6 camera apps to help take better photos on smartphones

 You can use most of these apps for free, and many have paid subscriptions if you want to upgrade.

1. OldRoll

OldRoll's app is like a film camera when taken on a smartphone, and you can mimic the photography style of some devices (a paid plan will be needed to unlock everything). One of the best features is the ability to change the white balance, which will give more control over how warm or cool the image is.

When using OldRoll, you can also adjust the lighting in the image. There's also the option to turn the flash on or off. After taking a photo, you can change contrast, saturation, and other aspects like cropping the photo and adding blur, grain, and vignettes.

2. 1998 Orange

1998 Cam is another great app if you want to make your pictures look classic. Can choose from several filters for images, including many styles - such as film and vintage. You can also use different grids to frame the photo and edit the effects in the photo - such as whether you want a blur effect - after shooting. 1998 Cam also allows adding timestamps to make photos look more classic.

3. ProCam

ProCam allows capturing images in RAW, TIFF and many other formats. So if you want to edit more later, you have a lot of flexibility (note, however, that these larger file sizes will consume more storage space on the smartphone).

The ISO can be changed within the image, which allows for more control than is typically available on most smartphone cameras. You will have more flexibility in low light situations and reduce the amount of light coming in on sunny days.

4. Timestamp Camera Basic

Timestamp Camera Basic is an easy-to-use application that allows you to add timestamps to photos. Can include date and even location. Using this app, you can also change photo resolution and choose from a variety of filters to get the style you want.

The app allows selecting exposure timers of 3, 5, and 10 seconds long. To ensure you don't drain your battery, you can also make the most of the battery saving mode. If you want to upgrade and get full feature access, you'll have to pay $4.99.

5. RetroCam

RetroCam is one of my favorite apps to add film photography effects and many other vintage styles to images. It can be used for both smartphone photos and JPEG images imported from mirrorless cameras. You can quickly add multiple filters for different lighting effects.

RetroCam also has basic filters that change colors in images and resemble some of the best filters on Instagram. You'll find many free filters, along with some paid options. RetroCam can be considered one of the best alternatives to VSCO.

6. DAZE ORANGE

Another smartphone camera app for taking better photos is DAZE CAM. You can use this app to take film-style photos and choose from different filters to get the right effect for your images. Joshua Tree is a particularly nice-looking filter, but there are plenty of other options (the intensity slider can also be adjusted to better suit the style).

For some images, you can change aspects other than intensity - such as radius and sensitivity. You can also add dates and choose whether you want dust and other particles to appear in your photos. Furthermore, you have an option to add textures if you wish to do so.

With the free plan, up to 5 photos can be developed. Upgrading to a paid subscription ($19.99/year) provides unlimited access.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 04 July 2024