just pack lighter and get away with not having to lug around a bunch of equipment.

For my Meta Connect trip at the end of September, I decided the DSLR and tripod were staying home. Instead, I'd bring along the Vivo X100 Pro, a phone that quickly impressed me with its extraordinarily good camera that outshines even the Google Pixel 9 Pro in my testing.

Among the many things Vivo does well is a portrait mode that evokes the same feeling of photos taken from a DSLR with a nice, low aperture. Phones have attempted to do this for years but many fall short of clipping the subject out properly as we've proven time and time again in our camera reviews.

Did the Vivo X100 Pro effectively replace my DSLR? Yes and no, but I was quite happy with the results overall and would be comfortable repeating the experiment again for my next big event.

Why this phone?

Plenty of Android phones have excellent cameras, but I had heard the Vivo X100 series beat everything else by a country mile. Sure enough, when I got the phone in mid-September, I took it out for a spin to see what it could really do. The results blew me away and made me wonder if it could replace my main camera for something as important as work.

Don't believe me? Check out the shots above to see what I mean. The bokeh was as exquisite as the food I was about to feast on. The lighting was perfect, and the details were immaculate. If any phone could do the job, surely it was this one.

Changing workflows

Vivo offers both automatic and manual modes, plus the ability to output to JPG and RAW formats. I always shoot in RAW from a DSLR because editing RAW photos in Photoshop is the most effective way to get the best picture. It removes all the extra processing and allows the sensor to shine. Plus, it opens up editing layers that simply don't exist in the JPG format.

During my hands-on time with the Meta Quest 3S, I made sure to take several photos in JPG and RAW to ensure I had enough good photos to work with. That would not only give me the ability to directly compare the quality between the two outputs but also deliver an extra layer of editing if I needed to fall back on the RAW photos.

After all, the entire point of this experiment was to pack lighter and reduce my photo editing workload for these trips, something that often takes a significant chunk of my time when writing up an article afterward. I was pleasantly surprised to see how close the JPG version of the photos came out, even if the RAW still delivered the best result.

The JPG version of the image required less editing but produced a slightly worse result because of the image exposure. Contrast is punchier, but there are also a few blown-out highlights on my shoulder and the side of the Quest 3S because both are bright white objects,

But it turns out that editing JPG vs RAW wasn't necessarily going to be the challenge in this particular hands-on session. It was the lighting that was the problem.

That's because the LEDs lighting the space all suffered from some serious PWM flicker, which ended up ruining several shots. Take this one of the Quest 3S controller, for instance. It's just one of dozens that's useless because of the horrible artifacts created by this effect.

The only way to combat PWM lighting showing up in a photo is to adjust the shutter speed. This becomes a problem in darker spaces because you have to make the shutter speed faster. Since less light comes into the sensor with a faster shutter speed, ISO has to be ramped up which creates noise.

Vivo's Pro mode made manual adjustments easy, but I don't think the UI is any better than similar ones on phones like the OnePlus 12. That's not a bad thing. In fact, I don't think there's any real room for improvement here.

This meant auto mode was pretty much out of the question and I definitely needed to be shooting in RAW so I can harness as much post-process editing as possible. I had to delete plenty of photos but that's not much different from the way it would have worked with a DSLR.

The next day, I used the Vivo X100 Pro to capture as much imagery as possible of the Meta Connect keynote. That included both stage shots and zoomed portrait shots of speakers on the stage. This is where I missed a DSLR with a dedicated zoom lens the most.

All four of the images above look really good on a phone screen, but zooming in or pulling them up on a larger display immediately shows the flaws. Whether or not most people will zoom in and pick them apart is a different conversation entirely, but this is where I found the difference to be the biggest between this excellent phone and a DSLR camera.

Quality check

On its own, I was extremely happy with what the Vivo X100 Pro delivered for that work trip, but how does it compare to a DSLR or the rest of the best smartphone cameras? I use a Panasonic Lumix GH5 as my main camera for work, but I don't typically lug it around with me outside of that.

Putting the Vivo X100 Pro against my DSLR proved that I really don't need a DSLR in most circumstances.

While there are some notable differences between the Vivo and my DSLR in the images above, you really have to zoom in and nitpick them. More importantly, all of the Vivo shots are taken from the phone's portrait mode without any additional processing. All of the shots from my DSLR were captured in RAW and edited after.

The fact that I can get something so close to a DSLR from this phone with zero editing afterward speaks volumes about its quality. I also included four of my favorite shots taken from the Vivo X100 Pro in the gallery above after the side-by-side comparison images to further illustrate the quality this phone's camera can produce.

So, what about direct phone camera comparisons? Our phone choices in the U.S. are pretty crappy, but Google Pixel phones typically win in blind camera tests, so I put the Vivo head to head-against the Pixel 9 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

In my opinion, the Vivo X100 Pro handily won across the board, but it doesn't mean it did everything perfectly. The exposure and overall colors of the Google Pixel 9 Pro's photos are more natural than the Vivo X100 Pro's photos. The X100 Pro offers a Zeiss-tuned natural color option in regular photo mode, but portrait mode strips these options out.

It also slightly overexposed the photo of the restaurant, while the Pixel 9 Pro got it spot on. However, it proved to be a nice middle ground on the image of the backlit yellow tree, as the photo from the Galaxy S24 Ultra was unnaturally bright, and the photo from the Pixel 9 Pro was a tad too dark.

I also love the way the photo of the Halloween decorations came out on the Vivo X100 Pro. The exposure is just as good as the Pixel 9 Pro's photo, yet it has much more detail when you zoom in.

Additionally, the close-up photo of the orange Fall leaves has a much nicer background, blurring on the Vivo X100 Pro's shot compared to the Pixel 9 Pro. Google's portrait mode hasn't been particularly good for several years now, and a photo like this highlights the problems it has with background blurring compared to other phones.

Overall, I've been incredibly impressed with the Vivo X100 Pro's camera. It offers stunning quality with the best portrait mode I've used on any phone to date. Amazingly, this isn't Vivo's best phone in 2024. That award goes to the Vivo X100 Ultra, and Vivo just released the Vivo X200 series in China as well.

Suppose you live in the U.S. like I do, getting a phone like the Vivo X100 Pro isn't always straightforward. My unit came from an eBay shop that's well-known and respected, but it's uncommon to hop on Amazon and buy one with a full warranty from Vivo. This same problem exists with phones from Honor, Xiaomi, Oppo, and lots of other brands.

This begs the question: Is it worth investing in a phone like the Vivo X100 Pro instead of a new camera, or should you just stick with the best you can get in your own country? I'm comfortable paying for a phone like this, but if you do, I'd recommend keeping a backup around just in case something happens.

I've used many phones that are not sold officially in the U.S. and have never had a serious issue, but that doesn't mean issues can't crop up. I can safely say that this phone has replaced my need for a DSLR in many situations, giving it enough additional value to make it worthwhile for me. I will, without a doubt, be bringing it on other trips in the future, and that's a huge testament to how good Vivo's camera systems have become.

Fall is my favorite season of the year, but orange, yellow, and red canvas is only around for a depressingly short period of time. Now that we're at the tail end of peak autumn colors in most locales, there's still one way to capture the fading golden glory: Golden Hour.

Named for the distinct gold hue the Sun delivers at the end of the day, Golden Hour can transform your fall photos into something far more dramatic and stunning than they would when taken even just an hour earlier in the day. It's also known in the cinematography world as Magic Hour since the Sun's luminance often matches the luminance of human-made light sources like street lights and signs.

But "Golden Hour" isn't a contiguous hour, despite the name. Its duration depends entirely on where you live and the time of year, split between morning and evening. According to this handy Golden Hour calculator website, the Golden Hour where I live only lasts around 35 minutes in the morning and another 35 minutes in the evening in early November. This doesn't change much throughout the continental U.S., but it might be different for you.

So go ahead and look up when your Golden Hour occurs, find a spot where you've still got some beautiful fall foliage, and follow me below for a few quick tips on how to best capture the mood with the best Android camera phones.

Golden Hour goodness

Taking any picture during Golden Hour can automatically make it feel more fall-like, but there are a few things I recommend trying to further enhance the unique qualities of the light during this brief moment in time.

Since Golden Hour focuses so heavily on the waning (or beginning) light, the unique color, ambiance, and long shadows all help to deliver a special quality that's worth harnessing in your photos. For example, a photo of a colorful oak or maple leaf looks nice enough with the golden light, but getting behind the leaf to see the Sun shine through the leaf can be even more beautiful.

Leaves change color in the fall because the chlorophyll that usually makes them green isn't being made by the tree anymore, causing the other colors to shine through. This also gives the leaves a more transparent quality, helping the sun glow through them in a way that looks uniquely autumnal.

During Golden Hour, the sun's light is dimmer and warmer because of the curvature of the Earth. Following the strongest bits of light left and contrasting that with dimmer surrounding light is a great way to further enhance the colors you're seeing.

In the photo above, taken with a OnePlus 12, I was looking through the tree canopy lower down to see the sun beaming its rays onto a higher elevation. Since the sun is behind me and the hill I'm standing on, my surroundings are dim and less colorful, helping to create more dramatic colors on the horizon.

Portrait mode creates depth

Modern phones all ship with a portrait mode, which uses AI to artificially blur objects and make them appear in or out of focus. While these modes are primarily designed for portrait shots of humans or animals, they can work very well with other well-defined subjects like leaves, trees, acorns, or other fall favorites.

While it sounds backwards at first, partially obstructing your subject is one of the best ways to focus on that subject. You can also use this tactic to frame a subject in a photo similar to what I did with the fence in front of the maple in the photo above.

But the object in the foreground doesn't have to be quite as large or obvious as that one. Anything that helps provide a bit of depth to a photo automatically makes it look more interesting. The purpose here is to make a scene look more like it might appear to the human eye by providing a very specific focal point while everything else is out of focus.

Try to avoid using portrait mode on wide or complex subjects, though. In the photo above, I was trying to capture a wider version of the sun behind the tree's leaves. While the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has one of the best cameras on any Android phone, even it can deeply struggle to understand what my intent was here and what needs to be blurred.

The result is a mess of an image that doesn't have many of the right things in focus. Remember, while phone cameras are unbelievably good and regularly capture images that look like they're from a more expensive, dedicated camera, they're still only trying to imitate those cameras.

Since software is trying to emulate the way light travels through a physical lens, some phones just perform this trick better. I've found that the Vivo X100 Pro captures photos that look more like they came from a DSLR than any other phone I have in my possession.

Contrasting colors and shadows

One of the best ways to make fall foliage pop is to capture a vibrant tree canopy against the cool, deep blue of the evening sky. During Golden Hour, you might notice that the sky's blue is extra bold, while the warmer rays of the sun help highlight the comforting tones of Fall foliage.

Putting opposites next to each other is a classic photography term called juxtaposing, and it's often used in stories and films to highlight stark differences.

Because of the extra dramatic tones created by Golden Hour, these types of juxtaposition feel extra special and often deliver and even grander vision of you beheld in real life.

As the sun sets, shadows begin to get longer and more dramatic than during the day. This tree covered in berries sits behind another tree and might have been overlooked during the day, but during Golden Hour, it comes alive because of the contrast between the other tree's big shadows and the way the light bounces off the vibrant red berries.

Try to find normal spaces where long shadows can paint an interesting picture or help further juxtapose an already impressive view. I also toyed around with taking photos of picnic tables in the area that cast extra-long shadows. Fun ideas like this don't always pan out, but sometimes you just need to change the angle, and a new vision comes to life.

No matter what phone you're using to take a photo, Golden Hour can help make the most of the waning Fall foliage and create memories that'll be worth framing or using as a wallpaper for the remainder of the season.

Once upon a time, camera shutter buttons on Android phones were commonplace. But, as time went on, manufacturers discovered that people didn't often use these buttons. Many smartphone photography enthusiasts complained on forums but, ultimately, most phones opted for a more simplified approach without these buttons.

This year, the iPhone 16 debuted with the first physical camera shutter button on an iPhone, reigniting interest in what was considered a niche feature. Android phones like the Sony Xperia series never removed the camera shutter button, but Apple's hybrid capacitive key offers a wider range of functionality than we've seen before. Still, I wonder if it makes sense to include it.

So I decided to put this question to the test. Are physical camera buttons more convenient? Do they allow you to take a picture faster? Is it worth spending money on a phone that specifically opts for this kind of feature? You might be surprised at the answer.

Is it actually faster?

I was certain that a dedicated button would launch the camera faster but a simple test I put together proved me wrong.

Instead of testing the "raw" launch speed, I wanted to see if a button would make a difference in a real-world scenario. Because of this, I tested the time it took me to pull the phone out of my pocket, launch the camera, and take a picture. I tested phones from half a dozen brands including OnePlus, Honor, Samsung, Motorola, Google, and Apple.

The results are rather telling. The Nubia Z60 Ultra Photographer Edition came in quickest with a 3.3-second time. A big part of this was being able to easily launch the camera with the dedicated switch on the right side of the phone, but I still used the software viewfinder button to take the photo.

The OnePlus 12 came in second place with a 3.51-second time, which was achieved by double-tapping the power button when I pulled the phone out of my pocket. The slowest time went to the iPhone 14 Pro Max when I used the lock screen method where you slide to the left to start the camera, taking around 4.5 seconds.

Gestures and workarounds

While a dedicated camera shutter button offers a level of convenience — and, sometimes, added functionality — many companies offer compelling alternatives for base functionality.

I prefer to launch the camera by double-tapping the power button. This is offered on virtually every Android phone on the market — a few phones have you double-tap the volume down button, instead — and it makes launching the camera at any time a breeze.

If I ever find a time where a physical shutter button is needed when using the camera — like when taking a group photo with the selfie camera or more reliably taking underwater photos — the volume buttons on the side of the phone work just fine. Again, virtually every Android phone is configured out of the box to make these keys capture a photo and it completely replaces a simple one-click shutter button.

Many of the gestures offered were hit or miss depending on the company. I never had a failure with double-tapping the power button on the OnePlus 12 or Pixel phones I tested, but this method failed to launch the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and a few Honor phones a few times.

Some of that could be human error, but I think the button design is the larger culprit in those cases. OnePlus and Pixel phones seem to use more prominent, clicky buttons while the others are more recessed or have shallower travel, making them less reliable to double-tap.

I also never had an issue launching the camera via the iPhone's lock screen or with the Nubia Z60 Ultra Photographer Edition's dedicated camera switch. I think the main reason here is that they're dedicated functions that don't serve any other purpose while tapping the power button or holding it for too long can perform a different action.

Simply put, a dedicated button doesn't launch the camera more quickly by any noticeable degree, but it can provide a more reliable way than gestures.

But pressing a physical button can introduce some issues. As Harish noted in his iPhone 16 Pro Max review, the button's placement makes it easy to accidentally open the camera when grabbing the phone. To mitigate this, you should enable the double or triple-tap options to prevent an accidental single-press from launching the camera.

Clicking a physical button can also introduce blur, especially when ambient light is reduced. I've seen my fair share of shaky photos because I used the volume button to capture a photo. A tap of the digital shutter button on the screen doesn't require the physical force of a physical button.

Special modes or functionality

On the Android side, both the Nubia Z60 Ultra Photographer Edition and any number of Sony Xperia phones offer unique functions and modes. Nubia has a plethora of different modes on its phone, including a fascinating light painting mode that works differently from other phones. I used it to capture some cool moments on the Fourth of July this year and was rather pleased with the effect, which you can see below.

The camera software on Sony's Xperia phones has long been overly complicated, sporting three different apps to get the job done, but the latest iteration in 2024 combined everything into one far more user-friendly app. Still, Sony's phones play to enthusiasts who love taking photos and the best results are often achieved by tweaking and changing settings, much as you would expect from a DSLR.

I never had the same feeling about the Nubia Z60 Photographer Edition's camera app, although I can't say I felt that it did anything particularly special outside of the light painting mode above.

I was particularly disappointed in the "Milky Way Night" mode, which I expected to produce some kind of stellar imagery of the night sky. While it wasn't bad and certainly did a better job than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra at this particular test, the Pixel 8 Pro still captured the number of stars in the sky better.

Nubia doesn't offer a special camera button on the phone — just the switch to quickly launch the camera into Street Mode — but Sony offers a two-step camera button that lets you hold it down to focus, then release it to capture the shot. That behavior is identical to a DSLR camera which Sony is trying to mimic with its phones.

Apple offers the same functionality on its new Camera Control button, plus a few capacitive sliding features that let you switch modes, adjust settings, or even just smoothly zoom with your finger. While I like this idea, the execution is more awkward than it should be. In our iPhone 16 Pro Max review, Harish noted that the button is in an awkward location and proved to be more cumbersome to use than just tapping to swiping on the on-screen controls.

Some companies, like Oppo, Nubia, and Realme are already getting ready to release phones with these keys, so it'll be interesting to see if their execution is any better than Apple's. Physical camera buttons can offer some nice functionality and alternatives to software buttons, but you're probably better off sticking to the best Android phones that focus on something more important like battery life, charging speed, display quality, gaming performance, or maybe even some other unique feature like the Pixel 9's Add Me.

Google is finally going to add Metadata that states whether any of its AI tools have been used to enhance a photograph. This is 100% a good thing, and even though you can use any of a thousand other tools to create hyperrealistic AI images from any device with a web browser, something Google should have done from the start. Every service that can do anything similar needs to do the same.

You see a lot of photographers on social media complaining about their photos being marked similarly. They feel that using tools in Photoshop or any other image manipulation software that doesn't alter the main subject isn't really using AI and it's unfair to lump their work with the unhinged stuff that floats around. Maybe they're right, but I don't think so.

I'm not a big photography buff, so my opinion is just someone from the outside, but I want more of this sort of label, not less. The way I see it, if your finished result doesn't look exactly like what the eye sees, it's art, not evidence. You may feel differently about things, but I think everyone agrees that photography often does not capture what we see. Your Galaxy SuperZoom couldn't really see the moon, remember?

We've had a pretty recent and spectacular example with the Northern Lights in much of the United States and Canada. For a lot of people in northern latitudes, seeing the Aroura Borealis is something that happens every once in a while. For a lot more people who don't live that far north, it felt like something special when our phone camera could take pictures of them.

Even when we couldn't see them.

Was that real? Was that a representation of what we could actually see? Or was it something so subtle that a computer algorithm could pick it out of random light data and enhance it? More importantly, does it matter?

Many of the photos I saw did a good job showing the phenomenon. I was lucky and got to see them with my eyes during a trip to Alaska, and what I remember seeing looked a lot like the enhanced images found on social media; I've seen other photos of them looking far more spectacular in places like Iceland, and I assume they do look different in different places. I think our phone cameras did a good job showing what we wanted to see but weren't quite bright enough for our eyeballs to pick out.

I loved it. It was so cool that our little pocket computers could fix things in such a way that we could save a slice of life forever, even if it wasn't 100% "real." This is one of the things that make a modern smartphone so damn awesome.

Think about other ways we can make a good picture even better. If my dog is out in the yard doing doggy things, and I grab a picture of her looking magnificent, is it OK for me to remove the dandelions in my yard I don't have the ambition to weed out? That doesn't really change the picture, does it?

Yes, it does. Again, it doesn't matter though. It made my photo look better to my eyes and is something I will want to keep around to look at later. It helped me create art. Art is what the artist wants it to be, and I don't want to see those dandelions.

Not all photos should be art, though. If the person you paid to fix your roof did a poor job and you take a photo of it, it can't be art. Other, even more important photos have to be real, too. There is a huge difference even though both come from the same hole in the same little computer. If I edit the picture of shoddy work on my roof, having data that shows it was edited is important because a judge isn't going to climb a ladder and look at it in person; they might look at the photo details, though.

My aroura pics and photos of my lawn looking pristine aren't for a judge, but they also aren't the same as some AI social media post showing a politician rescuing babies from flood waters, either. They aren't fake even if they aren't exactly "true," so I can see why photographers don't like the AI tag.

The problem isn't really the AI tag though, it's that we equate a retouched sunset photo with all the AI nonsense pictures out there. It's a way of thinking that society needs to work through until we realize that image editing isn't new and it isn't bad; some people doing it for the wrong reasons are bad.

Don't judge someone because Google told Instagram they made small changes so their picture looks better. They aren't the same as your crazy relative and their conspiracy theories who post made-up meme pictures all day on Facebook (we all have one). Don't be mad that companies who give you AI to make your pictures better aren't afraid to say you used it, either.

We no longer need expensive accessories or dedicated cameras to capture stunning shots of the world as we see it. Even the simplest, most mundane of things can be made to look stunning when photographed properly.

