5 camera apps that finally stopped making me look over-processed

It's been ages since I took an unfiltered picture and posted it.

Although it sounds like an insecure thing, the irony is that I want to see myself accurately. At the very least, the person I see in my camera preview should be close.

But my mobile phones heavily process images and make me look different in the results. It's hard to ignore the over-sharpened edges and harsh shadows muting the natural depth in my face.

Turning off HDR settings reduces the effect, but only barely. It's why I've ditched my native camera apps for these simple alternatives. I take more realistic images of myself now.

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GCam: Google's unofficial camera

GCam is short for Google Camera, and has replaced my primary app.

It's an APK port of the camera app shipping exclusively on Pixel phones. Developers reverse-engineered it, so you can sideload it onto OEM phones.

Compatibility depends on device-specific camera libraries and configuration files, so features vary between ports.

My phone is new on the market, so I installed a port made for its predecessor until a dedicated version launches.

I settled on Big Kaka's Port 9.6, which allows access to computational photography settings that stock camera apps usually hide.

Among them are Polysharp Sharpen, RAISR, Sabre/Spatial RGB, smoothing controls, luma denoise levels, and merge-stage adjustments.

The camera's default settings produce close to natural results, so I didn't have to tweak them.

Still, it helps that the app detects my main 1.0x lens at two separate system IDs (System ID 0 and System ID 1) and the wide 0.6x at System ID 2, with each configurable on its own.

Most camera apps treat your lenses as a single system, so processing happens uniformly across them.

GCam APKs must be sideloaded on Android. Download them from a trusted source, as compatibility largely depends on it.

Some features may not work consistently, or you'll experience app crashes.

Open Camera: Capture memories without layers

Open Camera is a refreshingly straightforward app. Launch the viewfinder, and you'll see a timestamp with available storage displayed in the upper-left corner.

My phone has enough that I rarely pay attention to it. But the feature could be a boon for anyone using a 128GB device or frequently shooting content.

You want to monitor the capacity before it hits red and camera performance slows.

The app has all the essentials, including a vertical slider in the lower-left corner for adjusting exposure, a shutter at the center bottom, a photo/video toggle on its left side, a flip camera button on the right, and a thumbnail of your last shot beside it.

I mostly interact with the three-dot menu at the top. It reveals a quick overlay with autofocus, macro, focus lock, auto-level, video resolution, speed, timer, repeat mode, and grid.

My only gripe is the icons. They have a retro, almost old-school feel compared to more modern apps. Plus, image processing and saving delays after you shoot.

Snapseed: Grow your photography skills

Snapseed received a major overhaul with the version 4.0 update, and it has overtaken Lightroom as my favorite photo editor.

It's a good time to get into it or revisit it on improved footing, especially if you're breaking into photo editing.

It was primarily an editing app, but it now offers a built-in camera if you're feeling confident to shoot and edit immediately.

The clutter-free interface has a toggle in the upper-left corner that switches between normal and Pro modes. A controls icon on the right side reveals subtle camera customization.

The default app theme is Editor, but I prefer Negative for its vibrant contrast with the interface. I love the film styles that appear when I slide over the None/filter toggle.

I recently rekindled my obsession with Fujifilm simulations, so the presets give me a strong starting point for recreating the edits.

Snapchat: Share your pictures with loved ones

I deleted my Snapchat account months ago and created a secret one with no friends. I use it purely as a camera app, even though there are no advanced features.

There are a few nice-to-haves, like dual camera mode. It shoots both front and rear cameras simultaneously.

Multi-snap lets me capture several frames and save them at once instead of individually. I use HD mode for a sharper output in dim scenes.

Sometimes, I overlay unique camera-themed filters when I'm too lazy to edit. The app has a rich library of user-created film grain textures, disposable camera frames, vintage viewfinder borders, and more filters.

Secure Camera: Shoot with fewer distractions

GrapheneOS' Secure Camera is a refined, minimalist alternative to Open Camera. The interface has more padding and breathing room between elements.

Tap the small arrow icon in the upper-left corner of the viewfinder to expand settings. If you're not observant, you'll miss it.

But I'm downplaying why I keep the app.

Normally, camera software embeds the metadata in image files. It carries information about your phone model, the date and time you took the photo, location, and camera settings.

Anyone receiving the file can extract it with the right tool.

Secure Camera removes these details from my pictures automatically, which helps me stay private online.

I use it when posting photos of my environment, selling items on virtual marketplaces, or uploading images to forums.

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See your world with different lenses

You have enough camera options to choose from. Some may go overboard with claims of RAW output.

But a phone sensor is merely a fraction of an entry-level mirrorless sensor size. Less light gathers inside it per pixel, regardless of how many megapixels manufacturers cram into it.

So you won't get 100% unmanipulated data. Still, some camera apps produce slightly similar results and provide features to make sure you never miss a moment.

You'll find more if you explore the Google Play Store.