A View from the Office
Had to hang about at work till the early evening, and I'd been thinking up and discarding ideas for blips all day. There was even a Monochrome Monday Mugshot in the offing which I've included as the extra photo. But just before leaving, I tried some light-trail photography – looking out over the nearby roundabout. This worked out rather better than I expected so the mugshot is relegated to second place :-)
This was my first time playing around with the Slow Shutter app from Cogitap Software. I was very impressed, although like most endeavours it does require some fucking around and finding out to obtain good results.
This GPT summary focuses on the facts and functionalities of the Slow Shutter Cam App, providing tips for users without marketing jargon.
Why You Need It:
iPhone camera limits shutter speed to 1 second, unsuitable for long exposure photography.
Slow Shutter Cam overcomes this by capturing video frames and combining them for a long exposure effect.
It allows exposures up to 30 seconds or even bulb mode (shutter stays open until manually closed).
Offers post-capture adjustment of motion blur strength, unlike DSLRs.
Enables manual ISO control for lower noise in low-light situations (ISO 80-100 recommended).
Key Features:
Supports all iPhone lenses, including triple-lens systems on iPhone 15 Pro (or later).
Focus and exposure lock for capturing fireworks.
Self-timer options (1, 3, 5, or 10 seconds).
Apple Watch companion app for remote shutter release.
Saves images in HEIF or TIFF format for better editing results.
Shooting Modes:
Motion Blur: Ideal for capturing flowing water or movement (e.g., waterfalls).
Light Trails: Captures light trails at night, like car lights.
Low Light: For long exposures (up to 30+ seconds) in low-light environments. Use manual ISO control for best results.
Using the App:
Tripod recommended: Crucial for sharp photos during long exposures.
Remote shutter release preferred: Prevents camera shake from pressing the on-screen button. Use the Apple Watch app or a Bluetooth remote shutter.
Settings to Check:
Resolution: Set to maximum (12 megapixels) even on newer iPhones.
Picture format: Choose HEIF or TIFF for lossless editing, but expect larger file sizes.
Geotagging: Enable/disable based on privacy preference.
Conclusion:
Slow Shutter Cam is a powerful tool for iPhone long-exposure photography. It offers extended shutter speeds, multi-lens support, manual ISO control, and lossless image formats. While it currently limits photos to 12 megapixels (hopefully an update addresses this), it remains a valuable app for creative iPhone photographers.
