For Folks who have used the stock android camera, they might find it awful with lackness of many must-need features. People almost all the time go with other replacement apps like Camera FX for getting better filters, frames and many other features that is not offered by the stock camera app. There’s an significant lack of this kind of features like OEM skinned devices like HTC one or SGS4, both of which’s camera is awful. Thankfully to CyanogenMod Team, and their new camera app dubbed as ‘Focal’ has made an quite a bit revolution in the Android platform.
While you give out the further details about the app, one of the CyanogenMod developers Guillaume Lesniak has given a complete rundown of the app. One of the biggest differences in Focal versus the stock AOSP camera is the user interface. While the AOSP based stock camera app is very simple with no more fancy options, FOCUS will surely give your taste a twist! Focal features an slide-out sidebar with floating widgets which is not much familiar with Android users.
Speaking of the specifications and focusing, the CM team have managed to make out Quick Capture Mode (Moto X mode) that allows you to take a picture by tapping anywhere on the screen to focus on a point and then immediately snap a picture. Burst mode is also included which allows you to take 5,10,15 and many much pictures on speed.
Focal also includes a scale of ranging of meter light. Often pictures become too dark or too bright to be seen depending on the source of the light. Which can be a great drawback as seen in SGS4’s camera which is almost an sluggish feature against it competitors. Focal introduces a metering ring, which takes light from around the ring of focus and attempts to normalize it. There are a few different modes including frame average, spot metering, and weighted point depending on the hardware supported on your specific device model.
Another UI enhancement is the review drawer, many of the camera force lets you to see your latest capture by forcing you into the gallery. But the CM team has managed to put this iPhone-like feature here. Focal takes Android’s notification concept and creates a Review Drawer for the pictures you’ve taken. Instead of having to view a full-screen image of what you took or opening a separate app, you just swipe from the left or top (depending on orientation) to reveal the drawer.
And the last in the countdown is the PicSphere, CyanogenMod’s answer to Google’s Photosphere. The biggest problem with the Google’s photosphere is that it is closed-source only some limited number of devices can run it officially and it cannot be ported, so CyanogenMod Team made the right choice to convert this feature into an open-sourced app. PicSphere is supposed to do the same thing PhotoSphere does, by taking a 360-degree panorama including your feet and the sky.
Android cameras has a long path of revolution, and we believe it is going through one of the golden developments in recent history. Focal surely is an milestone and a show-stopper from CyanogenMod and we hope that we will get more apps along in the future.
