Obscura 4 Features A Refreshed Design, New Features, and A Different Business Model

Ben McCarthy’s profession arsenic a developer coincides almost precisely pinch excavation arsenic a writer. As a result, I’ve had nan pleasance of watching Obscura germinate from small much than an thought to 1 of nan champion camera apps connected nan App Store. As pinch truthful galore apps, what sets Obscura isolated from others is Ben’s attraction to detail, impeccable creation taste, and heavy knowledge of nan app’s taxable matter – photography.

Today, Obscura 4 is out, little than 2 years since I reviewed version 3 pinch a refreshed creation and a fistful of caller features. The update includes a alteration successful Obscura’s business model, too. In nan past, nan app was paid up front, pinch each awesome merchandise being a caller purchase. Going forward, Obscura is free to download, pinch definite precocious features, known arsenic Obscura Ultra, requiring a subscription.

If you bought Obscura 3, you’ll still person entree to each its features pinch nan free type of Obscura 4, which you tin upgrade to astatine a discount. I deliberation nan caller pricing exemplary is simply a bully deal, and I wanted to mention it up beforehand because it’s down galore of nan creation changes successful Obscura 4.

With Apple offering a feature-rich Camera app of its own, I fishy that nan benignant of group who purchased Obscura earlier nan latest update were very into photography. With a free type now available, that personification guidelines is apt to turn importantly to see funny caller users who want to spot what nan app tin do, which Ben has accounted for successful nan changes to Obscura 4.

There are creation changes passim Obscura 4, but you’ll announcement that nan astir important controls are wrong scope of your thumb much than ever before. The relationship pinch those controls is much consistent, too. Many see radial dials that task retired from buttons erstwhile they’re tapped, allowing for accommodation pinch a pat and a speedy swipe and past reset to their default values pinch a agelong press. The photograph room interface is much intuitive, too, and focuses connected caller shots, though albums, favorites, and photos taken pinch Obscura are still easy to get to.

I for illustration nan caller creation a lot. Obscura has had dial-based controls that are reminiscent of utilizing a accepted camera for a agelong time, and their inferior goes beyond being acquainted to longtime photographers. Combined pinch haptic feedback, nan gestures make mounting up a changeable one-handed simple, which is precisely what you want erstwhile you’re connected nan go. A caller touch that strikes a akin chord is that erstwhile you alteration galore of Obscura’s settings, nan alteration appears concisely successful nan viewfinder successful big, bold type, truthful you cognize what you’ve done without looking astatine your fingers. It’s a small, incredibly useful alteration that lets photographers ore connected their subject, not nan app’s controls.

Obscura 4 besides allows you to get a speedy peek astatine caller photos by swiping near from nan photograph room button. As you descent your digit complete each information preview, it’s loaded down nan controls to supply a amended look astatine nan full image. It’s a clever motion that is overmuch much lightweight than switching to nan photograph room itself. Also, attraction and vulnerability points tin beryllium separated for nan first time, and nan app helps you get your attraction correct by highlighting areas of complete and under-exposure successful nan viewfinder.

Finally, it’s worthy mentioning that Obscura is connected nan iPad now, too. I’ve ne'er been overmuch of an iPad photographer, but if that’s what you person pinch you, it’s bully to cognize Obscura is now an option.

Obscura has travel a agelong measurement since its origins arsenic 1 of nan first third-party camera apps connected nan App Store. I’m gladsome Ben has stuck pinch it for astir a decade and has not been acrophobic to research pinch unique, civilization interfaces passim nan app’s lifetime. That’s been nosy to watch for maine arsenic an app nerd, but it’s besides meant that Obscura has grown into 1 of nan champion camera apps around. Now, pinch its caller free-to-download business model, I dream a batch much group springiness it a effort and extremity up subscribing because it’s a awesome measurement to study to beryllium a amended photographer pinch nan camera that’s ever pinch you.

As I mentioned, Obscura 4 is free to download from nan App Store. Obscura Ultra features require a subscription.