For those new to their smartphones, both Apple’s iPhone and select Android smartphones allow users to take pictures by pressing the volume key instead of pressing the small on-screen camera button. This turns the volume button into a hardware shutter button while in camera mode and can be useful in colder environments where users may want to take pictures but don’t want to take their fingers out of the warmth of their gloves. or for those who don’t want to mess with the touchscreen. However, it also has its downsides. In this tutorial, we’ll first explore how to enable the feature and then discuss situations where you might want to rely on the on-screen shutter button.
1. Apple iPhone
On iPhone, this feature is turned on by default. All you have to do is start the camera and then press the volume up button to take a photo. It really is that easy.
This is a great way to take photos underwater if you pair the iPhone with a waterproof case like the Lifeproof nuud case, which is perfect and highly recommended for the iPhone 5. If there is water on the touchscreen or if the smartphone is submerged in water, you cannot operate the phone using the touchscreen due to the way capacitive touchscreens work. This means you don’t have access to the on-screen camera shutter button, but you can still take great pictures using the voice control method when you’re diving into the pool.
If you’re an aspiring mobile underwater photographer, make sure the phone is turned on and the camera app is launched before diving in, otherwise you won’t be able to operate the camera to take pictures while in the water. wet lands.
I used the iPhone 5 with the Lifeproof nuud case and used the volume key to take pictures and it was a pleasure to do so on a recent kayaking adventure.
2. Samsung Galaxy S4
On the Galaxy S4, you have several options for mapping the volume key. By default, the volume key is mapped for zooming, but you can change it to be able to use the volume key to take a photo or record a video like on the iPhone.
Launch the camera app. Then press the capacitive touch Menu button. Click on Settings. Then hit the Gear icon which is the third one.
From there, you should see options for the Volume key and you can change its action from there.
3. Windows Phone
Fortunately, with a dedicated shutter button on Windows Phone, you already have a dedicated hardware camera button. And unlike other platforms, this button can quickly launch your camera even when your phone is turned off.
4. HTC One
You’re stuck using the on-screen camera button on HTC’s flagship smartphone. There is no option I can find to reconfigure the volume key to take pictures. However, HTC offers a different alternative. The way the iPhone and most Androids work today is that users must first tap the camera to focus, then press the shutter button to take a photo. HTC has an option that combines the two actions to save time. With a single tap, the camera will start focusing and when finished, it will take the photo without any user intervention. This is similar to what was done on Windows Phone.
When Not to Use a Physical Camera Key
Using a hardware button as a shutter release is convenient as it gives you the feeling of using a real point-and-shoot camera, but there are still situations where you might not want to do this.
One situation is when you are in a dark or poorly lit environment and you are not using a flash. Just a physical action, such as pressing a hardware button to take a photo, can cause camera shake, resulting in blurry photos. To combat this, phones like the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 1020 have optical image stabilization to combat camera shake.
Another example would depend on how you hold your phone and your location while trying to take a photo. It may feel awkward to hold the phone, and when you try to play with the volume button while holding the device in your other hand, the device may slip or fall out of your hand. Butterfingers should watch out.
