Build an app for that awesome Windows Phone Camera

The Nokia line of Windows Phones has really taken cameras in phones to the next level. Build a Lens app to inspire all those budding camera phone photographers!

[View:https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2vR4LeL0yzE]

 

Why not explore building apps for those all those camera phone users with a feature on Windows Phone called

Lenses

(full documentation on this feature can be found here)

My son just got a new camera, not a camera phone, an actual camera. He loves it because the camera has all sorts of interesting modes he can use to take different pictures. For example, he can make a picture black and white with only one color highlighted, or do a panorama. He got pretty creative on our family holiday.

panoramaRedOnly

My scanner at home has multiple modes as well, I can tell it if I am scanning a photograph, or a document. Sometimes I may want a scanner to read text for me, or I might use it to scan a barcode.

Providing different modes for taking pictures can inspire creativity or can make someone more productive. With Windows Phone 8, you can build apps that integrate seamlessly into the camera experience.

When a user takes a picture with their phone, they can select lenses from the camera screen. Lens apps installed on their phone will appear automatically.

picture viewer to lens picker to lens back to PV

When a user taps a lens in the lens picker, the corresponding app (hopefully yours!) is launched via a deep link URI. Your app uses the deep link URI to recognize a lens launch.

To use your app as a lens, you must

  • Declare the capability to use the camera and media library
  • Register for a lens extension in the app (that’s how the phone knows to list your app as a lens)
  • and of course you have to write the code to implement your lens functionality!

If you are curious and want to learn more check out the following resources

Don’t forget, if you are a student, not only can you publish your apps for free, you don’t have to settle for Express versions. You can get Visual Studio Professional for free. Get your store account and software at no charge at www.DreamSpark.com