ManyCam for Mac

ManyCam for Mac allows you to add special effects to the pictures and videos you take with your computer's built-in iSight camera. When you select it as your video source, these effects can be added to your video chats with programs such as Yahoo Messenger, Google Hangouts, or Skype.

Pros

Entertaining effects: ManyCam for Mac offers many entertaining photo effects including objects, backgrounds, and face accessories. You can also draw over video, add text over video, and add date and time. However, some of the other features we stumbled upon while exploring this program were welcome surprises. For example, you can create and add new effects, yourself, as well as take selfies with your chosen effects and share them online.

Facial recognition: The built-in facial recognition technology tracks your movements, so if you give yourself huge cartoon-bushy eyebrows, devil horns, and set your head on fire, these effects will remain plastered to your face, even if you bob around or lean in toward the camera.

Fun and accessible interface: The clean and easy-to-navigate interface makes adding and editing photo effects highly intuitive. There is also a Preview mode, so you can check how your effects look before going live.

More effects available for free: If you want more effects than what you get by default, you can download them free of charge from the developer's Web site.

Cons

Attempts to change your default search engine and home page: During the installation, this application recommends that you leave checked options that change your default search engine and homepage. However, if you pay attention, you can easily skip this step by unchecking the options.

Watermark with free version: Although the free version does come with many of the features available in the full version, all pictures and videos that you take come stamped with a watermark logo. The full version, which comes with many more image options and eliminates the watermark, costs $49.95, which seems rather expensive, considering the type of application it is.

Bottom Line

ManyCam for Mac lives up to its promise, being an easy-to-use, amusing application. We especially like the support for multiple video chat programs and the facial recognition feature. The free version is definitely entertaining, but the full version seems overpriced.

• Multiple video screens and sources.
• Redesigned and more responsive UI.
• The new Gallery tab allows you to easily access images and videos.
• The new Favorites section allows you to access frequently used effects.
• Search for effects, photos and videos in the software.
• Includes a new category of effects called Emoticons.
• New Lower Third feature.
• ManyCam Pro can unlock more HD resolutions.
• ManyCam Pro can unlock more picture-in-picture modes.
• Various bug fixes and improvements requested by users.