Back in the day, mobile photographers were laughed at, and understandably so. Technology wasn't at the point where lenses built into phones could dare to compete with the prowess of professional cameras.

However, rapid advancements in smartphone photography have made it possible for your average Joe to shoot some delightful pictures. Some of the best Android flagships can easily deliver professional-looking images. Powerful editing tools put the finishing touch. Even budget phones can get you unbelievably good photos — you just need to know the right angle.

Believe it or not, I use my phone for almost every single one of my review images. If you're looking to level up your mobile photography game, let me share a few simple tips and tricks that I have picked up over the years. This guide avoids jargon and long, complicated words such as bifocal length or aperture for the sake of simplicity and ease. You don't even need to use the pro mode, just follow some of these tips and see where it takes you.

Lighting is everything

This one is fairly obvious, but it's the first rule of mobile photography. The light conditions can make or break your photo. Ideally, you want to capture images during the daytime with lots of natural light in the form of golden sunlight. This makes a world of difference and just makes it so easy to get a good shot.

Make sure that the light source is above your subject or in front of it. You don't want the light to be behind the subject because that casts ugly shadows which mess up the final image. This is why night photography is so tricky as opposed to the morning or afternoon, because the sun sheds light evenly across the land whereas the night has no natural light source save for the moon and man-made lamps.

At night or in poor low-light conditions, flash isn't always the way to go. Try to choose the constantly lit-up flash for a steady source of light. This can usually be done by tapping the flash option twice in the camera app. Even better, invest in a powerful ring light to spread light evenly in the direction that you want. I prefer to use lights with customizable warmth, so I can see which temperature of white light looks best for my low-light shot.

Anything looks good from the right angle

Pointing and shooting are not enough; you need to shoot from the right angle for a truly stunning shot. Don't just take a single picture or a couple of them. Try out different positions and angles. Move the subject around if you're not content. I also find that moving my phone around to find just the right angle helps a lot.

Choose a good focal point depending on what you like or what you're trying to highlight, and then tilt the phone and move it high or low to find the right placement. You never know which angle will deliver that perfect still!

The power of aspect ratios and orientation

When you whip out your phone and get ready to take a picture, think about the aspect ratio and orientation that will best suit the situation. Landscape images are more artistic and better suited for natural elements, whereas humans tend to look better in portrait images.

Selecting the aspect ratio can be a bit more challenging. Usually, the lens in use automatically changes based on the chosen aspect ratio. So, if you select a widescreen 16:9 ratio, the wide-angle lens will automatically be in use. Depending on the resolution of your phone's cameras, you might get a better or worse result.

In situations where your device has a terribly low-resolution lens, it is often smarter to capture the picture with the best lens and then crop it to your desired aspect ratio. For example, a cheap mid-range phone's 2MP macro lens will most definitely give you garbage results. Instead, use the primary camera to get as close to the subject as possible and then crop it out. I can guarantee you will be much more pleased with the outcome.

The golden ratio and rule of thirds

Symmetrical photos might sound nice, but it is, in fact, the asymmetry of a scene that gives it such striking beauty. Placing your subject dead center isn't going to look as nice as a strategic, asymmetrical position. This is the basic thought behind what is known as the golden ratio in photography.

If you're an amateur photographer, you may or may not be familiar with the golden ratio. I'm not going to give you an in-depth explanation of the Fibonacci sequence and where the ratio originates. That's why Google exists. All you need to know is that the spiral framework pictured below depicts the golden ratio. According to the golden ratio, your subject should be at the heart of the spiral for the optimal shot.

How can you ensure that your subject falls within the ideal spot when taking pictures with your phone? It's simple, just enable the grid option in your camera app. In some phones such as the OnePlus 12, you can can change the shape of the grid to the golden ratio within the camera app's settings.

Just because the golden ratio exists, it doesn't strictly mean that you should only stick with that one spot of the frame. And that's where the rule of thirds steps in. If you split your image up into nine equal-sized sections, the ideal placement of your subject should be somewhere along the two-thirds bit. You can change the exact position according to the shot at hand.

Once again, using the grid makes it a lot easier to achieve this. Simply enable the option from your camera app and choose the standard option that splits your viewfinder into nine equal parts. Align your subject accordingly and voila! You have your photo.

Don't underestimate stability and level

A stable and steady hand will photograph a million times better than a shaky, tilted one. You want your shots to be perfectly horizontal or vertical in relation to the ground. There are several tricks for this. Any cheap selfie stick or stand can ensure steadiness. You can minimize shaking by using phone grips as well.

Another great idea is to enable the level gradienter in your camera app. You will see a line in the center of the camera viewfinder, as well as an angle usually. Sometimes, it might be depicted as a plus sign. The goal is to have a line that is completely flat and a zero-degree tilt angle, which means your camera is perfectly level.

Bright contrasting colors and color theory

This mobile photography trick is usually applicable to inanimate objects like food and non-living things. However, it teaches an important lesson about colors and contrast which you could definitely apply across the board when taking pictures.

Let's say the subject is a dull, dreary object lacking any oomph or brightness. You can spice things up by using brightly contrasting colors. An example of this would be a black phone as your subject. Try using brightly colored backgrounds with color theory as your guide. Opposites attract, so pick colors that sit opposite to your subject's colors on the color wheel.

If you're unsure about complimentary colors, Canva offers a free color theory tool on its platform. Simply head to the Color wheel section on Canva's website or app, enter your color, and select the complementary option. The tool will spit out the right hues to pick. You can even use the Canva color tool to create graphics and palettes for your photography projects.

Want to see the magic of color theory in action? Check out these fabulous examples, courtesy of photographer Apoorva Bhardwaj for Android Central.

Once you have mastered the basics, you can play around with other factors like textures and patterns. Inspiration can be found all around you. You just need to know how to channel it and use the right mediums in your photography. Make the surroundings work in your favor.

I hope these tips and tricks equip you with the right tools and help you achieve impressive outcomes with your mobile photography. After you're comfortable with your skill level, you can start looking at companion accessories to kick things up another notch. Remember, the most important thing is to be creative and have fun!

For many people, the camera is the most important feature of any new phone. Luckily, there are a ton of great choices when it comes to phones with a great camera and while some are slightly better than others, almost every new Android phone can take awesome pictures.

We hear this all of the time — manufacturers tell us about camera advancements and features, and then a review breaks it down. It makes sense because technology advances. But last week, it hit me right in the face, and I was honestly surprised.

In a very niche situation and in a very weird way, my laziness showed me just how great the camera on my Pixel 7 Pro is.

I like aquariums; they keep me out of trouble. Mostly. Anyhoo, I was trying to sell some small pieces of coral online, and someone sent me a quick message about one particular piece. They asked me for a photo of it so they could see what they were thinking of buying.

Taking pictures of coral is really hard, even for a "professional" camera because of the lights used to make them grow. Corals need light of a certain wavelength and they can grow much like a plant, converting that light into energy. Our eyes don't see much of the light corals need, but it sure can mess with a camera.

That science fiction-looking photo came from a Galaxy Z Flip 5, and it's not useful because it looks nothing like what your eyes would see. Much (most) of the time, if you point your phone at an aquarium while actinic lights are on, you get something similar. We can't see it, but a camera sensor gets overwhelmed by the huge amount of UV light pouring into the lens.

You offset it with UV lens filters, like this kit made for smartphones. The science behind it is that the filters cut out light measuring 15k and 20k Kelvin (think super blue light that washes out everything else) while leaving the rest of the light data alone. The result is a photo that looks very much like what our eyes see without interference from all the UV.

Being too lazy to go and look for my little phone filter kit, I just pointed the Pixel 7 Pro at the aquarium and snapped a photo. To my surprise, I got this using Google's auto-settings.

That's still a strange photo, but it looks very much like what my eyes see. And it wouldn't have been possible just a few years back. Even cooler, it can also do the same thing with video.

I can take bunches of photos of my fish tank with the Pixel 7 Pro, but not all of them are useful. I can also get a useful photo from other phones once in a while, too. I've played with it enough to confidently say that if you're taking a picture without any "white" light, Google has figured out some way to make it work through computational photography.

While improved lenses play a part, the real magic lies in using software to "make" a picture. Smartphones leverage powerful processors and sophisticated software to enhance image quality beyond what the sensor can capture alone. Techniques like HDR (High Dynamic Range) combine multiple exposures for balanced lighting, while noise reduction algorithms eliminate graininess in low-light photos.

The result, in my case, isn't a great photo — it's grainy, there's a lot of noise, and you'll see strange artifacts where I need to clean the glass. But it's a good representation of what you see, takes the glow away from the background, and it's pretty consistent. 

I have no idea what software magic is being used to turn light our eyes can't see into an accurate representation of what is real because, in this case, "real" changes so much. Adding some white lighting makes it easier to take a picture but slightly changes the colors you see because nothing is glowing like a black-light poster.

What I do know is that my year-old phone takes photos of a difficult subject as well or better than my expensive "real" camera that doesn't use voodoo logic and AI in place of a good, fast lens. I wish I had a Pixel 8 here to test because I know it did a lot better than expected while taking photos at a public aquarium.

Phone cameras have moved past the "good enough" metric and are now a real professional tool. It's something I would have never thought could happen just a few years ago, but I'm ready to put my bigger, heavier camera on the shelf.

What you need to know

• The new Xperia 1 V is official, sporting a triple camera setup, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and a hefty price tag.
• The phone features a 52MP primary camera with an effective 48MP resolution for 12MP shots.
• The camera features a stacked CMOS image sensor with 2-layer Transistor Pixel for improved low-light performance.
• There is also a 12MP ultrawide and a 12MP continuous optical telephoto zoom lens.
• The Xperia 1 V is available now for preorder and retails for $1400.

With all the commotion over Google I/O 2023 and the new Pixel Fold, it's easy to forget that Sony just launched its latest flagship phone, the Xperia 1 V.

Like previous Xperia flagships, the 1 V (read: one mark five) features a large 6.5-inch 4K display with a 120Hz refresh rate and cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio. Flanking it are two bezels where you'll find the front-facing stereo speakers and the 12MP selfie camera.

However, some welcome changes have been made to the rear camera setup. While still sporting largely the same design as its predecessors, the Xperia 1 V now has a new 52MP-equivalent primary camera, up from the 12MP sensors used until now. However, you won't really get the full 52MP, as the camera will instead use an effective 48MP area of the sensor, which is capable of taking 12MP stills using pixel binning.

According to GSMArena, this gives the sensor a 4.3:3 aspect ratio allowing minimal crop when taking 4:3 images or 16:9 video.

Sony says it uses a "2-layer Transistor Pixel stacked CMOS image sensor" that is nearly 2x larger than the sensor on the Xperia 1 V. This should provide the sensor with improved low-light performance with minimal noise.

Like the Xperia 1 IV from last year, Sony outfitted the Xperia 1 V with a 12MP ultrawide camera and a 12MP telephoto lens capable of continuous zoom between 85 and 125mm. There is no Time of Flight sensor this time, as Sony boasts its improved AI capabilities, able to accurately determine the distance of a subject for improved focus.

Of course, you also get 4K 120fps video recording on all three rear cameras, and the inclusion of S-Cinetone allows videographers to shoot cinema-like videos without color grading. The Xperia 1 V is also capable of 30fps continuous shooting with auto-focus and eye tracking, and the camera apps have a dedicated night mode, focus peaking, and a vertical UI to benefit creators.

Also, for creators, Sony has included a Product Showcase Setting to automatically change focus from your face to a product you're showcasing, and a voice priority mic will make sure your voice is heard clearly, even in noisy settings.

Powering it all is the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of expandable storage. There's also a 5,000mAh battery with 30W wired charging and support for wireless and reverse-wireless charging. For protection, the phone is Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covering the front and back and has an IP65/68 rating for water and dust resistance. The rear glass also has a textured finish for improved grip.

The Xperia 1 V is available for preorder now and retails for a pricey $1399 in the United States. There are two colors, black and Khaki Green, the latter of which is exclusive to Sony.com. The phone will begin shipping on July 18, and preorder customers will receive a pair of Sony LinkBuds.

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What you need to know

• Samsung introduces its third 200MP smartphone camera sensor.
• The ISOCELL HP2 features the same 1/1.3-inch size as its 108MP cameras and 0.6μm pixels.
• The camera is capable of combining pixels to capture 50MP or 12.5MP images and can capture video at 8K 30fps.
• The Galaxy S22 Ultra is expected to use the ISOCELL HP2 as its primary sensor.

Just weeks ahead of the Galaxy S23 launch, Samsung has unveiled its latest 200MP camera sensor, the ISOCELL HP2. This is Samsung's third 200MP camera sensor, which is expected to appear on the upcoming Galaxy S23 Ultra.

While this is Samsung's third 200MP sensor, it's named HP2 seemingly because it sits squarely between its previous sensors with a pixel pitch of 0.6μm. Meanwhile, the HP1 sports larger 0.64μm pixels, and the HP3 has smaller 0.56μm pixels. However, don't expect a 1-inch-type sensor size that's becoming increasingly popular. The new HP2 squeezes these pixels into the same 1/1.3-inch sensor size used for Samsung's 108MP cameras on devices like the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

With ISOCELL HP2, phones can capture 1.2μm 50MP images or 2.4μm 12.5MP images by combining four and 16 pixels, respectively. This should provide much better low-light performance when needed. Samsung also touts enhanced auto-focusing, better exposure, improved color reproduction, and reduced shutter lag in 200MP mode.

As for video, the ISOCELL HP2 is capable of capturing 8K at 30fps. Samsung says the sensor uses the 50MP mode when capturing 8K video to reduce cropping and provide a wider field of view for "sharp cinematic videos." It's also possible to capture 4K60 video in HDR.

Samsung says the HP2 is already in mass production. Xiaomi and Motorola have previously unveiled smartphones with 200MP cameras using one of Samsung's other sensors. However, it's been rumored that Samsung was saving this one for its own flagship model.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is set to launch on February 1, where we expect to learn more about how it will use the HP2 to distinguish itself from the competition.

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Samsung is one of the biggest OEMs out there and has a lot to offer when it comes to customization. You can customize so much of the phone out of the box, but if you want even more options, you can use Samsung's Good Lock app to personalize your Samsung even more.

Good Lock lets you download modules that focus on different aspects of your smartphone experience. Samsung's Camera Assistant adds additional settings to the default Camera app. These settings are baked into the camera app, meaning you won't have to go to a separate app like Expert RAW to access additional camera functionality on Samsung phones.

How to download and access Camera Assistant

1. Open the Good Lock app on your Galaxy smartphone and tap the Life up tab.

2. Scroll down until you find Camera Assistant. Tap on the module.

3. Tap Install at the bottom.

You can also search for Camera Assistant in the Galaxy Store and download it from there. If you can't find the app, it may be unavailable in your region.

When the installation is finished, tap Open to go straight to Camera Assistant settings.

4. Open the Camera app and tap the Settings icon in the corner.

5. Scroll down and tap Camera Assistant.

You can adjust additional settings not typically found in the camera app.

What Camera Assistant settings are available?

• Auto HDR: Allows the camera to capture more details in the bright and dark areas of your pictures and videos.
• Auto lens switching: The camera may switch lenses based on lighting, zoom, and distance.
• Video recording in Photo mode: Touch and hold the Shutter button to record videos in Photo mode. It will retain the same aspect ratio as the one set for your photos.
• Camera timeout: Select how long you want the camera open before it times out. You can choose from one, two, five, or ten minutes.
• Clean preview on HDMI displays: When connected to a display via HDMI, this allows a clear view of the camera viewfinder that doesn't show buttons.

Additional features for One UI 6.1

• Picture Softening (replaces Soften pictures): Lets you set the amount of picture softening applied to images. Select from Off, Medium, or High.
• Quick tap shutter: Allows you to capture images as soon as you tap the shutter button instead of when you lift your finger off the shutter button.
• Capture speed (replaces Faster shutter): This lets you adjust the speed at which the camera captures images. You can prioritize quality (at the expense of some speed), balance speed and quality, or prioritize speed (at the expense of some quality).
• Timer multi-photo options (replaces Number of pictures after timer): Select the number of photos taken once the timer hits zero. Select one, three, five, or seven images. You can now also set the interval of time between photos taken from 1 second to 3 seconds.
• Dim screen while recording: Sets the time your phone dims the screen when there's no input by the user during video recording.

At launch, the feature was only available for the Galaxy S22 series with One UI 5. However, Samsung has expanded availability to more devices, including the Galaxy S24 Ultra and older Galaxy phones with the latest update.

With the latest update to Camera Assistant, Samsung lists support for the following devices:

• Samsung Galaxy S24 series
• Samsung Galaxy S23 series
• Samsung Galaxy S22 series
• Samsung Galaxy S21 series
• Samsung Galaxy S20 series
• Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip/Fold 6
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip/Fold 5
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip/Fold 4
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip/Fold 3
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip/Fold 2
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Of course, beyond Camera Assistant, there are plenty of Good Lock modules for you to try out and play with to make your Galaxy smartphone uniquely yours.

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One of the toughest calls to make is settling on which of the best Android phones you should buy. There are a bunch of factors to consider, and modern smartphones are the primary camera for most users.

Even the budget smartphones have some truly impressive cameras that can deliver above-average photos and videos. There are phones with excellent and versatile primary cameras, while others compliment a main shooter with zoom, macro, or ultrawide lenses.

Our best overall choice, no matter where you're in the world, is the brand-new Google Pixel 10 Pro. The latest top-of-the-line smartphone from Google delivers incredible images and videos in all kinds of lighting conditions, while also packing a boatload of AI-based editing tools and other features to make things even better. There are quite a few other options as well, so keep reading to know more about the best Android camera phones you can get in the market.

At a glance

Best overall

Google's smartphones have always been renowned for their class-leading imaging chops, and the latest and greatest Pixel 10 Pro is no exception. Now, if you were to compare it with the Pixel 9 Pro, you'll notice that the camera hardware (among other things) is largely unchanged. That said, there are enough bells and whistles here that make this thing arguably the best Android camera phone you can buy right now.

Featuring a 6.3-inch LTPO AMOLED panel, the Google Pixel 10 Pro is driven by the newest Tensor G5 SoC, along with 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of onboard storage. As noticed by Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich in his Pixel 10 Pro review, the smartphone delivers solid everyday performance over its predecessors, especially when it comes to gaming. Combine that with Android 16 and all of its Material 3 Expressive goodness, as well as more AI-based goodies than you'll probably ever need, and you've got a top-of-the-line Android device. As far as the cameras are concerned, the triple-lens primary camera system is comprised of a 50MP wide-angle sensor, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 48MP telephoto module with 5x optical zoom. You also get up to 8K video recording at up to 30fps, and there's a laundry list of AI-powered features (e.g., Camera Coach, High-Res Portrait, and Auto Best Take) that make sure every photo comes out to be amazing, regardless of the lighting conditions.

As you'd expect, the Pixel 10 Pro (along with all of its siblings) will get seven years of OS and security updates, so this is a smartphone you can keep on using for years to come. All essential connectivity features such as Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, full 5G support, NFC, and USB Type-C 3.2 are included in the mix. The smartphone is backed by a 4,870mAh battery, and comes with both wired and Qi2-certified wireless charging support.

Best premium pick

If the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was the best phone with a stylus, the Galaxy S25 Ultra takes that away. The S Pen is included, but without Bluetooth capabilities, it loses its remote shutter function and all gesture controls. The focus instead is on AI features — some of which are photo-related — to expand your options to get the right shot.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is not a big departure from its predecessor in various ways, which explains why the camera system is so similar. There is a new image sensor for the big 200-megapixel wide camera, and 50-megapixel periscope telephoto lens carry over to this device, with only the ultra-wide now getting a bump up to full-resolution 50MP images. that can give you very clear shots at up to 10x hybrid zoom. For those who want more control, Expert RAW can take RAW photos at full resolution, while Samsung’s Camera Assistant app offers a great helping hand.

The editing process is laden with Galaxy AI features, now including "Best Face" to choose the right smile or expression in any photo. There are also Generative AI features to take your photos and create artistic impressions, like drawings, comics, or other renders. You can even create images from scratch using Galaxy AI. Circle to Search also lets you do a Google search based on items you photograph with the phone.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra captures solid video footage, now including LOG if you want the ultimate in control when editing in post later. No cloud necessary, either, as AI features can run on device rather than having to beam up to the cloud.

Unfortunately, Samsung still didn't address taking pictures of moving subjects. Photos at sporting events, or even of your kids or pets will often turn out blurry. Vivo, Honor, Xiaomi, and (to some extent) Pixel phones do a much better job in this particular aspect. If you want the best results for action shots, you might want to consider those phones, instead.

