Best free camera apps for Windows Phone

Windows Phone is now host of the only smartphone camera with optical image stabilization in the Nokia Lumia 920, and other leading handset makers like Samsung and HTC have also put their best modules in the WP8 flagships, so it is shaping up to be a good choice for shutterbugs.

What about apps that make the most out of your camera, though? Both iOS and Android are inundated with software bits for adding color effects, post-processing of photos, making albums and frames, editing and anything else the photography mind would wish for.

The Windows Phone Store has its own suite of camera-friendly apps to choose from, save for advanced video editing, and we are rounding up some of the best out there to make the most out of your WP handset's shooter.

Best free camera apps for Windows Phone

1. Fhotoroom

We'd be remiss not to start with what is probably the best free camera app for Windows Phone. Fhotoroom has it all - from minute exposure adjustments, through rich editing tools, to uploading your photos to the most popular cloud and sharing services, including Facebook and Flickr.

2. Phototastic

Another great free app, Phototastic lets you do action shots, taking multiple at once for fast-moving object, adjust numerous camera settings, and edit your photos or apply a number of color effects to them. After that, you can upload the pictures to your social network, cloud or photos service of choice with one tap.

3. Lomogram

With 42 filters, 72 lightening effects, and 50 borders, Lomogram lets you stress on unique aspects of your photos much like Instagram, but with more effects to apply. It is also available in 10 languages, and allows for basic editing.

4. Super Camera

Another strong contender in the Windows Phone photography app universe, Super Camera shines with fresh interface, numerous editing options, color effects, frames and themes, including a stamp collection. An added bonus is the ability to turn pictures and even video into the all-popular GIF animation.

5. Fantasia Painter

One of the best WP photo editing apps out there, Fantasia Painter allows you to get creative with no less than 28 individual brushes, unique effects for changing portraits and body images, plus selecting nearby colors and moving around whole face elements or applying skins on top of them.