Coming Soon: The Hipstamatic D-Series, a disposable film camera for your iPhone

For some time now, Hipstamatic, the app designed to give you that retro camera experience on your iPhone has been riding on the crest of a wave, however some of the more recent add-on lens and film packs [Hipstapaks] have been somewhat disappointing and lacklustre, so it comes as no surprise to here that Synthetic Corp, the team behind Hisptamatic are planning an addition/alternative to their popular app, called the Hipstamatic D-Series.

According to Pocket-lint, who have an exclusive interview with Lucas Buick and Ryan Dorshorst from Synthetic, the duo are about the release a "disposable film camera for your iPhone". In the interview, Lucas describes an app that works like an old disposable camera, whereby you have to shoot all 24 exposures before you can view the results, saying "It’s an opportunity to bring back the idea that you have this roll of film and you shoot with it, and you think about what you’re seeing in the moment, more so than snapping a photo and looking at it, deleting it or taking another one." Lucas goes on to say, "It really is a completely different way to experience photography that a lot of people have forgotten about, but it wasn’t so long ago that people don’t remember it, and that’s the key."

According to Pocket-lint, the Hipstamatic D-Series will be available at the end of October as a free download, with optional lenses available through in-app purchases.

It will be interesting to see how well this app is received by Hipsta fans and the iPhoneography community in general, but for me, if I wanted to take photos, then have to wait until all 24 shots have been taken before I can view them, then I'd want to experience the real think, and go out and buy a classic camera like an Olympus Trip 35, load it with real 35mm film, shoot 24 exposures, take it to the 1hr photo lab, wait, and then experience the real excitement of seeing real analogue photos, just like the old days, in fact this is something I have been doing over the past few months, since rediscovering analogue photography.

Source: Pocket-lint.com

Comments

[Butow Maler]

In don't like Hipstamatic and delete it some days ago from my phone. But THIS is really a nice idea and maybe i'll re-install the app.

[David Kozlowski]

I need to see the new app, but from the way you describe it, this could possibly be the first Hipstamatic app that I do NOT purchase. :/

[ShawnPM]

I agree. My initial response to the concept is confusion.

[Verity]

As a person who still uses a film camera (Pentax K1000) as well as being fully digital (iPhone & Canon DSLR), I love the marriage of both in this app. I always love trying out new things and especially like the fun this brings back to photography. I am certainly up for giving this a go.

[xwhiteboy777x]

Didn't Lomora start off like this?

[Glyn Evans]

Yes indeed, however they charged for each roll of virtual film, which didn't stay in place for long.

[Greg Mills]

I just hope it's not a precursor to them allowing you to import photos into Hipstamatic. A lot of people want that feature but I think it would reduce Hipstamatic to just another photo filter app.

The new app sounds like it goes too far in the other direction but it's free so why wouldn't I try it? However, If this becomes the new app is for the Hipstamatic "purists" so Synthetic can change the original app, I think I would be disappointed.

[apixelpro]

I really like this app & it's fx, but having to commit to a fx/style before I shoot is what made me drop this app from my roster of commonly used apps.

[justdebbie9]

I actually like the idea. I don't know if I would use it when I really want a particular photo but I love the idea of just taking fun random shots and being surprised by the outcome. Although knowing me I would set out to take all 24 shots in an outing so I don't really see waiting as a factor. I'm excited to see what more becomes of this. I really love hipstamatic so I'm willing to give it a chance.

[Mr Timney]

ROFL wow Ryan & Lucas are some lazy innovative morons! Umm Lomora did just that & in-app purchases too & the backlash was so huge the dev scrapped the original concept! ie: it bombed!!! Ryan & Lucas who've stated they "don't have time to dedicate themselves to SwankoLab" you know the SCAM app they released & almost every Hipstamatic fan purchased with the additional in-app purchase of Lifetime updates for free after this initial in-app purchase scam!

So let's recall, they are too busy with Hipstamatic (taking corporate sponors money) to dedicate any time to update SwankoLab on any type of update interval. All after stealing all of our money! But they have extra time on their hands to create & develop this Hipstamatic D-Series with additional in-app purchases (SCAM ALERT) then are so out of creativity & ideas that they stole another developers app concept that absolutely bombed upon original release.

Oh how Ryan & Lucas continue to show us all how big & utter douche bags they truly are!

These comments are all my own, though might possibly be thought by others. So take these comments as a Warning at to the unethical work ethics of Synthetic Corp!

