Photogene2 for iPhone Update: We Check Out the New Clarity Tool
The lineage of Photogene2 is one of the oldest photo apps on the iPhone. Photogene was probably one of the first apps many early iPhoneographers had in their camera bag.
Photogene2, the app’s successor, recently received a big update with several new features, including several new tools and the ability to order photo products in-app.
One of the more compelling features for me is the new “Clarity” tool, made popular by all-in-one camera app Camera+. I thought I’d compare the two side by side. See how Photogene2 fared after the jump.
The complete list of new features in the new 1.20 update is below.
The new Clone tool is well-implemented and easy to use. The source is easily adjustable hand has an easy to see target onscreen. An easy tap and hold lets you drag the target elsewhere on your image. Two fingers lets you zoom and pan without painting or leaving the tool.
Like the Clarity tool in Camera+ by tap tap tap, Photogene2′s Clarity tool is part single-image HDR, part Dynamic Range Correction. They’re designed to be a one-click tool to enhance your photo and make it “pop.” the Photogene2 Clarity tool also has a slider you can use to adjust the intensity of the effect.
The tool basically performs the same functions in both apps, but the algorithms are visibly different and yield different results. Here are some sample images. The first in each series is the original, unaltered exposure. The Photogene2 Clarity effect has been cranked up to 100% in these samples.
Original image
Camera+ Clarity tool
Photogene's Clarity tool at 100%
Original image
Camera+ Clarity tool
Photogene2's Clarity tool at 100%
Your preference may vary. The Photogene2 Clarity effect is more subtle to my eye, even at 100%. The Camera+ Clarity effect tends to look more like a High Dynamic Range app photo. It also tends to brighten up 3/4 tones and shadows a bit more — that may not always be what you want. Both enhance color and details in the photo that were not as pronounced in the original.
There are several other high-end image editors for iPhone, including PhotoForge2 and my favorite Filterstorm. Photogene2 1.20 is definitely a good update with some great new features that will please current users.
Here’s all that’s new in Photogene 1.20:
New: order directly from Photogene real photo products that will be delivered to you by mail. Service by tap2print.
Major new features:
- Device-to-device: transfer photos directly to another iPad/iPhone (requires Photogene to be installed on the other device).
- Clarity slider.
- Clone tool.
- Create your own presets! Long tap on a photo in the editor to save it as a preset.
More stuff:
- Add date-stamp to your exported photos.
- Copy edit operations from one photo and apply the same edits on another photo. Long tap on a photo in the editor to bring up the copy&paste menu.
- Can now upload directly to Evernote and Tumblr.
- Now it’s possible to preserve the original file names when uploading to Dropbox, FTP or mail (requires iOS 5).
Photogene2 is $0.99. There are also several in-app purchases available. Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.Requires iOS 4.2 or later.
=M=
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Marty is a self-employed graphic designer in the Fort Worth/Dallas Metroplex. He is an avid Rangers baseball, Chicago Cubs, Packers and Highbury Arsenal fan. In addition to capturing random moments with whatever camera is close by (usually his iPhone), his other interests include coffee, film, music, and traveling in seats 5E and 5F with his fiancé.
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I never really liked Photogene. I gave Photogene2 a try and ended up deleting it too. I thought the UI was overdone and small inconsistencies in it just drove me nuts. Some of the unique features it offered seemed poorly implemented.
I thought I'd give this new Clarity tool a try and I like their version of it better than the one in Camera+. The whole app seems to operate a lot smoother than I remember even though some of those annoying UI inconsistencies are still around. I'm going to give it a second chance. It's going to live on my phone for another week and then… well, we'll see…
Camera+'s can be noisy. I don't have Photogene.
Alternatives for those Clarity:
1. Top Camera's Clarify
2. Orasis
3. ACDSee
I pretty much ONLY use Camera+ for Clarity only, but tired of waiting for an iPad version. Not happy that Photogene insists on trying to double dip with two apps instead of going universal. So, Orasis & ACDSee have my attention as reasonably priced, universal alternatives.
Has anyone compared Clarity between all the apps that do Clarity?
I've previously reviewed Orasis here, Skip. I really didn't like how it processed images.
http://lifeinlofi.com/2011/08/08/photo-app-review…
Pretty noisy and adds unnatural contrast, color anomalies and unpleasant object halos. Your photography is very colorful and vivid. Have a look at my review, but I don't think Orasis is an answer for you.
I have ACDSee Camera Flash but have not reviewed it yet.
=M=
I like Orasis because it's really powerful. Helpful for me to identify animals from wild cam at night especially. Funny though, Marty, you like Clarity more because to you Orasis is noisier but I like Orasis more because to me Clarity is noisier
what's interesting though is that I came to like Orasis more based on my testing in iPad 2 photos–the ultimate noisy photos iOS can get.
