Camera Awesome 1.1.12
UIis hard to follow
Camera Awesome by SmugMug looks pretty decent when you first launch the application. The layout looks very pro-level but reality soon kicks in and it soon becomes clear that you just can’t commit the interface to memory. The settings pane moves from one section to another, sliders take on different functions in many areas, much of the screen goes to waste in “edit” mode, etc.
Cumbersome editing workflow
The features aren’t much better either. Half of the effects are behind a paywall, and the other half are really not that exciting. There are dozens of free camera apps in the iTunes Store that do much better in this department alone.
Some cool features
Admittedly some of the filters are pretty slick, but you can’t really know how your final image will look like without squinting really hard.
The Awesomize function is one of the cooler features inside Camera Awesome. It’s a one-tap enhance feature that many camera apps have these days. It works pretty well to enhance the lighting and the colors in a picture.
Sharing includes many social networks and online photo drives, so that’s another thing to look out for if you like this app, and the settings panel includes a lot of options that let you customize your experience if you plan on using it on a regular basis.
Another cool feature is the real-time straighten tool which enables you to adjust the way you hold your device to capture images aligned with the horizon.
Too expensive
You can use the free version to sprinkle a few effects here and there, but most of the advertised functionality is actually paid. And it’s expensive as hell, too. We suggest getting Camera+ for twice the functionality, a much more comprehensive UI, all for a fraction of Camera Awesome’s price.
iPad version is better
Camera Awesome goes hand in hand with devices running iOS 5.0 and up and even has an iPad version ready to go. That’s highly appreciated among camera apps. In the case of Camera Awesome, using the iPad version is much more recommended because the UI is much more usable on a bigger canvas.
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0/5
Hits & Misses
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Bottom Line
Design / UI7
Camera Awesome looks good, but doesn’t enable the level of professionalism it hopes to impose. Much of the UI gets rearranged every time you go from one area to another, which makes for a very confusing experience. |
Function7
Like with the visuals, Camera Awesome promises much oomph, but delivers mediocre results. It’s very difficult to get accustomed to how everything works (compared to other camera apps). |
Security7
It connects to numerous external sources and collects location info, among other things. |
Battery8
Normal consumption levels. |
Price6
Most of the advertised functionality is actually behind in-app purchases |
Compatibility9
Requires iOS 5.1.1 as minimum and supports all iDevices natively |
It's okay, but there's no real reason to buy it for $9.99 when other apps offer the same feature set (in some cases, even more features) for much less.
Specifications
- price:
- Free with ads
- current version:
- 1.1.12
- reviewed version:
- 1.1.9
- developer:
- SmugMug
- category:
- PHOTOGRAPHY
- os version req.:
- 5.1.1
- age rating:
- 4+
- in-app purchases:
- Yes. Multiple IAPs, or get the whole shebang for $9,99
- hits:
- 603