Life in LoFi: iPhoneography | iPhone Photo News, Showcases, App Reviews

TrueHDR 2.2 Enhanced mode

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TrueHDR by Pictional was updated to version 2.2 today. For the launch of the new update, TrueHDR is on sale for a limited time for only $0.99 — that’s $1 off the regular price.

TrueHDR is real HDR. The camera takes three bracketed exposures — one normal, one slightly overexposed, and one slightly underexposed — and merges them together, keeping the best exposed areas of each capture. Click past the jump to read about the new 2.2 update. >>>

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HDR Fusion by Cogitap is a genuine HDR photo app similar to Pro HDR and True HDR. It shoots and merges bracketed exposures and has been very good reviews in the App Store. It’s FREE today only — actually, for about a few hours more, so grab now and read later! This is for the full version of the app, and not the free, feature-limited version!

UPDATE: That was fast. It looks like this freebie is already over in Cogitap’s timezone and the app is back to its normal price. However, stay tuned…. there’s always more sales and freebies and we’ll keep you posted. =M=

HDR Fusion is Cogitap’s foray into the third-party HDR market. It’s a full-blown HDR app which takes the two bracketed images and then merges and aligns them in-app. I haven’t reviewed the app, but the results are different than any other HDR app available. Color processing seems to be a little more vibrant than TrueHDR’s natural mode, but not at vibrant as ProHDR. Saves at full device resolution. It’s been averaging 4-star reader reviews in the App Store. Based on my initial tests, it’s fast, easy and solid and produces good HDR color.

At its normal price of $0.99, it’s inexpensive enough to warrant a look if you shoot HDR. It’s an excellent download for free and this is a great opportunity to try the full version of the app.

HDR Fusion works on any iPhone or iPod Touch 4th Gen that’s running iOS 4.2 or newer.

=M=

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Cogitap’s excellent Bracket Mode is FREE right now in the App Store for a limited time — that’s a savings of $0.99. I gave the app four stars — click here for my original review.

Bracket Mode is an HDR utility that automatically takes two exposures — one dark and one lighter. Rather than processing them right away, Bracket Mode then saves the two images to your camera roll so you can process them later by importing them into another third-party, bracketed exposure HDR app like TrueHDR or ProHDR. Bracket Mode can have you shooting again in less than 5 seconds — much faster than waiting for a third party HDR app to shoot and process. If you shoot with TrueHDR or ProHDR, you need this app.

This giveaway is for a limited time only, so download it now!

Bracket Mode works on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPod Touch 4th Gen running iOS 4.2 or newer.

=M=

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I love the holidays. It seems everyone has been giving a lot this year including app developers. Here’s an early Christmas present from Cogitap Software.

Several Cogitap photo apps are FREE today! This includes their excellent Slow Shutter Cam and Bracket Mode apps. It also includes their new photo apps HDR Fusion and Burst Mode. All of these are for full versions of the apps, not lite versions. Each app normally sells for $0.99-$1.99. This sale won’t last long — no longer than today in your time zone — so grab these now. Keep going for direct links and my thoughts on the apps.

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Bracket Mode
Version 1.0
Price: $1.99

Bottom Line: Simple and fast. If you shoot with one of the third party HDR apps, you need Bracket Mode.

Using HDR apps (other than Apple’s HDR function in Camera) can take a long time. Depending on the app and settings, automatic HDR can take between 30-40 seconds to shoot, align and process on an iPhone 4. That’s an eternity if you’re trying to get multiple captures.

A brilliant new app Bracket Mode from Cogitap lets you shoot in HDR quickly and save the slower CPU-intensive processing for when you have more time.

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The TrueHDR 2.1 update by Pictional was released today. The update adds a new processing method to the app, as well as improved iPod Touch 4th Gen output.

For the launch of the new version, TrueHDR is on sale for a limited time for only $0.99 — that’s $1 off the regular price.

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Primasnap: before & after. Click to enlarge

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Primasnap
Version 1.0
Price: $0.99

Bottom Line: It’s not HDR, but it’s fast, simple, and good for iPhone photographers who just want to quickly tweak their images. It’s not the miracle fix-all app the description implies.

I’m usually wary of any iPhone photo app that promises true HDR from existing images in your photo library or tries without taking multiple exposures. Real HDR involves at least three exposures and can create stunning color and detail throughout the entire visible spectrum. Even Apple’s Camera supports real HDR. Often, though, most apps just latch onto the phrase HDR because it’s a buzz word.

Primasnap by Viderea is a new Dynamic Range Correction (DRC) photo app that claims to produce HDR-like results by using one exposure. Hey, they got your attention, didn’t they? It’s really an exposure enhancement app — one of the good ones, but not HDR.

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Capturing the bracketed exposures of iPhone's new HDR

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Apple released the iOS 4.1 update for iPhone on Wednesday. Among the new features is HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the Apple Camera. Among the questions when the feature was introduced by Steve Jobs at the iPod event was if it is true HDR or is the camera using “sleight of hand” and simply tweaking the exposure of one capture.

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[UPDATEx3 09.03.10 10:10] Today was Apple’s September Event. Typically an iPod-centric event, there was plenty to please current and future iPhoneographers in today’s presentation. Today’s event was more than the traditional refreshing of the iPod line. The iPod Touch now gets not one, but two cameras — but not the high-resolution still camera that was the buzz of rumor sites.

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