Appotography – Page 30 – iPhone Photography Reviews and Tips

King Camera Updated to 1.01

King Camera for iPhone King Camera 1.01 is officially in the App Store. With this update, the multi-purpose camera presents enhancements and optimization of various features, including speed in taking photos and frame design. Moreover, the latest update fixes a few reported bugs, so keep on offering your precious feedback to developers to help them to improve King Camera even more.

In detail, here is what you will find in King Camera 1.01.

Optimized photo shutter speed: now 200% faster;
Optimized app size under 20MB: King Camera can now be downloaded over 3G network;
Optimized video saving speed;
Removed warning message when geolocalization is turned off;
Fixed zoom bug when switching from Stills to Video mode;
Added the 12fps option to TimeLapse/Stop-Motion video recording;
Removed the app’s logo from frame designs featuring it.

More is coming with the next update, so check back for further news! And remember that King Camera is still available for purchase at the special launch price of $0.99!

PhotoForge2 Updated to 2.0.2

PhotoForge2 universal app

Version 2.0.2 of GhostBird Software’s PhotoForge2 is now in the App Store for all iDevices. This long-awaited release contains some new tools and considerable improvements, including a fix for the infamous 2.0.1 bug that caused previous projects not to load properly after the update.

In detail, here is what comes with version 2.0.2 of PhotoForge2:

Added Rotate editor;
Added Vignette editor: 8 adjustable vignette styles available in FX menu;
Added Color Balance editor: adjust color balance for midtones, highlights and shadows separately;
Added Colorize editor: apply tints to your photos;
Added Device to Device image transfer: transfer photos between devices easily;
Added invert layer mask feature, useful to quickly switch between masking and for more refined results;
Improved Shadows & Highlights adjustment for better results;
Improved performance of crop and layer transform tools;
Fixed bug that prevented projects to load properly in previous update;
Fixed but that caused graphical corruption when repeatedly cropping huge images;
Fixed bug in iOS 4.2.1 that made app not responsive when wifi is unavailable;
Graphics improvements and fixes;
Minor bug fixes.

Monochromia Review

From the same developer of Cameramatic, Monochromia is an app focused on recreating photographic black and white effects on the iPhone.

Main Features

Full resolution available;
15+ presets;
Adjust brightness and contrast;
Adjust vignette;
Add grain;
Send with email or share on Facebook and Twitter.

Appotography Opinion

Monochromia allows both taking pictures with the built-in camera and processing photos already stored in your device. Differently than in Cameramatic, you can choose to disable the square format restriction and therefore you can edit and save your photos in their original shape and size.

Monochromia by youthhr for iPhone Once you load the photo into the working area, you can open the presets menu and choose one of the ready-to-use filters that come with the app. The selection is good enough, covering a range of possibilities between basic black and white to high contrast monochrome, passing through old photo effects like sepia and silver tone. The available presets, however, don’t cover everything. It’s here that the Develop feature comes in handy.

It’s possible to access the Develop area by tapping on the monkey wrench icon. Develop in Monochromia is very similar to Filter Development in Cameramatic: by playing with parameters, you can create your own monochrome filter. You can set brightness and contrast, add a tint and determine vignetting, opacity and width. When the editing is complete, you can save, email or share on Facebook and Twitter.

The lack of a channel mixer is probably the hardest thing to digest in Monochromia. Not that many other monochrome converters in the App Store have it, to be honest. However, a lot of other photo editing apps have recently started adding this and other sophisticated tools, making users question the actual usefulness of the average monochrome converter available in the App Store. Given the similarities with Cameramatic, Monochromia feels like a themed light version of its toy cam sibling. Not so “light” though: the price tag is exactly the same as Cameramatic. In theory, Cameramatic is less specialized, yet it’s by far more flexible, if you except the square format restriction: because of additional features, mainly, and because it is basically capable of doing the exact same things that Monochromia does.

Given these considerations, Cameramatic users will thus regard Monochromia as a clone only limited to monochrome photography of the better-known iPhone toy camera by the same developer. These users will not find any special use for Monochromia. Still, youthhr’s monochrome app is able to convert photos to black and white quickly and it allows fair customization. Achievable effects are definitely above the average black and white. Monochromia is perhaps not a must-have. Still, especially to non-Cameramatic users, it can be worth a try.

Overall

Name: Monochromia
Developer: youthhr
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod Touch , iPad. iOS 4.1 or later.
Price: £1.19||$1.99||€1.59
Vote: 4/5

ProCamera Review

To this moment, the iPhone native camera app has serious limitations, especially when it comes to the most basic elements, like focus and exposure. Controlling these aspects is crucial for taking better photos. Most apps only help you overcoming iPhone’s limitations in post-processing. Yes, why not? Fixing photos is OK. However, having a good photo to work with is always the most desirable thing for any photographer.

Procamera, recently updated to version 3.1, is an app especially focused on helping iPhone photographers to take the photos they wish to take.

