Photography: It's Bokehlicious! Depth Of Field For Your Android Phones! (Android 4.4+ KitKat)

Pro-DSLR-like depth of field at your fingertips
Image by Carol Yip
Animated by Locky's English Playground

Google is one of the nicest companies in the world! Like Tesla, they are always going forward and striving for the best for their customers!

Recently, Google has updated their Google Camera app which allows you to match HTC's Duo Camera System! With this app, you can take photos with an adjustable depth of field (DOF) at any time!

Image from Google Play

Here's the description:

Google Camera snaps quick and easy photos and videos, and has creative picture modes like Photo Sphere, Lens Blur and Panorama.
Features
• Photo Spheres for immersive 360º views
• Lens Blur mode for SLR-like photos with shallow depth of field
• Panorama mode with high resolution
• 100% viewfinder for getting the maximum resolution from the sensor (no dropped pixels)
• Updated UI that gets out of your way and is centered on an extra large capture button
• Works on phones and tablets running Android 4.4+ KitKat

This lens blur works well with close-up objects,

With 50% blur
Image by Locky's English Playground

as well as with objects at within hands' reach.

With 100% blur
Image by Locky's English Playground

The app comes with a slider for you to adjust the amount of lens blur you desire,

Focused on the tumbler
Image by Carol Yip

and of course, an adjustable focal point so that you can choose which object you want to focus on, whether they are objects at the background,

Focused on the red bean green tea frappucino
Image by Carol Yip

or objects in the foreground.

Quality settings page
Image by Locky's English Playground

To begin using the app, you are advised to go to the settings to take a look. All settings should be have been optimised according to your phone's hardware specification, still you can make changes to it as you wish, one of which might be the Lens Blur Quality.

Step 1: Take a clear photo with Lens Blur
Image by Locky's English Playground

To start, run the app which you have downloaded from Google Play and choose Lens Blur by swiping the left black boarder from left to right,

Step 2: Move phone upwards to create initial lens blur
Image by Locky's English Playground

Then, take a photo of the objects you want. After that, the app will prompt you to "Slowly raise your device. Keep subject centred." You might have to try several times to get used to it.

Processing duckies
Image by Locky's English Playground

 If successful, you'll see a flash and the image will be proceeded in the background.

Process complete, time to fine tune
Image by Locky's English Playground

Swipe the right boarder from right to left to go directly to the photo or go to your Gallery on the phone and you'll find the photo there. On the photo, you want to click the second button which looks like a shutter to open up the blur adjustment page.

Image by Locky's English Playground

 Usually I'll start with the slider at maximum blur then work backwards to get the best look.

Image by Locky's English Playground

 Then you can try to choose different focus points to get the best out of your photos.

Image by Locky's English Playground

The best part is, you can always return to the photos to re-adjust them at any time after the photo is taken, just in case you feel regret after several days or weeks.

So, let's be pros!!!!


Resources:
Google Camera Lens Blur Demo @ Locky's English Playground YouTube
http://youtu.be/XyPCl6AmHog

Google Camera @ Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.GoogleCamera

[APK] Google Launches Chrome Remote Desktop for Mobile, Google Camera Appears in Play Store for All Devices @ XDA-Developers
http://www.xda-developers.com/android/apk-google-launches-chrome-remote-desktop-for-mobile-google-camera-appears-in-play-store-for-all-devices/

Extract Depth Map and Create 3D Parallax Images from Pics Taken with the Latest Google Camera App @ XDA-Developers
http://www.xda-developers.com/android/extract-depth-map-and-create-3d-parallax-images-from-pics-taken-with-the-latest-google-camera-app/