Galaxy S2 Camera Pictures Live Wallpaper

As you begin to take better pictures with your Galaxy S2 phone, you might want to create a collage of the latest photos. This useful app, called 'Camera Pictures Live Wallpaper' which is free from the Android App Market, creates a floating slide of the images in your DCIM folder, and it works well on the Samsung Galaxy S2.

Galaxy S2 Homescreen

Samsung Galaxy S2 HDR Photo Apps

After a week with my SGS2, I've decided to play around with filtering and photo techniques abit more. I've seen some great results with HDR photography and wanted to experiment myself. HDR or High Dynamic Range imaging, creates a greater range of luminance and contrast between shades of colour in photos. HDR photos can be achieved purely through the post processing of images, or through the combining of 3 or more photo shots with slightly different ranges into one. As the latter is the preferred option, i opted away from Android apps like the popular 'Camera 360' which uses post processing, and instead chose 'HDR Camera+' from the app market. Below are my first results. The first photo is without HDR, whereas the remaining 3 images are taken with 'HDR Camera+', whereby I've chosen 'High Contrast' in the 'Local Contrast' options of the settings menu. Click on each photo for a full resolution view.

Rosses Point (Sligo, Ireland)

Rosses Point (Sligo, Ireland) HDR Photography

Rosses Point (Sligo, Ireland) HDR Photography

Rosses Point (Sligo, Ireland) HDR Photography

Lessons learned:

As you can see, the results are dramatic. Though on reflection, i will probably opt for a subtler contrast next time, as the luminance is alittle overkill.

I'd also warn that unlike professional camera's with HDR features which take each individual SDR shot in rapid succession for combining, the 'HDR Camera+' app has approximately a .5 delay between each of the three shots, which means that unless you hold your camera incredibly still and use only static images, you will not have the same crispness to the images that you may wish for. I will research means to reduce this lapse, and test similar apps to see if this is a universal issue.

Shane

Testing different 'Scene Mode' options with the Galaxy S2 Camera

Using the Galaxy S2 Camera, you have the option to choose from the original camera settings with autoflash enabled, or you can choose from either presets:

1) 'Scene Mode'
2) 'Shooting Mode'
3) 'Effects

Note that you can only choose from one of the preset ranges above. For instance when you choose from the 'Scene Mode' settings, you will not be able to choose many of the other settings in the menu. Note that for many of the 'Scene Mode' options listed below, you do not have the option to use a flash, and for others, you will not have the option of auto-flash. Below is a selection of images taken of the same object, in the same position and lighting, using different preset options from the 'Scene Mode' I began by resetting the camera settings. Thus with Autoflash enabled. I took a 8mp photo using the following presets, where 'AF' = Autoflash, 'F' = Flash on, and 'NFO' = No Flash Option

Beach/Snow 'NFO'

 

Orig Cam Settings 'AF'

Portrait

Portrait 'F'

Landscape 'NFO

Night 'NFO'

Sport 'NFO'

Party Indoor

Sunset 'NFO'

Dawn 'NFO'

Fall Colour 'NFO'

Candlelight

Backlight

  Backlight 'F'