iPhoneography

TMO Deals

Hohem iSteady X 3-Axis Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer: $69

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on the Hohem iSteady X 3-Axis Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer. This device features auto-rotation and non-orthogonal axes design for immersive and wide shots. It’s small and designed to be held with one hand. It also has a built in tripod for standalone use. This device is $69 through our deal.

TMO Deals

2-in-1 Motorized Slider and Monopod for Smartphones and Cameras: $429.99

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on the MOZA Slypod, a 2-in-1 motorized slider and monopod for iPhones and other smartphones, as well as cameras. Built with a carbon fiber body, it’s designed to be ultra-light and easy to carry. You can also program precise camera movements by adjusting camera travel distance, speed acceleration via the MOZA Master App. It runs up to 2 hours on its own battery, and can be charged by a power bank for continuous shooting. The image includes the monopod attached to an included table tripod.

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Are Camera Apps Worth the Expense?

Andrew Orr ·

Alex Coleman writes about camera apps and why they’re probably not worth the purchase.

After shooting extensively with the latest versions of some of these apps, including an in-depth comparison against the stock camera app, I don’t believe there’s much value in keeping them installed. Put simply, the phone manufacturers have added enough “secret sauce” to their imaging pipeline that an app just won’t create a better quality image, in most cases.

You know, I have to agree with this. Just based on my own experience, I’ve used a ton of different camera apps over the years, and eventually stopped using every single one, until now I stick with Apple’s built-in camera app.

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Manfredi Gioacchini Used an iPhone to Document Climate Change in Antarctica

Andrew Orr ·

Documentary photographer Manfredi Gioacchini is documenting climate change in Antarctica. His tool? An iPhone.

“Most of the usage was related with video recording, in fact the audio of the new phone is incredible,” says the photographer. “That’s important in matters of the climate change… capturing the sounds of icebergs breaking down…”

He also managed to take advantage of the phone’s Night Mode, though it wasn’t necessary for most of the trip, since the sun never dipped below twilight. Scroll down to see Manfredi’s photos for yourself.

Important work, and also beautiful.

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Photo App Neural Cam Moves to Subscription

Andrew Orr ·

Neural Cam promises to give you Night Mode photos even if you don’t have the latest iPhones. It costs US$4.99 up front and recently moved to a subscription of US$4.99/month or US$35.99/year.

I’ve never used the app but people are saying the app is taking away features that people had paid for and locking it behind a subscription, a clear violation of App Store Review Guidelines, section 3.1.2(a).

Update: NeuralCam reached out to me to clarify: The Pro Pack is optional and only adds features for Pro users who subscribe. There’s also an additional 12-month introductory price at US$2.99/month. Finally, no features will be taken away from existing users.

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Smartphones Could Help Death Photography Make a Comeback

Andrew Orr ·

The New York Times has a piece today about death photography, and how it’s returning with the help of our ubiquitous smartphone camera.

“But we are returning to the older ways,” she went on, “a movement backward that some say began in the ’70s, with the back-to-nature movement and midwifery and natural births. The natural death movement is part of that. And these photos are unsurprising, too, because we carry our smartphones all the time, and it’s almost like if there isn’t a photo it didn’t happen. Now everyone is a photographer.”

https://youtu.be/a1-ibIspYbs
Cool Stuff Found

New Video Shows off iPhone 11 Night Mode Capability

Andrew Orr ·

Set to “We Only Come Out At Night” by Smashing Pumpkins, Apple’s new video shows the capabilities of iPhone 11’s Night Mode feature. Whether your situation is low-light or no-light, Night Mode is a powerful camera feature that turns on automatically. Look for the Night Mode icon at the top of the camera, which looks like a crescent moon. It will turn yellow when it’s enabled. Your iPhone might take the shot instantly, or it will take several seconds. It depends on how dark your scene is.

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Publish VSCO Videos With New This App Feature

Andrew Orr ·

After I published my list of VSCO presets I thought I’d send it to the folks at the company. As it turns out they had something to share with me too. As part of the VSCO X membership (US$19.99/year), users can how publish their videos to the feed, which was previously limited to photos.

We know this is something our community has been asking for and we can’t wait to see how you bring your stories to life with the new tools we’re making available for our members. We’ve rounded up some tips for how to take advantage of the new video features with your VSCO membership.