Despite the domination of Instagram over the formerly square instant camera landscape, Hipstamatic — the original retro shooter — has maintained a core of loyal followers. Today, and not coincidentally timed to coincide with the arrival of the iPhone 6s, Hipstamatic is releasing a completely overhauled version of the app.
Hipstamatic 300 is specially made to leverage the 12-megapixel images shot from the new phones and supports full resolution for all of its effects. The app also takes advantage of new 3D Touch features in iOS 9 to let you quickly edit your last photo or access your favorite effects from the home screen.
Behind the lens, Hipstamatic is much more capable than before. Like Instagram, it has shed the square-only rule, allowing you to shoot with a variety of aspect ratios. A new ProMode lets you fine-tune focus, white balance, exposure, shutter speed, ISO and aspect ratio.
A new Darkroom Suite offers expansive editing capabilities with more than 20 adjustment tools like exposure, clarity, definition, fade depth of field, texture, grain, vignette and others. The app comes packed with 12 presets, but you can also create and share your own favorites. Additional lenses, films and flashes are available via the HipstaMart store.
Press lightly from the photo library to “peek” at larger photo versions; press harder to “pop” them into editing mode. From the peek, you can swipe up to copy or paste photo effects and access other actions.
What if you liked the old Hipstamatic just the way it was? Users who do not want that level flexibility or complexity can opt to shoot in Hipstamatic’s classic mode with the familiar yellow button. And you can switch back and forth between modes as you wish.
The app also syncs with the iOS photo library, letting you favorite, delete, edit, share, and track photos you shot from the app. It facilitates social sharing with Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Oggl and Flickr and track how images perform within those networks.
Hipstamatic is available in the App Store free for a limited time.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.