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Consumer Reports Tests Out New Smartphone Camera Features

January 8, 2013 / 5:45 PM EST / CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Are you tired of taking lousy photos?

One of many new smartphones could snap up your game because many are coming up with incredibly innovative camera features.

Consumer Reports said the new technology can help you solve some age-old photo challenges like a pro.

Professional photographer Michael Polito said it can be really tough to get a good group photo.

"It can make or break a photograph if just one person is blinking or with a bad expression," Polito said.

What if you could get the best take of each person and then combine those into one photo?

"You can actually do this with some smartphone cameras," Mike Gikas from Consumer Reports said.

Here's how:

After snapping a photo, you choose a person and thumb through her poses in the photos you've taken.

Pick the one you like best, and combine it with the best takes of the other people in the photo.

Phones like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, LG Optimus G, and the Nokia Lumia 920 all offer this feature.

"The Nokia Lumia 920 also takes care of another problem. If someone ruins your shot by walking in on it, you can remove them," Gikas said.

All you have to do is tap on what you don't want in the photo, and the camera takes it away.

On some smartphones, you can set it to certain words like "cheese" and the camera automatically takes the picture.

It's on phones like the Samsung Galaxy Note II and LG Optimus G.

Have you ever missed a shot because you didn't take it fast enough?

The LG Optimus G senses when your finger is about to snap a photo and takes multiple shots so you don't miss the moment.

With smartphones getting smarter, you'll have fewer excuses for taking a bad photo.

Consumer Reports expects to see these innovative features begin to show up on traditional cameras in the coming year.

The Samsung Galaxy digital camera already allows you to combine the best takes of each person from multiple photos and combine them into one picture.