In fact, the advent and continued refinement of Android camera apps have closed the gap between amateurs and professionals significantly so that an ordinary user can now win a photography award. To win an audience for your images, therefore, smartphone owners must use some of the very best Android camera apps on the market today. Most of these apps are free, but a few operate through a freemium model. However, a great Android camera app must be rich in essential features, including zooming, several image filters, image cropping abilities among others. The app must also enable automatic saving of photographs taken to a designated folder or upload it to the cloud. The app should also enable smartphone users to access these images with ease.
6 Best Android Camera Apps
With this in mind, you want to ensure your phone is equipped with the latest and most advanced Android camera app to guarantee taking better quality photographs. But just how do you pick one camera app from a sea of inviting options? I took a look at the best Android camera apps and recommend the following;
1. Google Camera
Developed as part of the Google Pixel smartphone line, the Google Camera is one of the best Android camera apps on the market today. The app enables users to shoot high-quality, high-definition pictures using a computational photography prowess launched ahead of its competitors and which has been improved since. Further, the Google Camera’s night sight feature has revolutionized amateur photography by significantly increasing the quality of low-light photos taken by non-professional photographers. This applies to virtually everyone with a smartphone. At launch, both night sight and portrait mode were revolutionary features that made Google Camera stand out from rivals. They have been improved since, including the introduction of Gcam Ports for supported phones. The app is also one of the simplest Android smartphone camera apps around and makes shooting pixel images very easy. Without too many settings or shooting modes, users are rarely distracted and therefore capture images with balanced exposure, dynamic range, and a high level of detail.
Google Camera Pros
Free app Simple, clean user interface Feature-rich camera with high functionality Fewer shooting modes make it easy to use Produces high-quality images
Google Camera Cons
Very high system requirements Best-suited to the latest, higher-end devices Limited device support - Only available for Google Nexus and Pixel Photo Sphere does not work on all CPUs
2. Open Camera
The Open Camera is a free app for Android devices with numerous features to help you take pictures with the best quality. It comes with an auto-level feature that ensures users take perfectly level photographs no matter the situation. Similarly, Open Camera’s exposure functionality is among the very best on the market, with scene mode support alongside color effects, ISO, white balance, and exposure compensation, among others. The app also includes a selfie screen flash, a built-in timer, an optional voice countdown as well as numerous remote controls, and an auto-repeat mode for taking multiple photos in the shortest span of time. Like other top Android camera apps, Open Camera applies a date timestamp, location coordinates, and custom texts on all its images, while users can turn on its geotagging function.
Open Camera Pros
Plenty of settings support enhanced customization More features and modes than rival apps Free and open source No in-app purchases or ads Easy to switch between shooting modes Easy switch from photos to videos; front to back cameras Supports night mode
Open Camera Cons
Too many options and settings are potentially confusing The cluttered interface could be distracting
3. Camera FV-5
Camera FV-5 is among the best Android camera apps on the market today, giving users complete control over the device camera and delivering top-of-the-range quality. At $4, Camera FV-5 is not cheap, but it empowers everyone to take professional photos with ease. According to Make Use Of, the FV-5 Android camera is so advanced and so good at delivering quality that it effectively gives its users a “complete point-and-shoot camera replacement” in their pocket. The Camera FV-5 is especially great at enabling users to take long, exposure bracketed high dynamic range (HDR) image shots that can then be stitched together to create a video. This kind of control is not attainable by the basic Android camera, while very few apps get close to the performance standards of the Camera FV-5 app. Other key features include a viewfinder display to control exposure, an intervalometer, and exposure bracketing, among others.
Camera FV-5 Pros
Better user control over ISO, exposure times, and f-stop. Automatic exposure compensation Can take several pictures in rapid succession at different exposures Take long exposure shots and stitch them together Has a capable free version
Camera FV-5 Cons
App menu is stuck on landscape mode The free version is significantly limited RAW capture is not enabled
4. ProShot
While not as popular, ProShot is a handy tool to have and one of the most feature-rich Android camera apps available on the market. This third-party camera app performs favorably against competitors in the number and variety of features, control over shooting parameters, as well as automation options. Unlike other apps on this list, ProShot users can shoot in auto, program, even in full manual modes, while the app enables users to define custom shooting modes. Engadget terms ProShort a “worthy addition to your phone,” while Nextpit professes the app turns smartphones into a DSLR camera. ProShot users are first encouraged to use the ProShot Evaluator to determine the features compatible with users’ devices. The app makes use of exemplary interface layouts, as well as a litany of features that give your Android phone huge camera functionality. Key features of the ProShot Android camera app include zero-lag bracket exposure, manual focus assist, auto ISO option, and ability to shoot multiple format images. ProShot users also enjoy a live histogram, full-resolution shoots, light painting modes, and one-finger zoom function, among others.
ProShot Pros
Full manual control in photo, timelapse, and video modes Supports multiple aspect ratios RAW and other format support
ProShot Cons
The aspect ratio function is broken Easy to mix up the focus and zoom controls Timelapse tool makes the phone sleep Timelapse produces individual photos rather than video
5. Camera MX
Camera MX is a free Android camera app with exceptional features for the everyday smartphone user. Camera MX is also an easy-to-use, all-purpose camera app compatible with all device manufacturers. With more than 20 million app downloads, it is among the most popular Android camera apps available today. Of the app’s features, the “shoot the past” feature is the most impressive and unique compared to industry standards, enabling you to capture and save a buffer of a few frames just before the actual shot and letting you go through all shots to select the perfect photograph. This, alongside its sleek interface, makes Camera MX one of the best Android camera apps on the market. Camera MX also lets users pause video recordings to apply cuts in real-time or timelapse the recording to create fast motion videos. You can also apply epic filters and effects live while recording or switch between filters easily. Other additional features include an industry-best zoom functionality, the ability to disable shutter sound, and optional grid lines for the best image compositions among others.
Camera MX Pros
Plenty of filters are available for better images Easy to find settings with great management of options Ability to preview new shots and gallery images Simple interface that’s easy to navigate
Camera MX Cons
Some features are paid The free version has limited features The premium version is expensive
6. Camera360
With more than one billion app installs to date, the Camera360 is one of the best Android camera apps in the Google Play store and offers plenty of features for users. Camera360 is also one of a few to come with a built-in specialist image editor alongside its camera capabilities. This allows app users to make live photo adjustments during the shoot. This app comes with unlimited cloud storage space for free and thus lets users automatically sync thousands of images to the cloud. Before then, however, Camera360 users have access to over 100 filters, with each filter fitted with additional settings that ensured numerous image customizations. Similarly, Camera360 has a dedicated selfie mode to minimize potential flaws and blemishes in user selfies, while its numerous social integrations allow for seamless sharing of photos to all the major social media networks. Unlike its rivals, Camera360 can capture the surrounding sounds with images using the built-in audio mode, capturing up to 5 seconds of sound to give context to every image.
Camera360 Pros
Free, unlimited cloud storage More than 100 filters with multiple settings Dedicated selfie mode Tons of social integrations with easy sharing Captures sound with images Free version available
Camera360 Cons
No rotation option for image cropping The free app is severely limited Pro version is costly
Did I miss out on any other good camera apps for Andriod? Let me know in the comments section. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. © 2022 Rahul Pandey
