Tag Archives: retro camera

Sochi Games Are Over, Do We Still Need The iPhone HipstaPak? Sure!

During the last Winter Olympic Games, the group behind Hipstamatic released a film/lens pak named after the Sochi city. It was interesting but would it live up to staying on the iPhone after the end of the games. As I looked over a few recents shots I took, it would appear it is standing up to time.

If you are a Hipstamatic iPhone camera app user, this is a HipstaPak with a lens and film bundle. Rather than a vintage film look, it produces images that have a feel like new film in a vintage camera (I shoot a lot with new 620 film in my Kodak Hawkeye so I recognized the results pretty quickly).

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The photos provided by Hipstamatic show colors are still bright, with a cool light effect.

05 sochi hipstamatic film and lens

As usual, here is a couple shots I took with the combo so you can see the Sochi HipstaPak in real life usage:

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Hipstamatic Sochi

If your a subscriber to the Oggl photo sharing app/service also provided by the Hipstamatic group. You have access to the lens/film at no additional charge (within Oggl, not the Hipstamatic app). At first, the lens/film bundle on Oggl under the name of Sochi was different than the HipstaPak in the Hipstamatic app. It has been corrected now, but you can see the above shot as it looked via Oggl below.

Oggl Sochi

Buenos Aires Square Format Photos Like My Instant Film Camera Takes

When out at the Antique Malls, there is almost always someone offering little square photos. They are fun to browse through, handy if you don’t have any family history, build your own for a couple bucks.

Interesting that many of the small square photos are actually from early Polaroid cameras. Before the iconic SX-70 and the auto developing photos buzzing out the square photos on a large lower lip print, there was the two part instant film. The early Polaroid cameras opened with an expanding front lens, the exposed film was pulled out the back, waved around for a bit then the two parts where separated to show a small lipped square photo. Fujifilm is now offering film for these early cameras so an older 180 model pulls in $700+. If you want to see the different cameras and film options, take a look at the The Land List.

There are a few iPhone filter apps that make an attempt to match the real look of film photography. That is, film photography of yesteryear with 1940/50s or lomo cameras with simple lenses. Having a collection of those early cameras that actually work, it is fun at times to compare a filter to a shot I took with film. This week, Hipstamatic rolled out a new Buenos Aires film and lens pack.

02 Buenos Aires HipstaPak

The HipstaPak is a single lens, Diego and two films, Uchitel 20 and Blanko C16.

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05 Buenos Aires HipstaPak

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As a reminder, Hipstamatic has you choose a lens, film and a flash (turn on/off) that you use to take a photo. Like early cameras and film, you can’t change that choice after you snap the photo. You tune the photo ‘later’. I have my selection of filter/enhancement apps I use, with Hipstamatic having it’s own place in my daily shooting… the fun of planning ahead instead of bulk snapping and tuning later.

Here are a few shots of the lens/film options in the Buenos Aires Hipstapak, real world stuff:

Lens: Diego  –  Film: Uchitel 20

10 Diego Uchitel 20

Lens: Diego  – Film: Blanko C16

11 Diego Blanko C16

Lens: Diego  – Film: Uchitel 20

12 Diego Uchitel 20

For something to compare, here is a shot using the Diego lens and the Sussex film

13 Diego Sussex

 Lens: Diego  –  Film: Uchitel 20

14 Diego Uchitel 20

Lens: Diego  –  Film: Blanko C16 

15 Diego Blanko C16

Shooting with BlacKeys Extra Fine Black and White Film on the iPhone

Last week I discovered a nice surprise, a free film pack in Hipstamatic!

Normally, there will all kinds of news from the Hipstamatic team about a new film, lens and flash pack. This time though, a new pack called “Long Island FreePak” went under my radar. As the name implies, this ‘Pak’ is free. Included is a film and a fun camera body, no lens or flash. But, that is fine as the film is a nice extra fine black and white so it matches up nicely to my currently installed lenses.

01 blackeys extra fine film

02 blackeys extra fine film

Nothing special about getting the free offer, just go to the Hipstamatic retro camera app on your iPhone, choose the cart and find/download. Then head out and shoot! As promised in my last post about add on film, lens, filters and effects, here are a few photos I took the afternoon I installed the update so you can see a real world results.

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Hipstamatic Retro Pak 3 on sale this weekend only!

After I discovered and posted about the new Silver Lake film/lens pak in Hipstamatic, I received an email saying that the whole RetroPak is on sale this weekend too. 99 cents for the full pack of 3 lenses and 6 films, purchasable through the app on your iPhone.

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This is the complete list of the lenses and film in the RetroPak Three. If you want to deep dive into what each film and lens effect is, either view through the iPhone Hipstamatic app (tap on the shopping cart), or jump over to the Web Site where there are examples of many mix and matched for fun vintage effects.

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Hipstamatic heads to Silver Lake with new lens and film pak

It’s been a little while since I have seen a new film/lens pak from Hipstamatic so this morning’s update was a nice surprise.

