Smartphone News

Last week Apple introduced the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus that boast a robust new camera system, and yesterday Sports Illustrated photographer David E. Klutho shot some impressive images with the iPhone 7 Plus while covering an NFL game for SI between the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings in Nashville.

As expected, Apple today unveiled the eagerly anticipated iPhone 7, featuring a water-resistant design, dramatically improved battery life, a 25% brighter display, and what Apple calls “the most powerful chip ever in a phone.” But the real excitement for mobile photographers is an entirely new camera system with a powerful array of imaging features.

Hasselblad has joined forces with Motorola to try bring some of the Swedish company’s legendary imaging knowledge to smartphone cameras. Called the Hasselblad True Zoom, the Hassy-branded Moto Mod device snaps onto Motorola Z smartphones using magnets and adds a 10x optical zoom and Raw image capability.

The free Snapseed app for iOS and Android phones and tablets has long been a favorite among “serious” mobile photographers who want powerful image-editing tools without a lot of superfluous gimmickry.  And now the app has been updated to include features some of us found missing.

About four years ago, Alvanas, a photographer, filmmaker, educator, digital artist, and postproduction retoucher, was attending a week-long advanced printing workshop at John Paul Caponigro’s studio. “The first day of portfolio review featured lots of prints of grand vistas from big film cameras—4x5s and 8x10s,” Alvanas says. “I showed on the second day, but I digitally projected my images.”

The first thing I do in a new country is get a prepaid SIM card for my phone. Sure, this means that I’m still connected, but the ability to address Google Maps, TripAdvisor, or Foursquare at any point far outweighs the negatives of being sucked back into the infinite void that is Facebook. Pre-paid SIM cards are available everywhere, and let you use your phone to research photo opportunities and share your next masterpiece in every corner of the globe. 

How many times have you been at a museum or concert only to be distracted from the sights and sounds by a bunch of folks snapping away with their smartphones? Or perhaps you are one of the offenders. Well, in news that's sure to get some folks riled up, Apple just received a patent for technology that would disable your iPhone in situations where photography is deemed “inappropriate.”