Perfectly Clear update, and new iPad app
Monday, November 8, 2010 at 10:00AM | Glyn Evans Perfectly Clear for iPhone: The current situation
Many of you have been asking what is going on with Perfectly Clear for the iPhone. Well the app is now as stable as it is ever likely to be. On the iPhone 4 you should be able to easily edit 10 or more photos at full-res without any crashes, although due to the memory intensive processes used, this may not be possible on older iPhones. As for the noise reduction process, or lack of it, Athentech are still working with their partner, and are trying to iron out the issues that are affecting the efficiency of this filter on the iPhone 4. (Please note: The failure of noise reduction filter is an iPhone 4 problem only).
Many of you may have seen that Athentech recently released Perfectly Clear for the iPad, and I have seen some comments about this app being released before the iPhone version had been fixed. Whilst there is still an outstanding issue with the noise reduction filter on the iPhone 4 version, the iPad version has not just been rushed out. In fact, the release of this iPad version had been planned to coincide with the initial release of Perfectly Clear version 3.0 for the iPhone, but was put on hold following the issues that arose.
Just as with the iPhone version, I helped Athentech test this iPad release, and after several months of working with the developers, testing and tweaking it, I finally gave it my thumbs up, and so on the 28th October, Perfectly Clear for iPad hit the App Store.
The App: Perfectly Clear for iPad
Perfectly Clear for iPad was released on the 28th October, and below is what Athentech say about it.
"We've taken all the amazing features and functionality from our award winning Perfectly Clear iPhone app, re-designed it and optimized the workflow for the iPad, and added even more powerful automatic corrections and functionality to create the ultimate iPad correction app!
No effort is required to create and then share beautiful looking images with this fun-to-use app. Watch as the Perfectly Clear automatic corrections peel off your original photo to reveal a bright, color corrected, crisp photo with flawless skin and details you didn’t see in your original. Perfectly Clear also provides the ability to fine tune the automatic corrections with easy to use sliders and presets.
The Perfectly Clear iPad app applies over 8 patented corrections and 10 years of scientific research, automatically delivering you a beautiful photo you can’t wait to share. Powered by the same technology licensed to many of the largest photography companies, retailers, and labs around the world."
3 simple steps to Perfectly Clear photos:
- Open a photo from your photo albums and Perfectly Clear will automatically correct it.
- There are 6 presets that you can choose from to correct your photo, or you can easily and quickly tweak your photo by adjusting 8 different image characteristics (Tint, Exposure, Contrast/Depth, Sharpness, Color Vibrancy, Perfectly Smooth Skin, Skin Tone, and remove unwanted Noise). View the histogram for an analysis of your correction.
- Save and share via email, Facebook, or Twitter.
Features unique to the Perfectly Clear for iPad:
- Perfectly Smooth - A breakthrough and patented skin correction which renders flawless skin, all with the touch of a button!
- Skin Tone Correction - automatically removes the excess red captured by cameras
- The same powerful noise removal found in our Photoshop plug-in
- Four new presets (portrait, landscape, noise removal, tint removal), for a total of 6 presets, plus the ability for you to create unlimited new custom presets
So what's this new iPad version like?
Well this app is as good as the iPhone version, having no problems processing up to 5 megapixel photos, but unlike the iPhone version, it does have the added benefit of letting you save your own custom pre-sets.
I've not tested the noise reduction filter, as during my testing I wanted to concentrate on the apps stability, but I am assured by Athentech, that the bug that has plagued the iPhone version does not affect this iPad app.
Overall this is a good app, and ideal for those iPad users who edit their digital photos on their iPads, but if you already have the iPhone version, then this app will not really add anything new.
App Store Link: Perfectly Clear for iPad; Price: £3.49/$5.99/€4.99
Reader Comments (13)
I WANT AN IPAD...
I've been keeping an eye on this app for months, but always skipped buying it because of its reported issues. And considering the most attractive feature for me is the noise reduction, looks like I need to continue to hold off on purchase. Let us know when it is fixed.
still debating if I should get this for iphone? Is it worth it over the histogram corrections available in Iris?
@Matt. This is a difficult one to answer. What I can tell you, is, I am not using this app on my iPhone 4 as much as I did on my iPhone 3G, in fact I would say I rarely use it now.
I just purchased this app on my iPhone 4 and like the results sofar. Despite the issues with the Noise Reduction add-on, I stil bought that anyway as I'm sure they'll have it fixed soon enough.
What bothers me though is the fact that I'd like to see the iPad only features end up in the iPhone app as well. I would very much like to use these features and would even go as far as to buy it seperatly in an in-app purchase if they need to.
I hope you can shed some light on wether or not this is something planned or not...
Yesss finally a good image editing app for the iPad!
We need many more!
When do app developers start mentioning the maximum input and output resolution ??????
I really hope they get this noise reduction fixed. I am sure they made a good chunk of coin from in app purchases for noise reduction. Not hearing anything from them on a fix is horrible customer service. It's not a money thing. What are we talking about, $1.99. Big deal. It's the fact that they put out a product that does not work and charged for it. And in the mean time, put out another product they are charging for.
@Rogier - seriously? Have you even looked at Photo fx Ultra? Has a ton more features and even costs less.
@Glyn Thanks! I'm still shooting with the 3GS but now am thinking I may go with ProHDR for something different rather than Perfectly Clear.
@Matt, ProHDR and Perfectly Clear are two completely different applications that do totally different things. With that said, yes grab ProHDR. It is great, I use is all the time. You will get much better results from it if you have the iPhone 4 though. A much better camera.
@Darrin yes I know they are two different apps. I have Iris which already has histogram corrections in it. I dont want or need the noise reduction in PC nor do I need the sharpening really. I understand the 4 has a better camera as my girlfriend has one but when your broke and still under a pretty new contract the 4 is out of the question. Not to mention I still prefer the lofi-ness of the 3GS :)
Right on.