App of the week
With the update to iOS 4.1 Apple introduced HDR functionality to the native iphone camera app. In HDR or High Dynamic Range photography the same image is taken with different exposures and then combined into a single image. This results in images with details in very dark and very light areas – making them extremely rich in contrast.
Such pictures can also be created with the Pro HDR app. In contrast to the native camera app HDR pictures can be fine tuned manually if you wish to. This includes settings like brightness, contrast, saturation, warmth, tint. The results come much closer to a “real” HDR (taken with a full blown DSLR) than Apples solution. Another big advantage is iPhone 3GS support as Apples iOS 4.1 HDR function only works on the iPhone 4.
The range of options sticks to the necessary minimum but covers the essentials. You have the choice between „Auto HDR“, „Manual HDR“ or „Library HDR“. The first automatically analyses the subject, takes two pictures and puts them together. In manual mode you define what is light and dark by tapping the respective areas on the screen. The rest works on auto again. With library mode you can combine two pictures which are already saved to your phone’s image library.
There’s just one thing left to say about the interface: Even though it’s fairly easy and intuitive to use handling just doesn’t feel iPhone-like. Neither the logo, nor the application menus look very appealing. The background is a tacky sunset scene and the button design brings us back to the internet of the late 90’s. Yet, this really is no reason to be put off. The lack of design appeal is more than balanced by the superb technical implementation and the quality of the resulting HDR pictures – which is what this app is all about after all!
Data sheet:
Price: – 1.59 € / £ 1.19 / $ 1.99
System: – iOS min. 4.0
Size: – 0,8MB
Language: – English
Ads: – no
optimized for Retina Display (iPhone4): – yes
Multitasking: – no
Universal-App: – no
Push-Notifications: – no
Download:
Appstore
Screenshots
MO
