Review: Qik Video Camera Pro
by Robb Lewis
May 13, 2010
Overview
The iPhone camera is severly lacking in features and this applies to the video function as well. If you want to add effects, upload to Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, you're going to need an app with a bit more attitude than the standard. Qik Video Camera Pro allows you to shoot video on any model of iPhone including the original. You can add effects, zoom, upload to your computer via wifi, adjust the brightness as well as loads of other features. But is it worth buying if you already have a video recording app? Lets find out.Features
- Works with 2G, 3G and 3GS
- Upload to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Qik
- Share via SMS or email
- Apply 10 different effects to your videos in real-time
- Overlay a photo on top of a video
- Upload videos already in your camera roll
- WiFi transfer
- Export to camera roll
- Portrait and landscape recording
The interface for Qik gives you access to all the functions so you can get straight on with recording as soon as the app opens. There's a button to record, access settings, library, zoom and a wheel to select the different available effects. You can also increase or decrease the brightness and zoom in, using the corresponding button on the main record screen. To start recording simple press the red record button and away you go.
If you want to add an effect to your video, simply spin the effects wheel above the main navigation bar at the bottom. Effects available include mirror, sepia, black and white and photo overlay. Each effect shows a real-time preview in a small box on the effects wheel for you to see what your video will look like. Effects can be picked before shotting video, or switched during the recording process. Photo overlay is the only exception as this requires you to pick a photo from your camera roll before you start recording. Once you have chosen one, you can erase parts of it so the video shows through simply by running your finger over the image.
Once you have recorded your masterpiece you upload it to four different services; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Qik. Simply hit the library button, choose the video your want to upload and away you go. From here you can also add a title, add the video to your camera roll, delete it or send a link to the video (which will be uploaded to Qik) via email or SMS.
When uploading to Qik, you can choose to use an existing account, sign up for a new one or 'auto', which creates a 'tempuser972346' username for you. If social networks aren't your thing, and you just want to save videos to your computer, Qik has wifi sharing. Go into the video details page, turn on wifi access and enter the ip address it gives you into your computer's web browser. Remember, this will only work if your iPhone and your computer are connected to the same wireless network. Qik also gives you the option to automatically upload videos to Qik once they have finished recording, which is great if you're like me and don't want to spend time uploading every time.
The Breakdown
The Good:
Qik Video Camera Pro offers a varied amount of options to create the perfect video of your mate looking stupid playing Wii boxing, or whatever you might be recording. The interface is easy to use, if a little cluttered, and there are uploading options aplenty. Qik also allows you to import existing videos and upload to the services offered, so this elminates the need to have a seperate uploading app. The quality of the video produced isn't quite up to the standard the built-in app is, but it is high enough that no one would ever notice (I only know it's lower because the app store description says so).
The Bad:
As I said above, the interface seems somewhat cluttered and the effects wheel is slow to respond, even on my 3GS. Also, when uploading videos to services such as Twitter or Facebook, there is no option to add a description or any information about what your uploading. On Twitter, this results in a tweet that is simply a huge url to a video. On Facebook, this isn't a massive issue as you can log in and add the info, but on Twitter, once it's there, it's there.
There is no way to upload multiple videos which can make uploading very time consuming and also no option to do more than one service at a time. Another small problem I have is when choosing an image for the photo overlay effect, you only have access to your camera roll and not your entire photo library, which annoying for me as I tend to takes photos off the camera roll and into a proper folder as soon as I sync to iTunes.
