New iPhone Photo App: PICtone

PICtone was released back on the 10th April, and is a toy camera app that has the following features and effects:

• Cross process
• Color toning
• Brightness
• Saturation
• Vignette
• Light leaks
• Frames/Borders

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

AppStore Link: PICtone - Price £0.59/$0.99

Editors comments: Sorry guys, I missed this app, but better late than never :)

Update on Monday, April 26, 2010 at 10:40PM by Glyn Evans

Some of you have asked what I think of PICtone.  Well it is a nice easy to use toy camera emulating app, which as the Flickr stream above shows can produce some really nice results.

Whilst this app is nice and easy to use, I am struggling to get too excited about it, as it is yet another toy camera app, and just how many toy camera apps do we need.  Now this doesn't mean this app isn't worth buying, but the results produced are not too dissimilar from other apps of this type.

So to sum up, if you don't have a toy camera app already, then this one is worth considering, or if the app you already have doesn't quite do it for you, then this one may be just what you've been looking for.

Comments

[sascha]

It's not a bad app. The light leaks are nice and the one unique feature that this app possesses. Cross process effect is also nice and slightly different from for example the on in the CrossProcess app. My only complain would be the frames! There's one good frame and that's it. I loathe those faux film-border frames that just look awful. Instead the developer could throw in some more interesting faux photo borders like Toy Camera does.

[Eric]

Hi Glyn...

Indeed better late than never, this app looks like it operates pretty well and from your screen cast appears looks pretty good but I'd like to know your final opinion about it. The interface looks pretty good. I already pocess hipstamatic, filmlab, lo-mob when it comes to retro filter apps but does this one bring anything new to the playground?

Thanks,
Eric

[Chris]

I like this new app

[Tomba]

@eric
The killers with this app is that its very easy to use and has a well designed and structured UI. Second is a very fast preview. You can stack "filters" and can undo them. So you dont have to wait as with "Cross Process" (which i deleted now) or with "Swankolab" (which i use less now) and repeat the whole process again and again.
The boarder is just like in Cross Process. Simple but good looking. I dont need all this old frames or have other apps to do this. Only a square option or a black frame option would be nice for me.
I dont understand why this app is underrated till now. And for 79 Eurocents you cant do wrong!

[sascha]

Well you will not get as much variation with this app like with e.g. SwankoLab. You can do a crossprocess, change brightness & saturation, add vignette with 5 different strength, add one of four different light leaks, that however always look the same in shape (i.e. there is no randomness) and add two different frames and that's it. Not groundbreaking but a nice set of features nevertheless.

[SCW]

=)

[Miki]

I've been eying this app for a while but still on the edge of buying it. I see a lot of promise in this app, but some of the features seem repetitive (cross process, non-randomized light leak).

Glyn, would love to hear your thoughts on the actual app and how you like its filter effects.

For .99 US it's definitely a bargain, but I'm already have 2 pages of camera apps and worried that I'm neglecting some great apps in my constant search for new ones.

[Ami]

Is the App only for the US AppStore. Can't find it in the Swedish one?!?
Looks good. And would like it in my app collection.

Thanks for a great blog.
Ami

[KoalazyMonkey]

Well... with the limited function of the apps, i really dont find anything interesting about this apps. But on the other hand, I am challenging myself to produce better picture with its limited functions. I hope the developer can include more interesting functions like more frames.. or even more interesting function..

[fnurl]

Same here - on the Swedish App Store.

Btw, is there any reason for not publishing in all stores? Is there an additional fee for developers the more stores you publish your app in?

[theBatt]

I cant see its a camera, or i have not found the button, only picture manipulation. Which it does well i full size. Its available in the DK store.

[theBatt]

Oh by the way - I love this site

[cherrybombink]

I would like to see a 'randomize' generator in the light leak section, possibly blotches included too would be sweet! Maybe even a film burn option too!

I'd also like to see a film grain 'o' meter (if that makes sense), think that would be pretty rad! I think a rounded corners frame is needed most. not many (if any) of the photo apps that I have bought in the past have this feature (one that is first on my list). I would like to see the developer/s add this to the next update.

[Tomba]

@cherry...
For rounded corners you can use PS mobile, photogene or lo-mob (photocard is rectangle with rounded corners in Photo side. You can Switch off the fx!).
For grain you can use Photo FX.