Why You Can Trust CNET Analog Camera for iOS review: Quick photo sharing, but limited
Analog Camera doesn't have a lot of features, but what it does well is let you snap a photo, add a filter, and share it with friends.
Analog Camera is a simple photo editor from RealMac software, the same folks who made the to-do-list app Clear. Like Clear, the app is as bare bones as it gets, but the minimalist design and intuitive controls make photo sharing incredibly quick and easy.
Analog Camera for iOS
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Analog Camera is not a full-featured photo editor in the same vein as apps like KitCam or PhotoToaster. Instead, it offers only a couple of features in the interest of convenience and quick sharing. When you launch the app, you immediately see the viewfinder so you can take a picture right away. But at the top you also can see thumbnails from your photo library, and all it takes is a swipe downward to pick a picture from there. It's important to note that the resulting image is square like those you find in Instagram, so there's no need for landscape shots in this app.
Whether you snap a fresh photo or choose one from your library, your next step is to add a filter. Analog Camera only has nine filters to choose from and they're laid out in a grid, letting you touch to see how each filter affects your photo. The filters are not terribly exciting, but they're serviceable for quick photo sharing. If at any time you want to take another picture (or grab one from your library), a simple swipe down cancels your current project so you can start fresh.
From there, Analog Camera uses the standard iOS share sheets so you can post to Facebook or Twitter, and you can attach a message to post with your image. You also have the option to save the image to your camera roll, send via e-mail, or open it for further editing in any supported app that's currently on your iPhone. Judging by the list of supported apps I have available, it seems the folks at RealMac made sure that Analog Camera had access to all the biggest names, such as PhotoToaster, Instagram, Dropbox, and many others.
On one hand Analog Camera doesn't have all the features of other apps in the category; there are definitely better photo editors available. But on the other hand, using this app couldn't be easier for quickly shooting a photo, slapping on a filter, and sending it out in a minute or less. In other words, it's not feature-packed, but maybe it's not supposed to be. I suppose it could use a better sampling of filters, or maybe a set of simple controls for brightness, contrast, and other basic tools. But where this app really shines is in its easy swipeable interface that makes sharing a photo a snap, and to add too much more might only slow the process.
Overall, Analog Camera is good for what it does: lets you snap a quick photo, add a filter, and share. But if you want tons of filters, frames, and sliders to fine-tune your photos, you're going to need to look elsewhere.