Readers questions #4
Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 10:19PM | Glyn Evans Question from David Bell: I came across your website several weeks ago after I upgraded my iPhone to the worthless version 3.0. It broke Darkroom Premium. After I installed DP, I seldom used the iPhone's default camera app, as DP provided much higher-quality photos. I'm still mad at Apple.
In your extensive reviews of camera apps, have you come across anything that will turn off the display while you're shooting photos? I was at a concert last night and they were being very hardcore about photography. As most of today's cameras, iPhone included, no longer have viewfinders, you have to compose using the screen. Nothing shouts out "hey, I'm taking a picture" than when your face lights up in a darkened auditorium. To your knowledge, is there an app that will allow you to put the iPhone in "concert" or "covert" mode?
I really enjoy your site. It's much better than the iTunes store for information about camera apps. Although I've got a Canon Digital Rebel and a bag full of accessories, I find myself shooting more and more with my iPhone, and then tweaking with apps. Several months ago, I took some shots using my Canon and a $200 Lens Baby lens and some shots on the iPhone that I then modified with the $2 Tilt-Shift app. My brother couldn't tell which was which. Pretty good.
Keep up the good work with your website!
Answer: First off David I would like to thank you for the comments about the blog, they are very welcomed.
In answer to your question I am not aware of any app that would achieve this, as blanking the screen would make in near impossible to get correctly framed shots. After giving it some thought, my suggestion is to set the screen brightness to its lowest setting (Settings - Brightness), this way your iPhone will not light up like a beacon and hopefully allow you to take photos unnoticed. To reduce the brightness even more you could also use a Privacy Screen like the ones from Case-Mate.
If you have a question you would like to ask, then just email me and I will do my best to answer it.
Reader Comments (1)
Time Lapse will sort of do what you're asking (if you put it in dark display mode) but you'd have little control over what you get (though if you frame the first couple of shots and can put the ipchone back in the same position again it might work out.
Rich