camera zoom fx is just frickin awesome

[MAzing87]

I'm surprised that this thread doesn't have a single pic produced by Camera Zoom. I have played around with FxCamera and that gave far better pictures than the stock camera. But not one pic from Camera Zoom?

 

[Psychokitty]

Chris1 gave us a link in the last post before yours. Have a look.

 

[JBHorner]

This application does not utilize the full capabilities of the camera on the Droid. Pictures are taken at 72 DPI, even when the JPEG quality is set to maximum, and the resolution is set to maximum.

This said, the comments that state that it isn't producing pictures as good as the stock Droid application are 100% accurate.

Joel

 

[Psychokitty]

Joel,
Are you stating that about camera zoom, as compared to the stock program?
Also, how do you know this data?

 

[LuN3yDaV3]

This application does not utilize the full capabilities of the camera on the Droid. Pictures are taken at 72 DPI, even when the JPEG quality is set to maximum, and theo resolution is set to maximum.

This said, the comments that state that it isn't producing pictures as good as the stock Droid application are 100% accurate.

Joel

I think they are figuring most people will not be printing pictures taken from the phone. Pictures taken/created at 72 dpi are meant to be viewed only within internet applications from a computer or smartphone.

 

[Shooshi]

I've tried this application and didn't like it very much. It definitely did a better job with capturing clearer pictures, but all of mine always came out more "grainy" than the stock camera. I've found that using the stock camera without flash works much better for me. I just edit the contrast and brightness though picsay.

 

[pandroid]

Camera Zoom FX has a horrible fisheye lens effect. thats why i went back to FXCamera. not as many features but easier to use, has a nicer interface, a superior fisheye lens effect and a nicer looking icon

edit: oh yea, and its free

 

[SarahP]

Are you guys using the same app as me?! Zoom FX takes fantastic pictures and no way are they 72dpi. The effect pictures are taken at a lower resolution but thats the same for all the effects app on the market like FXCamera. Regular pics all take at 5 mp and are not grainy at all - I tested again to make sure.

If you don't like the fisheye effect, there are still 39 other effects like pencil drawing, polaroid, kaliedoscope, etc. etc.

And for $2 you get so many features - sound activation, buddies in your pics, stable shot, quad camera - can't believe you guys could be asking for more!!

 

[JBHorner]

Joel,
Are you stating that about camera zoom, as compared to the stock program?
Also, how do you know this data?

I am talking about Camera Zoom FX, yes. I determined this data in three ways:

1. First, I emailed a photo taken using Camera Zoom FX to myself. I downloaded the photo, and then opened it using OS X's Preview application. While in Preview, I opened "Inspector" and then looked at General Info. It stated it was 72 DPI.
2. Second, thinking that maybe email was cutting the size for some reason, I mounted the SD card by plugging the phone into my Mac. I then copied the picture over. I opened it in Preview again, and looked at it with Inspector. Again, it was 72 DPI.
3. Third, I looked at the file size compared to a photo taken with the default camera application. It is ALWAYS much smaller than the default application's file size. (Like 450K compared to 1.1 MB...depending on photo and lighting conditions.)
4. For each photo I checked, I immediately took a photo using the default camera application. Using the same methods noted, and then looking at them with Preview, the DPI is always 300 DPI.

Regardless of whether or not the photos will be printed, the quality of a photo at 72 DPI is not as good as 300 DPI. I should add that the pictures are still 5MP in terms of size, so it would not be accurate to say that it's not saving at 5MP. Rather, my assertion is that the application should take pictures as good or better than the stock application. Yes, it has more features. But something is lost at this moment.