Best budget choice

At this point, it's no surprise Google's A-series phones have the ability to punch above their weight when it comes to camera performance. But each successive model also takes a smaller step forward, which is why the jump from the Pixel 8a to the Pixel 9a won't feel substantial in every respect. Still, meaningful gains apply, like the extra power of the Tensor G4 SoC and improved battery life. Running on Android 15 to boot, and with seven years of updates, it's capable right out of the box.

The camera hardware undergoes a slight change to a different – and smaller – image sensor. It's also 48MP compared to the 64MP of the previous Pixel 8a except the advantage here is the wider f/1.7 aperture lets in more light. While that should lead to better low-light photography in tandem with Google's computational software, results may turn out more inconsistent instead. The Pixel 9a stands out more for its better macro shooting and color accuracy compared to its predecessor.

Otherwise, the 13MP ultrawide and 13MP selfie cameras carry over from the Pixel 8a, so you can expect the same solid results there based on our Pixel 9a review. The downside if you have no telephoto lens to get optically closer to your subject. Google's Super Res Zoom works admirably well up to 4x until quality starts to fall off.

The good news is AI features like Magic Eraser, Zoom Enhance, Best Take, and Audio Magic Eraser for video are all there to utilize. Google also manages to squeeze in a bigger 5100mAh battery here leading to even longer endurance than before. It still charges fairly slowly at a max rate of 18W, so don't expect it to fill up as fast as Pixel flagships will.

With all that in play, it's no surprise the Pixel 9a is one of the best cheap Android phones you can get your hands on.

Best alternative

The OnePlus 15 is easily one of the best Android flagships available, but it's not the slam dunk the OnePlus 13 was, because OnePlus prioritized different things on the new model. It took a big risk revamping the camera system and leaving Hasselblad behind in favor of its own DetailMax Engine, but it's a risk that our reviewer Nicholas Sutrich found pays off.

OnePlus equipped its latest flagship with a trio of 50MP rear camera sensors, headlined by the Sony IMX906, which is an f/1.8 shooter with OIS. That's paired with a periscope telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom and and an ultrawide camera with a 116-degree field-of-view.

The new DetailMax Engine helps the OnePlus 15 take stunning photos and videos at any time of day. Our reviewer says this processing engine "does a better job of delivering even wider dynamic range, better colors, and sharper details." There are new features like 4K120 video recording with full LOG support, too.

OxygenOS remains one of the nicest Android overlays to use, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor does the job in helping run anything you throw at it. The battery is even bigger at 7,300mAh, helping already excellent battery life do even better.

While OnePlus touts its AI features, they only work from the cloud, so no internet connection, no AI to work with.

Best features

Vivo routinely delivers one of the best mobile photography experiences around., and after testing the X200 Pro, it's easy to see why. Its excellent collaboration with Zeiss, the storied German imaging brand, helps the cause in offering one of the deepest camera systems on a phone.

An abundance of shooting modes leads to various avenues of experimentation, letting you really choose how to compose and capture a scene. The 50-megapixel telephoto lens is the best in the industry at this point, capable of freezing action into sharper detail from further away to produce results others simply can't. The front camera may be a weak spot, but in the grander scheme, the rear cameras produce some of the best shots you'll find on any Android phone in 2025.

It's just too bad it's not as readily available as others are in North America. You can get your hands on one online, but don't go looking for it in stores. If it was more widely available, it would very likely be at the top of this list.

If you do grab one, know that you get as many years of Android updates, though outstanding battery life and more durable IP68/69 protection makes this device built to last.

Best international

Leica's partnership with Xiaomi makes for one of the most innovative tandems in mobile photography, and that's just one reason why the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is one of the best available. You could even argue the device is more like a camera with a phone attached rather than the other way around. We certainly saw it that way in our review based on everything you can do with this camera system..

The 15 Ultra continues Xiaomi's preference for 1-inch sensors in the main camera, buttressed by a slew of features and settings. The combination gives you food for thought on how to compose your photos. It's actually better than what Google, Samsung, and Apple can manage – held back only by its limited availability outside overseas markets.

Both the default Leica Authentic and Vibrant modes are fantastic in their color tones, while the software does a stellar job in virtually any set of conditions. The telephoto lens uses the excellent HP9 image sensor, helping it capture some of the best photos you can get from a distance. There's even an optional camera grip — including a dedicated exposure slider and video recording button — turning this phone into a classic point-and-shoot.

You have to accept three years of Android updates (compared to four or more from others) and that you'll have to find one to buy online. Bloatware continues to decline with each successive Xiaomi device, but you'll have to do a little cleanup once you get your hands on one to make way for your preferred apps.

Best for pros

If you assessed the Sony Xperia 1 VII entirely on how it takes photos right out of the box, you might come away disappointed, but there's more than meets the eye. Sony promises four years of platform and six years of security updates for the device. The phone comes with two camera apps, and the one that will turn more heads is the Photography Pro app, which offers a high level of control over composition before you capture anything.

Part of this is driven by Sony's own Exmor T sensor that bumps up software computation and AI processing. A good example is autofocus (AF) tracking taken from Sony's Alpha series cameras that can recognize human frames to stay on a subject, even while they're moving. With the telephoto lens also capable of zooming up to 7x, there's versatility to behold with this whole system as well.

Between the physical shutter button, plus retooled Pro apps for both photos and video, there's a high level of granular control here over what you want to capture. Not to mention that you can use the Xperia 1 VII as an external monitor with select Sony mirrorless cameras by connecting the two via USB.

Best small flagship

The Galaxy S25 Ultra gets more attention because of its larger size and hardware features, but the smaller Galaxy S25 stands out as a rare compact flagship courtesy of its 6.2-inch display. Despite its diminutive size, you still get the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor under the hood with 8GB of RAM.

The camera hardware is showing its age, going back to the Galaxy S22, starting with a 50MP main sensor capable of taking vibrant images in varying conditions. That's the strength of the camera system compared to the 10MP telephoto camera and 12MP ultra-wide camera. The camera array is identical to that in the Galaxy S25 Plus, and while it does well with static subjects, it still struggles in scenes with a lot of motion.

Like the other Galaxy S25 models, you can get a case that supports Qi2 with a magnet, essentially letting you use any accessories that are MagSafe-compatible.

Samsung promises seven years of OS and security for the Galaxy S25, so this phone should remain usable for years to come.

Best foldable

If you're in the market for a flip-style foldable smartphone that delivers on all fronts, we highly recommend taking a look at the freshest Galaxy Z Flip 7 from Samsung. It comes with top-of-the-line build quality and features a gorgeous 6.9-inch inner AMOLED panel that makes everything from watching 4K videos to scrolling through your social media feeds a delight. However, what's even more impressive is the larger 4.1-inch cover display, which now stretches edge-to-edge, although in comparison to the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025, the outer screen's functionality still remains somewhat limited.

Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 features a Samsung Exynos 2500 chipset, along with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of internal storage. While we would've loved to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor at the helm, the hardware is still capable of handling just about everything you throw at it with little to no effort, as noted by Android Central's Brady Snyder in his Galaxy Flip 7 review.

Talking about software, the smartphone runs Android 16 (with Samsung's One UI 8 overlay) out of the box and offers a diverse range of functional and aesthetic features, along with seven years of seven years of OS and security updates.

There's a dual-lens primary camera setup onboard with a 50MP wide-angle lens and a 12MP ultrawide module. While the camera hardware hasn't seen any changes over the last generation, you do get some nice software-based features (e.g., Auto Zoom, Camcorder Mode) that make for an enjoyable user experience. Combine that with the numerous AI-powered editing features included in the mix, and this is a very good camera system overall.

In terms of connectivity, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 packs everything from Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 to USB Type-C 3.2 and NFC. The flip-style foldable also comes with a 4,300mAh battery with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging, even if there's no built-in magnets for Qi2 compatibility.

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More to consider

There are a lot of Android phones on the market, and many of them specialize in something specific. While the above list contains the best of the best for most people, there are other considerations you might want to make, especially if you live outside the U.S.

The Vivo X200 Pro and Honor Magic 7 Pro are the best phone cameras for capturing motion, full stop. They're even better than a Google Pixel because of their ability to automatically capture images using the power of AI. It sounds hokey at first, but we've been impressed by these capabilities before by how well they worked. They can even do it while recording video, so you'll get automatic "best moment" photos any time they find them.

If you're looking to spend $200 or less on a phone, you might think you'll be stuck with a garbage camera experience. Thankfully, the CMF Phone 1 is here to prove you wrong, providing genuinely impressive photos and video capture with its powerful 50MP camera array. These photos rival that of phones twice the price, which makes the phone's unique modular design even better.

Lastly, folks looking for a big foldable phone with an amazing camera should look no further than the OnePlus Open. The company also released the OnePlus Open Apex Edition, a souped-up version of our favorite foldable phone with the same incredible cameras we love. This one uses a large sensor on the back plus some great software tuning with Hasselblad branding, so you know you're getting a quality shot every time.

How we test

At Android Central, we test every Android phone imaginable to find out which has the best camera around. While brands like the Pixel are easy recommendations for great cameras, sometimes a new release surprises us. The Vivo X200 Pro is limited by its lack of availability in all markets, but it showed what's possible when a camera system digs deep. Much like how the OnePlus 13 comes across as arguably the most improved camera on any Android phone in 2025.

Our Galaxy S25 Ultra camera review showed fewer major changes but also further establishes Samsung's penchant for leading the charge in AI editing features. Samsung also still has the best smaller Android flagship in the Galaxy S25.

Likewise, brands like Honor continue to make strides with the Honor Magic 7 Pro, a phone that proves highly capable in its own right. But you'll notice that every company's phone camera gets compared to a Pixel, which is why we often recommend Pixel phones as the most reliable way to get the best picture.

For our tests, we often take two or more phones out in the real world, taking pictures and videos of as many things as we can find. Photo comparisons often include taking images from each camera sensor—most phones have three on the back and one on the front these days—plus zoom levels in-between each sensor's stated level. A phone might have a 1x and 5x camera, but what about when you need to zoom in to 3.5x or something awkwardly in the middle? We test that, too.

Many phones these days ship with novel modes that companies try to advertise as the best thing since sliced bread, but oftentimes those modes aren't worth buying a phone for. Every so often, features like Add Me or the Best Take (both on Pixel phones) come along and surprise us with their utility. We always test manufacturers' claims to see if these new modes or improvements are actually worthwhile or not.

If we're making some Android camera suggestions

The brand-new Google Pixel 10 Pro comes out ahead of the competition not just for its camera hardware (which is same as that of its predecessor), but for the consistently good results you get with the phone. Google's software pushes this phone into the top position with rich colors and a splash of sharpness that makes these photos really pop on a phone screen, and the new AI-based features make the whole experience even more fun. For social media, this is one of the best Android phones around. The Pixel 10 Pro also continues to be one of the best phones for night photography, even with full panoramas.

But you'd be remiss to not consider Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra, which just offers more versatility by way of its various modes and prosumer-level features. It's also a consistently excellent low-light performer and takes some of the best video footage of any Android phone available in most countries.

What you need to know

• Xiaomi unveiled a concept version of its latest flagship smartphone with a detachable lens.
• The Xiaomi 12S Ultra Concept features two 1-inch sensors, an M-mount for Leica M-series lenses, and additional photography features.
• Xiaomi does not plan to release the device publicly.

If you miss the short-lived days of sticking modules and accessories to the back of your phone, you'll love Xiaomi's latest concept. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra Concept is a device that improves upon the already impressive camera specs of the company's latest flagship while taking it to another level by sticking a full lens on the camera housing.

The result? A smartphone that turns into a professional camera in a snap. It's something that many smartphone OEMs have attempted through various means, such as Samsung with its camera-phone Galaxy S4 Zoom and Motorola with the Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod. Xiaomi brings the idea to the modern smartphone era with impressive specs to back it up.

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra we reviewed already packs an impressive 1-inch sensor that rivals many of the best Android phones on the market. According to Xiaomi, the new concept device stuffs two 1-inch sensors into the camera housing. The center-mounted sensor is meant to be used with full-size lenses, such as the Leica M-series lenses. This is thanks to the M-mount built into the camera ring that allows lenses to be outfitted with just a twist and (rather pleasing) click. The camera structure has also been reinforced to support lenses, and sapphire glass was added to protect the surface from the motion of attaching and detaching lenses.

Xiaomi highlights how this allows the phone to capture "authentic depth of field," something many smartphones try to achieve with separate depth sensors or AI trickery. The camera system also supports professional photography features such as focus peaking, zebra patterns, and 10-bit RAW capture.

While that all looks and sounds nice, the downside is that we likely won't ever get our hands on it. According to Android Authority, Xiaomi has no plans to release this concept phone publicly, which is a bummer. Still, it gives us a good idea of where smartphone photography is going and the ways we can further blur the lines between smartphone cameras and professional ones.

Govee Glide wall lights are Govee's latest evolution in the smart lighting space, taking cues from their other products like the Govee Immersion TV backlights and shaking things up a little. Unlike Govee's other products in this space, Govee Glide wall lights sport a more modular physical design that can be lightly customized, but not to the extent that other Govee lights can. That's not a negative, necessarily. It's just a design decision but one you need to know before going in.

When it comes down to it, Govee Glide is a moody light fixture that's more designed to provide ambiance than it is to light a room or provide a certain experience. I've got it mounted above my photography table and regularly incorporate it into the product photos I take on a daily basis for Android Central, as the customizable light colors provide a rather interesting visual feast to spice up shots. As such, I can very much see these making their way onto many YouTube channels in the way Nanoleaf's original Triangles product ended up becoming so ubiquitous in the tech space.

But are these lights right for you, and would they make sense in your home? With a price that fits somewhere between the already-established list of best smart lights, the actual use case scenario might vary wildly from person to person. Regardless of how you use them, though, these lights provide a decidedly techy look to a living space and will probably only fit in homes with a modern design aesthetic.

Govee Glide Wall Lights: Price and availability

Govee Glide Wall Lights are available right now on Amazon and Govee's website. The kit I used for this review retails for $99 and comes with six straight pieces and one 90-degree elbow piece (corners). Govee also sells a set with eight straight pieces and four corners for $149, and a box set with nine straight pieces and six corners for $179.

I've got two sets of Glide Wall Lights now, the second pushes the limits of the system at 15 pieces total. That's the latter box set and it's as big as you can make the system go with a single controller.

Govee Glide Wall Lights: The beauty of smart lighting

Govee Glide Wall Lights are designed, primarily, to be a moody light fixture that strikes wonder in the eye of the beholder. As a rather fascinating-looking centerpiece with a wholly unique shape, Glide absolutely excels at this point. When all 6 segments are connected with the elbow piece, the entire fixture can display up to 57 colors at once in harmoniously blended light. It's really quite something to see.

In fact, the light blending is so well done that I had a hard time seeing where any of the LEDs inside were actually located. You can turn this effect off in the app if you're going for that hard stop look, but it's enabled by default and just looks superb.

While the decor in my home wouldn't mesh well with its particular style, I found Glide to be an incredible photography companion in my office. It definitely fits along the lines of a more tech-saturated look, especially when used against a white background, but I enjoy the ability to give a splash of color to photos where there might otherwise be none.

If you've used Govee lights in the past, the app experience is identical here. Govee Glide uses Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to communicate with the Govee app, as well as to Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or even IFTTT. It's incredibly simple to control the lights with your voice, tie them in with other lights in the room, or hook them into routines.

As with Govee's other light strips, Govee Glide can display solid colors across the entire segmented array or display individual colors in each segment. When all seven lighting elements are hooked up together, that makes it a total of 19 customizable segments: two for each straight piece and one additional for the elbow piece.

Those colors can flow into each other in a way that's indistinguishable to the human eye sometimes — except for the elbow connections, where there's a faint line on each end lacking fully vibrant color — but many of the scenes highlight the fact that this isn't one giant strip. On the bright side, the dim lighting at the end of each segment doesn't show up on a camera at all.

Dynamic scenes are identical to other Govee lights, but in this form factor, they really shine. Part of it is that the diffused light that comes from Glide is just so attractive. It's not harsh the way light from a bulb is, and it's much more indirect than an LED strip.

In 2022, Govee added a new Dreamscapes feature that lets users sync multiple Govee lights together for a more cohesive look across a room. While this isn't super customizable, it is pretty cool if you find that you like one of the presets in the app. You can also group lights together and issue color commands to the group as a whole. Again, this is a bit limited compared to configuring individual lights but it's a nice way to ensure your lights look similar in the same room.

Govee Glide Wall Lights: What could use work

Segments click together nicely and are easy enough to take apart when you want to rearrange things, but relying on Command Strips to apply them to the wall also means that you're not likely going to move or rearrange them very much. After all, it would look a little odd to have an errant Command Strip sitting on the middle of your wall. It also means there's a distinct possibility that your segments might not line up perfectly along a straight line if you don't get the strips placed just right on the wall.

Govee designed Glide to look like a single piece of filament when connected, but there are still some obvious gaps between each segment if you look up close. It's not likely that you'll be inspecting the lights that closely — my camera didn't even pick up these gaps in any of the normal photos I've taken with the lights on — but it's something worth noting that might bother some particularly persnickety folks.

Now, for folks who have a few Govee lights in the same room, you'll likely have noticed that Govee continues to add ways to sync those lights and apply the same lighting colors and patterns to each of them. The new Dreamscapes mode even adds in animations and the ability to sync to dynamic lights like the Govee Immersion TV Backlight.

But I'd still like to see greater customization between types of lights and some more consistency between the preset colors and patterns. Why do some lights have Christmas themes and others don't, for instance? If Govee could make those presets universal, it would be a lot easier to get lights looking the same in each room.

Govee Glide Wall Lights: Competition

The most obvious competitor in the segmented lighting space is Nanoleaf. After all, they invented segmented lights as we think of them these days, so why not? While the original Nanoleaf kit is decidedly "techy" looking — a perfect comparison to Govee Glide's style — the Nanoleaf Elements line goes for a more natural look. Nanoleaf's products are far more customizable than Govee Glide but are considerably more expensive.

Nanoleaf Lines is one of the latest products from the company and they most closely resemble Govee Glide lights. You can create some pretty amazing patterns with Lines that aren't possible with Govee Glide because each Lines connector spoke allows for six different directions of movement. Nanoleaf's app also allows for more customization and you can even control colors and patterns with your voice or through routines using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Other Govee LED strips are far less expensive but go for a very different lighting aesthetic. LED strips are best kept behind things like furniture or TVs, as the direct light of an LED is harsh, unattractive, and usually hurts if you look directly at it. There's certainly no arguing that plenty of space can be covered for the same price — or less — than what Govee Glide offers, but you also likely won't be putting them smack in the middle of a wall the way you would with Glide.

Alternatively, if you were hoping for a light strip or bulb that reacts to music — or even what's happening on your TV — Govee Immersion and Philips Hue Play products will fill that requirement better. Those products feature a camera or HDMI box that converts the visual information on your TV (or HDMI cable) into a lit scene that adds real depth to the viewing experience. These are more of experience lights rather than ambient or mood lights, though.

Govee Glide Wall Lights: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if ...

• You want mood lighting with a decidedly "techy" look.
• You're looking for a unique lighting accent piece for your decor.
• You're looking for interesting ways to add light and color to indoor photography.

You shouldn't buy this if...

• You want a highly customizable shape.
• You're looking to replace a traditional light fixture.

Govee Glide is a unique product that fits quite well into the home decor space. As is the case with all home decor products, not everyone is going to love this light. I don't doubt that folks who want to spruce up their place and want that modern glow will eat these up. There's no color they can't radiate, and with the ability to create custom patterns and colors, there's no color decor they won't match.

Of course, the downside is that, with such a specific look, this won't fit in everyone's space. While you can customize the number of segments you use, the configuration can only comes in two shapes: straight, and elbow corner. If a line or a bend doesn't work for your space, you're simply out of luck.

Changelog

Updated on October 26, 2022 with the following changes:

• Updated score to 4 from 3.5 because Govee fixed some of our complaints.
• Removed mentions to size limitations since there are now several ways to expand light sizes and shapes.
• Added image of new expanded lights configuration.
• Added mention of new Govee app features like group control and Dreamscapes.
• Removed mention of music mode issues as they have been solved.
• Added mention of Nanoleaf Lines in the competition section as they launched since this product came out.

What you need to know

• A bug in Google Photos has corrupted some older backed-up images.
• Users have noticed strange artifacts and discoloration on photos dating as far back as 2002.
• Google says that it is rolling out a fix and that the original image file should not be affected.

