Microsoft beefs up Windows Phone 8 camera features

Windows Phone 8 devices will offer new camera features, including screenshots, Bing searches and 360-degree panoramas.

At its Windows Phone 8 press event last night in New York, Nokia and Microsoft gave us more than just the Lumia 920. Microsoft corporate vice president Joe Belfiore also announced new camera features for Windows Phone 8 devices.

The new features aim to integrate the camera deeper into the smartphone user experience and with the operating system's social features.

Screenshots

User will now be able to snap screenshots and share them via Twitter. That's a big boost for a phone reviewer.

Flash

New flash controls for the camera will be easily accessible in the viewfinder interface.

Bing Vision

Part of the new Lenses suite of apps, Bing Vision lets you snap a photo and then search the internet (through Bing, of course) for related information. So, for example, you could shoot a book cover and then see where to go and buy it online.

CNN iReport

Though not yet available (and possibly never in Australia), this app will empower citizen journalists to shoot photos of breaking news events and send them to CNN for possible use.

FXSuite

This app lets you choose from various filters for your shots.

Blink

The Blink app will shoot a series of photos while detecting if your subjects blinks. It will then choose the best shots that have eyes wide open.

Photosynth

Different from a three-picture panorama app, Photosynth enables full 360-degree panoramas.

Via CNET.com