Main Features

Full resolution available;
Video recording;
Anti-shake;
Self-timer;
Set focus and exposure separately;
6x zoom;
Reference grid on/off;
Burst mode;
White balance lock;
Photo compass and virtual horizon tools;
Crop, flip and rotate;
Adjust brightness and contrast;
Adjust white balance and saturation;
35+ filter presets;
Auto-enhancement;
EXIF data access;
Full-screen shutter button;
In-app guide;
Send via email or share on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.

Appotography Opinion

ProCamera is a multi-purpose camera utility which comes with a comprehensive collection of tools to help both inexperienced and dedicated iPhone photographers to take better photos in the most effective way possible.

Besides anti-shake, 6x digital zoom and self-timer, some of the most valuable features in ProCamera are the individually adjustable focus and exposure (also when recording videos), the burst mode and the white balance lock.

The Virtual Horizon function helps taking straight photos, which is particularly handy in landscape photography. Reference grids can also be activated as further aid to accurate composition. The recently introduced QuickFlick Album feature permits immediate access from camera mode to album with a swipe of your finger at any moment.

ProCamera for iPhone When you have taken your photo, you can make adjustments to it before saving or sharing. You can access three different editing modes: in Pro Lab, you can set brightness, contrast, white balance and saturation; in Pro Cut you can crop, flip or straighten images; for a quick edit or for a different final effect, you can use Pro FX, which offers a series of colored filters (sepia, black and white, bleach, etc.) and one-tap auto-adjustements. Differently from photos, videos cannot be processed and they are directly saved to the Camera Roll.

After you are done with your editing, you can save, send the photos with email or share on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. For some reason, the photos appear rotated by 90 degrees in emails, even if they are all right when saved.

ProCamera for iPhone The strength of Procamera definitely resides in its wide array of camera features. Therefore, as a replacement to the native camera, the app works great, as it gives you all the necessary instruments to make the most out of iPhone’s limitations. Although getting to know all the included tools may appear overwhelming at first, especially to users with no previous experience with other — more basic — camera apps, using ProCamera is definitely rewarding on the long run. More control always means better results.

Even if ProCamera is packed with gadgets, the app’s UI always remains accessible and everything works quite smoothly. The only remark I have is that a more in-depth guide for each and every little switch and button would come in handy. The in-app manual, although useful to a degree, doesn’t cover everything in detail. A total newbie can easily get lost trying to figure out some things on his/her own.

The weakest point of the app is the Pro FX editing feature. The selection of presets is not diverse enough and most filters are just average looking. At some point, I found myself ignoring the presets and using only Pro Lab for taking care of the photos’ looks. However, ProCamera’s filters can be regarded as a mere extra, not as a major element to the app’s overall value.

Overall

Name: ProCamera
Developer: daemgen.net
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad. iOS 4.1 or later.
Price: £1.79||$2.99||€2.39
Vote: 4/5

Hipstamatic RetroWeekend: RetroPak Available Now!

For those who have missed the opportunity, Hipstamatic has a cool ongoing offer not to be missed:

all limited edition HipstaPaks released so far are available for download from the HipstaMart as a special bundle!

RetroPak one includes the following items:

Dreamcanvas film;
Melodie lens;
Salvador 84 lens;
Tejas lens.

Hipstamatic Retropak One

You can get the RetroPak with three lenses and a film for $1.99 (£1.19/€1.59). The offer will be valid through the week-end and it will end on Sunday at midnight (Pacific Time)!

iShuttr: Turn Your iPhone 4 Into A Point-And-Shoot Camera

Choosing the right camera case is not as simple as it seems. Some cases put the accent on stylish and fashionable looks; some others on protection and comfort: deciding what are your priorities can be tough.

Differently from most other cases, iShuttr‘s purpose is not only protecting your iPhone. iShuttr is a sleek camera case for iPhone 4, designed to turn your iDevice into a point-and-shoot camera, for more control and easier use. The project is under development and currently open for funding on Kickstarter. Although at the moment iShuttr is an iPhone 4 exclusive, there are plans to bring it also to iPhone 5 and Android models.

The ergonomic shape of iShuttr’s plastic body can be held or mounted on any standard 1/4-20″ threading tripod. iShuttr has embedded firing flash on its back side, powered by external battery system. Relying on external battery permits better management of power: preserving battery life is a critical issue for iPhone camera users. The case features also zoom in/out buttons, making more convenient to use entirely external commands, instead of the touch screen.

Given the possibilities of the upcoming iOS 5, it’s in the intention of the developers to make use of the new features to the advantage of iShuttr camera case.

The goal is to hit $50,000 by August 14. The fundraising will help developers to acquire all the needed components and the MFi test kits for building the final prototypes that will be presented to Apple for approval. The retail price for iShuttr camera case will be $69.99. With a pledge of $50 or more, you will receive the iShuttr camera case at a special price. If you pledge $100 or more, you will get two iShuttr camera cases, mini tripod and a few more extras.

