I’m constantly checking out new photography apps for the iPhone, and like many out there, my favorite remains VSCO Cam. There’s a new contender on the scene that was released this week, and it’s definitely worth trying if you like experimenting beyond VSCO’s filters.
A new video app from the Hipstamatic team also just came out in the App Store, and it has some of the best filters for mobile video I’ve come across.
Litely is made by Cole Rise, a professional photographer with an Instagram feed that will blow your mind. He also created four filters for the official Instagram app: Hudson, Sierra, Sutro and Rise.
Here are some of the shots he has used Litely to edit:
I posted one of my own yesterday:
Litely has a really clean interface and the filters are quite nice. The app is free, but unlocking filters beyond the starter pack is a series of $1.99 in-app purchases, like VSCO Cam. The filter packs are also available for programs like Aperture and Lightroom on the desktop, so the quality is excellent.
I like the subtleness of what Litely’s filters offer. What you can achieve with color on mobile is pretty impressive nowadays.
You can make other adjustments to photos, like exposure and sharpness, as well. Check out Litely in the App Store and explore photos people are posting from it with #litely in Instagram. Did I mention that there’s an iPad version? Yeah, huge bonus.
In my search for an app that does mobile video effects better than Instagram, the new Cinamatic app looks pretty compelling.
Made by Hipstamatic, the interface is kind of like Snapchat meets Vine. You tap and hold on the record button to take 15-second clips. After that, you can choose from a selection of stock film affects and buy more as in-app purchases. Some of them are a little too retro for my taste, but they are still leagues above Instagram’s built-in video filters.
My two problems with Cinamatic are that you can’t record 30-second clips (the Instagram limit) and you can’t load a video from the Camera Roll. If you can get around those issues, Cinamatic is an easy $2 to spend in the App Store.
Have fun shooting this weekend!