Request: Lumia 900 Camera Tips for Dummies

[IPA]

Hi All -

I got my cyan Lumia 900 about two weeks ago and I am in love with it. While I am relatively tech savvy, I freely admit that I am a complete and utter novice with my Lumia camera. I have been so into customizing my live tiles, downloading and experimenting with apps, and, uh, calling people sometimes, that I have neglected to familiarize myself with the camera.

My request to you is simple: share a camera tip wtih me. Be it settings tweaks, instagram-esque apps (I have Fhotoroom at the moment), techniques -- whatever you have, I want to read it. Embarassingly, I don't even know how to do "quick shot" vs "flash shot". Pathetic? Yes. Please help me and the other camera noobs out there.

Look forward to reading your responses.

<3,
IPA

 

[George Ponder]

This may be helpful.

 

[hellomiggy]

Hi All -

I got my cyan Lumia 900 about two weeks ago and I am in love with it. While I am relatively tech savvy, I freely admit that I am a complete and utter novice with my Lumia camera. I have been so into customizing my live tiles, downloading and experimenting with apps, and, uh, calling people sometimes, that I have neglected to familiarize myself with the camera.

My request to you is simple: share a camera tip wtih me. Be it settings tweaks, instagram-esque apps (I have Fhotoroom at the moment), techniques -- whatever you have, I want to read it. Embarassingly, I don't even know how to do "quick shot" vs "flash shot". Pathetic? Yes. Please help me and the other camera noobs out there.

Look forward to reading your responses.

<3,
IPA

My tip would be for you to tap the screen for a picture. I found out my pictures looked way better when tapping the screen, when compared to holding down the camera button. Also just to experiment with what settings you enjoy most. EyeEm is another sort of a Instagram-esk type of application. And I have used the Nokia Creative Studio for the Panorama. It looks FANTASTIC, went to a Dodger game and the Stadium looked awesome on my phone. Just really small on Facebook and Twitter. It was around 500x3XX, it wasn't that big. Eh it looks good on my Phone.

 

[ninjaap]

Best advice I can give is play with the camera settings as much as you can in different environments (lighting), indoor and outdoor.

My saved settings for everyday shots:
Metering Mode: Frame Average
Contrast: High,
Focus Mode: Macro,
Everything else: default (auto).
I found that increasing contrast to high improves the washed out look that happens with most outdoor photos. I usually start here and adjust accordingly.

With indoor/low lighting shots:
Scenes: Night,
Metering Mode: Center Weighted,
Contrast: High,
Focus Mode: Macro,
No Flash,
Tap to focus (tap the screen to snap the pic).
I found that you can't be too far from the subject(s) before the pics gets too "noisy" (ex. group pics). The closer to the subject, the better.

Close up shots:
Scenes: Macro (or Night for low lighting),
Metering Mode: Center Spot,
Contrast: High,
Focus Mode: Macro,
No Flash,
Tap to focus.
For inanimate objects (flowers, beachballs, etc), try increasing Saturation to High to get a brighter, more colorful picture.

Try not to place subject between you and light source (sun, lamp, etc). But if you must, try changing Exposure Value (default 0). The lower the value the darker the picture gets.

These are my favorite go to settings, but sometimes have to adjust accordingly.

Check out the link in my signature for pics I've taken.

 

[ninjaap]

My tip would be for you to tap the screen for a picture. I found out my pictures looked way better when tapping the screen, when compared to holding down the camera button. Also just to experiment with what settings you enjoy most. EyeEm is another sort of a Instagram-esk type of application. And I have used the Nokia Creative Studio for the Panorama. It looks FANTASTIC, went to a Dodger game and the Stadium looked awesome on my phone. Just really small on Facebook and Twitter. It was around 500x3XX, it wasn't that big. Eh it looks good on my Phone.

I used the Panorma shot yesterday and was really disappointed when I uploaded it to Facebook.

 

[FrankieA]

Here are my tips: Camera Tip: Taking better photos with your new Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone | My Windows Phone Story

They seem to work well for most Lumia owners.. hopefully it helps you too.

 

[hellomiggy]

I used the Panorma shot yesterday and was really disappointed when I uploaded it to Facebook.

I know what you mean, the picture was small and it just didn't give the picture justice. Hopefully that photography app that Nokia is coming out with, will be better. It does look promising, saw a video of it on Engadget.com

 

[cckgz4]

Wow thanks for that exposure tip. I never played with that setting and my night shots are A LOT better

 

[IPA]

Thanks so much for all the tips. Photos are already looking way better. <3

 

[IPA]

Hi Guys -

Another noob question: why do my contact pictures come up blurry when they call me? I'm using beautiful, crystal clear shots that I took on the Lumia itself; however, when I receive a call, the pics are blurry and pixelated.

Any ideas?

Thanks much.

 

[Jazmac]

Hi Guys -

Another noob question: why do my contact pictures come up blurry when they call me? I'm using beautiful, crystal clear shots that I took on the Lumia itself; however, when I receive a call, the pics are blurry and pixelated.

Any ideas?

Thanks much.

Sounds like a bad handset. Have they always looked like that?

 

[ninjaap]

Hi Guys -

Another noob question: why do my contact pictures come up blurry when they call me? I'm using beautiful, crystal clear shots that I took on the Lumia itself; however, when I receive a call, the pics are blurry and pixelated.

Any ideas?

Thanks much.

I believe the photos are stored in Live.com and are of lower resolution. It is not pulling from your camera roll or other albums.

 

[sdreamer]

Hi Guys -

Another noob question: why do my contact pictures come up blurry when they call me? I'm using beautiful, crystal clear shots that I took on the Lumia itself; however, when I receive a call, the pics are blurry and pixelated.

Any ideas?

Thanks much.

I know if you're using Google to sync your contacts that they have really low res contact pic sync for some reason. I haven't had an issue with live though.

 

[IPA]

Hi WP Friends -

Is there a way for me to create a new album in my Pictures tab? Like "2012 Vacation"? I guess I'm a noob, but I can't find a way to do that for the life of me. Any help appreciated!

Edit: By way of example...when I take a picture, the pic is saved into my "Camera Roll" album. And I have a Saved Pictures album. But I don't know how to create new, themed folders for vacations, outings, etc.

 

[cckgz4]

I don't think you can. Just only with your facebook photo albums

 

[Windowsphone7]

My tips are try avoid using flash for normal photography. Flash usually kill the photos try adept to the lightning at the location.

With that you are able to achieve amazing photos such as this. Btw for your info all this photos are non edited its taken by the stock camera and straight upload to flickr


Nokia Lumia 900 @ Flowers by JTproductions, on Flickr


Nokia Lumia 900 @ Purple Flower by JTproductions, on Flickr


Nokia Lumia 900 @ Waterdrops by JTproductions, on Flickr


Nokia Lumia 900 @ Orange Dragonfly by JTproductions, on Flickr


Nokia Lumia 900 @ Flowers with Spider by JTproductions, on Flickr


Nokia Lumia 900 @ London the Summer Musical 2012 by JTproductions, on Flickr


Nokia Lumia 900 @ Green by JTproductions, on Flickr

For more sample check out the flickr

 

[TallPaul86]

This is excellent information, thanks guys!

Am I the only one that's wishing for some way to create camera profiles rather than having to faff about with various settings dependant on your location? (i.e. change settings for a particular shot type like indoors, low light etc as they are listed above and then save those profiles so when you go to take a picture, you simply select the profile rather than having to change all the settings again?)