NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Technology

The iPhone as a photographer's tool

Herald online
11 Aug, 2009 12:13 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Peter Denniston was a long-time PC user who just last year switched to a Mac for his home computer. A keen and accomplished photographer, he has recently embraced an iPhone 3G as both a communications device and as a photography tool.

He also uses free podcasts
in iTunes, available to both Mac and PC users through the iTunes store.

This is what he has discovered (in his own words):

Apart from the obvious advantages of the Apple iPhone 3G with its slim design, superb touch interface, transparent integration of applications and synchronising ability, the device offers several advantages to the serious photographer. But I am not talking about the low-resolution built-in camera, though it has its uses, as you will see later in this article.

First there are many great tutorial podcasts on iTunes and having some videos or audio on the iPhone means I can recheck an instructional technique or tip in the field and not have to memorise it back at my desktop computer.

The built in GPS combined with the Map app is a real help if you are navigating and searching for a specific shoot location. Also in built-up areas it's a great way to find your way around various points of interest you wish to shoot.

Having the iPhone with me almost everywhere I go, I can share my photography portfolio with others in an elegant manner. The iPhone's 3.5-inch screen is a very nice size for viewing, and new photos are automatically updated when I sync to my Mac's iPhoto galleries.

As my DSLR does not support location tagging, I take a quick pic with my iPhone to log the GPS coordinates. I can then paste the EXIF data into Aperture later so my photos are geotagged. So I simply use the iPhone camera to take a quick snap shot of the scene I am shooting.

There are many applications available for the iPhone with new, well written programs appearing in the iTunes App Store regularly. I have listed a few which I use for enhancing my photography in the field using the iPhone:

Handi 5D

This is a complete condensed manual and guide for my Canon 5D. It allows me to check up on any settings etc. There is also a reference settings guide for specific lighting situations and scenes.

PhotoBuddy

This app gives you a total range of useful functions including Sun and Moon rise and set times, exposure calculations, depth-of-field calculator, flash exposure and guide number calculator plus a 'more' section which includes bracketing, angle of view, a distance guide, a grey wedge, a timer for bulb exposures and bellows compensation. You can set it up for your camera; most common models are listed.

PhotoCalc

This app offers depth of field, a flash exposure guide, sunrise, an exposure reciprocation calculator and a reference section offering Glossary, Zone system Sunny F16 Rule, Film and filter guides.

GrayCard [sic]

If you need a quick and simple grey card for metering difficult situations, this is it. You just point your camera at your iPhone screen, which displays a grey card. Meter off it. Daylight and Tungsten balance options are included.

Expositor

This exposure guide has a clean, colourful sliding display covering all brightness levels. It covers exposure compensation, too.

Find! NZ

Need to find an ATM, café or hospital etc while you're out shooting? This database helps locate things near to you in the field.

Bokeh:

A Hyperfocal/DoF Utility which is clear and easy to use and understand.

iHandy Level

For levelling the camera on a tripod for landscape shots.

Geotags

This app lets you mark spots of special interest of your current location on a map. You can add images from your iPhone camera or from your library to add to the pinned location. This is great for recalling those locations you want to revisit to shoot again.

Coleman Lantern

Useful for finding things during night shoots. (I admit there is novelty value here, and there are several other simple free torch apps out there.)

The great thing with these apps for the iPhone is that lots of really useful ones are free, and the most I have paid for an app so far is just NZD$4.29.

You can find these in the iTunes app store by searching on the names I have shown.

As a footnote, the iPhone 3G is just plain cool. It's a piece of hardware that just excites me. It integrates into all of my interests and pastimes flawlessly.

Mark's notes

I'm not sure about metering off GrayCard as the iPhone screen is producing light. I'd be interested in seeing how it compares to a cardboard grey card in the same lighting conditions.

iHandy Level (there's also a handy level in the free 9-toolbox) is also good for hanging works, when you don't trust your own levelling judgement - both are best once calibrated against a real level.

DSL Remote is great for some Canons as it lets you control them to a greater (the paid Pro version) or lesser (the free version) extent from your iPhone and iPod touch.

There are also photo modification apps like PhotoCurves and PhotoSharp, that let you change the exposure and colour values of images right there on your iphone, or sharpen images.

Please tell me by email (or in the comments) if you, too, have found useful apps for your photography or any other professional or amateur pursuit.

- Mark Webster mac.nz

 

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Technology

Premium
Business|companies

Silicon Valley to NZ: Kiwi Facebook Marketplace inventor is back home to give back

05 Jul 12:00 AM
Premium
World

A new global divide: AI boom creates gap between nations

04 Jul 08:00 PM
Premium
Business|personal finance

Surge in new vehicle sales: Industry insiders explain three factors behind spike

04 Jul 05:00 AM

Audi offers a sporty spin on city driving with the A3 Sportback and S3 Sportback

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Technology

Premium
Silicon Valley to NZ: Kiwi Facebook Marketplace inventor is back home to give back

Silicon Valley to NZ: Kiwi Facebook Marketplace inventor is back home to give back

05 Jul 12:00 AM

Bowen Pan says NZ's tech sector is 'unrecognisable for the better' after 13 years away.

Premium
A new global divide: AI boom creates gap between nations

A new global divide: AI boom creates gap between nations

04 Jul 08:00 PM
Premium
Surge in new vehicle sales: Industry insiders explain three factors behind spike

Surge in new vehicle sales: Industry insiders explain three factors behind spike

04 Jul 05:00 AM
Premium
No one likes meetings. They’re sending their AI note-takers instead

No one likes meetings. They’re sending their AI note-takers instead

03 Jul 07:00 PM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP