If you own a Sony camera and are looking for new ways to enhance your photography skills, the Play Memories app is an excellent option to consider.
In this article, we’ll explore the seven best Play Memories apps available for Sony cameras.
With these apps, you’ll be able to easily create stunning time-lapse videos, capture fast-moving subjects in expressive photos, create unique light paintings, capture the beauty of the night sky, eliminate camera shake, blend multiple exposures together, and remotely control your camera with your smartphone.
Whether you’re a professional photographer or a hobbyist, these apps will take your photography skills to the next level!
1. Time-lapse App
Time-lapse is an app that allows photographers and videographers to easily create time-lapse videos.
The app offers eight different time-lapse themes to choose from, including Cloudy Sky, Night Sky, Sunset, and Sunrise.
Users can select a mode that most closely resembles what they are shooting, and the camera will automatically make the proper settings, eliminating the need for trial and error. The app also allows users to save the still images as a series of photos instead of a movie.
The Angle Shift Add-on is another feature of the app, which enables users to add pan, tilt, zoom, and other effects to their time-lapse images.
This feature makes it easy to create dynamic and engaging time-lapse videos.
Highlights
- Automatically shoots a series of still images at intervals and combines them into one movie
- Eight different time-lapse themes to choose from
- Angle Shift Add-on for adding pan, tilt, zoom, and other effects
- Easy to use, eliminating the need for time-consuming trial and error
2. Motion Shot App
Motion Shot is a must-have app for photographers who want to capture fast-moving subjects in a single, truly expressive photo.
Whether it’s sports, speeding vehicles, or other similar subjects, this app allows users to take a sequence of shots in continuous shooting mode and superimpose them to create an action-packed photo.
With Motion Shot, users can choose the first and last images of the sequence, adjust the spacing between images, and customize other settings to create their desired effect.
Best of all, the app makes a copy from the sequence of photos, leaving the originals untouched.
Highlights
- Create a single, expressive photo of fast-moving subjects
- Take a sequence of shots in continuous shooting mode
- Superimpose shots to create an action-packed photo
- Choose the first and last images of the sequence
- Adjust spacing between images and customize other settings
3. Light Painting App
Light Painting is a unique application that enables photographers to create stunning light paintings by shooting light traces drawn with a penlight or other light source.
This app automatically extracts light traces from the image and superimposes them on a background to create a beautiful piece of art.
Unlike traditional long-exposure light paintings, Light Painting requires no complicated camera settings or computer editing, making it easy to achieve amazing results.
To use the app, photographers should stabilize their camera on a tripod and take two shots to extract light traces.
After that, they can shoot the background or portrait images to be superimposed with light traces.
Light Painting is a fun and creative way to add an extra dimension to your photography!
Highlights
- Automatically extracts light traces from the image and superimposes them on a background to create a piece of art
- No complicated camera settings or computer editing required
- Easy to use, making it accessible to all photographers
- Can shoot light traces drawn with a penlight or other light source
- Allows photographers to create unique and stunning light paintings
4. Star Trail App
The Star Trail app allows you to create stunning star trail movies without the need for a computer or manual editing.
The app works by shooting a series of still images of the starry sky at intervals and combining them into a single movie.
With three theme options to choose from: Dark Night, Bright Night, or Custom, you can easily select the perfect backdrop for your star trail movie.
Whether you’re a professional photographer or a hobbyist, the Star Trail app is a great way to capture the beauty of the night sky and create stunning star trail movies.
Highlights
- Creates star trail movies automatically without the need for a computer or manual editing
- Three theme options to choose from – Dark Night, Bright Night, or Custom
- Simple and easy to use, making it accessible to all photographers
- Automatically chooses the appropriate version based on your camera model, ensuring compatibility and optimal performance.
5. Touchless Shutter App
Touchless Shutter is a handy application that eliminates camera shake by allowing users to release the shutter without touching the camera.
Simply hold your hand over the eye sensor to activate the shutter release.
This application is particularly useful for bulb-shooting, as users can start and end the exposure by holding their hand over the eye sensor twice.
