Emulsio is a video stabilizer app from Creaceed and recently got an update. Version 3.5 offers a fully exposed video encoder that provides several important features: user-adjustable output file format, custom bitrate/quality setting, video and audio codec choices, and output resolution adjustment. The new Transcode extension now allows re-encoding existing videos at a desired quality/size level. Further enhancements include a better video import handling using the new & more capable iOS 14 photo/video picker to easily browse and search through the video library.
Photography
iPhone 12 Sensor Shift, ProRAW, and Other Impressive Camera Features
Apple’s keynote announced a dizzying array of its new camera technology and Andrew explains new camera features like iPhone 12 sensor shift.
Mimeo Photos Adds Puzzles and Blankets to its Product Line
Mimeo Photos has added two new photo products: Puzzles and blankets. Just in time for the holidays, Apple users have more options for photo gifts.
Photography App ‘VSCO’ Launches Text Tool
Photography company VSCO announced the launch of its text tool on Monday, giving creators more tools for expression.
Pixelmator Photo 1.4 Brings ML Super Resolution to iPad
The Pixelmator Photo 1.4 update brings ML Super Resolution to the iPad. This is the feature introduced on macOS that lets you upscale images using machine learning. “Today’s update also adds a very awesome comparison slider, letting you quickly compare your edited image with the original in a split-screen view. And it works all around the app, so when using the Repair tool, you can turn on and move the comparison slider to see just the changes made with that tool. When the Color Adjustments tool selected, you’ll see just the color changes, and so on. Super useful.” Finally, the company has raised the app’s price to US$7.99, up from US$4.99.
Photo Service ‘Ever’ Shuts Down August 31
Citing increased competition from iCloud Photos and Google Photos, photo storage service Ever is shutting down on August 31.
VSCO Introduces New Video Tools and Kodachrome-Inspired Preset
VSCO launched new tools for its photo/video editing app on Tuesday, with a new preset and options to edit videos with speed and reverse.
This Photographer Shot a Wedding With an iPhone 11 Pro
Jennifer Van Elk wrote a review of the iPhone 11 Pro as a professional camera, using it to shoot a wedding, and the results are stunning.
The best part by far though was that during downtime at the wedding and after the wedding during the ride home we were able to cull and edit the wedding. It was a 45 minute ride home from the wedding. In that time I was able to cull the wedding and edit all the photos in Lightroom on the iPhone 11 Pro. By the time we were home, I was already uploading the gallery.
Introducing ‘Facetune Video’ for Video Retouching
Facetune Video is the latest app from Lightricks. It’s a video retouching tool that lets you edit your selfie videos to smooth skin, whiten teeth, reshape facial features, change eye color, and apply lipstick. Of course, the standard video editing tools are there to control aspects like contrast and brightness. Just apply these edits to one frame of the video and the app will apply it to the rest of the video automatically. App Store: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
VSCO Announces ‘BlackJoyMatters’ Photo Campaign
Something I like about VSCO is its curation of photos from its community of users. There are categories like summer, monochrome, abstract, and more. Its latest initiative is #BlackJoyMatters, a summon-long series to share photos from Black creatives.
We are kicking off #BlackJoyMatters with a global call to action, urging online communities to create, capture and share their interpretations of Black Joy to social media through posting art, first-person videos and/or photos across every social platform using the hashtag #BlackJoyMatters. Throughout the summer, we will spotlight the submitted imagery and art across our social channels and within the VSCO app.
Pixelmator Pro 1.7 Update Adds Curved Text
In an update dubbed “Sequoia” Pixelmator Pro 1.7 adds text on a path, canvas rotation, a new welcome screen, and version 3 of ML Super Resolution. The text update lets you type text on a path, a circle, or any other shape with Circular Type, Path Type, and Freeform Type. Canvas rotation lets you rotate the canvas at any angle. Improvements to ML Super Resolution improves the quality of the result, adds a progress bar (yay!), and adds support for upscaling RAW files while preserving the RAW data.
Mimeo Photos Adds a Wall Decoration Product
Last year Andrew reviewed a product called Mimeo Photos to create a photo book. They’ve just announced a new wall decoration product.
An Introduction to Photo Editing App ‘VSCO’
Andrew has been using VSCO since 2017. As a social media app, VSCO doesn’t have ads, follower counts, or comments from strangers.
ShiftCam Launches iPhone 11 Lenses in UK
ShiftCam is launching its ProLens range of iPhone 11 lenses to the U.K. These lenses deliver what the company says is “DSLR” quality to smartphone lenses. There’s a 60mm Telephoto Lens, £84.99; 18mm Wide Angle Lens, £84.99; 10x 25mm Traditional Macro Lens, £84.99; 75mm Long Range Macro Advance Lens, £104.99; Full Frame Fisheye Advance Lens, £104.99; 12mm Ultra-Wide-Angle Aspherical Lens, £134.99; ProLens Deluxe Kit, £399.99.