When you upload your images to apps like Google Photos, the idea is that they're safely backed up without the need to worry about them. Well, some users have found a reason to worry as they find their old images corrupted with strange artifacts.

Within the past few days, users have reported the strange occurrence on the Google Photos support page and Reddit. Many state that the artifacts appear on images from around 2014, but the dates seem to vary, with one user reporting that they notice it on images as far back as 2002.

From the looks of the images, the artifacts make the images appear as if they're torn or water damaged, though that's not actually the case.

what_are_these_weird_artifacts_on_my_photo_i from r/googlephotos

It's a strange occurrence and pretty worrying, especially concerning photos users assumed were safe in Google's cloud service.

Fortunately, it looks like the photos aren't permanently damaged, and Google appears to be addressing the issue, according to a statement provided to 9to5Google:

"We're aware of the issue and are rolling out a fix. The original photos are not impacted."

That's a relief, and while a number of users have reported the issue, it's not clear just how widespread it is (none of my images were affected). Still, hopefully, the fix will arrive sooner rather than later.

Until then, Chrome Unboxed suggests that clearing your app cache may do the trick. Press and hold the Google Photos app icon and select the ⓘ to enter the app info page. Select Storage > Clear cache. Furthermore, some users note that viewing the images in the editor and saving an edit appears to remove the artifacts. We can't confirm whether or not these methods work, but it may be worth a shot until an official fix rolls out.

That said, if this little debacle has you concerned for your precious memories, there are plenty of alternatives to Google Photos you can consider switching to.

What you need to know

• Sony has unveiled its new Xperia 5 IV flagship smartphone.
• The Xperia 5 IV sports a design similar to the Xperia 1 IV with many of the same specs and features.
• The 12MP rear and front cameras are all capable of 4K HDR, with the rear cameras capable of 120fps for super-slow-mo.
• The Xperia 5 IV is available for preorder starting today for $1000 and will ship at the end of October.

It's been a while since Sony unveiled the Xperia 1 IV and Xperia 10 IV, although, for months, we've been left without an Xperia 5 successor — until now, that is.

Sony's new Xperia 5 IV flagship was unveiled on Thursday, giving us many of the same features we saw announced alongside the Xperia 1 IV, but in a smaller package and ever-so-slightly watered down. Still, that doesn't make it sound any less impressive on its own.

The Xperia 5 IV sports a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is the same size as other "small" flagships like the Galaxy S22, although it sticks to Sony's cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio for properly enjoying movies. It also helps that the display is now 50% brighter than its predecessor, making it easier to see the action.

Sony's signature bezels also remain on both the top and bottom of the display, housing the front-facing camera (more on that later) and stereo speakers. These are capable of some impressive audio, including 360 Reality Audio, DSEE Ultimate, and LDAC support. The phone is also equipped with Bluetooth LE Audio support. Sony says users can expect high-quality audio from the speakers, 35mm headphone jack, and wireless headphones.

The phone also supports high-quality audio recording, which Sony touts can produce studio-like samples for musicians.

But, with it being an Xperia phone, the big focus is the camera. The Xperia 5 IV features three 12MP cameras on the back, which are capable of 4K HDR at 120fps, meaning you can slow down the action at high resolution. The primary sensor is also larger than its predecessor, which can help with collecting more light for video and images.

Of course, you can access all of Sony's various camera apps aimed at creators. To show this off, Sony shot Cat Burns' "People Pleaser" music video using the device and the Videography Pro app.

The front-facing camera also gets an upgrade, bumped up to 12MP, and is also capable of shooting 4K HDR. Although, if you'd rather use the primary sensor to record yourself, the Xperia 5 IV is compatible with the Vlog Monitor announced alongside the Xperia Pro-I. Sony fans can also use the phone as a monitor for the company's line of Alpha cameras.

Powering all of this is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, although curiously, Sony did not opt for the newer 8+ Gen 1. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. The phone is also packed with a 5,000mAh battery with support for fast-charging, wireless charging, and wireless Battery Share. There's also IP68 water and dust resistance, plus Gorilla Glass Victus for added durability. The phone runs Android 12 out of the box but will likely get Android 13 sooner or later.

Unlike the Xperia 1 IV, which is still in preorder and won't ship until later this month, anyone looking to purchase the Xperia 5 IV won't have to wait too long. The phone is available for preorder now in black or green and will ship at the end of October, which will, unfortunately, give the Pixel 7 plenty of time to steal the spotlight when it launches in the fall.

The Xperia 5 IV retails for $1000, but Sony is sweetening the pot for anyone that preorders by including a free pair of the spectacular WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds.

What you need to know

• A new update appears to be rolling out for the Nothing phone (1).
• The update brings several improvements to the front and rear cameras.
• The update enables Adaptive Battery and a new fingerprint UI.

The Nothing phone (1) hasn't been out very long, but it's already receiving fairly consistent updates. Users have already spotted the next update, which appears to be rolling out slowly and comes with some welcome camera improvements and bug fixes.

A Reddit user posted a screenshot of the changelog for firmware version 1.1.3. It looks like a reasonably sizeable update, offering new features and more for the Nothing phone (1). Google's Adaptive Battery feature found on Pixel phones is now available, which will detect app usage and adjust accordingly to extend battery life. Nothing is also introducing a new fingerprint verification UI for third-party apps.

In addition to the new features, the camera is getting a number of enhancements. The phone will now optimize the image for color and brightness when using Glyph lighting. Night Mode and HDR should also take less time to process, which hopefully means less time holding your phone still when taking low-light shots. Additional enhancements aim to improve photo quality when using the ultrawide lens, digital zoom, and selfie camera.

Among these enhancements are quite a few bug fixes that Nothing phone (1) owners should appreciate, including smoother performance when scrolling on apps like Twitter. Users should also no longer experience the lock screen crashing when trying to open a notification and using the fingerprint sensor.

Firmware version 1.1.3 comes in at roughly 65MB and arrives just three weeks after version 1.1.2, which improved support for third-party chargers. From the looks of it, this update doesn't appear to be widely available just yet (our unit has yet to receive it), but it will likely appear on more devices in the coming days.

Of course, availability for the Nothing phone (1) is still somewhat limited for many, particularly those of us in the United States. However, there are still plenty of exceptional Nothing phone (1) alternatives that you might consider if you're in the market for a good affordable smartphone.

What you need to know

• Samsung has announced an updated 200MP camera sensor.
• The ISOCELL HP3 features smaller pixels than the previous version for a smaller profile.
• The sensor can combine four or 16 pixels to output 50MP or 12.5MP images.
• The new sensor can be sampled now by OEMs and will go into mass production this year.

Last year, Samsung announced an impressive-sounding 200MP smartphone camera sensor that we couldn't wait to get our hands on. Unfortunately, it hasn't arrived on any smartphones just yet, but the company has gone ahead and announced the follow-up ISOCELL HP3 sensor.

One of the most significant changes with this new 200MP camera sensor is the smaller pixel size. The ISOCELL HP3 features 0.56μm pixels, a tad smaller than the 0.64μm pixels found on its predecessor. Samsung says this smaller pixel size allows the sensor to fit in a 20% smaller space, which may appeal to OEMs interested in adopting it for their phones.

While smaller pixels usually mean less light capture, the ISOCELL HP3 utilizes pixel-binning to alleviate that downside. The sensor is able to merge four pixels to output 50MP images with a 1.12μm pixel size or a whopping 16 pixels to output a 12.5MP image with huge 2.24μm-pixels, ideal for low-light and nighttime capture.

The ISOCELL HP3 is capable of 8K video recording at 30FPS or 4K video at 120FPS, with "minimal loss in the field of view when taking 8K videos." The sensor also supports Super QPD for improved auto-focus and Smart-ISO Pro for better HDR capture.

It's unclear when we'll see the first ISOCELL HP3-equipped smartphone on the market, as its predecessor was announced in September and still hasn't appeared in a smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra was rumored to sport the new sensor when it launches next year, but leaker Ice universe suggests otherwise, meaning the phone may stick to the 108MP sensor found on some of the best Android phones.

Samsung says it will begin mass production of the sensor this year and that samples are already available.

Meanwhile, Motorola has teased a July launch for a smartphone believed to sport the ISOCELL HP1, which could help pave the way for a new era of smartphone imaging.

What you need to know

• For years, the standard and "Plus" variants of Samsung's flagships have used 10MP selfie cameras.
• A new rumor indicates that Samsung may finally upgrade the camera with a higher 12MP resolution.
• It's unclear if these sensors will be hidden under the display or if they'll include OIS.

We've already heard that Samsung may upgrade the rear camera on at least one of its flagship smartphones next year, but a new rumor shines some information about the front-facing camera.

According to GalaxyClub, the standard Galaxy S23 and S23+ may receive a small resolution bump for the selfie camera, bringing them to 12MP. This would be an increase from the 10MP sensor used in base and Plus flagship models since the Galaxy S10. It also puts the resolution on par with some of the best Android phones and even recent iPhones.

While it's only a slight increase and the Galaxy S22 series already takes great selfies, the extra resolution could make all the difference, giving users a couple million more pixels to work with for a sharper image. However, it's unclear if there will be any other upgrades to the selfie camera like optical image stabilization, a feature that has been rumored for the front camera since the Galaxy S21.

It's also unclear if Samsung plans to go with an Under-Panel Camera like the Galaxy Z Fold 3. This feature has yet to appear on any of Samsung's "traditional" smartphones, so it would be interesting to see it on the Galaxy S23. That said, Samsung's solution is hardly perfect, limiting the Z Fold 3 to just a 4MP sensor, but there could be improvements in-tow if Samsung plans to adopt it in its S23 line.

Samsung's Ultra models have already been bumped to 40MP selfie cameras, which use pixel-binning to produce 10MP images. However, this results in larger pixels when compared to the standard and Plus models, allowing more light intake and potentially better selfies. GalaxyClub could not tell whether the Ultra model would get an upgrade as well.

However, it seems likely that the Galaxy S23 Ultra's upgrade would be limited to the rear camera, which is expected to sport the first 200MP sensor on a Galaxy smartphone.

We're still a ways from the Galaxy S23 launch, which is expected in the first months of 2023, so there's plenty of time to learn more about these upcoming devices.

Pixel binning isn't exactly a new idea — smartphone cameras have used the technology for a while now. It's the reason the 50MP or 108MP camera actually takes photos of a lower resolution and the reason they look so good. But what is it, and what does the Galaxy S22 Ultra's nona-binning bring to the table?

The simple answer is that you can take an array of pixels on a camera sensor and use software to combine them into one larger pixel, which means your photo will turn out better. The full explanation is pretty cool too.

What is a pixel and what does one actually do?

The word pixel has several definitions but when you're talking about camera hardware it's the name used to describe a set of three photosites (one red, one green, and one blue) on a camera sensor. Your phone's camera has millions of them and the mega prefix makes it easier to write — saying 50MP instead of 50 million pixels is easier and everyone likes easy when it comes to complicated things.

Because people tend to think that more is better, we equate better photos with cameras that have a higher MP count. Many times that's true, but there are a lot of drawbacks to cramming something like 108MP on a camera sensor. The biggest is that they have to be tiny.

A pixel only does one thing: capture available light and transmit it as data. While more pixels means more data, it also means less light is captured when they are made smaller to fit on a tiny sensor. If you want to get really in-depth about how filters and photosites work to capture light as a pixel check this link out for all the details.

Essentially, you're getting more bad data instead of less good data when you use millions of super-small pixels to capture the light. Good data is what you need to take a good digital photo, so there needs to be a way to leverage so many of these pixels to get better data — that's where pixel-binning comes into play.

Binning to the rescue!

Pixel binning takes a group of tiny individual pixels and bundles them into something that functions as a single larger pixel. That means the pixel can collect more light data and the software that turns that data into a photo has more "good" data to work with. All of the best Android camera phones use this technique.

In the case of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the technique is called nona-binning because it combines nine pixels into one.

The sensor is cut into three by three sections of pixels. Each section is combined to produce a single point of capture for available light. And light is what we see — reflections of different wavelengths of light are individual colors. More light data means better photos and 12 million good data points are better than 108 million not-so-good data points.

The best of both worlds

But 108 million good data points is even better and the Galaxy S22 Ultra has you covered there, too, thanks to the new Adaptive Pixel camera feature.

Adaptive Pixel is a feature where the hardware and software work together to take two different sets of data at the same time when you tap the capture button. You get a 12MP photo using the nona-binning technique and a full 108MP photo where each pixel acts independently. Sometimes, that works even better.

To understand why, you need to think about why pixel binning is done in the first place — to provide good light data. Sometimes the light data is always going to be good.

An example would be if you're taking a photo outside in the bright light and using a stable camera mount of some sort. As long as you have the light on the subject of the photo and not shining into the camera itself, and everything is very still, getting 108 million data points can make for a spectacular photograph without worrying about digital noise.

Adaptive Pixel uses software magic to emulate this idea. You get all the detail of the full 108MP photo combined with all the light data of the nona-binned photo — the image processer inside your phone can combine the two. Since turning light data into a photograph isn't easy, any feature that can assist is a good thing. 

You might not be a pro photographer but with the Galaxy S22 Ultra, your photos can make you feel like one, thanks to features like nona-binning and Adaptive Pixel.

What you need to know

• We asked our readers what they cared about most with their smartphone cameras.
• Of the responses, 67% voted for image quality.
• Versatility was also a popular response out of the options.

Over the weekend, we asked our readers what the most important aspect of a smartphone camera was to them. After all, many of the best Android phones offer impressive camera hardware, coupled with AI and software that can pick up where the hardware may be lacking, like with the Pixel 6 series.

Out of more than 550 responses, 67% voted that image quality was the most important thing, which isn't too surprising. After all, companies love to hype up how good their pictures are more than anything. In second place was versatility with 13% of votes. That means some readers care more about having multiple focal lengths or even variable aperture, the latter of which is still very uncommon in smartphones outside of a few Samsung and Sony devices like the Xperia Pro-I.

One reader, jimmy hallmark, says they want a smartphone camera that's just easy to use and requires little effort on their part to get a good image:

Others agree that it should be about good image quality:

However, another reader, Michael Saxon, is more concerned about having good focal length:

The poll may be closed, but the conversation continues. What do you care about most when it comes to your smartphone camera?

Smartphone cameras have come a long way. We've gone from having one camera on every phone to multiple lenses on even the best budget Android phones. And despite what any iPhone user would say, Android phones can churn out some great images. But a lot goes into making a good camera experience on a smartphone.

In this weekend's poll, we want to know what you care about the most when it comes to your smartphone's camera.

Image quality is definitely an essential aspect of a smartphone camera. It's nice to have the ability to whip out your phone and snap a shot, knowing it'll come out good. But some people prefer to put in a little more work to get the image just right, almost like having a pocket DSLR. Many of the best Android phones have manual modes. However, Sony arguably has the most comprehensive offering thanks to phones like the Xperia Pro-I, borrowing the UI from its Alpha lineup of cameras.

One often underappreciated aspect of a smartphone camera is video capture and features. This was something that LG photos heavily on with past smartphones like the V30, and these days it's being put more into focus, with phones like the Pixel 6 enabling per-frame HDR with AI, or the iPhone 13 introducing Cinematic Mode.

Samsung seems to aim for the kitchen sink with its phones. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, for example, has multiple lenses for different focal lengths, a huge 108MP sensor, manual controls, and many different modes you can download. Whether or not that's a winning combination is entirely up to the user, but we consider the S21 Ultra one of the best Android camera phones.

Let us know in the comments what's most important to you.

What you need to know

• OPPO launches its first NPU to enhance its smartphone imaging.
• MariSilicon X enables 4K AI Night Video, enhanced RGBW Pro Mode, real-time RAW image processing, and more in a power-efficient design.
• OPPO says that the chip will debut on its next flagship Find X smartphone, slated for Q1 2022.

OPPO took to INNO Day 2021 to unveil its first in-house imaging neural processing unit (NPU), the MariSilicon X. This new chip will enable enhanced imaging capabilities that will take OPPO's smartphones to another level.

MariSilicon X is a 6nm chip that combines an NPU and image signal processor (ISP), both of which can take full advantage of the chip's computing power. This should boost performance while simultaneously reducing power consumption. OPPO touts 20x faster performance than the Find X3 Pro, which already produces impressive imaging.

OPPO says the MaliSilicon X chip "unlocks the full potential of OPPO's RGBW sensor" and is capable of capturing 20bit HDR for improved contrast, even when shooting RAW thanks to real-time 4K AI processing. This is also applied to nighttime video capture to reduce noise in each frame for sharper videos that should be just as good as daytime video. OPPO says this will mark the first time that 4K AI HDR Night Video will be available on an Android smartphone.

As far as availability, this new imaging chip will apparently skip OPPO's upcoming foldable phone and instead debut on the next Find X Series flagship device, set for release in Q1 2022. While there are no details on OPPO's next flagship, the Find X3 Pro's imaging capabilities hold their own among the best Android phones, and its successor is likely to impress.

Most phones these days are capable of taking beautiful photos, and some even feature multiple lenses that change the perspective of your shots on the fly. But for those that don't, artificially distorting your photos in post to add a fisheye, wide-angle, or macro look can affect the quality and feel of the image. Luckily, external, universal lenses allow you to achieve these unique perspectives naturally, even if your phone only has one lens. Here are the best universal lenses for your Android phone.

Why use a photography case?

Moment's lenses are by far the most expensive of this list, reaching over $100 per lens when most alternatives include full multi-lens kits for a fraction of the price. So why shell out the extra cash? For one, Moment uses high-quality glass to ensure the absolute best image quality possible, and while it still isn't quite as convenient as having an extra lens built into your phone, it's the next best thing.

Moreover, though, Moment uses its cases for mounting lenses, rather than a clip-on attachment. While this limits how many devices are actually compatible with the company's products, it ensures quick and accurate alignment every time you need to attach a lens, rather than moving a clamp around to avoid blocking your camera's view. If you're shooting something time-sensitive, this quick attachment process could be the difference between getting or missing the shot.

Should I use a clip-on?

Suppose you're unable or unwilling to buy Moment's lenses and cases, absolutely! Clip-on lens attachments are often much more affordable and perhaps just as important because they're more widely compatible. Since there's no special case required, you can clip one of these lens mounts to just about any phone — you can even use them on your front camera if you're so inclined!

Most of these camera kits also include carrying cases for easy travel, meaning you can shoot with different perspectives from anywhere, even if your phone only has one built-in lens.

It's no secret that the Pixel 3 is one of the most capable phones when it comes to mobile photography, largely thanks to Google's computational data. Even with just one rear lens, it takes stunning photos in almost any condition, but you can always add to the phone to make it even more versatile, whether that's with additional lenses or stabilization devices.

Whether you're looking to change up your shot with a different lens or simply add some stability for cleaner photos and videos, there are plenty of ways to enhance your Pixel 3's camera. If you can afford it, Moment's Photo Case (along with a good lens or two) is one of the most highly rated photo accessories on the market, and can make your Pixel 3's camera truly shine.

It's often said that the best camera you have is the one with you. For most of us, most of the time, that's our smartphone. Even if you own a more expensive, more capable standalone camera, your phone will almost always be closer at hand.

That's just one of many reasons why, if you're shopping around for a new smartphone, it's worth paying close attention to its camera system -- even if it means spending a little bit more.

But before you buy, it's worth thinking about what you'll use your phone's camera for most. Most phone cameras these days are good enough. So unless you're buying an absolute bargain-bin model or a really old phone from five years ago or earlier, chances are it'll take photos that are good enough in most situations. That's especially true if you're primarily sharing them on social media instead of printing them out or blowing them up onto a big display.

In 2021, most phones at the $400 level or above will have some night mode for taking clearer shots in darker conditions, as well as a portrait mode to create sharper-looking pics of friends and family. Although a few years ago, you might only find them in high-end flagships, in 2021, they're table stakes features.

So why spend more on a higher-end phone with a better camera? The first thing to consider is that the photos you take on your phone will form memories that'll hopefully last years. So whether you're posting them to Facebook or backing up to Google Photos or Amazon, you're going to want them looking their best. That's especially true of video, which is one of the more challenging areas for cheaper phone cameras. Videos of vacations and other occasions can form some of our most precious memories.

In addition to superior video performance, a flagship phone like a Pixel 6 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will offer higher-quality secondary cameras, like ultrawide and telephoto. These can help you capture a wider field of vision or punch in to capture more distant subjects with greater fidelity.

In cheaper phones, often one of the first areas where corners are cut is with secondary cameras. And that could mean shots taken with the ultrawide or telephoto cameras don't look as good if these extra shooters are even offered at all.