Joel

 

[SarahP]

dpi means nothing, only pixel resolution is important which is the same in Camera zoom - article below from Dpi, misunderstandings and explanation, what is dpi

You can find the properties of your digital photos in a photo editing program, but also in the Windows Explorer. Do a rightclick on your file and next: Properties > Summary > Advanced. These properties are called the EXIF-data. Or short EXIF. In that row also a value for dpi is given, f.e. the number 72, 180, 300 etc. This is a number without any meaning, it is an invented number! A box (field) has to be filled in, so every producer simply invents a number. Don't get confused, it is nonsense.A photofile in a camera or (stored at) a computer has no size in centimeters or inches. So no ppi (or dpi). Such a file only has a subdivision, a resolution, in pixels. From the moment you are going to print there is the matter of size, given in inches or centimeters. Only then you can speak of pixels per inch

 

[JBHorner]

dpi means nothing, only pixel resolution is important which is the same in Camera zoom - article below from Dpi, misunderstandings and explanation, what is dpi

You can find the properties of your digital photos in a photo editing program, but also in the Windows Explorer. Do a rightclick on your file and next: Properties > Summary > Advanced. These properties are called the EXIF-data. Or short EXIF. In that row also a value for dpi is given, f.e. the number 72, 180, 300 etc. This is a number without any meaning, it is an invented number! A box (field) has to be filled in, so every producer simply invents a number. Don't get confused, it is nonsense.A photofile in a camera or (stored at) a computer has no size in centimeters or inches. So no ppi (or dpi). Such a file only has a subdivision, a resolution, in pixels. From the moment you are going to print there is the matter of size, given in inches or centimeters. Only then you can speak of pixels per inch

This is the problem of quoting an article that one found using a search engine to find...it's not quoted in its entirety, and relevant information is lost. DPI is, nevertheless, a representation that is commonly used. In the case of digital picture, it is representing the amount of information for a given amount of space. (Which is the point of the article you quoted.)

I was very careful to include that the file size of the Camera Zoom application was about 1/2 that of the stock camera. Why? Because the amount of information stored in the file is less using Camera Zoom than the stock application stores. Is this because CZ has found some magic algorithm that compresses their photos in such a way that they are better? No, it is because the photos have less information to begin with.

As I said, their solution should at least as good as the stock application to be considered a "frickin awesome" application. For a good explanation of DPI (really PPI), and resolution, this link is helpful: Introduction to Digital Photography: Lesson 2 Understanding Resolution

Joel

 

[SarahP]

Its probably just a difference in the % jpeg compression you are saving at. My Camera Zoom is set at 85% but this is adjustable up to 100%. If you turn this up you get less lossy jpegs but larger file sizes.
On stock camera, you have option of fine, super fine, etc which must correspond to different % jpeg quality's hence different file sizes you saw.

 

[JBHorner]

Yeah, I thought that would be the problem as well. Alas, at full, it produced the notable file difference. In fact, I was so sure it was something I was doing, I took pictures using the stock app, and the third-party app within seconds. (Picture sizes change by lighting conditions, etc.)

Oh well. I think it's a good application, but I would expect it to have better/equal quality.

Joel

 

[Chris1]

new update seems faster than before - very pleased with this app.

was a bit confused by some of the posts above so wanted to do some checks of my own to make sure about file sizes, picture quality, etc.

i took 3 pictures with regular cam at default settings and 3 with camera zoom fx again using default (=85% image compression)
Regular camera : 2592 x 1936, image sizes = 763, 785, 787
Camera ZOOM Fx: 2592 x 1936, image sizes = 838, 737, 743

i.e. no loss in file size, JBHorner above may want to repeat this test as I have double checked.

Looking at the blown up pics on my PC, they looked of similar quality for both apps although I can get additional enhacments playing with the filters in the camerazoom app.

So bottom line you get pictures as good as, if not better than stock app - and then you get all the killer features that no other camera app has - voice activation, buddies, stable shot, etc. etc.

Got to love this app

 

[rkeller62]

sarahp is correct. the only number that really matters is total pixel count. the DPI value is not however meaningless as it is used to determine what size to display or print your picture.

i.e. a 720x720 picture with DPI setting of 72 will want to display or print as a 10x10 inch photo with a pixel density of 72 pixels per inch. That same image with a 300DPI pixel density setting will be 2.4x2.4 inches by default.