Photopills is hands down one of the best apps for photography, PERIOD!
It is amazing the things it can do and the ways it can help you get the best and most creative shots possible.
I have personally used the app for almost 4 years and it just keeps getting better! I have planned countless Milky Way shots, sunrise/sunset shots, moon shots, star trails, timelapses, and the list goes on and on.
It is truly a magical tool for all photographers no matter your specialty! It gives you accurate and precise predictions and calculations, allowing you to always be prepared to capture the best shot you can!
It honestly has made photography more enjoyable and exciting for me because once I have a shot planned out using Photopills, I just count down the days, weeks, and sometimes months until I can make that shot a reality!
If that hasn’t got you pumped to know all the wonders Photopills has to offer, I don’t know what will. So without further ado, here are some of the best features this photo planning app has to offer!
What is Photopills?
First off, what is Photopills?
Photopills is the photography app to replace all photography apps. From beginners to advanced level photographers, Photopills can always help you get the shot!
For beginners, it gives them the chance to really see some of the capabilities photography has to offer. It easily can show you where the sun or moon will rise and set, giving you unlimited possibilities to start shooting.
Advanced photographers will love the technical features the app provides, as it gives them all of the tools they need to plan out their dream shots and so much more!
You have a shot in mind? Photopills has got you covered!
The Best Features
Now let’s talk about some of the best features that the app has. This will be a very general article because the app has so man functions! I will write later articles deep-diving into how to use Photopills for astrophotography and so on, but for now, this will give you an overview of what Photopills can do for you!
Augmented Reality
My personal favorite feature is the augmented reality the app provides. This is for all the times you arrived at a location, only to not know where the sun would set, or where the moon would rise. Stings, doesn’t it?
Well not anymore!
With augmented reality, you can set your location in the Planner function, tap the augmented reality button, and BAM, it will give you a clear view of where and when the sun will rise, set, and all of the above!
On the left is a screenshot of the Photopills app, where I was planning for a Milky Way shot. The right is the final image!
This feature works with the moon as well as the Milky Way (my favorite).
I also use this feature religiously when I am planning to shoot star trails. If you read my article on How to Photograph Star Trails, you would know that most photographers focus on having Polaris, the North Star, in the center of the frame.
With Night Augmented Reality (AR) you can easily see where Polaris will be depending on your exact location! How cool is that?!
Planner
The planner is simply amazing. Once you open it up, it offers you a plethora of information ranging from golden hour times to when the Milky Way core will be visible. And that’s not even half of it…
Once you search for the desired location you plan on shooting at, you can drag the colorful bottom bar (representing civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight), and just scroll. You will see different color lines appear near your red pin.
These lines represent the sun and/or moon’s direction for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset.
On the top bar, if you scroll all the way to the right, you can find the Milky Way button. If you tap this button, you will see a line of dots appear on your map. As you scroll the bottom bar, these dots will move and change size.
The really big dots represent the galactic core (brightest part) of the Milky Way. As you scroll more throughout the night, you will see the galactic core start to go below the horizon, out of sight.
Another great aspect about the planner is that you can save these exact locations and times as future photo plans, so you can view and share them at any time!
Calculations
My third favorite feature is the numerous calculators the app contains for different scenarios.
There are calculators for long exposures, star trails (or obtaining pinpoint stars), depth of field calculator, and a timelapse calculator.
I’ll break a few of these down.
Spot Stars Calculator
This calculator acts as the advanced 500 Rule. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read my article here.
The 500 Rule basically estimates the longest exposure time you can take of the stars before you get trailing. With this calculator, you simply put in your camera model, the focal length you’re shooting at, and boom, it will give you a precise number of what your exposure length should be.
Timelapse Calculator
This calculator is for any of my timelapse photographers that want to know any of the technical details behind their timelapse.
I’m talking about, how long they should shoot for, the interval they should use depending on the subject, how much SD card storage they will need, how long the finished timelapse will be, and how many pictures will be taken. Cool, right?
My favorite part about the timelapse calculator is that it gives you countless scenarios on what your interval should be. Whether you’re shooting fast-moving clouds, the stars, people walking, a rainbow, or cars driving by, this timelapse calculator has got you covered.
Conclusion
Let me say again, that Photopills is a spectacular app for any photographer. It has amazing features and is honestly one of the only apps you need for photography on your phone. The only con to it is that it is $9.99 on both Android and Apple. But for what it gives you, I’d say that it is a complete steal!
You can learn more about Photopills on their website here, or purchase it on either the Google Play Store or the Apple Store.
Have fun and keep photographing!