The same applies to computational features — features that use the number-crunching power of your phone's processor — like night mode and portrait mode. A greater number of rear cameras can help your phone judge depth and capture more realistic portrait-effect shots. Meanwhile, low-light captures can be helped considerably by speedy processors like those found in the latest Android flagships.

Smartphone photography is also worth considering as a hobby in itself and a gateway into the broader world of photography. The same basic principles like framing and lighting apply whether you're using a smartphone that costs a few hundred dollars or a big interchangeable-lens camera that costs several thousand. Getting started with your phone can be a fantastic and highly approachable way to dip your toe in the water.

As a general rule, if you care even slightly about photography, it's worthwhile getting a phone with a better camera than you think you need. Take a look at reviews, comparisons, and roundsups of the best phone cameras you can buy.

If you are photographically inclined, you'll be using your phone to capture years of memories that you'll be looking back on for decades to come, so it's well worth spending a little more to make sure those memories are as clear and enjoyable as possible.

Working from home is still a reality for many worldwide, which means good lighting is necessary when on virtual work meetings. Sure, Google Meet can now automatically optimize lighting when it detects a dark environment, but it can only do so much. And if you're anything like me, you like to spend your meetings smoldering at the camera. That's why it's always a great idea to have a good mobile tripod around, especially one with a ring light attached. That way, now only can you feel more confident on Google Meet, but you can also get better selfies as well.

UBeesize is offering 20% off its mobile accessories to help you look your best, no matter the situation. Whether it's a tripod, ring light, or LED light setup, these accessories will work with any of the best Android phones. So when you're shopping around for Cyber Monday Android phone deals, be sure to pair your new phone with a tripod for better shots and a selfie ring light to upgrade your photos and videos.

• Save 20% with these Cyber Monday deals on UBeesize mobile accessories

Cyber Monday deals: 20% off mobile tripods

Cyber Monday deals: 20% off selfie ring lights

Your smartphone's camera is much more than just a camera. Every time you take a photo, it's doing a lot more than just hoovering up tiny dots of light and displaying them on-screen. A large part of the behind-the-scenes magic is computational photography, which sounds complicated, but is a pretty broad term that refers to cameras manipulating an image digitally, using a built-in computer, as opposed to applying good old-fashioned optics.

The camera in any modern smartphone acts as a standalone computer. It uses specialized computing cores to process the digital information captured by the camera sensor and then translates it into an image we can see on the display or share across the internet — or even print out and hang on the wall. It's very different from the old way, where photographers used film and darkroom, but it's how every great phone camera works.

The image sensor is where it all starts. It's a rectangular array of tiny, light-sensitive semiconductors known as photosites. The end product is the created image, also a rectangular array but made of colored pixels. The conversion isn't a one-to-one map between photosites and pixels. That's where image processing comes in, and where computational photography begins.

How it works

The image sensor in your phone is covered by a pattern of red, green, and blue light filters. This means that a single photosite registers light in only one color (expressed by a band of light wavelengths). The final image has all three colors available in every single pixel, where the intensity of brightness determines what color our eyes can see.

Next, your phone's computer/camera employs a sharpening algorithm. This accentuates edges and blends transitions from one color to another. Remember, each pixel in the image can only be one color, but there are millions of colors to choose from. The edge between a red flower and a blue sky needs to be sharp but also blended along the edge. Getting this right isn't easy.

Things like white balance and contrast are then addressed. These processes can make a big difference in the quality of the photo, as well as the actual colors in it. These changes are all just numbers; after your phone algorithm defines color edges, it's much simpler to then adjust the actual shade of the color or the level of contrast.

Finally, the output data is analyzed, and the image is compressed. Colors that are very close to each other are switched to be the same color (because we can't see the difference), and if possible, groups of pixels are merged into a single piece of information, leading to a smaller file output size.

These tools create an image that's as accurate as those created by the old film method. However, computational photography can do a lot more by changing the data using the same algorithms. For example, portrait photography changes the edge detection and sharpening process, while night photography changes the contrast and color balance algorithms. And "AI" scene detection modes in modern phones also use computational photography to identify what's in the shot — a sunset, for example — and change the white balance to produce a pleasing shot with warm colors.

More recently, smartphones' increased processing power considerably expanded computational photography's power. It's a big part of why some of the best Android phones, like the Google Pixel 8 and Samsung Galaxy S24, take such great photos. The raw, number-crunching power of these devices means that phones can sidestep some of the weaknesses of their small sensors with computational photography. Whereas normally, a much larger sensor might be required to take a clear photo in low light, computational techniques can intelligently brighten and denoise images to produce better-looking shots.

Take the Google Pixel series, for instance. Google is happy to explain how computational photography assists in taking great photos from modest hardware, so it's a good example of what we're talking about.

At the heart of the Pixel Camera app's magic is multi-frame photography. That's a computational photography technique involving taking several photos in quick succession at different exposure levels, then stitching them together into a single image with even exposure throughout. 

Because your phone was probably moving while you were taking the photo, HDR+ relies on Google's algorithms to put the image back together without any ghosting, motion blur, or other aberrations while also intelligently reducing the appearance of noise in places. That's a very different process from what you might think of as photography. The computing power onboard and the code commanding it is just as important, if not more so, than the lens and the sensor.

Multi-frame photography is at the heart of most smartphones' night mode capabilities, including Google's Night Sight feature. These computation-heavy features not only take several long exposures over a few seconds but also compensate for the large amount of movement taking place with a handheld shot. Once again, computational power is required to gather all that data and rearrange it into a pleasing, blur-free photo.

Take this idea to the next step, and you have the Google Pixel's Astrophotography mode, which uses computational photography to compensate for the earth's rotation, producing clear photos of the cosmos while also not overexposing landscape details.

The next step in computational photography is applying these techniques to video as well. Google tries to bring the same level of HDR+ processing applied to still photos and video in the same way. It's not quite there yet, but each generation of Pixel phones is better than the last in this regard.

So when you notice your next phone taking way better photos than the model it's replacing, chances are it's not just the camera hardware that's responsible. Rather, it's the entire computer system behind it.

What you need to know

• Google is rolling out the latest feature drop for Pixel smartphones.
• The update brings a new astrophotography timelapse feature and new clipboard features in Gboard.
• Google Photos gains the recently announced Locked Folders feature, and more countries gain access to car crash detection.

The latest feature drop for Pixel smartphones arrives today, and Google highlights the many features that are arriving with this latest update.

Astro timelapse

The last feature drop introduced underwater photography for Pixels. This time, Google is taking the Pixel astrophotography feature to the next level. With the new Astrolapse feature, Pixel owners can take a video of the stars moving across the sky while the phone simultaneously captures an image using the same exposure. This gives owners of the Google Pixel 4 and later devices more ways to share their awesome night captures.

You can learn more about taking astrophotography pictures and videos on Google's support page.

Locked Folder

The recently announced Locked Folder is also making its way to Pixel smartphones. The feature will integrate with the camera app so that users can choose to save newly captured images straight to the locked folder.

As indicated during the announcement of Locked Folders at Google I/O 2021, images saved here won't appear in memories, shared albums, or slideshows on any of the best smart displays.

Gboard clipboard/Features coming to new regions

Gboard is also getting updated, allowing users to keep multiple items saved in the clipboard for easy access. This will be used primarily for important items like phone numbers, email addresses, and URLs, and each item will have an identifiable icon.

Some features already available on Pixel phones are being expanded to new regions. Car crash detection is a feature that has actually managed to save lives, and now Pixel owners in Spain, Ireland, and Singapore will have access to this feature. Here's how to enable car crash detection on the Pixel, which is also available for users in the U.K., Australia, and the U.S.

Call Screen is making its way to Japan, allowing more Pixel owners to use Google Assistant to screen unknown callers to check for spam or robocalls. And if your phone is ringing but isn't in reach, you can now tell Google Assistant to answer or reject the call.

Google's Recorder feature for Pixels also gets a handy update with more English dialects, including Singaporean, Australian, Irish, and British English. It should be available on Pixel 3 up to the Google Pixel 5 by the end of July.

Pride Month Wallpapers

Lastly, Google is introducing snazzy new wallpapers to celebrate Pride Month, each created by Ashton Attzs, along with new Pride ringtones and notifications. The new backgrounds can be found in Styles & Wallpapers.

Source: Google

These new features have begun rolling out for Pixel devices today, including a new Digital Wellbeing feature that will periodically remind you to look up from your phone when you're walking. Be sure to keep checking for updates on your Google Pixel phone to get your hands on these new features!

One of the biggest battles of taking a great photo or video for your social media channels is lighting. Whether it's too dim, too bright, or too uneven, getting the light just right can make all the difference. That's where a ring light comes into play by bringing a more professional look to your selfies and vlogs at an affordable cost. Today's sale on the TaoTronics Ring Light at Amazon makes it an even more enticing purchase.

The TaoTronics Ring Light is on sale for just $59.99 at Amazon, saving you nearly $30 off its regular cost, when you clip the coupon on its product page and then use promo code NFVNUC32 during checkout.

This ring light by TaoTronics is built onto a sturdy tripod that can be adjusted up to 78 inches tall or down to 17 inches short. Along with two mounts to hold your phone, one in the center of the light and one just below it, there's also a USB port integrated just below the light so you can keep the device you're using charged so that your video or photoshoot doesn't end early. The light can be easily angled towards the ground or the ceiling, and it can be spun 360 degrees as well.

There are 50 potential lighting settings to choose from with the TaoTronics Ring Light, consisting of three lighting modes, 10 brightness levels, and five color temperatures. You'll be able to adjust how you want the lighting using the included remote control or the integrated touch panel.

Amazon offers free shipping on orders totaling $25 or more, though you could receive your order even faster with an Amazon Prime membership. If you've never been a member before, you can start a free 30-day trial to score free two-day shipping with no order minimum along with access to the Prime Video streaming service, exclusive members-only discounts, and more.

Thanks to Object Eraser, Samsung users can remove unwanted objects or people from their pictures. Since the feature is in your gallery app, you won't feel obligated to use a third-party app or have to worry about uninstalling anything. If it doesn't work out for you, there are other options. 

While Magic Eraser with Google One and Magic Editor on the latest Google Pixel phones have stolen the spotlight, Galaxy users can still remove unwanted objects from pictures without a subscription or a new phone.

How to use Object Eraser

1. Open the Gallery app on your phone to see your photos.

2. Select the photo you wish to edit by tapping on it.

3. Tap the pencil icon at the bottom of the screen to open the image editor. If no icons appear, tap the picture once.

4. Tap the four circles in the bottom left corner of the screen.

5. Select Object eraser.

6. Draw a circle around the object you want to erase. The more precise you are, the cleaner the final image will be. You can pinch to zoom to improve your accuracy. The downside is that it doesn't show you a preview to help you be more precise.

If you want to try again, tap the left-curved arrow to undo the change and try again.

You may also be able to directly tap objects in the photo, such as people you want to remove. This process works well overall, but may need a little fine-tuning to get rid of all elements, such as shadows.

8. Tap Done to apply the changes. Your phone may take a couple of seconds to process. If you change your mind after tapping Done, you can tap the Revert option at the top right and the Revert to original option at the bottom right to start from scratch.

9. You can also apply other edits on this screen, including cropping and standard color edits.

10. Once you’ve finished your edits, you can tap save in the top right corner to replace the original photo or tap the three dots in the top right of the screen and then Save as copy to keep both images.

Samsung challenges Google's Magic Eraser with Object Eraser

Object Eraser is available in most of Samsung's newer flagships, including Galaxy S phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and folding phones like the Galaxy Fold 5. Samsung has also updated its Gallery app on some of its older phones with Magic Eraser support.

Like the Content-Aware Fill feature in Photoshop, Object Eraser analyzes your image and intelligently removes the objects you've selected. You don't have to look at those objects that only ruin your picture. It isn't perfect, and if you enlarge the image, you'll likely see room for improvement. Nonetheless, we've been impressed with how well this feature works in most cases. Give it a whirl on your Samsung phone and see how it works with your photos!

With Zoom calls and apartment selfies as the new reality for the immediate future, our friends, family, and co-workers are seeing us in the most unflattering light on a daily basis. Whether your face is poorly lit, overexposed, backlit, or low-resolution, you're not showing off your best self to others or to yourself. The fact is, most computers have terrible webcams, and the best way to photograph or film yourself is to use an adjustable tripod with built-in lighting and a mount for your Android camera — setups that several of Android Central's video editors use.

If you're looking for a professional-quality setup that everyday photo amateurs can afford, consider the TaoTronics Ring Light CL025. We were shipped one from TaoTronics for a hands-on, and were immediately impressed by the results. Thanks to its adjustable height, varied color modes that work well with different skin tones, and a simply effective remote with Bluetooth camera tech, it has all the tools you need to make you look and feel like a professional indoor videographer.

Built for (almost) any indoor environment

Setting up the TaoTronics Ring Light took just a couple of minutes. You simply screw and tighten the top ring attachment into the tripod, while the phone holder came already attached in position. From there, you can pull out tabs on the legs or main rod to unlock and extend them to different heights, anywhere between 17 and 78 inches. That made it tall enough that it could work well for a 6 foot person at a standing desk or for anyone seated at a desk.

Even at its shortest, the tripod legs are too wide to sit on a surface other than the floor. So depending on the placement of your desk in relation to the wall, the Ring Light may only fit on one side of your desk or the other, which would affect the angle of the video and the lighting. But you can certainly make that setup work, and for general selfies and filming in your home, anyone from a toddler to a short NBA player has a height setting that will work for them.

Wherever you place it, the ring itself can turn a full 360 degrees or tilt 90 degrees straight upward or downward, giving you total versatility for whatever photo creativity you're aiming for.

Let there be (multi-colored) light!

Most of us aren't getting enough sun these days. Shine a light in your face with the wrong color temperature, and you'll look a bit too much like a shiny, pale Twilight vampire for your shots. The TaoTronics Ring Light has different light and color saturation to satisfy the pickiest and most self-conscious of selfie-takers.

It uses a 24W bright LED bulb capable of hitting up to 2700 Lux that could practically serve as a flashlight at full power, but you'll likely never need that setting. Instead, you can adjust down from 100% to 10% power, then change the color between five different settings. Don't think this is a Philips Hue bulb or anything, but you can adjust from a cool, blinding white to a warmer whitish-yellow. After testing different lightings on multiple people with different skin tones, we're confident that there's at least one setting that will make your face glow in the best possible way.

Effortless control options

Do you prefer tapping away directly on a device, or do you prefer the convenience of a remote even if it means keeping track of it? Well, the TaoTronics Ring Light supports both, so don't fret either way.

After you plug in the Ring Light into an outlet, tap your finger lightly against the power button and hold it there for a couple of seconds to turn it on — don't press too hard, or it may have trouble registering the touch. Once you turn it on, you can briefly tap the power button to change between color modes, press the up or down button to raise or lower the intensity, or tap and hold the power button again to turn it off.

The remote control gives you a few extra options, however. For one thing, the Ring Light's front buttons only let you cycle between the first, third and fifth color temperatures; the remote lets you stop at five different modes between 2700k and 6500k. It also lets you tap the dedicated power button to turn it off more quickly. And most significantly of all, it allows you to remotely take a photo with your connected smartphone via Bluetooth. You simply need to enable Bluetooth on your phone, press and hold the Bluetooth button on the remote, and "TAOTRONICS Selfie" should appear in the list of devices. Then you'll be able to remotely take photos or start and stop videos.

You can also charge your phone with the USB port on the back, so it doesn't die on you while you shoot 4K video or endless selfies. When charging the Pixel 3a, it registered as "Charging slowly" and didn't seem to rise very much percentage-wise, but at least didn't drop while we were testing it out.

Do you need a TaoTronics Ring Light?

In our guide on how to take better smartphone photos in any conditions or lighting, two bits of advice should stand out. In low light situations, never use the flash and rely on a tripod. You can't get natural lighting indoors unless you have great windows, and even then direct sunlight can be problematic. If you want a tool for taking pretty indoor photos, or need studio lighting for better videos and zoom, a Ring Light fits the bill.

You may think you don't know where to put it or that it's too big, but it's actually fairly compact for what it accomplishes. One of our editors picked up this massive studio light, which is probably great if you're only ever going to film or shoot in one specific place. But with the Ring Light, it's also actually quite lightweight, so you can carry it anywhere to frame shots with better composition.

Then there's the simple but compelling evidence that everyone who has bought it seems to love the Ring Light. It currently has a 4.9 rating across over a thousand reviews on Amazon, which we genuinely haven't seen before. No one has had any trouble with setup or getting the features to work, and seem to be as happy as we are with how we look with the Ring Light shining on us.

TaoTronics Ring Light CL025

The TaoTronics Ring Light uses its 24W LED bulb with multiple color settings and adjustable intensity to give anyone and everyone the precise lighting they need to capture the perfect shot or look their best selves while streaming.

• $89 at Amazon

Android Central created this content as part of a paid partnership with TaoTronics. The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Android Central.

One of Best Buy's deals of the day includes the Nixplay 10.1-inch smart digital photo frame, and it's down to $139.99. This price matches a low we've seen a couple times before, but the photo frame normally sells for around $180 or more. Amazon has a similar model, but it's still over $160. The Best Buy price even beats out a sale going on from Nixplay. Like the name suggests, it is a one day deal. You won't find this same low price available this time tomorrow.

Digital photo frames are excellent decorative pieces to have around your house. They make great gifts for family, and they help you keep in touch during a time when seeing people in person may not be so easy. Like any frame, the Nixplay holds a photo. Unlike normal frames, it holds an infinite amount of photos that you can change on a whim and change from anywhere. It's like having an Instagram account featuring photos of the people you love on your living room side table.

The Nixplay uses a 10.1-inch LCD IPS display. It can display photos in a resolution that's up to 1280 x 800 pixels. This gives you a lot of room to work with and a lot of detail for every picture. The frame can also automatically adjust based on whether it's placed in portrait or landscape.

Connect the Nixplay to your Wi-Fi network. You'll want to do this because it gives you some crazy control over the photos displayed in the frame. You can transfer photos to the frame instantly over the network. You can also use the Nixplay app on your smartphone to do the same thing. Control the frame, load playlists, and display your favorites using Amazon Alexa's voice control if you want. It even works with photo websites and apps like Instagram, Google Photos, Dropbox, Facebook, and more to synchronize directly with your frame.

The frame has an added benefit of being wall mountable. It even comes with the wall mounting screws you need. Or you can use it like a normal frame, placing it on your desk or a table.

Google Photos isn't just an incredible backup service; it's one of the best ways to get photos off your Android without fussing around with a cable. It backs up all of your photos and videos you've ever taken, completely free of charge — at least, so long as you're okay with slightly compressed versions of your shots. For full-resolution uploads, you'll need to dip into your limited cloud storage space, which means paying for more when you run out.

Of course, even if you pay for extra cloud storage, you could still run into local storage issues if you're not deleting your photos from your phone after you back them up. Luckily, Google Photos makes that an easy task.

Delete local copies of your media

Google Photos backs up your photos and videos automatically when you're connected to Wi-Fi and a charger (you can also set it to upload more frequently), without even needing to be running in the foreground. That means that when you wake up in the morning, there's a good chance every shot you captured yesterday is already in the cloud.

You probably don't need every photo you've ever taken with your phone stored locally, though, and Google Photos gives you a quick and easy way to delete local copies of media that's already been backed up.

1. From the Photos tab, tap your account icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
2. Tap free up x GB.
3. You'll be taken to the app settings, with a prompt confirming the amount of storage you'll free up and assuring you can still view these files at any time in your gallery.

Once you've given Google Photos the okay, it'll delete all the local copies of any media you've already backed up to its servers. This can free up a ton of storage on your phone, and of course, you can still access those photos and videos within Google Photos. You'll just need an internet connection to see them now.

You can also do this on a per-photo basis, rather than removing every local image off of your phone. Just open any photo or video you've backed up to Google Photos, swipe up, and tap Delete from device. This especially comes in handy for large video files — you might be surprised by how much storage you can free up this way!

Delete screenshots and unnecessary images

You probably don't need that months-old screenshot you took of that funny text from your friend or your battery stats from when you first got your phone. Even Google Photos thinks so — by default, secondary image folders like your screenshots or images uploaded to various social media platforms don't automatically back up.

You can still clear up some local space by deleting your screenshots, though, and if you've ever manually set them to back up, you might regain some cloud storage space, as well.

1. From your Library tab, tap the Screenshots album (or any album you want to delete) under Photos On Device.
2. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner, then tap Delete device folder to quickly delete the entire album.
3. You can also long-press any image, then tap others to select individual items you'd like to delete.

