The Facebook camera app is great for the social aspect of sharing pictures and adds some options not available on the Facebook app, but there are still a few omissions that make it less like Facebook and more like Instagram. For a social aspect, though, this is definitely the way to go. It should be noted that while this is an iPhone app, it can be used on the iPad. It’s not optimized for it, but it will work.
Opening the app and signing into your Facebook account takes you to the home screen. Here you can see the most recent photos that have been added by your friends as well as the most recent pictures you have taken on your iPhone. There is also a tab to view the most recent photos you have uploaded to your Facebook or that you have been tagged in. Scrolling up will show you more. Tapping on a picture will show you the comments and “Likes” and give you the option of commenting and Liking as well. However, you are not able to see all of the people who have Liked a picture, only a few.
There are editing options available with the Facebook Camera app that aren’t available on the Facebook site or the Facebook app. Cropping is allowed as it is on the site, but not on the app. Also available are filters. There are different filters that can be applied for highlighting, contrast, etc. Friends can be tagged as well, but comments cannot be added to each picture.
Pictures can either be uploaded singly or in groups. Clicking on the checkmark in the upper right corner of each picture will select it to be added. There is also a visible “camera” option that allows you to take pictures through the app instead of the Camera app on your iPhone.
Pictures can be added in groups or singly through posts. Anyone you tagged will be mentioned here, and you can add in whatever comment you wish. However, this comment will be added to all pictures, something I hope will be adjusted in the first update. Additionally, you can add more people to be mentioned in the post, can add a location, and can also change the privacy of the pictures. These pictures then go into an album of “Mobile Uploads.” The comment thing I can do without, but adding all the pictures into the Mobile Uploads is something I wish would change, as I have several folders of pictures on my Facebook of different events, and like to keep them separate. I wish they could be added to individual folders. It’s what will keep me from using the app more often. However, how I find the app very useful is in viewing pictures, and not just posting. I will still use the app to post pictures on the fly when I’m out and about and want something added quickly. But what I find I am using the app for more now is to view the recent uploads of my friends. I could go to the Facebook app or the site, but I enjoy having “just the pictures” to look at, especially during events such as a wedding or a graduation, where I know several people will be adding pictures.
