FunCam – cool Camera App with plenty of real-time photo filters
by Paul Wilks
Jun 13, 2012 9:33 AM –
Install
FunCam is a cool and easy-to-use camera app that provides some great-looking filters which you can view in real-time. Similar to popular apps like Paper Camera and other great apps we’ve reviewed before, such as Instant Camera, FunCam is a neat solution to liven up your pictures.
Price: Free
Tested on: HTC One X
Content Rating: Everyone
Pros & Cons:
Pros
- Nice range of filters that you can check out in real-time through your viewer!
- Let’s you apply these filters to pictures already in your gallery!
- Increase/decrease the level of the effect!
- Nice UI!
Cons
- Image resolution only up to 3MP.
- No ad-free version to opt for.
- No video support.
Features:
FunCam is just that… and fun camera app that offers some great looking filters. While there are a slew of apps in the Google Play Store that let you apply filters, I think it’s difficult to argue that there are ‘too many’. Filters will vary from app-to-app, and there will always be new styles available. FunCam has a selection of 12 filters that you can apply in real time and view through your phone, so you know exactly how your picture will appear. I must admit I really like this kind of feature, which we’ve seen before most notably with Paper Camera.
Another great feature is the way you can apply the filters to pictures you’ve already taken, and you can easily search through your gallery and find the pic you want to play with. The chosen picture uploads very quickly and then lets you tweak other settings like brightness, effect density and contrast. This level of customisation means you can alter the look of your pictures in minute detail, so your pictures will look like your pictures, not just ‘yet another’ snap using a vintage filter, this feels far more personal.
FunCam is easy to use and the user interface is mostly straightforward and intuitive. I like the way settings hide, allowing you to see more of your picture when you need to. Sadly, the app only comes in the ad-supported version, which is a shame as your pic has to share screen space with an Admob ad. I don’t always have an issue with ad banners, but they need to be placed correctly- making their inclusion into photo apps occasionally hazardous. If there was a way to see your pics fully without the imposing advert, that would be preferable, even if that meant producing an paid-for ad-free version.
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FunCam – Thick effect photo
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FunCam – Filters look vivid
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FunCam – Thin effect photo
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FunCam – Settings overlay
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FunCam – Radial effect photo
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FunCam – Brushes effect photo
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FunCam – View effects in real time
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FunCam – Nice UI
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FunCam – Levels can be adjusted for deeper personalisation
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FunCam – 12 different filters, this is Vintage
Usefulness:
If you take a lot of pictures, and like to tweak them and play about with filters and effects, FunCam is a useful little app to have as part of your toolkit. Sure, there are plenty of apps like this, but FunCam provides some nice little effects that might just trump better known apps in finding the look you want. It’s quick, so it’s easy to start the app up, apply a filter and see if it is right. I don’t think it replaces apps like Paper Camera, or Pixlr-o-matic, but gives you an extra option to try out.
Unfortunately the app only supports pics up to 3MP. This is fine I guess for older devices with lower-resolution cameras, but if you sport a 8MP camera the app does feel a little restrictive in terms of pixels. Still, for novelty snaps, it’s still a handy little app to have.
With apps like Paper Camera supporting video capture, FunCam is a little behind the curve. While pics can be viewed and taken in real-time- letting you see the filters before you take the picture, as well as letting you upload from your gallery, it doesn’t yet support video capture.
Ease of Use:
FunCam is extremely easy to use. The menus are well presented and clear, meaning using the app is intuitive and fast- letting you see the effects clearly.
Frequently Used:
I never think these kind of apps are something people use ‘all the time’, and it will never replace your native camera app, but it’s a nice app to play with from time to time if you want a different look to your snaps.
Interface:
The interface is very good and compliments the app well. The in-view menu is translucent so you can better see the picture you’re editing. There are some neat touches too, like the animated loading wheel which looks cool.