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CNET Editors' review
We were pretty jazzed about Apple's addition of an HDR-photo mode in the iOS 4.1 update--until we learned it was for the iPhone 4 only.
However, those with older models of the smartphone don't have to be left out in the cold completely. Naturally, there's an app that can help. In fact, a quick check of the App Store reveals there are several apps, all designed to endow the 3GS with HDR photography goodness.
Pro HDR is our favorite so far. For a mere $1.99, it delivers simple high-dynamic-range tools for novices and experts alike. In case you're not familiar with it, HDR photography combines an under-exposed photo with an over-exposed one, culling the best elements of each to produce a final, third photo.
Like iOS 4.1's new tool, Pro HDR snaps two shots in rapid succession. However, Pro HDR gives you the option of using Automatic or Manual mode: the former handles the exposure settings for you; the latter lets you set it by first tapping a bright area of the preview image and then tapping a dark area. (Our take: Automatic works just fine; you'll rarely need to mess with Manual.)
Not every photo will benefit from this kind of software wizardry. But in our tests, some photos looked a little better, and others improved dramatically. As they say, pictures speak louder than words. We snapped two photos of a newly remodeled kitchen--the first taken with the iPhone's standard Camera app, the second with Pro HDR.
The Pro HDR shot exhibits much better balance; the Camera app couldn't handle all the light pouring in from the two windows. And that's where HDR--and, indeed, Pro HDR--shines: it fixes exposure problems that would otherwise ruin a photo.
The catch, of course, is that you need to hold your iPhone rock-steady while the app snaps its two shots, meaning it's better suited to scenery than to people, who are always blinking, moving, and so on. But even if you move a little, or your subject does, the app does a good job aligning and merging the photo pair.
Once it's done processing the corrected image, you can make adjustments using brightness, contrast, saturation, warmth, and tint sliders. However, the app lacks a "reset" or "defaults" button that removes any unwanted changes.
Pro HDR lets you save and e-mail your finished photos at full resolution. Though it would be nice if it had Facebook integration, it's far from a deal breaker. In fact, we'd say that for $1.99, Pro HDR is a must-have app for both iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 users, as it gives the latter a lot more control than Apple's software.
Publisher's Description
From eyeApps:
Automatically create stunning full-resolution HDR images with just a single tap! New version 3.0 supports iPhone, iPod, and iPad natively, and adds a ton of new features including a new UI, zoom and cropping, built-in Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Tumblr sharing, multitasking, and a lot more.Professional reviews: "If you ever take photos using your iPhone, this app is a must-have." - Gizmodo, October 5, 2010 "Pro HDR is a must-have app for both iPhone 3GS *and* iPhone 4 users, as it gives the latter a lot more control than Apple's software" - CNET, September 14, 2010 "If you're looking to take it further than Apple's built-in HDR, Pro HDR is your solution." - AppAdvice Daily, September 13, 2010 "Pro HDR leaps ahead of the pack... Even if you're not into HDR photography, this is one to check out." - TUAW, August 19, 2010 User comments: "My single most used photo app" "This is an absolutely superb app... you do not need to be an expert to produce beautiful photographs. Cannot recommend enough" "Best iPhone HDR App, way better than iOS HDR" "I'm a pro photographer and with this app I get better pictures than I do with my pro equipment!" "Get it. Goes way beyond Apple's own HDR implementation." "The best $1.99 I've spent" "Amazing. This app blows iOS HDR out of the water."-------Thanks to Pro HDR, you no longer have to choose between a blown-out sky or a hopelessly dark foreground. Bringing automatic high dynamic range photography to your iPhone for the first time ever, Pro HDR captures an image exposed for the highlights and another exposed for the shadows. It then aligns and merges the images, giving you a gorgeous HDR image up to 8 megapixels like nothing you've ever seen from such a tiny device.Unlike fake HDR apps that merely take a single photo and reprocess it (without actually adding any new detail), Pro HDR massively extends the dynamic range of your camera and produces beautiful results that you have to see to believe. Plus, Pro HDR is the first HDR app in the world with an automatic mode. We also provide an assisted Manual mode for those times when you wish to choose your exact exposures. Finally, you can take stunning high-resolution photos of all those scenes that are just too contrasty to capture in a single picture. Not only will seasoned photographers instantly fall in love with Pro HDR, one look at our example images should convince anyone that Pro HDR represents a new era in mobile photography. Check out our gallery here: http://www.eyeappsllc.com/Gallery.htmlPro HDR comes with these incredibly useful features: Automatic in-app HDR capture, where all you have to do is tap to captureManual in-app photo capture, where you get to choose the exposure of each image in your HDR Photo library support, where you can make HDRs from your saved images Front and rear camera supportProprietary image alignment algorithm that precisely aligns full-size images in seconds Seamless image blending creates one beautiful output image nearly instantlyLive-updating image adjustment sliders to perfect your HDR: choose the perfect brightness, contrast, saturation, warmth, and tint, or let Pro HDR automatically select the best settingsFullscreen image preview in portrait and landscape orientationSave HDR images at the full resolution of your camera, or choose our new super-fast small resolution mode for quick captures Geotagging / GPS / EXIF data saved to your camera roll (requires iOS 4.1 or newer) Share your HDRs with the world with built-in email support up to 5MPNOTE: Pro HDR 3.0 currently crashes under iOS 4.1. Please use iOS 4.2 or newer, or wait for our next update. Thanks!PLEASE NOTE: Pro HDR is compatible only with iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch 4G with camera, and iPad 2, running iOS 4 or newer. Pro HDR will *not* install on iPhone 3G or original iPad.
What's new in this version: Total UI overhaul! Pro HDR is now a Universal Binary and runs natively on iPhone 3GS and 4, iPod 4G, and iPad 2. App now defaults to camera view, and allows quick mode changes within the camera. Added Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Tumblr sharing. Added cropping, digital zoom, HDR off mode, speed improvements, multitasking support, and much more!NOTE: Pro HDR 3.0 currently crashes under iOS 4.1. Please use iOS 4.2 or newer, or wait for our next update. Thanks!
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5.0 starsout of 1 votes
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"One of my favorite Apps!"
Version: Pro HDR 3.0
Pros
Everything in the description above is true.
The automatic mode does amazing things to my photos but you can always adjust setting manually too if you so choose.Cons
It's not the apps fault but you do need to get people to stay still while shooting otherwise I can't think of anything negative.
Summary
This app gives me better results than the one that came with my iPhone. I don't have to carry around my camera anymore as these images look like they were taken with a real fancy camera. Simple to use and amazing results!
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