It’s important to note that Touchless Shutter requires a built-in or optional finder device with an eye sensor, and that the [FINDER/MONITOR] or [FINDER/LCD Setting] must be set to Auto before launching the app.
This app is compatible with the α7S and α7 II camera models. Overall, Touchless Shutter is a great tool for photographers looking to capture sharp, shake-free images.
Highlights
- Allows users to release the shutter without touching the camera, reducing the risk of camera shake
- Handy for bulb-shooting, with the ability to start and end exposure by holding your hand over the eye sensor twice
- Requires a built-in or optional finder device with eye sensor, and certain camera settings must be set to Auto before launching the app
- Compatible with the α7S and α7 II camera models
6. Multiple Exposure App
The Multiple Exposure app is a powerful tool that allows photographers to easily create beautiful and unique images by blending multiple exposures together.
With just a few clicks, this app can automatically composite your exposures with optimized settings, making multiple exposure shooting easier than ever before.
One of the standout features of this app is the ability to select from seven different themes, each with its own distinctive style.
Whether you want to create a dramatic silhouette, capture a beautiful sky, add texture to your images, or experiment with rotating and mirroring your shots, there is a theme to suit every creative vision.
And if you prefer to have more control over the blending process, the Manual theme allows you to preview the results of six blending modes (Add, Weighted Average, Lighten, Darken, Screen, and Multiply) and choose the image that best suits your preferences.
With the Multiple Exposure app, photographers can achieve stunning results without the need for complex camera settings or post-processing work.
Highlights
- Automatically composites exposures with optimized settings
- Choose from seven different themes, each with its own distinctive style
- Manual theme allows you to preview and select from six blending modes
- No need for complex camera settings or post-processing work
- Easy to use and experiment with different techniques
7. Smart Remote Control App
Smart Remote Control is a convenient application that allows photographers to control their camera with their smartphone, making group photos and remote shooting a breeze.
By easily connecting to the camera via Wi-Fi, users can control exposure and shutter release, all from their smartphone. Photos taken with the app are automatically sent to the smartphone for easy sharing.
However, some functions of the camera may not be supported by the application, and the app has its own settings for items like ISO Sensitivity and Shutter Speed.
It is also important to note that the latest PlayMemories Mobile must be installed on the smartphone or tablet to use the Smart Remote Control app.
Highlights
- Allows for remote control of camera with smartphone
- Easily connects to camera via Wi-Fi by scanning a QR code
- Automatically sends photos to smartphone for easy sharing
- Has its own settings for some items such as ISO Sensitivity and Shutter Speed
How To Install Play Memories Apps
Installing Play Memories Apps can be a bit confusing… But don’t worry! Just follow the below steps and you’ll be up and running in no time.
- Open the PlayMemories Camera Apps website and select the camera you are using.
- Select your country/region and language.
- Select your camera model from the list of applications displayed.
- Click on the application you want to download, and on the application details page, click Install (if the application is free) or Proceed to Purchase (if the application has a fee).
- Enter the Sign-In ID and the Password for your Sony Entertainment Network account, and click Sign In. If you’re downloading a paid application, click OK after confirming the terms and conditions of the application.
- Install the application downloading tool on your computer by following the on-screen instructions. This is required only the first time you download an application.
- Once the downloading tool is installed, click the Reload and continue button.
- Connect your camera to the computer using the supplied USB cable, and turn the camera on.
- Click Verify Connection and wait until the camera is connected.
- Check if the selected application has been added under MENU → App icon Application on the camera. If the application has been added, installation is finished.
NOTE: The available applications will vary depending on the camera model, and that some applications may require a camera firmware update before they can be installed.
Final Thoughts
The Play Memories apps for Sony cameras provide a wealth of creative tools and features to enhance your photography and videography.
From the time-lapse app that makes creating dynamic time-lapse videos a breeze, to the touchless shutter app that eliminates camera shake, these apps offer a range of useful and innovative functionalities.
With options like the motion shot app, light painting app, star trail app, touchless shutter app, multiple exposure app, and more, there is no shortage of ways to push the boundaries of your photography and unlock your creative potential.
Whether you’re a professional photographer or a hobbyist, these apps are definitely worth exploring to take your photography to the next level.
Happy shooting!
