When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, the native Camera app, despite its limited features was one of the “wow” factors, and helped the iPhone quickly become one of the most popular cameras on Flickr.

However, ever since Apple launched the App Store, the native Camera app was quickly replaced by third-party camera apps such as Instagram, Camera+ etc. They not only came with a slick user interface, but offered a lot more features. 

Thankfully Apple has revamped the UI of the Camera app and added some much needed features such as real-time filters. Here’s what new in the stock iOS 7 Camera app:

• When you launch the Camera app, you are greeted by a new user interface. The iconic skeuomorphic shutter button at the bottom and toggles for the front and rear-facing camera and LED flash at the top have been replaced with a flat user interface. They blend in with the UI.

• The position of the Shutter button, front-facing/rear facing camera toggle, toggle for LED flash and access to the Camera roll is relatively the same.

• The options menu has also been removed. The toggles for video and the Panorama mode can now be accessed by swiping on the shutter button. You will notice the blurring of the screen when you switch between the different modes.

• iOS 7’s Camera comes with a new mode called Square, which as the name suggests allows you to take Instagram-like square photos.

• The real-time filters can be accessed by tapping on the button to the right of the shutter button. When you tap on the filters button/tile, it shows you real-time filter effects such as Mono, Tonal, Noir, Fade, Chrome, Process, Transfer and Instant in tile format. You need to tap on one of them and tap the shutter button to take the photo with the filter effect.

• You can apply real-time filters to photos in Square and Photo mode, there are not available for videos and panorama mode.

• You also have the option to apply the filters on a photo in your camera roll. Tap on a photo, then tap on the Edit button, and then the filters icon to add the filter effect to the photo in your Camera roll.

• Taking a photo in iOS 7 is lightning fast, you don’t notice any delay when you tap on the shutter button, which was one of the annoying things about the Camera app. It’s instantaneous.

• The HDR option is available just above the camera modes and the shutter button, and is available only for the Photo and Square mode. iPad users can also take HDR photos in iOS 7.

• You can access the Camera app via the shortcut in the lock screen. As we had mentioned in our iOS 7 lock screen preview, it has been moved to the bottom right corner of the lock screen.

• In iOS 7, the camera slider obeys the laws of gravity. In fact, if you slide it to the top and bounce it, the camera slider bounces back and gives you access to the Camera app. It’s gimmicky, but quite cool.

• The option to enable the Grid view is no longer available in the Camera app. It is hidden in the Settings app, so you need to launch the Settings app, and navigate to Camera > Photos & Camera -> On/Off toggle for “Grid” under the Camera section.

• You can finally zoom in while recording a video in iOS 7. Pinch with two fingers together to zoom out or spread them to zoom in while recording videos.

• You can now access the Camera app from anywhere in iOS thanks to the all new Control Center, which includes a shortcut for the camera app.

Here’s the video walkthrough of the all-new Camera app:

Overall, the Camera app has received a much need update to its user interface in iOS 7, and features such as real-time filters, quick access to the Camera app from Control Center (in addition to Lock screen) and the short shutter lag will give the popular third-party camera apps a run for their money.

Let me know what you think of the new Camera app in iOS 7 in the comments below.