[KC]

I like the way HalfCamera implements this idea, but I'm sure I'll try the Hipstamatic version out.

[Simon]

How good this is will depend, of course, on the quality of the "lenses" and "films" that are made available. In many ways, I guess, it could be viewed as just another Hipstapak, albeit a Hipstapak that can grow (and that'll cost you money).

I wouldn't go so far as Mr Timney, but I do share his frustration at the lack of attention paid to Swankolab, which is an app I love. And I must say, I'm rather worried that when I update to iOS 5 tomorrow it's going to be one of those apps that doesn't work. After all, I can't see them releasing an update that makes it compatible.

[Shima]

Their new tagline could be something along the lines of, "Reinventing the drawbacks of film photography for digital!"

They should really take this app a step further. Here's how:

Option A: They make a companion app which they only sell to pharmacy photo departments which can process the "roll" you just shot on your iphone. You'll have to leave your phone with them and will get it back 2-24hrs, depending on if you pay extra for rush service.

Option B: You purchase their darkroom lab kit app which comes with virtual chemicals (which will occasionally have to be reordered via in-app purchase), virtual sink, virtual safelight... you get the idea.

While we're at it, will somebody please figure out a way to install the scrollwheel on the iPod Classic onto the iPhone so we can have a rotary dial?

[@OniOntears]

FiniteCam has the same idea

[apixelpro]

@shima: " Option A" - LOL

[Kent Kangley]

I'm willing to give this idea a try. Hipstamatic is my favorite photo app. I really enjoy the idea of having to choose your lens and film beforehand. In the spirit of "knowing which mistakes to keep" I'm often pleasantly surprised by what I get. Plus I rarely take a photo, view it, judge it and then take the next photo. When I'm out taking photos, I'll often take 20 or 30 shots before looking to see what I've got. So this concept isn't that far out there for me.

[minimalist]

Hipstamatic is already irritating enough with its faux "developing" time. It is better than Instagram in that at least it gives you a good bit of control and isn't limited to 6 or 7 effects that have already been used to death.

Seriously guys, enough already. We already have enough retro filters with light leaks. And waiting to see the effects after you took film in the 70's and 80's was never all that fun. And we are using modern equipment with modern processing abilities so lets stop pretending we are stuck in the past. Just give me the filters as quickly as possible. And how about some 21st century effects for a change? Melodie was one of the only great moden lense packs released for Hipstamatic. I'd love to see more.

[Richard Bailey]

@Mr Timney
I couldn't agree more. In my opinion I think Hipstamatic has reached the point of saturation where they are now adding new stuff just for the sake of it. My favorite combinations are still the original included packs. It really is time the devs got their finger out and made more of an effort with the very neglected Swankolab.

I think the virtual film roll idea is nothing short of stupid and like Glyn I would rather use a real 35mm film camera, the film from which when collected from the lab gives me the excitement of opening a pack of real prints, or when scanned gives me approx 24 megapixels.

[Mr Tmney]

....But don't forget all you gulible Hipstamatic users, now with in-app purchases you will most likely be able to upload those unseen digital rolls of film to HipstaPrint & line their cash cow pockets with a crapload of USELESS photos at an additional cost. Now come on folks, what better way for you to throw your money away. I mean most of us just burn our cash or put it in the paper shredder. But why be so stupid, you can blindly take photos with this Hipsta D-Series, upload these never before masterpieces of cow dung & pay them with your hard earned money to send you prints of your useless captures. Then you can burn or shred these at your own convenience! Oh Synthetic Corp, you really do think of every way to cheat us out of out money.

NOT A CHANCE IN HELL !!!

This is the stupidest idea they have had yet!

[Mark]

Wow so much negativity on this forum. Hipstamatic has a special place in my heart as it got me into photography when i purchased an iphone 4. Before then i never cared about photos except when i went on holidays. Since i got my phone however I've become fully addicted to iphoneography and street photography and fine art photography and black and white, and lomo and everything else in ebtween. i started out with hipstamatic and then downloaded just about every other camera and filter app, and now it's been about 6 months and I've come full circle again, back to hipstamatic and to this day I STILL get those magical moments where certain accidental photos take my breath away. I completely disagree with people who say the last films/lens have been a letdown. What people have to realise is that sometimes less is more, and subtlety can be just as beautiful as a photo full of in-your-face colour. I'm on the verge of buying a 'real' lomography camera as I've fallen in love with film and analog as well.. hey if this new app will achieve the same effect then it will save me hundreds of bucks in the long run. Bring it on i can't wait.