BeFunky FX, Grunge preset 3. Click image for full size
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BeFunky FX
Version 1.0
Bottom line: Great looking effects, but low resolution output and other problems spoil the app.
BeFunky FX is a new app from BeFunky that applies really nice edgy effects to your images. BeFunky has several other iPhone apps which apply a variety of effects to your images. They’re also the creators of the Befunky.com website which features an arsenal of effects you can apply to your images using a Flash-based browser interface on your desktop or laptop.
BeFunky FX, Cartoonizer preset 1. Click for full size
The app is very easy to use. You can take pictures within the app or open images from your photo library. It features many of the effects from the Befunky web site. There are many very well rendered effects in this app — cartoon, charcoal, grunge, pinhole, Lomo just to name a few. The effects are cool looking and you have several options for each effect. You can set up the app to easily share to Facebook or Twitter after you’re done applying filters.
I have two very big problems with the app. The app saves your images at a very low resolution — 375×500 pixels. Although this is larger than the image I saved from a free account from the website at 345×469 pixels*, this is even smaller than the 450×600 that Facebook reduces your images to. Your photos will look a little small when shared on Facebook or Twitter. You won’t be able to print any pics at a reasonable size if they are processed with this app. Also, BeFunky FX does not save your original image, so you will not have a full-res copy of your unprocessed file if you use the app’s camera.
The second problem I have with the app is that you need an internet connection in order for it to even work. The app sends your images off your iPhone to the BeFunky servers to process your images. If you don’t have a fast 3G or a WiFI internet connection, your upload times are going to be incredibly slow — especially with the larger images of the iPhone 3GS. If you’re out of cell phone or internet range or have your iPhone in Airplane mode, you’re completely out of luck — the app won’t work at all. At least BeFunky FX saves your image state until you are back in data signal range.
This is obviously an app built to create and share web-ready images, but I think its sub-Facebook, low resolution barely is able to do that. For a $2 app, ideally I’d like full resolution output so that iPhoneographers can print out the excellent effects this app applies. Realistically, the best I can expect would be at least 800×600 pixels and good Flickr integration as well. This is a very consumer-oriented app, but some of the effects are so good, they are worth a higher purchase price or an in-app upgrade for onboard processing and full resolution support.
Many of the effects are gorgeous. I’d give this app one star if the the effects didn’t look so good. But for me, the very low resolution and the requirement of a fast internet connection make this an app to be wary of.
=M=
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Glyn Evans at iPhoneography.com had some tasty words (and a tidbit or two) on BeFunky FX. Click here to read his review.
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* — A free Befunky.com account allows you to save images that are 460×616 pixels maximum, but I never hit that. Saving up to 4000×4000 pixels costs $199.99/year on the website. 2500×2500 is $49.99/year.
