QuadCamera for IPhone

QuadCamera from developer Takayuki Fukatsu is one of many apps available for download that allow you to do fun and artistic things with the iPhone's built-in camera. And the finished results are usually something you'd be proud to put on your Flickr page.

QuadCamera allows you to take four quick shots in succession with the iPhone camera, producing a single image divided into four quadrants. Just tap the camera icon on the bottom of the screen, and QuadCamera takes four quick snapshots, complete with lens shudder sound effects. The snaps are arranged by default in a four-by-four square, giving an interesting take on four images taken in sequence.

Tapping the colored squares in the lower right corner of the screen brings up some options, including changing your layout to 1x4 or switching to an eight-shot sequence. You can also adjust the timer, putting more of a delay in between shots. There are some artistic choices available--your shot can be vivid, high-contrast, or grayscale in addition to color.

There are some drawbacks to shooting this way. The four (or eight) images are melded together into one shot by the app, so they cannot be separated without the use of some creative software cropping later. And if you thought the resolution on a standard iPhone picture was low, try zooming in on a QuadCamera image.

The multi-shot sequence is a great way to add a unique look to your iPhone pictures, and the ability to add some artistic edge can give an old school photography flare. It's unfortunate that the images cannot be separated easily and that the resolution isn't always up to snuff; then again, that's the price of working with a mobile phone's built-in camera.

QuadCamera is compatible with any iPhone running the iPhone 2.2 software update.

[Jeff Phillips is an educator, podcaster, father, blogger, husband, photographer and general technology pundit. He has also been known to give the occasional Feng Shui consultation.]