picfx is another new photo app that creates effects by overlaying textures on your images, much in the way that 100 Cameras In 1 does. I think a good texture should enhance the image, not “be” the image. If done properly, the viewer shouldn’t “see” the texture. They shouldn’t be able to tell that the overlay is rusty steel, for example. That’s not always the case with this class of photo app.
Jeff White purchased picfx and has given us his review of the app. Click through the jump to read his review. >>>
Picfx test image. Click for full size.
picfx is a weirdo! It kinda saves full resolution. I mean it handles landscapes well but portrait photos are cropped to 1536×1538 on a 3GS [picfx saves images at the not-quite-full resolution of 1868×1868 on an iPhone 4. =M=]. I tried to do some layering with app and it cropped a portrait down to 1366×1366 (see image above). I have no idea why.
picfx has 17 different filters and frames, mostly grungy overlays. The frames are pretty basic and only two really stand out, a painted frame and a rough edge frame similar to frames I’ve seen elsewhere but just unique enough to go to this app instead of PictureShow or Camera+. A couple of the grungy filters are nice and I can see myself using them. The strength of those effects can be adjusted using a slider. Then there are 11 “styles”. Nothing that I haven’t seen before. e.g. black & white, sepia, “vintage”, and cross process type effects.
Probably the biggest turn off for me is that when you add a frame and style type together, some of the style types changes the color of the frame. You have to go through a process of saving the style first then adding the frame. It’s not very well thought out. You do have an option to layer filters though which is nice, something that Camera+ doesn’t have. Though, I have a feeling that is why I lost some size with my test image. However, this app is usable and saves full resolution… sorta. See the example above.
One more thing, the frames sit on top of the picture, like PictureShow, not outside of the picture like Camera+. I love Camera+ for that because the frame doesn’t cover up the picture and increases the overall size just a bit.
I cannot recommend this app at the $1.99 price but as an avid reader of appshopper.com I believe that this app will drop in price eventually.
Check out more of Jeff White’s iPhoneography on his blog here.
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