You can also make use of the Search tab in Google Photos to cleverly clear up some space. Under Categories, the Videos album holds every clip you've backed up, making it easy to find and delete the largest files in your library. You can also clear through old selfies or vacation photos using the Places section — try deleting anything that doesn't spark joy!

None of your deleted images will clear up space local or cloud storage space until you've permanently deleted them, though. To do this, just open the Trash section under the Library tab to access deleted media, then tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select Empty Trash.

Smartphone photography is a huge deal, and some of the best Android cameras can even take on traditional DSLRs for general shots. But there's more to it than just hardware and software — you need to know how to use it all! Take these five tips and tricks and put them to good use with any smartphone you have.

Products used in this guide

• Best Android camera: Google Pixel 5 ($699 at Amazon)
• Massive camera sensor: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra ($1300 at Amazon)

Clean the camera lens

Yes, really. It feels like the simplest possible thing because it is! And that's why we forget about it. Our phones come with us everywhere, and that means the camera lenses are far more susceptible to getting covered in fingerprints and dirt and all kinds of other things over the course of the day. At the same time, there are more cameras than ever on modern phones. You may not notice when you're taking photos that there's a smudge on your camera lens but trust us: take a second to wipe off your lens before you take your next photo, and you'll notice a massive difference in the clarity, colors, and sharpness.

This is actually even more important for selfies because the camera lens often has no physical separation from the main glass covering the screen and is far more likely to have smudges on it from using your phone. Front-facing cameras are typically lower resolution and quality to begin with, making them less likely to overcome a smudge on the lens glass. Give the top bit of your phone screen a good wipe down before taking a selfie — you'll be impressed by the difference it makes. You can use your shirt or pant leg in a pinch, but for the best results, keep a lens cleaning cloth handy.

Understand the basics of photography

Smartphones are equipped with great automatic shooting modes that allow you to just point the camera and reliably take a great shot, but it always helps to understand what's going on — particularly when you can't quite get the shot you're after in auto mode. On phones like the Pixel 5, the camera software features separate exposure sliders for quickly adjusting the highlights and shadows, which can help create a more balanced shot, while other phones like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra feature comprehensive manual shooting modes.

Take some time to learn the fundamentals of photography, and you'll have far more control over your next shot. Learn about settings like shutter speed, ISO, and aperture, which play different roles in the lighting and depth of your photos. It can also be helpful to understand the benefits and disadvantages of physically larger camera sensors, especially now as they become more prevalent in phones like the S20 Ultra.

To that extent, make an effort to learn your phone's specific camera software. Some phones like the Sony Xperia 1 and LG V60 ThinQ have advanced features for video, including LUT support and the option to shoot in different frame rates and aspect ratios; play around with the capabilities that make your phone unique!

Use your flash as a last resort

It's often said that photography is just the mastery of light. That's even truer on smartphones with tiny camera sensors and lenses that struggle to take in available light. In a dark or mixed lighting scene, it may be enticing to turn on your camera's flash — but resist the temptation! The flash is typically too bright and too direct to be used anytime you have a subject close to you, completely washing out everything with bright white light. At the same time, it's neither strong enough nor diffused enough to properly to fill a larger space.

There are plenty of ways to get around poor lighting, even on your phone. The simplest is to adjust your framing and move around your subject when possible to change the angle of the light, but if you're simply unable to gather enough ambient light, it may be time to jump into your phone's night mode. The Pixel 5's Night Sight mode essentially takes a short burst of exposures to brighten an image, even when shooting handheld, and works remarkably well.

Other phones approach the situation with brute hardware force, rather than software trickery (or more accurately, some combination of both), as smartphone camera sensors get larger and larger. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a great example; because of its larger individual pixels, the Note 20 Ultra can naturally take in dramatically more light than other phones, meaning it doesn't have to work as hard with its own night mode to get a shockingly bright photo.

Of course, you can also brighten your photos in post using apps like Google Photos or Adobe Lightroom. Just keep in mind that the further you up the exposure in a photo (particularly if you're shooting in JPEG rather than the more flexible RAW format), the more noise you'll introduce.

Consider a mini tripod

Another way to approach poor lighting is to shoot a long exposure; allowing your camera to expose for 5 or 10 seconds at a time rather than a quick snap can make an enormous difference in the amount of light you're able to capture, and it's what powers features like Astrophotography Mode on the Pixel. The problem is that you need to be extremely still when shooting long exposures since even the slightest camera movement can create a ton of motion blur.

That's where a tripod comes in. There are plenty of smartphone tripods to choose from, but the most important factor will be making sure the phone clamp can fit your phone and support its weight. Some tripods that are designed for dedicated cameras, including the Peak Design Travel Tripod I use every day, feature adaptable phone mounts for maximum versatility, but there's no need to spend an arm and a leg here; any tripod that can hold your phone will do the trick.

Even if you don't want to carry around a tripod with you, consider these same principles when you're taking photos. Any time you can prop your phone against a solid surface, your photos will improve. No matter how stable you think your hands are, they aren't as solid as setting the phone on a fixed object. Of course, if you want to be in your own shots, you'll need to enable a self-timer before hitting the shutter button.

Use a photo backup service

Using the tips above will help you take better photos, but that won't mean much if you lose your best shots to an SD card failure or random phone crash. Don't leave things to fate; always make sure your photos are safely stored in a second location somewhere off of your phone.

Thankfully, this is a fairly easy process these days. Services like Google Photos can be set to automatically back up your shots to the cloud without any action on your part; just take a photo and know that it'll be backed up as soon as you connect to Wi-Fi (or, if you're blessed with an unlimited data plan, you can set your shots to back up right away over 5G or LTE). The best part is that Google Photos and services like it offer tons of free storage, though you might still want to upgrade to a paid tier with more space if you take a lot of photos.

A bonus of using a cloud-based photo backup service is that you don't have to worry about transferring photos to your computer or having trouble sharing. Every one of these services offers a web-based photo viewer (and downloader) so you always have access to your archive of photos, and sharing via a simple link makes that process a breeze.

Our favorite Android cameras

What you need to know

• A leaked slide unveils Samsung's plans to develop a 600MP camera sensor.
• Samsung has to address the size of the module, which would take up a large amount of space and protrude too far out of the back panel.
• In the meantime, Oppo is working on a modular camera that could be detached from a smartphone.

Samsung has been pushing the resolution front this year, with the 108MP camera modules introduced in its high-end Galaxy S20 and Note20 models. While the first iteration may not have panned out too well, that hasn't stopped Samsung from wanting to push the envelope further. It's been tipped that Samsung is planning to increase camera resolution by nearly six times that of its current flagships!

For a while, Samsung has been tipped to be working on a smartphone camera with a whopping 600MP resolution. The rumor has just been corroborated by tipster Ice Universe, who seems to have grabbed a slide from a confidential investor presentation. Apparently, Samsung is hoping a larger sensor and resolution would minimize the loss in quality when zooming during 4K and 8K video capture.

The presentation lays out Samsung's plans for its ISOCELL sensor, which would see a huge increase in physical size. The sensor would have 0.8µm pixels, similar to what's found on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra's 108MP sensor. Because of this, the new 1/0.57" sensor, in its current state, would take up roughly 12% of a smartphone's back panel. Additionally, the sensor currently measures 22mm in thickness, making it not ideal for a smartphone with only 9mm thick.

It's unlikely that Samsung will bring a 600MP sensor any time soon, at least until it can address the sensor size. In the meantime, Oppo might have a solution, as a patent recently cropped up for a removable camera module. Oppo is always trying to push the envelope with its smartphones, going so far as to unveil a concept rollable device. A detachable camera module could be the kind of modularity that could help Samsung, for example, address its sensor size problem while adding a number of interesting use-cases.

A smartphone chip like the new Snapdragon 888 is a modern marvel, filled with all the parts that make a phone work and connect. One of those parts is called the ISP (Image Signal Processor), and if you want to take the best photos with your phone, you need it to be a good one.

Qualcomm announced the Spectra branded ISP five years ago, and it has proven to be a very good one, which is why seeing the new triple parallel Spectra 580 is super exciting.

The ISP inside your phone is what your camera interfaces with in order to turn a bunch of tiny points of light into a picture. You have to have one, whether it's a dedicated model that lives inside the smartphone SoC (System on a Chip) or a shared DSP (Digital Signal Processor). All chipmakers know how much value a great camera adds to a phone, and all use a good ISP to help make that happen. The better the ISP, the better photos it can produce.

Having three separate ISPs that can all work at the same time (that's what triple parallel means) is amazing. It means that three separate photo streams can be analyzed and the data can be used all at once. Qualcomm says that you could use three different cameras to take three separate 28MP photos at once.

That's really cool, and your next phone will probably come with three or more cameras on the back plus one on the front. This means you could — in theory, anyway — take a normal photo, a wide-angle photo, and a selfie all at the same time. Or trade one for a zoom photo, or a macro photo. Any combination can happen.

But what's really great is that software could take all of those photos to build one photo that's superb. Think of how HDR works, where three photos are taken and different exposure then the best-exposed areas from each are used to build a picture. The whites aren't blown out thanks to a stream that has a lower exposure value. The shadows aren't black because a stream had a higher exposure value. The median exposure value captures the details and retains sharpness.

We already have cameras that can take great HDR photos, but this is going to be better. Qualcomm says to expect exactly this with what it calls staggered HDR which will debut in smartphones soon. These HDR photos will also be captured in 10-bit color depth and can be saved in the HEIF format so you can have a photo that's clear and crisp, has over one billion different colors, and takes very little space in your storage.

One can also think outside the box and consider what taking three camera views and stitching them together to build something better would be like. Add in the selfie camera to inject you into your wide-angle landscape shot. for example. Android can handle multiple camera streams at once and now so can the hardware. All we need is a developer that can talk to the ISP and the AI engine to make the magic.

You'll also be able to pinch-zoom between all your rear cameras. Zoom out and the view switches to the wide-angle lens. Pinch in and you switch to a zoom lens automatically. This, along with how long it takes to actually capture a photo, is all possible and fast thanks to architecture improvements that make the ISP 35% faster than the Snapdragon 865. The Snapdragon 888 can capture 2.7 gigapixels of light data every second. That means you can capture 120 12MP photos in a one-second burst shot. 120.

Videographers will see some love, too, as the new Snapdragon 888 means you can shoot 4K video at 24, 30, 60, or 120 frames per second. That's going to look incredibly smooth on a 120Hz display while still having all the detail that comes from shooting in 4K.

A lot of this is possible thanks to the Snapdragon's great Qualcomm AI Engine, which has also seen a big upgrade. A smartphone camera uses AI to set autofocus, autoexposure, and auto white balance. An improved AI engine means better auto shooting, and it takes the load off of the ISP when the hardware can communicate with the AI engine.

Your phone camera also uses what's called computational photography to turn data collected by tiny sensors into a great photo. This is how the Google Pixel line has been able to use a simple 12 MP sensor in each model yet still be one of the best cameras you can buy in 2020.

Computational photography is used for things HDR (especially in HDR video), low-light photos, astrophotography, portrait mode, and more. Your phone's camera also relies on AI for mundane things like sharpening and smoothing a photo so a good engine is important for "regular" pictures, too.

Nobody has used a phone with the new Snapdragon 888 inside of it. But on paper, this certainly looks like the camera upgrade that turns a phone into a "DSLR quality" camera and will do it in a way that everyone can shoot like a pro.

Now's the perfect time to look into buying an Insta360 action camera. Right now, the brand's having an End of Season sale offering discounts on select models of its Insta360 camera. With prices starting as low as $159.99, this sale is giving you the chance to save up to $85 on one of Insta360's best action cameras. These deals are available at various retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H; you'll score free shipping with the purchase as well.

The most affordable Insta360 action camera on sale during the End of Season sale is the Insta360 GO action camera. Now down to just $159.99, today's deal saves you $40 off the regular cost of this water-resistant 1080p HD camera. Meanwhile, those with a bigger budget to spend on today's purchase will want to take a look at the Insta360 ONE R action camera. This model is now $40 off as well, bringing its price down to $389.99 for a limited time, and records in 4K! Alternatively, the Twin Edition of the Insta 360 One R is now $431.99 saving you nearly $50.

Other models on sale today include the Insta360 ONE R 1-inch Edition and the Insta360 ONE R Ultimate Kit, priced at $494.99 and $704.96 respectively. The Insta360 ONE R Ultimate Kit scores the biggest discount in the sale at $85 off when you clip the coupon on its product page.

Amazon offers free shipping on orders totaling $25 or more, though you could receive your order even faster with an Amazon Prime membership. If you've never been a member before, you can start a free 30-day trial to score free two-day shipping with no order minimum. You'll also gain access to the rest of Prime's perks such as the Prime Video streaming service and Prime Gaming. There's even a page full of exclusive members-only discounts that members will want to check out.

Too often the photos we take on our smartphones are quickly forgotten, or worse — deleted. The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 Instant Camera lets you take photos and immediately prints them out for you to keep as a momento or give away as a gift. Share your favorites with family and friends, add one to your wallet, or slide one between your phone and a transparent case so you can see it anytime you flip your device around.

Now, thanks to a sale at Amazon, you can grab the Instax Square SQ6 on sale for as low as $89. While you'll find the camera at its lowest price in the Aqua Blue colorway, more colors of this instant camera are discounted and priced just a few dollars higher. While the camera normally sells for up to $130, it's lately found around $100 on average.

Instax has a range of Instant Cameras, but the Instax Square SQ6 marks the first Analog instant camera of the Instant Square models. While some instant cameras have rectangular film, the Instax Square produces square 1:1 photos. That means you don't have to worry about whether you're shooting in portrait or landscape mode. Just point and shoot. Plus, these photos are 1.5 times the size of instax Mini prints.

Don't forget to pick up a pack of instant film with your order. Amazon has a 20-pack of instant film for $16.99. You can purchase in smaller or larger quantities there as well.

Amazon offers free shipping on orders totaling $25 or more, but you could receive your order even faster with an Amazon Prime membership. if you've never been a Prime member before, you can start a free 30-day trial to score free two-day shipping with no order minimum. You'll also gain access to all the rest of Prime's perks such as the Prime Video streaming service and Prime Gaming. There's even a new page dedicated to exclusive members-only deals that everyone needs to check out.

How many photos do you have on your phone's camera roll that you've taken and forgotten about? We may always have a camera in our pockets, but digital photos have a tendency to disappear or simply live on a screen. With a Fujifilm Instax Mini 9, you can get back to physical photos with this instant camera which develops your photo in just a matter of seconds. Right now, BackMarket has select Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 instant cameras on sale in refurbished condition for just $44.99 each. You can choose between ice blue and pink models of this camera while supplies last.

These cameras have been refurbished, meaning they're each tested and inspected to ensure they work as intended. Plus, BackMarket includes free shipping and a one-year warranty with today's purchase.

These cameras are awesome — and that's not just us saying that. This model features a selfie mirror, which ensures that you'll get a good angle, as well as a macro lens adapter for close-up shots. Users can also enjoy High-Key mode for dreamy, soft, bright portraits that will look great hanging in a locker or on a bedroom wall. The Instax Mini 9 automatically detects ambient light and recommends an aperture setting using a flashing LED. To adjust your setting, you just have to rotate a dial. They're insanely user-friendly and the fact that they look super cute doesn't hurt either. Each camera requires two AA batteries.

Note that these don't come with film. You can get a Film Value Pack for $35 right now. You'll get enough for 60 photos in that pack. Or experiment with some moody Monochrome film while it's on sale. I also recommend picking up a sweet matching camera case, or perhaps one of these fun accessory bundles that come with items like a photo album and gel filters for the lens.

Smartphone photography has come far in recent years with most people being happy to use their phones as their primary cameras these days. If you need a bit more than your phone can offer, you should invest in some of Moment's photography gear — especially while it's on sale with prices discounted by as much as 60%. Moment rarely offers discounts, so this summer sale is well worth your attention and is only set to last through the end of the month.

The deal given is no longer valid and we do not have a better one. However, we have found some similar deals

Moment Protective Pixel 3 Case - Durable Wrist Strap Friendly Case for Photography and Camera Lovers (Walnut Wood)

$20.00 $39.99 Save $20 1540353600

Moment Protective Galaxy S10 Case - Durable Wrist Strap Friendly Case for Photography and Camera Lovers (Walnut Wood)

$20.00 $39.99 Save $20 1558670400

Moment - Wide Lens for iPhone, Pixel, Samsung Galaxy and OnePlus Camera Phones

$99.99 $119.99 Save $20 1504929600

Moment - Tele 58mm Lens for iPhone, Pixel, Samsung Galaxy and OnePlus Camera Phones

$99.99 $119.99 Save $20 1543122000

Moment - 15mm Fisheye Lens for iPhone, Pixel, Samsung Galaxy and OnePlus Camera Phones

$59.99 $79.99 Save $20 1505275200

You can up to $50 on smartphone lenses like this Tele 58mm Lens or the Wide 18mm Lens, dropping them from $120 to $99.99. Of course, you'll need the right smartphone case to mount the lenses to. Fortunately, those are discounted by up to $20 in the sale. Gimbals and tripods are on sale today as well.

We've got a lot of good things to say about Moment's products. We even named them as our best universal smartphone lenses. Our only real gripe with Moment gear is the high price of entry, but this limited-time sale sure helps with that. If you've been holding out on buying something from Moment, now's your chance.

Outside of phone-related products, Moment sells an array of other camera gear and accessories. Right now you can save up to $17 on Moment's external hard drives, up to $100 off various camera straps, and up to $100 off audio gear. Moment even offers photography lessons and, you guessed it, these are discounted too.

This sale is slated to last through July 31, though stock has the potential of selling out at any time. Be sure to check out the full selection and grab what you want soon so you don't miss out. Moment offers free shipping on orders totaling $35 or more, as well as free returns within 30 days.

Cameras are easily among the most important factors in a smartphone today, and can often be the tiebreaker when two phones are otherwise evenly matched. I certainly don't consider myself a professional photographer, but I value having the necessary tools to capture great-looking content at any given moment, even when I don't feel like packing and carrying my dedicated mirrorless camera.

That's why I was excited to sit in on a video call with Judd Heape, senior director of product management for Camera and Computer Vision at Qualcomm, who went in great detail answering my questions about Qualcomm's vision for future advancements in both photography and videography on smartphones.

Smartphone photography has really come a long way in the last few years, but video hasn't necessarily made as many strides. We have 8K video, for example, which is great, but the bitrate is still fairly limited, of course, because we're working with limited hardware. Is there any kind of big step forward we can expect on the video side in particular?

Heape: Video is a lot more challenging because of the data rates and the resolutions that are going through the ISP (image signal processor). For Snapshot, of course, you can always process things in the background or have a little bit of latency until the photo appears in the gallery, but with video you've got really strict timing deadlines that you have to meet for every single frame. It's important that video is done in hardware, and that it's power-optimized so the phone doesn't melt in your hand when you're trying to shoot 8K30 video, for example.

I've spoken previously about the merging of three cameras, where you can seamlessly zoom from ultra-wide to wide to telephoto. That will be improved to be much smoother and easier to control in future revisions. Of course, we also want to do a lot of work to improve the HDR experience in video so that the whole system can utilize the innovations that are coming out in image sensors to do quad CFA-based (color filter array) HDR, staggered HDR, multi-frame HDR ... those are really nice features that not only affect the quality of Snapshots, but also the video recorded stream and the viewfinder.

In terms of pixel processing, we're going to be devoting more hardware to video in the future, as well. In the past, we've done things like local motion compensation so that you can handle noise, not just with panning and global moving objects, but also with objects that are moving locally within the frame. We're also capitalizing on our depth and motion engines to do things like bokeh in video, which can be done at any resolution, and in the more distant future, we'll be looking at understanding the content within a video and what each pixel is.

I alluded to this before when Morpho was talking about semantic segmentation; when the pixels are understood by the camera, whether it's skin, fabric, grass, sky, etc., these are the types of understandings that help process those different pixels for factors like color, texture, and noise. In the future, we'll be doing this not just for Snapshot, but also for video.

I think the first video bokeh effect I saw was on the LG G8 last year. It may not have been quite to the level of taking a photo in portrait mode, but it was still impressive. Of course, Google's Pixel line is able to do incredible things like semantic segmentation and its various night modes, as well.

We want to move a lot of those features to video; it's the logical next step. But video is already a power problem, especially if you're shooting in, say, 8K30 or 4K120, so adding those features on top of already quite a saturated thermal budget is a challenge, but that's what we're working on in the future.

