Smartphone Aim the lens, not the screen (on your phone)

[Bruce McL]

For a long time I was not comfortable composing on my phone in landscape mode. When I moved the phone, the scene on the screen changed in a way that was not used to seeing or dealing with. Here’s how I solved the problem.

1. Place my thumb and index finger on the phone at points directly under and over the lens.
2. Hold the phone so that the thumb and index finger are directly in front of me. This makes the phone slightly off center.
3. For horizontal alignment, use my other hand to swivel the phone around the thumb and index finger.

The thumb and index finger act like a tripod mount. When I swivel the phone around the vertical axis of the lens, the image on the screen behaves the way I expect it to.

Putting the lens (not the screen) directly in front of me helps as well. That way I can use my body to compose the shot: what I am directly in front of is exactly what I get on the screen.

Moving my eyes a bit to the side to look at the screen took some getting used to, but it’s worth the trouble for me.

With cameras, the lens is usually near the middle of the camera, so aiming the camera aims the lens as well. It’s something you don’t have to think about - it just works. The exceptions I can think of are “twister” cameras, like the Nikon Coolpix 900, 995, and related models from the turn of the century. I had a Kyocera SL300 twister camera, and aiming that was a lot different than aiming any other camera I have owned.

 

[donlaw]

For a long time I was not comfortable composing on my phone in landscape mode. When I moved the phone, the scene on the screen changed in a way that was not used to seeing or dealing with. Here’s how I solved the problem.

1. Place my thumb and index finger on the phone at points directly under and over the lens.
2. Hold the phone so that the thumb and index finger are directly in front of me. This makes the phone slightly off center.
3. For horizontal alignment, use my other hand to swivel the phone around the thumb and index finger.

The thumb and index finger act like a tripod mount. When I swivel the phone around the vertical axis of the lens, the image on the screen behaves the way I expect it to.

Putting the lens (not the screen) directly in front of me helps as well. That way I can use my body to compose the shot: what I am directly in front of is exactly what I get on the screen.

Moving my eyes a bit to the side to look at the screen took some getting used to, but it’s worth the trouble for me.

With cameras, the lens is usually near the middle of the camera, so aiming the camera aims the lens as well. It’s something you don’t have to think about - it just works. The exceptions I can think of are “twister” cameras, like the Nikon Coolpix 900, 995, and related models from the turn of the century. I had a Kyocera SL300 twister camera, and aiming that was a lot different than aiming any other camera I have owned.

My very first digital camera was the Kyocera SL300! It was a cool design which did require a different approach to composition.

 

[Bruce McL]

That camera was fun! The small size was nice to have in the era when phone cameras were not so good. Dpreview specs below:

Kyocera SL300R

And here is a Yosemite panorama made with the SL300R.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[kyteflyer]

I confess I have never had an issue with composition on a phone. Whats on the screen is what the lens is seeing...

 

[Bruce McL]

My depth perception doesn’t work like most people’s. Perhaps the difficulty I have is related to that.

 

[drd1135]

I’ll try your technique. BTW, I still have the Coolpix 900. The lcd screen is soooooo tiny.

 

[Bruce McL]

I’ll try your technique. BTW, I still have the Coolpix 900. The lcd screen is soooooo tiny.

I helped a client set one up way back when. At the time they were introduced they were high tech and innovative - not at all a toy camera, though they look like one now.

Here’s a review of the last one in the series, with an overview of previous models. They ranged from 1 to 3 megapixels!

Nikon Coolpix 995 Review

When I started this thread I looked around a little bit on Ebay. These cameras are about the same price as the 4 rechargeable AA batteries, CF card, and USB CF card reader that you’d need to make the camera functional today.