Using the Camera App

As with other mobile, touch‑based systems, Windows 8 includes a simple Camera app that works with the camera (or, in the case of some modern devices, the cameras ) that is included in (or attached to) your PC or device. This app lets you capture still pictures and short movies. It’s not quite as useful as, say, a camera in a smartphone, but it’s there if you need it.

The first time you run the Camera app, you’ll be prompted to allow the app to use your webcam and microphone. Obviously, you must allow this for the app to function. If you block this access, the app will simply quit.

The Camera app, shown in Figure 9‑18, is simplicity itself. There’s an app bar, always visible in this app, with just a handful of buttons.

Figure 9‑18: Dashing! The Camera app

Available app bar buttons include:

• Change camera: On PCs or devices with multiple cameras, the Change camera button will let you choose which camera to use. For example, many Windows 8 and RT devices include both front‑ and rear‑facing cameras. This button works like a toggle: Tap it once to change the view to the next camera.

• Camera options: Click this button to see a pop‑up display with three options that will be consistent across all Windows 8 PCs: Photo/Video resolution, Audio device, and Video stabilization, though not all options will be configurable on all PCs. You can also click a More link here to view additional camera options. What you see in that interface will vary from PC to PC, but some of the more common options include Brightness, Contrast, Flicker, and Exposure.

• Timer: This button acts as a toggle. When selected, the next photo or video you take will be preceded by a 3‑second countdown, giving you time, perhaps, to jump into the frame.

• Video Mode : This button also works as a toggle. By default, Camera is set up to take still photos. But if you enable this button, it is set up to take videos instead. Tap it again to return to camera mode.

Keyboard users can tap Space to take a photo or start/stop video recording.

To take a photo with Camera, simply tap (or click) anywhere on‑screen. If you’re in video mode, this will start video recording instead. To stop recording, tap (or click) the screen instead.

Photos and videos taken with Camera can be found in the Camera Roll photo, which is added to the default save location for the Pictures library (My Pictures, by default).