And on the flip side of that, what kind of advancements is Qualcomm working towards on the photography side of things in terms of features like portrait mode and other types of creative shooting modes?

We're really looking now at expanding our reach for the camera into heterogeneous computing, and making sure that the camera really interfaces and communicates seamlessly with the AI engine on Snapdragon. For photographs, what you'll see us doing more in the future is using AI for things like denoising, and we can get really good performance for getting rid of noise but preserving detail in low light, beyond what you can do with traditional techniques like with standard types of filters that everybody uses.

Another area that I touched on with video is HDR. We'll be using the AI engine along with the captured photographs to pick the best parts of the scene. So a thing we might do in AI to automatically adjust the image is an intelligent retouch, where we're doing content-aware processing for tonal content, shadow content, highlights, and color.

That's something that we think will be really powerful; you won't have to worry about retouching your phones, the AI engine will make sure that they're completely optimized in all of those areas going forward.

A third area that people don't necessarily think about is face detection. In the past, we've used more traditional techniques when the camera is active to detect faces, and it's actually driving how the camera works. When the camera sees that there's a face in the image, it uses that face to manage some of the items in the 3A process. It can use the face to determine if you have the right exposure, or it can use the face to be the automatic point of autofocus.

In the future, I think we'll be using more of deep learning approach, where we can use our AI engine to detect faces more accurately, and with fewer false positives. We'll be able to be a lot more flexible in determining if faces are detectable in different orientations, distances, etc.

On my Sony a7 III, there's a feature that lets you take a photo of a particular face and tell the camera to prioritize that person of interest for things like autofocus, even when other faces are in the shot. Is that something we could potentially see in a phone in the future?

You can do that pretty easily with AI without going deep into security and the things you have to do to recognize faces for things like payments and unlocking your phone. You can basically do this just in-camera, and know if it's face A or face B — not necessarily if it's the face that's supposed to unlock the phone, but just a face of interest. That's all possible, and will be possible with that upgraded engine that we'll be doing for deep learning face detection.

And I just have to ask. Canon's recently announced EOS R5 can obviously shoot 8K video, but more interesting to me is its ability to shoot oversampled 4K in-camera, which condenses information from 8K source footage to achieve sharper 4K video without needing to do it yourself in post and deal with the massive file sizes of 8K. Is that something we might see in phones at some point, or does this call back to limitations regarding heating and bitrates?

That's a good question. That's something our OEMs might do; of course, we offer native modes for shooting in 4K and 8K, but because 8K is also quite power-hungry, it's certainly viable to do either up- or down-conversion. One of the things — maybe the problem in reverse — we're also looking at doing is intelligent upscaling for video.

Today on the photo side, you can use multiple frames to create more pixels and get a more dense resolution image, but the same thing in video is also possible. You can shoot at a lower resolution and use the slight movements in the camera from frame to frame to even upconvert maybe as high as 3x without any perceptible degradation.

I also wanted to ask about the overhead when it comes to Qualcomm supporting so many different kinds of smartphones from different manufacturers, and meeting the various demands of each as companies try to differentiate themselves through unique camera features. Especially now that we're seeing multiple cameras on pretty much every phone, regardless of price — that's gotta be a lot to worry about.

It is! Because the camera is such an important feature, every OEM wants to differentiate on its cameras. So Qualcomm will release the hardware platform and the camera software, which has a plethora of capabilities, but then of course, one OEM wants to be different from another OEM. So they're choosing different lenses, different image sensors, they're arranging the sensors differently on the front and back, they're adding things like depth sensors or laser-assisted focus or macro cameras...

A lot of customers want to differentiate in the software, as well. Maybe they want to do their own algorithm; to do a specific function in the camera on their own; they want to slightly improve on the way that something like Demosaic is done.

So the challenge we have is servicing all of those customizations and differentiations, but we have a really good systems team and customer engineering team whose job 24/7 is to make sure that customers are successful and can integrate their own features.

One thing that really sets Qualcomm apart from other vendors that provide camera IP is that we have a really strong network of third-party providers that we really do nurture, and we want to make sure that when we have a third-party provider that might be working with a customer, we're all working together.

When we engage with an OEM and they're engaged with a third party like Morpho or ArcSoft, the third party is directly in touch with us as well. So if they want to do something with triple cameras or AI, we'll work with that third party to make sure that they have the latest and greatest development platforms, baseline software, and APIs, and that they have the ability to leverage our hardware blocks, both inside and outside of the camera.

Android Central Podcast #452: A Conversation with Qualcomm

Something the third party might do in the CPU, they might find that they can do it with lower power if they leverage some block in our ISP, or in our computer vision — our EVA engine. Maybe if they move the algorithm from CPU to DSP, like the HVX (Hexagon Vector Extensions) engine, they might get better performance and lower power. We're very closely in touch with every ISV (independent software vendor) in our third-party network to make sure that whatever solutions we're coming up with to help the OEM customize are as streamlined and low-power as possible.

Sort of an offshoot of that question, how do you balance Qualcomm's own feature sets and those of a given client? Coming back to Google, I'd love to see the Pixel 4's astrophotography mode come to other phones, but where do you draw the line and leave that sort of development up to the OEM?

It's a constant sort of thing we think about. How do we balance that? How do we let our OEMs and ISVs differentiate, versus what features are we going to come out with as baselines that may go out to everybody, and in turn remove that differentiation from some specific OEMs? I think our driving force is — it's two things. Anything that we feel is going to improve the camera experience and push the whole ecosystem forward, we want to approach that from a user experience perspective across the industry.

So if there's a certain feature that we believe is going to benefit everybody and really push the whole mobile camera system more towards something like a mirrorless camera, we'll integrate that. The other thing we look at is image quality. If it's something that specifically will impact image quality scores from, say, a third-party benchmarking house like DxOMark, for example, we want to have that capability in house. For things like zoom or noise reduction, better detection of faces, segmented processing, HDR, and so on, these are all things that are measured in the industry, so we want to make sure that the offering we provide to all of our customers has those areas as optimized as they can be.

So those are the two driving factors; we don't want to step on the toes of our customers and our third-party network who might be wanting to innovate, but on the other hand, if it really pushes the whole ecosystem forward or if it impacts something like a DxOMark score, we really want to try to offer that to everybody to move everything forward.

You mentioned earlier how Qualcomm is looking to improve the seamless transition between lenses as you zoom in and out. I just did a retrospective review of last year's Galaxy Note 10, and I was still impressed by how consistent the imaging is across each lens. There are slight differences, of course; the ultra-wide in particular is quicker to blow out highlights, but the colors are really spot-on, and while there's a split second of delay during the transition between lenses, it's very impressive. I'm excited to see that improve even further.

That's not easy. You have three different image sensors, and usually they're not even the same type of image sensor. You've got multiple lenses, you have to tune those cameras so that the color is spot on; that the focus transition and exposure are the same; the white balance is the same; the color is the same; the basic texture and noise tuning is the same ... otherwise, your eye is going to see it. It's really good at picking up these discontinuities.

We're trying to build more and more hooks into hardware so that can be done easily as you transition, and when you go from wide to ultra-wide, it's not just about matching those parameters. It's also about when you're at that transition point, where you said there's a slight delay; there's also fusion going on between those two images to make sure that the orientation and lineup of those images is dead-on, and that's actually done in real time with a hardware block in the ISP that manages the orientation and warping to make those two images line up perfectly.

There's a lot to that, especially in those really tiny transition regions where you want it to be ultra-smooth; there's a lot of hardware behind that that's making it happen.

If you've been paying attention to mobile photography trends and specs lately, you've probably come across the term "pixel binning" somewhere along the way. If you're confused as to what it is or what it does for your photos, here's what you need to know.

Why pixel size matters

Image sensors on smartphones are limited by the space manufacturers and engineers have to work with. Unlike DSLR and mirrorless cameras that use considerably larger sensors, phones have to be creative in maximizing available space to try to achieve similar results.

Since pixels are the dots that make up a digital image, they are doubly important when it comes to how the pixels in an image sensor capture light. Technically speaking, the proper term for the light cavities recording images is "photosites." Still, the industry and marketing lingo tends to sway toward "pixel" to describe these elements, so we'll go with that.

There is a caveat that comes with all this, and that's the size of each individual pixel. The more crammed into an image sensor, the smaller each pixel tends to be. That may theoretically help capture more detail, but it may also adversely affect how well they capture light. Micron pixels in phone cameras, which refers to their size, are usually a mere fraction of what a good DSLR or mirrorless can do.

It's a conundrum phone makers have been facing for years. How do you squeeze in a larger sensor, pack in more pixels, and yet still make them large enough to capture more light? It's not always practical to make the phone thicker or wider to accommodate the physical dimensions of a larger sensor. Nor is it realistic to make lenses larger, or include a mechanical aperture that covers a wide range of f/stops. This is where pixel binning comes in to try and close the gap.

How pixel binning works

There's a lot that goes into this, and that's why it's better to look at it from a slightly non-technical perspective. Let's take the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra as an example. It has a 108-megapixel image sensor, though it only works with the standard lens and regular photo mode.

With a 9:1 ratio, binning can knock that down to a 12-megapixel image, which means each pixel is considerably bigger, and therefore, better able to capture more light. It's the primary reason why that phone's other modes, particularly Night and Pro, shoot at 12-megapixels, rather than the full 108.

All of this creates a trade-off that manufacturers conveniently don't mention when marketing their phones. While binning can help provide two shooting options from the same sensor, they aren't otherwise working in tandem. For example, when you shoot at a resolution as high as 108-megapixels, you're capturing a lot of detail in each frame. So much so, in fact, that you can crop in a lot more than you ever could with a 12-megapixel shot. The catch is that you need to shoot at the full resolution in optimal conditions where light is bright (think daylight or really well-lit indoor environs), or else you may find they turn out dark and dull. Samsung knows this, and that's why it keeps a leash on the full resolution.

But it's not the only brand using pixel binning. The practice goes back years, with the HTC One coming to mind in 2013 when the company used pixel binning to take a 16-megapixel image sensor and coined the resulting 4-megapixel shots as "UltraPixels." Huawei, LG, OnePlus and Xiaomi have all used it with different models, and still do now.

Benefits and alternatives to pixel binning

That's not to say there isn't some noble intent in developing pixel binning because it's not entirely about capturing more light. It's also about reducing noise and increasing dynamic range to make low-light images look better. Ever notice that whenever you shoot in low-light using the main photo mode on any phone, the highlights are often blown out? It cranks up the ISO and lowers the shutter speed, leading to a noisy shot devoid of any real beauty.

Phone makers are limited by physics and physical constraints, so getting more out of the sensor is one of the only ways to shoot better in low-light — still a major challenge for any smartphone. With larger sensors, the idea would be that you could shoot at full resolution during the day and binned resolution in low-light. It's simple when you put it that way, but every brand has done a poor job outlining those parameters because more significant numbers stand out in marketing materials.

You may have noticed that Google, one of the best in mobile photography, has yet to use pixel binning with any of its phones. Instead, its engineers have leaned on their own proprietary computational software to process and render images. That includes burst shooting and bracketing in rapid succession to produce the results its Night Sight mode can provide. The sensor pulls in the same light regardless of the day or time, but the AI and software involved are very different based on the mode you shoot with.

Apple also hasn't gone the binning route, choosing to use its own algorithms to help improve its otherwise shoddy night photography over the years. Even Huawei, which uses a 4:1 ratio with the P40 Pro 50-megapixel main camera, also uses burst and HDR bracketing when shooting in its own Night mode. The combination works well, more often than not, and is truly impressive by mobile standards.

Knowing the limits

That's why it's important to measure expectations and not view pixel binning as a saving grace. Zoom in on any 12-megapixel photo, particularly with the sensor and lens sizes associated with phones, and you're likely to see a lack of detail along the way. It's normal under the circumstances, but the point is not to crop a low-light shot, it's to actually get it to look good.

Pixel binning alone is unlikely to be the answer. More than likely, it will be part of a series of complementary technologies and advancements that help deliver better photos in tough conditions. Binning has to show significantly better results when compared to phones that don't use it at all in order to stake a claim as being truly groundbreaking. We're not there yet, but perhaps we will in time if the breakthrough comes from more than just putting pixels together.

Photoshop is a household name, even for people who have never used the software to edit photos. And while there have been apps to edit images on Android for some time, Adobe has taken a crack at actual photography with its latest Photoshop Camera app and thrown in a whole lot of wacky features to work with.

Much of what Adobe is using here is based on its artificial intelligence (AI) called Sensei that bridges together photography, creative effects and editing. While you might think this app requires a level of expertise, it's actually meant for anyone capable of shooting snapshots on their phones.

It's also a unique place where filters are called "lenses" and the app can apply effects or edits on its own. Or you can choose to do a lot of the work yourself. The versatility is interesting, but more serious mobile photographers might be turned off by all the noise going on here.

Adobe Photoshop Camera What I like

For starters, it's nice that Adobe offers this app for free. Most times, the company's products are hidden behind paywalls and subscription fees. In this case, however, the full gamut of the app's feature set is readily available.

Rather than make this app as intricate and detailed as its editing apps tend to be, the company made this about as simple as a standard camera app on any phone. The catch is that you can either shoot normally or apply one of the Lenses to add something artistic to the shot. The order also doesn't matter because you can apply it to a photo even after the fact, putting less of an emphasis on what you choose to shoot with at any given time.

For example, if you shoot with a filter already applied, but change your mind later or want to see a filter-free version, you can just do that by selecting your choice in the app. I appreciated the versatility, but can also see the value of reversing buyer's remorse for users who wished they had tried something else.

Personally, I'm not a fan of all the filtering that goes on, particularly with Instagram, and generally in social media. Calling these "Lenses" is a bit of a misnomer, but Adobe also acknowledges them as filters. There are about 30 Lenses to choose from, with 80 or so filters in total, since some of them have different effects.

What I liked was that the app didn't force me to shoot with them, though I will admit there is fun in experimenting with what's available. Some of the effects and treatments are appealing, and since the editing tools work with whatever you try out, there's a lot of room for trial and error. The app will also do its best to optimize settings using AI when composing a photo, but you may find you have to tweak exposure before you take the snap.

Once you get to the editing suite, the AI (it's the wand button) can do its best to improve the photo with one tap. Otherwise, you can use the sliders to adjust various elements, like shadow, highlight, clarity, vibrance, contrast, saturation and more. Or you can move the image over to Photoshop Express for more involved editing.

I found the reverse was also easy to do. For example, if I shot a photo in RAW, edited it in Lightroom and Photoshop, and saved a version on my phone, I could then load it into Photoshop Camera and apply any of the effects I wanted to. Adobe wisely includes shortcut buttons to Lightroom and Google Photos (or Gallery, if that's available) to facilitate the move.

I found the app performed better when an existing image already had work done. But there were some caveats I noticed along the way. First, the AI can't always distinguish all exposed areas when using a filter that applies an effect without destroying the foreground subject. I found this happened with structures I've previously shot, like the Eiffel Tower, Brandenburg Gate and Bay Bridge. It routinely misses space between columns or supports, forcing some additional edits in Photoshop to try and salvage the resulting image. That's easy enough for more experienced users, but I can see this being problematic for more casual users.

Adobe Photoshop Camera What needs work

Officially, Adobe says the app works with Android 9 and up, though more specifically mentions the following devices:

• Pixel 3/3 XL, Pixel 4/4 XL
• Samsung S9/S9+, Samsung S10/S10+/S10 5G, Samsung Note 9, Samsung Note 10/10+/10 5G, Samsung Galaxy S20 5G/S20+ 5G/S20 Ultra 5G
• One Plus 6/6T and above

I tried the app on the Pixel 4 XL, Galaxy S20 Ultra and OnePlus 8 Pro, all of which performed similarly. However, doing a search in Google Play for the app on any unlisted Android device yielded no results. The app simply didn't appear. I also tried finding an APK file to use on the Huawei P40 Pro, but had no luck there, either.

Even on the supported phones, the app only taps into the main rear camera and front-facing camera. It ignores the other lenses, as well as any of the modes or software features that make certain phones a cut above others. For instance, the night modes on all those respective cameras don't apply, making it really hard to shoot in low-light or at night. I also couldn't save photos in RAW to edit them in Lightroom and salvage something.

Without the manual controls available in pro modes, like those Samsung and OnePlus offer, the only thing I could change was exposure. For reasons I can't fully ascertain, Adobe's software skews too light, regardless of the location or time of day, forcing me to lower it to try retaining extra detail. The problem there is that the app can't make night photos look better through pure editing. You have to try to mask imperfections using a filter.

And that's on top of the filters themselves, which are acquired tastes. I personally preferred the ones focusing on the sky or that were conducive to scenery. Scenery and Blue Skies are good ones, while Reverie and Celestial work best with open vistas and landscapes. Portrait and Studio Light aren't bad for people. Pop Art, Spectrum, Billie Eilish and Neon Pulse are made for wacky and unusual treatments.

Results will vary wildly. What would work with one image will be ridiculous on another. The variations are so vast that the app all but requires some time to learn the filters and practice before taking it out somewhere. The AI tries to optimize an image regardless of the filter you use, but even then, consistency isn't assured.

Competition

Shooting photos with built-in filters isn't a novel idea, as plenty of apps already do it. Instagram is probably the most popular for either capturing a scene with some kind of effect or filter, or slapping it on after the fact. Despite the obvious gimmickry going on there, it's no secret they are widely used. You could argue the same is true of Snapseed, though the choices in that app are little more understated, with a greater focus on traditional photography. That is also true of VSCO, which does require a subscription to access all the goodies it has to offer.

Beyond those, you could theoretically shoot photos with apps like Camly and Afterlight, both of which offer more when it comes to actually composing a shot, and deeper editing options if you want something to complement Photoshop Express. Canva has its own way of making photos and text blend together.

You may find a gem that works for you by simply searching Google Play for apps that can add filters or effects to your photos, no matter when you actually apply them. Adobe's Sensei AI still needs work to truly stand out and leave all competitors behind.

Adobe Photoshop Camera Should you use it?

Who it's for

• If you like wacky filters to use for your photos
• If you already use Photoshop Express or Lightroom
• If you have a phone capable of using the app
• If you are patient enough to see how it evolves

Who it isn't for

• If you don't have a phone on the compatibility list
• If you prefer to use all the lenses your phone has
• If you don't particularly care for filters and effects
• If you shoot a lot of photos at night or in low-light

I can't fault Adobe for trying its hand at mobile photography. The concept behind this app is distinct enough that it may have some cachet for users at first, or down the line. The editing features are decent, albeit limited, because of the hand-off to Photoshop Express. I can see social media influencers experimenting with this in any number of ways, but I'm not so sure experienced mobile photographers will be blown away by the tools currently available.

3.5 out of 5

It's free, so it doesn't cost you anything to try it out if you have a compatible phone. The good news is that it looks likely Adobe will expand on what's already available. Here's hoping that they can satisfy shooters looking for more than gimmicks.

Location data can be very useful in documenting where you took your vacation photos or pictures for proof of things like a traffic accident, but if you leave location data on all the time, it can be used against you if someone you don't trust gets ahold of your stuff. In order to protect yourself and those around you, here's how to strip out location info from photos you've taken — and more importantly, how to keep it from getting added to your photos in the first place!

How to turn off location data in the Camera app

1. Open the Camera app on your phone.
2. Tap the Settings option on the viewfinder. For Samsung phones, the settings gear is in the top left corner. For Google Pixel phones, you'll need to tap the downward-facing arrow at the top of the screen, then tap the settings gear in the menu that appears.Source: Ara Wagoner / Android Central

1. Turn off the Location toggle in the setting menu. On Samsung phones, Location is near the bottom, but it's the first setting in Google Camera advanced menu.Source: Ara Wagoner / Android Central

Turning off location data means that the geotag will be left blank on any future photos you take, which is why it's a good idea to make sure location data is turned off in your camera first thing. It's far easier to toggle it off beforehand than to go strip it out of dozens or hundreds of photos. If you forgot to turn it off beforehand, though, it's not a hard process to remove location data.

How to remove location data from photos in the Gallery app

If your phone came with a dedicated Gallery app, you can usually remove the location data there. There may be some minor difference between the gallery app your phone comes with. If you're using a Google Pixel phone, skip to the next section since your gallery app is Google Photos.

1. Open Gallery app on your phone.
2. Tap the picture you want to remove location data from.
3. Swipe up on the picture to pull up the picture's information.Source: Ara Wagoner / Android Central

1. Tap Edit.
2. Tap the red minus next to the location data to remove it.
3. Tap Save.Source: Ara Wagoner / Android Central

There's no batch option for this in any of the stock gallery apps I've seen, but there are apps made for batch-editing photo metadata that you can turn to if you need to quickly purge hundreds or thousands of pictures.

