Silent Camera: Mute Shutter

Some places have to stay quiet. Libraries, concert halls, museums, meeting rooms, and the room where a baby has just fallen asleep.

Silent Camera was made to take photos and videos in places like those without a shutter sound.

■ Completely silent capture

No shutter sound, no recording sound. Instead of sound, a soft signal passes across the screen once, and the app can let you know with vibration alone if you prefer. The screen signal and the vibration can each be turned off.

■ Strong silent mode

On some devices a shutter sound is forced by carrier or firmware policy. If the shutter is still audible on a device like that, turn on Strong Silent Mode in the settings. Instead of firing the shutter, the app saves the preview frame as it is, so no sound is made. Image quality drops slightly, and in return the capture is completely silent.

■ Tools for shooting quietly

- Volume button capture: press the shutter without looking at the screen.

- Press and hold for a burst: keep shooting silently while the shutter is held.

- Timer: 3, 5, or 10 seconds.

- Rule of thirds grid and a level: frame the shot quickly.

- Night mode: raises brightness in low light. On supported devices it uses the night extension.

- Pinch to zoom, tap the screen to focus.

- Video recording: audio is optional, and the microphone permission is requested only when you turn it on.

■ The app does the filing

Your captures are saved to Pictures/SilentCamera and Movies/SilentCamera. Turn on automatic folder sorting by date and they are filed into year and month subfolders on their own. The gallery inside the app shows only the photos taken with this app, and you can browse the whole device gallery if you want to.

■ Ready at hand

A home screen widget and an app icon shortcut open the camera straight away. Once a day, at a time you choose, you can get a notification that reminds you of quiet shooting. You set the time yourself, and you can turn it off if you do not need it.

■ A screen to your taste

Three themes are supported: system, light, and dark.

■ Permissions

The camera permission is needed to take photos. The microphone permission is requested only when you choose to record audio together with a video.

■ Responsible use

This app is a tool for taking photos where quiet is required. Photographing another person without their consent may be punishable under related laws, including Article 14 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, and the responsibility rests entirely with the user. Ask for the consent of the person you are photographing first.