Whatever it is, that was long time ago…Skip, I'd say just buy those two apps you mentioned because no app is a silver bullet. It doesn't even break a leg to try Top Camera's Clarify because now, I like it even more than Orasis because it has sliders and different degrees.
Miege,
I really don't like just buying apps just because they're only a dollar or so. I have too many apps and too many updates, etc. Apps that insist on maintaining an iPhone version AND an iPad version don't usually get my money any more. I no longer want to wait for double updates, double storage, inconsistencies between versions, etc. It was fun to just buy apps just because they were cheap, but now the app needs to be very well reviewed AND be universal to even be considered at all. Thanks for the recommendations though. I've bookmarked the two universal apps you recommended.
Ah, I see. I understand you now. I like editing on the iPad too! Large screen + more pixel details. Let me describe what you will get if you buy those alternatives I gave earlier because I have them all:
- Top Camera (separate iPhone and iPad version)
Complete all-in-one app with selectable resolutions for photo, video, burst, and slow shutter. Also have HDR bracketing, timer, and stabilizer. Has fully rescaled resolution 5x digital zoom for photo and video. You can pick to rescale/render video zoom immediately after recording finishes or later.
In the current beta version, it can record long videos as long as disk space permits. The dev is working to add cut and crop for videos ie cutting middle part.
In Photo Editor, it doesn't have retro filters as fancy as Camera+ but it has a more detailed version of Clarity dubbed as Enhance mode. Enhance has three strengths ie Fake HDR, Clarify, and Fake HDR 2; and for each of them, you can pick to choose the bright version only, dark version only or both. It also has sliders and preview of original image.
If you're somewhat interested to just edit on the iPad, better use the lite iPad version because Top doesn't support full res editing–at least with larger screen, you'll get more details tha on a "stamp"
If you don't think you need super details while editing, just try the lite version first and install on your iPhone and iPad. Note that lite means low res.
-Orasis
If you kinda spin off Top's Enhance mode and contrast and saturation, you kinda get Orasis (figuratively speaking). You can choose which area to highlight or darken. From the sample pic, you must understand that the app manages to highlight dark areas with overblowing both dark and bright areas. You won't get that kind of effect for every pic using Camera+'s Clarity–you don't even have a slider to begin with. Remember, noise is best friends with darkness. Thats why you may see noise if you highlight too strong.
If you don't wait an AIO, then you might want Orasis.
-ACDSee
It's a brightness tool hence the name flash. It may be tweaked differently from normal brightness tool but it's still flash nonetheless. You cannot control how you want highlight/darken photos.
All in all, no app is a silver bullet.
Have to admit I'm somewhat interested in Orasis, but to be honest… most of the time I can get what I want from using the Ambiance setting in Snapseed. Still, I like the quick and easy use of Camera+'s one click fix. Does't always get it right, but most of the time I like the results. I also don't mind exaggerated results when appropriate. What is "AIO"?
AIO = all in one. I was referring to an app that can do photo and video and others. Aha, you already have Snapseed! Works pretty much the same, too! Except Orasis is way more powerful.
Marty,
I'm usually happy with the clarity results I get from Camera+, but I've become a bit spoiled with the extra screen real estate on an iPad2. I know that's sacrilege to "iphoneographers"
but, once you go iPad… iit's hard to go back. Feels like you're editing on a postage stamp via iPhone by comparison. That being said, I do have a theory about why it CAN actually be better to edit on an iPhone, but I digress.
Truth is, I really don't need any more apps and have become very picky which ones I do buy. I no longer like having two apps to store, so universal apps win in my book. Great reviews and a decent price win too. I know you liked the PhotoToaster app as did your colleague Glyn. Good reviews, +universal and a decent price… meant i bought it and am glad I did. That's a solid app that makes it easy to get a snapshot of several looks quickly with fine control after you see the direction you want to go.
I would not have bought PhotoToaster if it has not been for the great reviews. I looked like just another generic filter app. But because of the reviews AND being +UNIVERSAL and was a decent price. Just mentioning that because I know a lot of developers visit your site.
So, it looks like Photogene might be the ticket with it's slider control, but I don't want to buy another app that's not universal. And, I like the way Camera+ brings the highlights down a bit while also bringing up the shadow details. Photogene appears from your test images, to mostly just bring up the shadow areas.
I was considering Orasis based on the user reviews, but I really don't like the look of their own samples at all.
Was really hoping Photogene2 would go universal, but since it hasn't, I think I'll sit tight and wait for something better. Looking forward to your ACDSee review. Thx!