Image rights from: FiLMiC IncFILMIC FIRSTLIGHT FOR iOS
Good real–time analysis tools
Supports DNG and TIFF files
No RAW file support
A one–off unlock would be a nice option
GOODFiLMiC is best known for
its iOS video app but now
the developer has taken
some of that technology
and put it into a stills app. FiLMiC
Firstlight aims to give you greater
control over your iOS device’s
camera than Apple’s own Camera
app allows, with manual access to
focus, exposure, shutter speeds and
more. It’s free, with more advanced
tools behind an in-app subscription
of $0.99 per month, or $7.99 a year.
The app borrows some features
from its video–based sibling, such
as focus peaking that shows you
the correct focus points, and zebra
stripes to show you which areas of an
image are under– or over–exposed.
Tap to focus anywhere on the screen,
and this also sets the exposure based
on the focus area. A histogram
display shows you the color levels in
real time. More features in the free
version include burst mode, a timer,the ability to set aspect ratio,
HDR control on supported
devices, and support for
shooting in JPEG, HEIC, DNG
and TIFF formats. Curiously
there’s no RAW option, even
though iOS does have support
for it. Yo9u can switch
between your device’s
cameras using a quick control.
Unlocking the full version
gives you more features, the
Ľrst of which is shutter and
ISO priority modes for more
manual control in addition
to the standard AE (auto
exposure) mode. You also get
access to the full set of Ľlm
simulation modes — a few are
available in the free version
but the expanded selection has more
breadth, and the developers will add
more over time. You can add Ľlm
grain eļect, although this can get
old quickly, and adjustable
vignetting. You can also customize
settings rather than rely on the
standard tool behaviors.
Firstlight is a solid alternative to
Apple’s Camera app, though there
are many other “pro” photo apps,
often at a lower price point. It’s
questionable why they’ve gone with
a subscription model but not oļered
a one-oļ purchase option. Although
$7.99 is not a huge amount, people
may not want to pay it every year to
unlock features that other apps give
you for a one-oļ price. FiLMiC’spedigree in creating apps means that
Firstlight will certainly gain more
features over time, and the free
version is perfectly serviceable, but
users may need a little more
enticement to shell out for it.
THE BOTTOM LINE. A solid
alternative to Apple’s Camera app,
though its pricing model may need
tweaking. HOLLIN JONESThe app’s intuitive swipe system controls focus
and exposure.FiLMiC Firstlight for iOS
Get more control over your iOS camera
Free (IAPs) From FiLMiC Inc, filmicpro.com/filmic-firstlight/
Made for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch Needs iOS 13 or later
App Life
64 MAR 2020 maclife.com