Facebook Camera: my thoughts

So Facebook bought Instagram, but they’ve been working away on their very own photo-sharing social app themselves. It was released today and I’ve managed to have a quick play this morning. Here’s how to use it:

1. Download the Facebook camera app here. It’s free and is only available for iPhone/iPad/iPods at present {products with iOS4 or later}. Facebook hasn’t shared any plans for Android versions.

2. Log-in using your Facebook email and password.

3. On your home screen you’ll see all of the photos shared by your friends {whether they’re using the app or not}.

To use the app to share photos, click the camera in the top left corner – or drag the news feed down to show all of the photos that you currently have in your camera roll.

4. To select a photo that you’ve already taken, click on it.

Choose a filter {and crop if you like, using the crop tool} and then when you’re happy with the look of your photo, click the blue ‘create a post’ box in the bottom right hand corner of your screen. Add in your comment on your photo, tag the location if you like and then share it {be sure to check whether you want the photo to be public, only for your friend’s eyes or completely private}

5. To take your own photo, click the camera icon on the top left hand corner. Take your photo. Then click the box on the bottom right hand corner to be taken to your photo. Choose your filter. Crop your photo if you please.

6. The photos will be shared back to your profile page on Facebook, as well as in the Facebook camera feed.

You can scroll through and comment or like friend’s photos on the app.

What makes it different from Instagram?

  • Facebook Camera can upload photos in bulk. So where you have to upload one at a time with Instagram, you can tell more of your story {imagine you’re holidaying and want to share more than one photo in one go} you can do it easily. But don’t worry, Aunty Nancy’s trip to New Zealand won’t clog up your feed, you’ll only see one photo from the bulk upload – and you’ll just swipe left or right to scroll through them all horizontally.
  • Photos don’t have to be square. You can crop photos any dimensions you like, it’s not about the square like Instagram is.
  • You can tag people. Just like the normal Facebook feature you can tap your photo to tag a friend in it. In my experience it doesn’t seem to able to tag pages though.

What do I think of it?

I think Facebook are smart for buying Instagram because it seems that they just couldn’t compete. I think the filters are savvy, nothing mind-blowing though. I wish they’d enabled hashtags, because I think that’s where photo-sharing can become more fun.

I think the win with this will be that we won’t have spammers. On Instagram we’re seeing more and more spammers driving for likes. This isn’t possible on Facebook Camera because it’s just friends seeing your photos.

Although, on that same note, I do like to find photo inspiration from people who I’m not friends with – which is possible on Instagram. You’re limited to just seeing your friend’s photos on Facebook Camera. So let’s hope your friends are sharing something good!

I won’t be moving away from Instagram. I don’t know if Facebook bought it {Instagram} to let it die, so that their platform {that was obviously in the works} could be the market winner. I think they can both sit aside each other. Facebook Camera will be an easy way to share photos between my friends, while Instagram delivers a true social experience.

37 thoughts on “Facebook Camera: my thoughts”

  5. Excellent summary, thank you. Do you know if you can share the images direct to your business page and not your personal page. That is what I really love with instagram, I can share to fb and twitter and Instagram audience all at once.

  7. Thanks for being so on the ball with keeping us in the loop !! I really appreciate that you take the time to review and write up how-to's on so many things : )

  8. I think FB would be very naive to think they can take down Instagram with FB Camera. I think they can sit side-by-side together. Overall, I prefer Instagram, personally.

  11. Hi, thanks for the info. Just testing it out, can u not delete photos once they're taken? I took a test shot and didn't post it, but now I can't delete it….

  12. Great little review. I will now have to download it because I am an app-freak. I have to say though I like instagram because I can post photos that my facebook peoples CAN'T SEE! 😀

  15. I shall have to try the fb camera sometime, but from what I just read, I think I'll still prefer Instagram too! but what really caught my eye, was the Geisha and Fazer blue chocolates in one of your pics! they're Finnish products, I'm a Finn and very surprised to see them in your feed 🙂

  16. Thanks for the summary! I didn't even know Facebook released the app so I might check it out 🙂 That being said though, I do LOVE Instagram (I was glamour hood… remember when you had the copycat?)

    I am now @mumontherun xx

  17. Thanks for sharing – I had no idea this even existed!

    Like you, I like finding people on Instagram who's photos I like – not necessarily because we're friends. I feel more comfortable letting 'strangers' in on it because it's a few photos as opposed to all of the information on FB. Currently, I keep my FB for people I'm actually friends with so while I appreciate sharing with them, I feel like I'd be missing out on a lot of photos from other people.

    I think I'll hang on to Instagram for the time being – it serves the purpose just fine!

  19. Thanks for the review. I've downloaded the app and have had a play with it. I still like Instagram a lot better, but it's good to have both apps.

  21. I love that you do reviews like this because i would have never known this existed. I love instagram but I like that I can upload in bulk on FB too. hmm have to try it out.

  22. I never would have known if you hadn't brought this up! I tried it out and I don't like it. You can't replace Instagram! It's too popular and I love the way it works. FB Camera just seems redundant :/

  24. I have been wondering for a while now – what is it with the spammers on instagram – what benefit is it to them to achieve likes?

    • I think they just want to feel/appear popular and get their photos seen. Personally I'd rather my pics be liked because people genuinely liked them and not because I begged them to

  25. I'd really like to try it (nothing replaces IG!), but this app is not available in all countries 🙁

  28. I like the idea of having a place to share personal photos with friends that I don't want to do on Instagram. Its a nice alternative that I didn't know about. Thanks for making me aware of it. 🙂

  29. I don't think this is an attempt to replace instagram, I think it's just an extension of the photos app on the Facebook website. Its the same as they did with the messenger and pages apps, they're just making the individual aspects of Facebook easier to access on the go.

  30. LOVE the opinion piece! I was going to do one! 🙂

    I think Facebook will mold Instagram to look like the FB Camera app. I love the interface of the FB Camera app. 🙂

    But I am going to love Instagram forever! 🙂

Comments are closed.

Photo a day Privacy Policy Work with me

Copyright © 2023 Fat Mum Slim