01 Silver Lake Hipstapak

The new Silver Lake HipstaPak contains a film and lens that gives a histaminic 126 film era result. I shot plenty of those 126 packs of film and remember too well that any bit of bright light would burn all over the final image. Now, Hipstamatic offers a 99 cent solution to get the effect when shooting the image from the start rather than the mystery of those little cartridge film cameras.

03 Silver Lake Hipstapak

04 Silver Lake Hipstapak

05 Silver Lake Hipstapak

KitCam on the iPhone enhances photography and photo editing in one app

Generally, there are two types of photography apps for the iPhone. There are Camera apps that alter the way photos are taken with the iPhone. Then, there are apps for enhancing images. The second of the two are more popular, tuning images for sharing on social sites with family and friends. Apps that alter how photos are taken from the beginning have a strong following amongst the retro and film camera fans.

The folks that created the PhotoForge2 editing app has now released KitCam. An app that has film and lens options for how a photo is taken to start with, then editing tool for enhancing more. Amongst the enhancements is even the ability to change the film and lens used when the photo was initial taken.

01 KitCam iPhone

Tap the KitCam lens to slide out the options. Swipe left/right to choose and see the impact of each. Some allow fine tuning their enhancement impacts beyond just applying.

02 KitCam iPhone

KitCam comes with a very nice selection of lenses, films and frames. If you want to go for an extra special effect, there are in-app purchasable groups of each. The built in options have kept me plenty busy, but I can imagine a few shots that would enjoy the upgraded bundle.

03 KitCam iPhone

Sliders for fine tuning contrast and white balance in real time.

04 KitCam iPhone

Popular photography camera are on the view finder screen through the settings icon. KitCam works with single photos and video too.

05 KitCam iPhone

Photos directly after taking or after enhancing, can be shared out in a wide variety of ways. KitCam provides for saving to popular Social Services, cloud storage or open in other apps that you may prefer using to more adjustments.

06 KitCam iPhone

Basic adjustments can be made to the photos like crop, ‘enhance’, and contrast/white balance.

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There are advanced ‘Pro’ photo editing options within KitCam. Even these tools are included without an extra charge.

08 KitCam iPhone

Choose the film icon in the upper right corner of the photo editing area to have access to the KitCam film/lens options that where available when first taking the photos. This feature works on imported photos that you have taken via the iPhone camera without KitCam.

09 KitCam iPhone

This is the photo as it was taken with the film/lens selections above.

10 KitCam iPhone

Where other apps that offer film/lens combinations to take the photo with initially then export the photo. KitCam lets you change your mind about the film/lens/frame later so nothing is ever stuck with a bad decision.

11 KitCam iPhone

New Black and White iPhone photography fun with release of Tintype SnapPak update

The iPhone camera app Hipstamatic has received a new film and flash updated called Tintype. The additional two vintage films and single lens are available via a 99 cent in-app purchase as a new SnapPak. The group offer a new take on black and white photography for the iPhone. One film leans towards the look found in a police mug shot while the other gives the effect of early photography colorization prior to color film photography.

01 Hipstamatic TinType

The new Tintype SnapPak should prove popular with folks using the Hipstamatic app on their iPhone where more than just a lack of color is required in a photograph. The films and flash are all about setting a mood for the photo’s viewer similar to what was found in an old Kodak Brownie camera.

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04 Hipstamatic TinType

05 Hipstamatic TinType

iPhone photography Rock The Vote photo contest

The Hipstamatic iPhone camera app folks want you to get out and VOTE. So, to bring the message home, they have a new photo contest: Theme:: We Will. Now through Nov 7th, turn in your photos for a chance to win…

Top voted submission: Hipstamatic Grab Pak filled with all sorts of goodies.

Featured Submission: Selecting the most imprssive shots for a piece in the November issue of SNAPMagazine.

In support of the contest is a Free Film Pak!

Access to the film is in the usual spot within the iPhone Hipstamatic cart area, just go there and download at no charge.

ROCK THE VOTE FREEPAK INCLUDES::
RtV: this border looks like you grabbed a marker off the table at a local election rally to make a perfect DIY-looking frame for your photos

RtV SHOUT: this film has the same rad DIY feel of the first, and then cranks up the volume. Rock the Vote phrases are splashed across your image, reminding you of the power you hold as a voter in every election.

Here is a stream of the Hipstamatic Rock The Vote submissions:

Americana Hipstamatic Pak on the iPhone Gets Two New Films

Earlier this month, during Fashion Week, Hipstamatic offered a lens and camera body called Americana for free. Now, Americana Pak has grown to include two new films. The ‘new’ Americana is available to purchase through the in-app cart inside of Hipstamatic.

The films have a rather light, ‘creative’ description that I thought requires a bit more info if your considering making the purchase. Below, I snapped a couple photos using the Tejas lens with one of the Hipstamatic included films, then the two new films. For examples of the American lens, see the post I did when it first came out (Hipstamatic Americana Lens and Case for Fashion Week).

Ina’s 1969‘ – note the border:

Americana Hipstamatic film US1776 with Teja lens:

Americana Blanko Freedom 13 film with Tejas lens (similar to Ina’s, without border, but notice the three color ticks in the lower right corner):