If iShuttr tickles your curiosity, please take a look at the project’s page on Kickstarter for more information.

Leme Camera Review

Leme Camera combines toy camera features with photo sharing. The app was initially released as LomoLomo and it only included a few free filters, while the rest was available through in-app purchase. Currently all the filters are available for free, but it seems the developers like to make changes frequently.

Leme stands for “Life, Experiences & Memories Everywhere”.

Main Features

Full resolution available;
Square format;
9 Cameras;
15 color filters;
10+ frames;
Rotate;
Possibility to send via email or share on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, Picasa and Tumblr.

Appotography Opinion

Leme Camera features several camera modes, including basic, fisheye, tiltshift, 2 and 4 exposure multi-shots, and more. in general, cameras determine the photo format, but some of them are just gimmicks to add effects developers couldn’t place anywhere else, like light leaks and HDR. Depending on the camera you choose, you can load photos from your device or just use the built-in camera.

Leme Camera for iPhone — The basic camera.

Besides cameras, you can pick lenses and frames. Lenses, which come in many hues, simply apply colored filters — and in some cases, like with the God Father lens, also a texture — to the photo. Frames range from plain instant style to film strip. You can either combine all the elements together or you can tap on the random switch to get unexpected results.

After the photo is processed, you can share it with email or on social networks and/or upload it to Leme community (community registration is required). You can interact with other community members by commenting on their photos, by liking, faving and reposting their entries or by following them.

Leme Camera for iPhone Leme Camera’s effects are very pretty, but handling them is a bother. With some cameras, you can only apply random filters. The feel you get when choosing different combinations of elements to create a final effect, is that of an extremely disorganized process. I couldn’t figure if disabling the app’s logo is possible or not: with some borders especially, that lame logo is terribly irritating, but honestly, after some time I gave up because I couldn’t care less anymore.

Compared to other photo sharing apps, Leme Camera results more confusing, less intuitive, less immediate. The UI mimics that of other toy cameras for the iPhone, but just to get things done you have to pass through a much convoluted ordeal that actually makes you wonder if it wouldn’t be better to switch to another app. The fact you have different cameras even for adding the simplest details, like light leaks or colored flash, results in a waste of time just to understand which camera does what and how to combine different effects. Getting involved in the community is also not easy. Differently from what happens in other photography communities, members seem less eager to get acquainted with other people and their photos.

What mostly redeems Leme Camera is the quality of the filters. Other than for this reason and for its price tag — Leme is free — I cannot see any other reason to get this app.

Overall

Name: Leme Camera
Developer: MoMoTravel Consulting Inc.
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod Touch (4th), iPad 2. iOS 4.1 or later.
Price: free!
Vote: 3/5

Halftone 1.6 Out Now!

At users request, Halftone is now a universal app! Thanks to the release of version 1.6, you will be able to fully enjoy your single-panel comics creator also on iPad!

Version 1.6 of Halftone contains a few extras:

Six more paper styles!
Three more stamps!

Halftone universal app by Juicy Bits Other changes include ability to turn off the intro screen and other various bug fixes.

iLabeler On Sale!

iLabeler is currently on sale. Taking advantage of this special offer, you can get misskiwi’s labeling utility for iPhone for $0.99.

iLabeler by misskiwi for iPhone

iLabeler adds classic or colored labels to any picture in a few taps. Get creative and use it to display messages or to add captions to your photos and use it in combination with other apps for unusual effects.

iLabeler is a nice expansion to your iPhone photo collection and it comes for a limited time only at -50% from its original price tag.

iOS 5 Adds New Camera and Photos Features

During the WWDC 2011 keynote, among the new features of iOS 5, Apple unveiled some important improvements to the Camera and Photos apps, some of which should hopefully extend to iOS developers.

Camera App Improvements

First of all, in the Camera app included in iOS devices, the volume button will now double as a shutter button; many of you will remember that Camera+ was temporarily removed from the App Store because developers had included this feature as a great Easter egg, loved by all users of the app. Hopefully, the volume/shutter button will be accessible also to app developers – after all, they were the first to implement it.

Apple also addressed the concern many iPhone and iPod photographers have with the time it takes to access the camera from a device in locked status; for this reason, Camera will get a shortcut from the lock screen for quicker access. It would be great if this feature were accessible also to other photography apps, with users being able to map their favorites to the lock screen, but we have no information pointing to this. Other improvements to the Camera app will be support for pinch-to-zoom gestures, single-tap focus and exposure locks.

Photos App Improvements

Editing capabilities, as crop, rotate, enhance, and red-eye reduction, will be included in the Photos app. Users will be able to organize photos in albums, push photos to all iOS devices using Apple’s new iCloud service, and post them to Twitter’s new picture hosting service.

iOS 5 will be available this fall for iPhone 3GS and 4, the third and fourth-generation iPod touch, and all iPads. iOS developers are already able to download iOS 5 from the developer area, but an NDA agreement theoretically prohibits them from unveiling their experience with the new operating system.