Camera app for macro photos

[bigbadwulff]

The M doesn't have a Macro mode on the camera. That came as a surprise for me. Found an app called 'Magnificent Magnifier HD'. I'm like amazed. It works. I have never seen a camera app that did anything more than what the stock camera did but this one fills the niche I needed to take pics of flies I tie for fly fishing. Will post some as I take them. Blown away. Why can't the stock cameras do this?
It says it's for Gingerbread and ICS but it works on the M with JB.

 

[Spey]

Hmmm, I find that my stock camera does "macro" natively, and quite nicely. A small fly (fishing) would easily cover full-frame +.

I even have found that it works well enough for me to use the phone instead of having to find a pair of reading glasses and or a magnifier when reading extremely small text. I just turn the camera on and zoom in about 50% or so, then move the camera to the closest focusing distance (seems like 2-4 inches, based on the zoom level you select). If there is contrasting light and or colors, HDR (High Dynamic Range) setting helps to further improve the image.

Works really well for me, may give your app find a try (but hard for me to imagine how software could effectively improve either the lens focusing distance and/or magnification without introducing noise to the image).

Example: Just took a pic (attached below - hopefully) with factory camera software of the clock-tower on the back-side of a C-Note (Independence Hall). I can easily read the time through the camera, as illustrated in the image that was captured.
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/...oteClockTowerIndependanceHall_zps10e932ce.jpg

Update: bigbadwulff,
I installed Magnificent Magnifier HD and took basically same photo as example above and would like to review comparison and post here. I can find the photo on my phone (via Galley), but can not locate where the photos that are taken with this app are actually stored (have looked both on SD-Card & Internal Memory, but coming up blank on physical address for the default storage folder). Can tell me the location, and/or how to change the storage location to a user preferance.
Found Default Storage Location: XT907/InternalStorage/Pictures/CPS_Magnifier

Here's the comparison photo (taken using CPS_Magnifier_HD app:
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/...le/RAZR M/C-NoteCPS_Magnifier_zps1f1959cf.jpg

At full power magnification (I think this was 4.0x), and measuring across a couple different points on the two examles, I would say the overall "macro" magnification looks to be very similar (stock camera being slightly greater). Additionally, all the camera setting options are there for the user (not accessible in the aftermarket app). Also, I have gotten a number of error msg's "Magnifier App has stopped responding .... Interested to hear any other perspectives on this or any other "macro" photo app for the Razr M.

 

[bigbadwulff]

Picture is in the gallery in another folder. I'll try the zoom idea. As I've found out before theses apps don't do anything more than the camera can do. But one thing it does that helps is turn the torch light on.
Yup, stock camera(software) falls short with macro pics. The flash washes everything out and the focus does not work well at all. The MAgnifier software allows the torch light to be on, allows you to focus before you snap a picture. Results are much better.
The only way the stock software can compete is if you have plenty of light available on the subject and forget the flash.

 

[Spey]

Picture is in the gallery in another folder. I'll try the zoom idea. As I've found out before theses apps don't do anything more than the camera can do. But one thing it does that helps is turn the torch light on.
Yup, stock camera(software) falls short with macro pics. The flash washes everything out and the focus does not work well at all. The MAgnifier software allows the torch light to be on, allows you to focus before you snap a picture. Results are much better.
The only way the stock software can compete is if you have plenty of light available on the subject and forget the flash.

I disagree that the results are better - If you were to look at the two photos I linked in my last post you will see that the stock Razr M Camera software actually provides a slightly greater overall magnification. Additionally, the stock camera software provides auto focus (simply press the area you want to focus & focus/exposure box illustrates the zone the camera will set exposure & focus to - required when taking images where subject has large depth of field). I think if you spend a little more time learning hosw to use the stock software along with various features, you will find it really does a better job. One example is the user ability to select the area of the composition to both set focus at & set exposure to (the exposure/focus box). Only exception is, as you have mentioned related to, the ability to turn the LED (but this could be accomplished with the camera in a few different ways using the stock camera-app (example: LED on with flash-light app which could also allow the user to select multiple brightness settings, etc,. etc.). The factory HDR options are hugely beneficial along with many other features (spend a little time learning how to use the great factory options - just a constructive suggestion).

Regards,