QuickAdvice: Push Your Creativity With Plastiq Camera
Plastiq Camera ($1.99) by Plastiq Camera gives users the feeling of a toy camera right on their iPhone.
Toy camera apps are always fun to experiment with, and Plastiq Camera is no exception. The app will launch directly into the camera after a quick second or two of loading. The unique thing with Plastiq Camera is that there is no shutter button - the entire screen is the button. So no more of that struggling to find the shutter, just tap anywhere on the screen! You just can't control the focus and exposure anymore, a fair trade in some situations.
Plastiq Camera also allows for various sizes, from very small resolution to the original, large resolution. There's five different lenses to choose from, all which add a touch of uniqueness that you only get from toy cameras. A variety of different films await as well, with 11 to choose from.
Be warned, however, that you do not get a preview of what the photo would look like before the effects are applied. However, I find the risk to be fun and let me experiment more. After all, isn't that what having a toy camera is all about?
A viewfinder is provided in the app to help you center and align your images. There are three different styles to choose from - Classic Frame, Half Moon, and Cirqua, so pick whichever you like most for your shots.
The Darkroom is where your images process with the selected lens and film. Any image you take or import into the app will be developing in this section of the app, but you can continue to snap new shots or import other photos while they process. A number badge is also displayed on the app icon if you need to exit during the darkroom process, and will continue once you go back in the app. All recent images will be shown and developed images will automatically be saved to your camera roll.
There is a links section in the app that will open mobile Safari if you want to view something. Included links are Twitter, Flickr, website, and email. Don't fret, your photos will still process.
If you're looking for another nice little toy camera app, then Plastiq Camera is worth checking out, if only for the cool feature of using the entire screen as the button. This can result in neat looking avatar photos for your Twitter or Facebook, and who doesn't like having a cool looking photo?
But I would like to see more options for lenses for $2, and maybe another film or two, just for more variety. But the included filters are great and add a total classic vintage look to your photos. Touch to focus and exposure control would be nice to have as well, if you really want to have more control of the final image. Maybe they can address this in future updates.
Overall, if you like to have another toy camera app to play with, then definitely check out Plastiq Camera. It's not too expensive for what you get. And it's fun!
