Following my previous post, I thought I would write about something a little lighter this week. Ever since I started using the iPhone 3G, it has been a great addition to my daily routine: checking emails, reading news articles or Twitter updates, etc. While it was possible to do all these on my previous smartphone, the experience on the iPhone has just been much easier and more integrated. I can easily copy and paste links across apps; my contacts, calendar and music are seamlessly synced and updated each time I connect my iPhone to my computer; and I recently discovered the joy of using the iPhone as a casual camera. Even thought my iPhone 3G is two generations behind the latest model, it's still my first iPhone, and many features are new and exciting for me.
When I first bought it, I didn’t think that the iPhone camera would be much to write about since I knew it was a 2.0 megapixel camera. However, in my experience so far, I’ve found that photos taken using it turned out to be pretty good, especially with sufficient lighting. In fact, the team at Fstoppers recently used an iPhone 3GS, with its 3.2 mega-pixel camera, for a professional fashion shoot. The point of this was to prove how it is not always about pixel count or camera quality. With plenty of good lighting, they showed how it was possible to take some really stunning photos, and no one could tell that they were taken with an iPhone camera.
I downloaded some filters and lens effects, and have been having great fun taking photos with them. These include a series of Vintage iPhone filters, as well as Classic Toy Camera. Both were free apps, although the additional lens pack for the Classic Toy Camera was $0.99. What truly makes the experience so unique is how well the apps work with the iPhone camera to create a variety of effects. There is no need for a computer for post-editing, or any fancy equipment, and I can create various types of film and lens effects on the go. These apps are much easier and cheaper to use than a conventional camera, and have the added benefit of being integrated with the iPhone so it's always with me.
The iPhone camera is not a serious photographer's camera, but that's not what this is about. Many of these effects are intended to create a vintage or slightly imperfect look, so they work really well this way. With these apps, everything happens instantly, and within a single device. How's that for convergence?
Here are some samples of photos I have taken so far. The first was taken with the Vint Shift filter, which blurs the surrounding area around the middle.
This creates a somewhat dreamy effect, and is great for bringing attention to the main subject.
In this second picture, I used the vintage film effect from Classic Toy Camera, which incorporates a slightly grainy, scratched look to the picture. 
With the “Sabinne Edition” quad-lens effects of the Classic Toy Camera, I can create photos similar to those of an Lomographic Action Sampler camera. I remember seeing these cameras many years ago, and was always curious to try one out. These pictures are similar to a storyboard and convey more movement and action than a standard single frame.
I've been having a lot of fun with this lens, and this can also be combined with film effects, such as vintage or black and white.
Although the camera on the iPhone 3G is not one of its highlights, it has proven to be very competent for casual photos, especially if they are intended for viewing on the iPhone or computer screens. In fact, the quality of some of these photos are quite comparable with those taken with my dedicated Olympus 3-megapixel camera! With the addition of various special effects, the iPhone camera has taken on the functionality of a more specialized camera, all within a single device, and for a fraction of the price.
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