You won’t find a better camera app for Android than this.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
I’ve been using DaVinci Resolve for a while now and Blackmagic’s tool has impressed me beyond expectations. When I learned that the company ported its Blackmagic Camera mobile app to Android, I was thrilled.
Blackmagic released the iOS version of this app back in September 2023 and, after months of anticipation, it’s finally arrived on Google’s mobile OS.
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There’s a catch. As of now, the Blackmagic Camera app is available for installation only on Samsung and Pixel phones. Also, you might have to install the app (as I did) from within the web version of the Google Play Store. When I searched the Google Play store for either Blackmagic Camera or Blackmagic, I came up empty-handed. Fortunately, I could click Install on the web version and then inform the Play Store which device to send the app to.
Once installed, the app gave me control over things like FPS (Frames Per Second) shutter speed, ISO, white balance, tint, resolution, and more. There’s even a histogram, a volume meter, optical and standard zoom, a clip manager, and plenty of settings. You can change codecs, resolution, color space, shutter measurement (from speed to angle), and more. The settings alone will blow your mind. This is a serious app for people serious about shooting videos on their phones.
Before you install this app, know that it’s not designed for just anyone. You need to know your way around video editing before you use this tool. (It’s nothing like the Google Camera App with its built-in AI features.) This app delivers real digital film camera controls and image processing. It’s serious business. For those who understand the ins and outs of using such an app, your results can be truly impressive.
I’ll be defaulting to the Blackmagic Camera app when I need to shoot a video with my Pixel 8 Pro because this app gives me all the control I need. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this impressed by a mobile app.
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The Blackmagic Camera is free to install and use. There are some in-app purchases (to unlock additional features).