‘Mirage’ Helps You Detect Edited Photos Using Machine Learning
Mirage is a cool app I discovered today that uses machine learning to detect edited photos. Not only that, it can also undo the editing. However, it requires a face to be present in the photo, so it won’t work on any image. It’s based on this research paper [PDF]:
We present a method for detecting one very popular Photoshop manipulation – image warping applied to human faces – using a model trained entirely using fake images that were automatically generated by scripting Photoshop itself. We show that our model outperforms humans at the task of recognizing manipulated images, can pre- dict the specific location of edits, and in some cases can be used to “undo” a manipulation to reconstruct the original, unedited image.
App Store: Mirage – US$2.99
How to Dig Into the Apple Photos SQLite Database
Now here’s a cool article I found last night. Simon Willison found the SQLite database that Apple Photos uses. It contains photo metadata as well as the aesthetic scoring system that the machine learning uses. Further, there are numeric categories used to label content within photos. For example, Category 2027 is for Entertainment, Trip, Travel, Museum, Beach Activity, etc. I think the quality scores are particularly interesting. There are scores for noise, composition, lively color, harmonious color, pleasant lighting/pattern/perspective, and a bunch more. I bet Apple’s acquisition of Regaind contributed to this.
Some Online College Exams Don’t Support Apple’s HEIC Format
Apple’s HEIC photo format isn’t widely supported and that causes problems when students upload photos during online exams.
But the testing portal doesn’t support the default format on iOS devices and some newer Android phones, HEIC files. HEIC files are smaller than JPEGs and other formats, thus allowing you to store a lot more photos on an iPhone. Basically, only Apple (and, more recently, Samsung) use the HEIC format — most other websites and platforms don’t support it. Even popular Silicon Valley-based services, such as Slack, don’t treat HEICs the same way as standard JPEGs.
I wish more websites would support HEIC/HEIF. It should be a no-brainer since the file size is smaller than JPG and supports a wider color gamut.
Preorder Adobe Photoshop Camera Today
Adobe Photoshop Camera is available to preorder today on the App Store. It’s a new app from the company that gives you cool effects powered by machine learning. Add tons of filters and lenses inspired by famous artists and influencers. You’ll get content-aware recommendations, portrait controls, and social network sharing built in. “Photoshop Camera is packed with amazing AI-powered features that help you take gorgeous selfies, food and scenery shots, and more. Quick fixes like auto-tone and portrait control mean you can create high-quality photos with a simiple tap or swipe of your finger.”
Get a Raspberry Pi Camera With This New $50 Product
The Raspberry Pi Foundation announced a camera board built around a 12MP Sony IMX477 sensor, and it supports interchangeable lenses.
The High Quality Camera is compatible with almost all Raspberry Pi models, from the original Raspberry Pi 1 Model B onward. Some very early Raspberry Pi Zero boards from the start of 2016 lack a camera connector, and other Zero users will need the same adapter FPC that is used with Camera Module v2.
Examining the iPhone SE Single Lens Camera
The team behind camera app Halide have taken a look at how well the iPhone SE can take Portrait Mode photos with a single lens camera.
The new iPhone SE can’t use focus pixels, because its older sensor doesn’t have enough coverage. Instead, it generates depth entirely through machine learning. It’s easy to test this yourself: take a picture of another picture.
A good write up, and interesting that it can do this purely with software, while the iPhone XR still had some hardware basis for these types of photos.
Pixelmator 2.5 Adds File Browser, Photo Browser, Image Size Presets
Announced in March, Pixelmator 2.5 is officially released today, bringing features like a native File browser, photo browser, and image size presets.
This update is a really big deal for Pixelmator for iOS. These new features might not be amazingly flashy but they’re incredibly important to the future of Pixelmator for iOS. And the headline feature is the awesome Files-based document browser, bringing a much-improved file browsing and opening experience along with great features like file search, tagging, and more.
App Store: US$4.99
App Sale: EXIF Viewer by Fluntro is Currently Free
Normally US$2.99, EXIF Viewer by Fluntro is free right now. As the name suggests it lets you view the EXIF metadata of photos, which can include location, time stamp, device model, and more. You can delete the metadata using the app as well, which is useful if you don’t want websites like Facebook to read your location from the photo. Most importantly you can bulk edit metadata if you’re working with multiple photos.
Pixelmator Photo 1.2 for iOS Brings ML Match Colors
Pixelmator Photo got an update recently. Version 1.2 adds support for Magic Keyboard, trackpads, and mice, as well as ML Match Colors.
Photographer Claims Apple Copied his Photo in Apple TV+ Show
Adrian Murphy writes that Apple copied his photo of two kids looking into a glowing chest, a visual that can be seen in Amazing Stories on Apple TV+.
To me, this is flagrant copyright infringement and is using my intellectual property to derive visual elements for one of the most viewed portions of their entire series… the intro that plays before every episode. I’m flattered by the obvious imitation, but I’m also disappointed by the obvious theft.
The scene does look visually similar to Mr. Murphy’s photo. I wonder if he will legally pursue this.