Just Like Reality, Except Better

In one of my previous articles, I told you about some of the applications out there that increase the functionality of your Android device. One of these applications was FX Camera, a tool for your camera that allows you to take more than just a picture of what you see in front of you, but to apply filters and overlays. I would like to run you through more of this app's functionality.

When you run the app, a screen will come up allowing you to chose what effect that you would like to apply to your photo, but, before you select this option, let's go look at the settings. Press your menu button, and, from the menu that pops up, select Config.

Config

From this screen you will be able to set how your application acts, and also modify the filters that are applied to your pictures. There is a pull down menu at the top right-hand portion of your screen that allows you to select exactly what it is that you will be adjusting the settings for. For right now we are concentrating on the Common Settings.

In the first box under Common Settings, you will be able to decide whether your FX Camera pictures will save under their own directory, or will save with the system default photos.

The second box in settings allows you to set the action of your Trackball in the application. You can either have it set to auto-focus when you press, and snap a picture when you release, or have it simply take the picture when you press it, with no focusing at all.

The last box allows you to change your camera flash settings, which are of course dependent on the phone that you have, as not every Android phone has a flash. The options that you can chose from are Auto, Always On, and Always Off.

Filters


ToyCam

The toy camera function allows you to take pictures that that apply such filters as high contrast, both colored and mono, Vivid Red or Green, and Cross-process emulation. There is also a Warm setting, and even a setting that randomly picks what filter to apply. You can also apply vignetting or a hard pinhole look to the picture, or select the random choice on this as well.

Polandroid

This filter allows you to apply a Polaroid effect to your pictures. You simply have to press the Config button to change the shape of the filter from rectangle to square, or to set the filter to either faded or mono.

Fisheye

This lens effect is the beta stage, and the only Config options here are to apply the Fisheye effect to the whole picture, or to have the effect applied to a circle in the middle of the frame.


SymmetriCam

The SymmetriCam is a very interesting effect to apply to your pictures. It allows you to take a picture of something in one portion of your screen and have that mirrored in the remaining area of your screen to make a complete picture. The mirroring effect can be applied in Landscape mode, portrait mode, and can even be applied to the corner of your shot, and mirrored three times. You also have the option of applying a mono, sepia, negative, posterization, or solarization effect to your photo. This effect is definitely a lot of fun to play around with, and actually took up a good bit of my time while I was writing my review.


Warhol - Andy Warholizer

This effect is named after the well known pop artist Andy Warhol, and allows you to take a picture and apply an effect to it that is reminiscent of some of the artwork that he is famous for. This is also a beta offering, and does not have any elements that can be changed in the configuration.

Normal

This selection allows you to use FX Camera just as you would your system camera. You are also able to apply filters to the pictures that you take by tapping the Config button while you are in the this mode. The Filters that you can use are Mono/black-white,Sepia, Negative, Posterize, and Solarize. The filters that you will be able to use varies according to what phone that you have. My Samsung Moment is able to use all of them except Posterize and Solarize, while my wife's Nexus One is able to access all of them.

This application is free on the Android Market, and is a lot of fun to play with, and is definitely worth the space that it will take up on your phone. Well, what are you waiting for? Go get it. Snap some pictures!