The iPhone 3GS has a 3.15 megapixel, autofocus camera. While it has its limitations, it’s good enough that I keep my DSL-R at home for all outings where photography isn’t the primary objective. It’s not very good in low light or where the scene has high contrast (the dynamic range is very low). In the right hands it can be a wonderful little camera for two reasons: it’s always in your pocket (or hands) and photos can be captured, processed and uploaded all from a single device.

To process photos on the iPhone I consistently turn to Photogene, an app that is quick, intuitive and very powerful. Here’s an example of what can be done in a few minutes with a few sliders.

Photogene - before and after

app · iphone · photogene · photography

The iPhone 3GS is, to put it mildly, the most amazing device I’ve owned. This shouldn’t be too surprising since sophistication, design and my purchasing power are expected to increase with time. I love to listen to live air traffic control communications, tweet, manage email, play amazing games and locate local businesses on my iPhone. The marriage of GPS, multi-touch screen, accelerometers, microphone, speakers and a magnetometer (compass) enable developers to create amazing applications. It also happens to have a phone, but that, for me, is hardly its greatest feature.

Old and new iPhone theme

It isn’t perfect, though. Only a few of the standard apps can be run in the background (mail, phone, email) and none of the apps in the App Store can. This means that if I want to listen to Pandora Internet Radio or LiveATC or track billable hours I cannot use my iPhone for anything else for the duration of time I’m using those apps. Also, the iPhone cannot be tethered to a laptop to share its internet connection. The iPhone won’t let me customize the background or icons, either (this is a minor issue).

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blackra1n · iphone · jailbreak