But sometimes you need a change. Maybe you want your camera interface to be more tweakable, or you want to have the kind of manual control over your camera that would make professional photographers nod in approval. Here are five of the best camera apps for Android to see to your photography needs – whether basic or advanced.
1. Paper Camera
With a Google rating of 4.5, Paper Camera is the peoples’ choice for the title of “Best Camera App on Android.” Of course, different strokes for different folks, different apps for different chaps, etc., but with the lovely, versatile sketch-style filters you can play with in Paper Camera, it’s easily the most fun camera app out there. The filters available here are different than those you’ll find anywhere else, creating a natural, sketchbook feel to your photos through filters like comic book, cartoon, sketch, and (my personal fave) neon. It may not be as feature-rich as other apps, but you won’t care because the results of using this really are special. Price: $2.49
2. Cymera
No list of the best Android camera apps would be complete without Cymera. Apart from the wealth of editing options included in this app, you get automatic face recognition as well as a choice of fifteen unique watermark designs for your photos. There is a built-in “smart” gallery which can categorize your photos based on location, or you can group all your selfies together. Sharing your shots with friends is as easy as it gets with built-in sharing options for Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and more. Price: FREE
3. Manual Camera
Manual Camera is a very different camera from the others on this list. While most third-party apps try to remove the complicated steps to ease the process of taking photos, Manual Camera provides full manual control of the camera on your Android device by taking advantage of the APIs included in Android. As a result, you get a range of features such as manual shutter speed, manual ISO, manual exposure compensation, the ability to save images in lossless RAW format for further processing and much more. If complete control over every detail of your photos appeals to you, Manual Camera should be your next purchase. Price: $2.99
4. Camera Zoom FX
With over 5 million users, Camera Zoom FX is another great alternative to the stock Android camera. It sports a busy interface with buttons at the top and bottom of the app which link to a host of features and settings. It supports an array of filters that you can apply to your photos, and if those aren’t enough you can download additional ones from the Play Store. You can also perform other editing actions such as cropping, rotating, flipping, adding frames or creating collages from within the app, as can also shoot videos. Price: Free / $2.99
5. Open Camera
Ever heard of Open Camera? It has a lot of notable features and is the best open-source camera option on Android. Thanks to its open-source nature, it’s constantly being updated by its tireless community. Onboard, you have face detection, auto-level, touch to focus and auto repeat mode. Everything on it is highly customizable, too – from the look of the grid overlay to the volume keys which you can reassign to all manner of camera functions. Isn’t open-source wonderful? Price: Free
Conclusion
With this fine bunch to choose from, every kind of smartphone-happy snapper should find something that’s right for them. Did your favorite camera app for Android make our illustrious list? If not, let us know what it is and what makes it so special. Who knows, it might just make the list one day.