How to remove location data from photos in Google Photos

Google Photos will add in location data independently of your camera's geo-tag, which means that so long as no one gets ahold of your Google Photos account, you can strip geotag data locally while still being able to accurately trace your steps once you get back to a safe location. Unfortunately, unless you password-protect the Google Photos app, it's still a liability while it's on your phone showing off the location data of all your photos, so you'll probably want to go in and strip the location data in Google Photos.

Even if you turn off Location Services, Google Photos can automatically pull in location data based on your location history and detected landmarks, and even worse, there's no batch option for purging location data from Google Photos, so you're going to have to do it individually for every single photo you took with the camera. Screenshots do not get location data added to them, so you'll only have to do this with photos you take.

1. Open Google Photos on your phone or visit the Google Photos website on your computer.
2. Open the picture you wish to remove location data from.
3. In the Google Photos app, swipe up to reveal the photo information. On desktop, click the Info icon in the top right option bar (looks like a lower case i in a circle).Source: Ara Wagoner / Android Central

1. Tap the icon to the right of the listed location.
2. In the Google Photos app, tap Remove Location. On dekstop, click No location.
3. In the Google Photos app, tap Remove.Source: Ara Wagoner / Android Central

One down, a few hundred to go. This process will take time, which is why if you're heading to a protest and do not want your photos location tagged, disable or uninstall the Google Photos app before you leave. You can always re-install the app once you get home.

Software has truly pushed mobile photography to the new heights it's reached in recent years, but there's something to be said about putting more of that control back into your own hands. That's where a phone's pro or manual mode can step in with tools that better emulate how a DSLR or mirrorless camera performs.

There's a very good chance your phone has a pro or manual mode. Especially if it's a flagship, though even some mid-range devices will include it. You may have skipped over that mode every time, but you don't need to be intimidated by it. A little knowledge will go a long way in helping you capture even better photos than you expected.

Find the mode

From the start, it's important to note that not every Android phone has a pro or manual mode. As an example, Google's Pixel line — among the best phone cameras available — doesn't have one. Third-party apps do offer some recourse as alternatives, so you're not out of luck if you don't see one. If yours does have it, open it up, follow along, and you will get a handle on how it works.

How pro and manual modes work

The basic premise of a pro or manual mode is that composition is up to you. Rather than the phone's own software determining what the shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and exposure compensation will be, you have the tools to do that yourself. If you're unclear what each of these things do, here's a quick rundown:

• ISO refers to how sensitive the image sensor is to light. The lower the ISO, the less sensitive it is, and the sharper your image is with less noise. The higher you go, and the brighter the image gets, the more you risk noise or grain creeping into the shot.
• Shutter speed refers to how long the image sensor is exposed to light when it passes through the lens. Slow shutter speeds are typically those under 1/60, and the slower you go, the darker the scene. You generally go higher when it's a bright scene, or you're trying to shoot faster action.
• White balance affects how much white light is in a shot, which ultimately affects all colors. This is what determines how warm (yellow) or cool (blue) a shot will look, and you may also see it specific settings for cloudy, sunny, incandescent, and fluorescent lights. If you have ever noticed your photos skew a particular color, this might be why.
• Exposure compensation is easy to identify because of its + and – symbols. Manual modes will often do this automatically, but it is a setting you can adjust yourself. Even if you have set the exposure to where you want it to be, this setting can tweak it to go a little lighter or darker.

The one key setting that's missing is aperture, and that's because it's fixed on smartphones. Each lens has a fixed aperture, so you can't change the f-stop as you could with manual settings on a DSLR or mirrorless camera, for instance. Aperture is important because it determines how wide or tight the hole is for light to pass through. The only handsets offering a variable aperture are the Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ and S10/S10+, Galaxy Note 9 and Note 10/10+. Even then, it's only two stops — f/1.5 and f/2.4.

Making adjustments

One of the good things about using pro or manual mode with all these settings is that the live preview will show you how they affect the image. You can guess by toggling through each setting, of course, but you do see the general result before you actually snap the photo. Still, there are some things to take into account when you set up.

The biggest challenges are both very bright and low-light settings. While some phones will have HDR and Night modes to simplify taking shots in those conditions, they're not always perfect. Plus, they can't perform certain effects without human input. For example, on a bright, sunny day, you may notice that focusing on something in the foreground using the auto photo mode will take away all detail from the sky. If you lower the ISO or raise the shutter speed, you can pull out more detail. Bear in mind that those adjustments will also darken the shadows in the image, so your best bet is to find the right balance. If you shoot in RAW, you can do plenty in editing afterward, but we'll get to that.

If you're shooting in low-light or nighttime, you will have to raise the ISO and lower the shutter speed. Here, too, balance is key, and you may also have to use a tripod or flat surface. LG's Manual mode (on some of its phones) offers a set of preset examples you can toggle through to get a head start on which settings may be ideal for a particular situation. Other phones may not always offer such a helping hand, but here are some additional tips to try based on specific shooting scenarios:

• Sunset or sunrise — Want some extra flair in your shot? Adjust the white balance to bring out more yellow, orange, and red in the shot. Lower the ISO and use a moderate shutter speed.
• Light trails — This one is a bit tough because you can't change the aperture, but it's still doable. Use a tripod and set up where you want to capture light trails. They can be from vehicle traffic or some other form of consistent light moving from direction to another. Set the timer for a 5-second countdown to avoid any camera shake when snapping the photo. Focus on something static, like an unmoving object. Set ISO anywhere between 50-200, and shutter speed to a range anywhere below 1/10. Remember, the lower you go with shutter speed, the lower you should go with ISO to offset light sensitivity.
• Food — This will depend on what kind of light you have available to you, but many of the same principles apply. Shooting food can be fun because the varying scenarios you would be eating in can help you learn some photography fundamentals.
• Action — Much easier to do during the day or indoors with good lighting. In low-light or nighttime, you will struggle to freeze the action and maintain enough light without introducing noise into the shot. Adjust shutter speed and ISO to get the desired composition, and make sure to use autofocus to lock onto the person or subject you want to capture.

Shooting in RAW

The beauty of RAW images is that they're untainted. There's no compression, processing, or algorithms involved. It's as 'raw' a photo as you'll get, and the point is for you to do the processing yourself manually, utilizing all the extra information that comes with the much larger file size.

To edit these, you will need an app like Adobe Lightroom, Snapseed or VSCO, while you have several more options on a PC or Mac. To go this route, you have to be committed to editing these images later on. An advantage in doing so is that you can pull out more detail and control things like noise, color, sharpness, and much more.

Luckily, you can save a photo in both RAW and JPEG when you shoot it, so you could still quickly share a JPEG if you like. But when it comes to using pro or manual, it's a good idea to learn about RAW photography, too.

Practice makes perfect

Rarely, if ever, do you get the "perfect shot" the first time, no matter what or how you're shooting. That's especially true of pro and manual modes, where adjustments are often necessary to get the right composition. You can even take the same photo at different settings and then merge them together later using Photoshop in a process called "stacking" or "bracketing." Think of it as a manual way to create an HDR photo.

Sticking to just the auto mode won't enable you to get the most out of your phone camera's capabilities. While there are other truly helpful modes, it's the pro and manual mode that put so much control in your own hands. Learn those tools, and not only will your photos get better, but so will the eye you shoot with.

Your smartphone's camera does a lot of work to make your photos look the way they do. Onboard software takes the data from the image sensor and processes it to create the photo you see when you preview it right after shooting it. RAW photos are, much like their namesake, totally raw and devoid of any processing.

Shooting in RAW gives you the ultimate freedom to handle the processing side of the equation yourself. Editing these images provides the flexibility to get more out of them than you might otherwise get from the software itself. Here's how to do that.

What makes a file RAW

When a phone saves a photo as a JPEG, it does all the processing and compresses it at the same time. A RAW file is both unprocessed and uncompressed, so what you have is the raw data that the image sensor recorded. This is why file sizes are several times larger than they would be as JPEGs, and why they look so dull and desaturated when you first see them. Because these files also save in formats like DNG (Digital Negative), you will need compatible apps to open them for editing.

How to shoot in RAW

Source: Ted Kritsonis / Android CentralIn this example, there is the unedited file (left) and the edited one (right)

By default, phones won't save any photos in RAW. It's an elective option you have to turn on. Your phone also has to support the Android operating system called Camera2 API. In phones that do, you will find it in quick settings at the top of the camera interface, whereas others will require you to turn it on in the camera settings (look for the gear icon). Depending on the phone, RAW may only be available in pro or manual mode, not in the auto photo mode (though the Google Pixel line is an exception). Because other special modes, like portrait and night, have their own processing they don't capture anything in RAW. If your phone's own camera app doesn't include RAW, you may have to go with a third-party app that does.

With RAW capture on, the phone will save both a JPEG and RAW version of each image. This gives you the chance to save or share the JPEG while having the choice to work on the larger image later. Bear in mind that RAW images are big, so they will take up storage space over time. Once you've moved them over to your editing app of choice, you can offload them by backing them up or deleting them from your phone to save space.

How editing brings them to life

The extra data is the key here. For example, if you were to take the same image in JPEG and RAW, and then start editing them the exact same way, you will notice that highlights and shadows wash out on the JPEG much faster than they would in the RAW shot. The same is true of lighting and color. Changing white balance would be too dramatic on the JPEG, whereas subtle changes are easier to pull off in RAW. This is a big deal because if white is off in a JPEG, fixing it will affect every other color in the frame.

One of the beauties of RAW photography is the level of compensation it affords you, particularly if the image appears over or underexposed. A phone's software will do its best to fix it when it happens with a JPEG, except the results will always sacrifice some part of the image to get there. When editing a RAW file, you don't have to make as many compromises because of the more intricate detail retained in the visual data.

Mobile and desktop apps offer a number of tools to manipulate and process the image to your liking. For example, in Adobe Lightroom, you will have sliders for a wide range of visual aspects that go well beyond just exposure and contrast. You can adjust things like white and black levels, clarity, texture, highlights, shadows, color temperature, noise reduction, and much more.

Then there are what are called "presets," pre-saved slider combinations that you can apply in one shot. You can create your own or purchase and download others from various sources online. Use other apps, like Snapseed and VSCO, and you can do the same thing there.

Power in your hands

You probably won't need to shoot in RAW all the time. Your standard snap or photo that you just want to share quickly won't be ideal for going this route. Since shooting this way is a two-step process requiring you to put in work to edit your images, you may prefer to hold off on only doing it for photos where composition matters more to you.

In other words, if you want to get the best shot, RAW gives you one of the best ways to get there. While HDR and night modes can help a great deal to automate otherwise tricky shooting situations, real flexibility lies with the raw data in your own hands. Learn how to shoot in RAW, and your photo-editing will hit a new plateau.

You've either done it yourself, or seen someone else do it countless times. A server brings a dish to the table, and before digging in, the patron takes a photo to capture or share it on social media. The ubiquity of smartphones has made food one of the most common subjects, yet it's also among the most challenging to shoot.

Making food look good isn't just about the substance of the dish itself, but also the style that goes with it. There's a big difference between a snapshot and a nice composed image to capture the culinary beauty of whatever is there to see. Here are some of the ways you can do that.

Don't use the flash

I get it. You're in a dark or dimly-lit environment, and you want to bring out all that succulent goodness out of the meal in front of you. Resist the urge to show that with the LED flash on your phone. It will wash out the food contents and the white on the dish itself will completely lack detail or texture.

You're better off asking a friend to turn on the flashlight on their phone and illuminate the dish from an angle for you. Shoot it overhead without the flash and you will have something that looks less like a burst of light, and more like a soft flood that maintains texture. If your phone has a night mode, try using that as an alternative. If it comes out a bit dark, you can always brighten it later when editing.

Use the grid and exposure control

Some phones will have the grid on by default on their camera apps, but if you don't see it, go to the settings and turn it on. It's the simplest way to properly line up a food shot for both alignment and symmetry. It also enables you to properly frame a food shot if it includes other elements in it, like supporting dishes, cutlery or table decorations, for example.

As you frame the shot and focus on it, you will likely have to adjust the exposure as well. It's usually the sun icon slider that shows up when tapping to focus. On the Pixel 4 and 4 XL, you can also adjust shadow, which may be useful if you want to add a little more of a dramatic look to the dish.

Use natural light wherever possible

This isn't always possible if you're indoors and not near a window, but better weather may also mean you're eating outside more often, which is perfect for these situations. Either way, natural light is your friend, and when you can control exposure or shadows, you can capture more of the depth and texture associated with food. Even indoors, use a secondary light source, like the flashlight from a friend's phone, to light the dish from an angle to achieve a similar result.

The beauty of natural light, especially if it comes from one direction, is that you can control it to a certain degree. For example, if you have harsher sunlight hitting it from one side, use something like a menu to block the sun and try shooting it that way. If the menu is made with white or off-white paper, it could also act as a makeshift diffuser. When you have natural light available, use it to your advantage and be creative with it.

Use different angles

The most common angle for amateur food shots is at about a 40-degrees above the dish because people take those shots while sitting down in front. That's fine, but it's often not the best vantage point. Directly overhead or closer at a lower angle are better bets — though you will have to assess what will work best for the particular thing you're shooting. As an example, a "busy" dish with various ingredients and colors might look better overheard. However, one with height and texture could look better from up close or at a lower perspective.

You will notice both of these in more professional shots in cookbooks or restaurant photography. There may be variances in contrast or color, but the angles are pretty consistent and it's because they are the best ways to convey food's appetizing appeal. Once you get the angles right, you can focus on how the other elements contribute to making a great photo.

Try portrait mode

Phones generally have this mode now, and while it is aimed at capturing people, the effect can be equally satisfying for food shots. Bokeh effects add flair to a dish, but they work best for those that have some depth or height to them. Lower angles work best for the blurred background to accentuate the food in the foreground.

One thing to keep in mind is that distance will determine how much is in focus. Portrait modes usually use a longer focal length with a tighter crop, forcing you to physically move back to capture more in the frame. However, lighting also matters, and if the phone uses the telephoto lens, the aperture will be tighter. That will make it challenging to shoot well in dimmer settings. External light sources can always help with that, too.

Add other items to the food

A single dish may not be enough to tell a story. If there is a garnish or appetizer that helps add more depth to the dish, don't be shy to add it in, even if it's not going to be in focus. It can even be a glass of wine or cutlery with a clean napkin. Maybe even a restaurant or table setting that adds to the ambience of the food itself. This particular element has tons of variables, and it often comes down to personal taste.

This also affords you the opportunity to shoot a dish without it taking up the whole frame. For instance, if it's something with a uniform pattern, you could theoretically shoot it to take up half the frame, while putting other items in the other half. The "rule of thirds" applies to food, too. You don't always have to frame it all right in the middle if there's a way to make it look good otherwise.

Food offers plenty of opportunity

Unlike a landmark or one-of-a-kind photo ops, food is a subject you encounter daily in one form or another. Even if what's in front of you isn't all that special, use it as an opportunity to practice technique. In time, you'll gain an understanding of how some of these fundamentals apply and when to utilize them. The dishes you consume will only look better in due time.

You may be the one who takes countless photos on your phone, shooting anything and everything when the mood strikes you. Do you like how they look? Do you think there's something missing? Could you do better if you changed a few things?

Unless you're a professional who is already naturally selective when capturing any scene, the answer to all of those is probably yes. The beauty of mobile photography is not only its convenience, but its continuing evolution that makes it easier to shoot in more situations. Don't expect to match what a good DSLR or mirrorless camera can do, but with the right adjustments, your phone's photos will come out looking better.

If your photos are looking less than stellar, it usually comes down to one of five reasons.

You used your own flash and not someone else's

See that LED flash on the back of your phone? It's one of the crappiest features your device has for a couple of simple reasons. First, it produces weak output that dies fast beyond 10 feet. And second, it blares out in a straight line directly in front of the subject, which is one of the worst ways to use any burst of light.

I go into more detail about it in this post, but suffice it to say, it's a feature you should keep off unless you're using it to help someone else. If a friend can help light up a subject for you by shining their phone's LED flashlight onto it from an angle, then you can shoot it without using your own flash.

You didn't learn the modes available to you

Some phones have an arsenal of features available to shoot with. Not the gimmicky ones that overly soften skin or do some other weird effect, but the ones that actually do some good. One of my favorites is Night mode, which may have a varying name, depending on the device. If you are going to shoot anything at night, be it posing friends, a cool structure or a dark indoor setting, try using that mode instead of just shooting in the automatic photo mode.

The reason why is very simple: these night modes are dedicated to emulating long-exposure photography. They capture multiple frames at different exposures and merge them together to create a well-lit scene. It's a mode that works best with static scenes, so you may not get great results if something is moving. Unfortunately, phones aren't quite there yet.

But that's where a pro or manual mode can come in. Here, you have control over shutter speed, ISO, exposure and white balance. This mode is super useful at any time of the day or night because it can add contrast to bright scenes, while reducing noise in dark ones. Learn how to use pro or manual, and your photo quality will only get better.

And last but not least is HDR (high dynamic range). This can be a stellar option to shoot with in any setting because it focuses on adding detail to the highlights and shadows. If it's there for you to shoot with, use it.

You didn't try different angles

It amazes me how people will adjust the angle to flatter themselves while taking a selfie, only to not consider that when shooting anything else. Perspective is a big part of photography, and changing up the angle can tell a different story or add depth to whatever is in the frame.

A good example is when shooting food. More often than not, the photo will either be on a 40-degree angle in front, or directly overhead. Neither shot is necessarily wrong or bad, but you can add a different look to the dish if you try adding some perspective. One way to do it is to use your phone's portrait mode (aperture mode on Huawei phones works, too) and shoot it from a slightly lower angle. The bokeh effect inevitably adds blur to whatever is in the background. The food looks more majestic and appealing, too.

Switch to regular photo mode or use pro/manual and get closer. Focus on the dish at whatever point you want, and let the bokeh naturally fall on the background. No matter what, never use the flash to shoot a dish. Some restaurants will be dimly-lit, and that's where a night or pro/manual mode can come in handy. If the table has a candle or light on it, you could also try putting that to one side of the dish to add some ambient light.

No matter what you shoot, try angling the phone in various ways to see if you can capture something cool or interesting. If there's a slit or hole, shoot through it. If there's something tall, shoot it from a lower angle. And if there's a way to use the "rule of thirds," try that out.

You used digital zoom to get closer

Next to the LED flash, this is the next worst feature in a phone's photography toolkit. All it does is digitally crop into the image at the expense of its overall quality. The resulting photo is likely to range between mediocre and awful. While it's understandable that phone lenses don't always make it easy to see and get closer, you are better off avoiding digital zoom altogether.

If your phone has optical zoom, use that because you will end up with something better every time. Some phones will offer hybrid zoom, which combines optical and digital zoom together for a tighter focus. These aren't too bad, and worth trying within reasonable limits. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has a 4x optical zoom and 10x hybrid zoom. It's not amazing, but it's considerably better than a full 10x digital zoom would be. The 30x or 100x zoom, however, are not good.

That same phone offers another method, which is to shoot with its 108-megapixel sensor and then crop out what you don't want after. If you can't physically get closer to the subject or scene, features like that can be handy.

You used filters, not editing tools

Filters became all the rage with social media, but they duped people into thinking that they actually made pedestrian images look better. They often didn't, and the overzealous processing only added to skewed perceptions toward these images. That still happens now with apps like Facetune.

Digital filters are supposed to emulate the physical lens filters photographers used for decades to create similar effects from scratch. They are undoubtedly conveniently fast, and some are even pretty decent, but many aren't good fits for the photos people slap them onto. When a photo needs some editing, filters aren't necessarily the best route to take.

If you use a good editing app, like Snapseed, Photoshop Express, PicsArt or VSCO, then you can be more intricate in how you breathe more life into the image. If you shot in RAW, Snapseed and Adobe Lightroom are good places to start.

At first, all of the sliders and tools may seem daunting and intimidating, but then what's the rush? Good shots should take time, and the tools won't be as hard to figure out as you think — the visual effect is there to see on the photo. Some of these apps may offer presets (basically filters) that you can apply and then edit from there. If you truly care about how your photo looks, take time to edit it the right way.

It's time to do it differently

These are the main points for me, though there are others that come up within each of them, be it bad focusing or framing, for instance. Shooting better photos with your phone is at your fingertips, so long as you exercise patience to understand the features you have available, and how to utilize them. The first step is to reduce and stop making the same mistakes noted here. Apply the alternatives and, in time, you will see your images turn out better than before.