First look: Blink security cameras for lazy people

All you need: Blink's two-camera outfit with a sync module, set-up guide and an Android or iOS device with app loaded.

Photo: Jack Schofield

Most people who really need security cameras should already have installed them. However, there are still plenty of people like me, who aren't willing to make that much of an effort, or pay a monthly fee. Now there is at least one system that meets our needs, following Blink's official UK launch yesterday (Tuesday 29 November).

I had two cameras set up and working less than half an hour after opening the box. The cameras are tiny and you can stand them almost anywhere without using the included brackets. They don't need to be near power sockets, because they should run for two years or more on the two lithium AA cells provided. There are no running wires: you just need Wi-Fi. There are no storage or service fees, though Blink will eventually start deleting old videos to make room for new ones. (You get two hours, which is 1,440 5-second clips.)

Every Blink system comprises a sync module and from one to 10 cameras - mine has two. You start by downloading the Blink app for your Android or Apple smartphone, and registering a Blink account with an email address. After that, you plug the sync module into the mains, and follow the instructions in the app.

Blink's sync module plugs into the mains via a micro USB port.

Jack Schofield

Each sync module is labelled with its own serial number, MAC address, SSID and password. You can type this into the app, as I did, or enter it via your smartphone camera or by scanning its QR code. During this process, you have to switch your smartphone to the Blink module's Wi-Fi, but it switches back.

Once the sync module is working, you can add cameras. This involves levering the back off each camera (this is the hard part) and inserting the batteries. Don't put the cover back straight away because the camera's serial number is inside the case, and you have to enter it into the app.

Now you're ready to put the camera where you want it, and tap the app's snapshot button to take a picture. This confirms that the camera is working - it has a strong enough wireless connection to the sync module - and lets you see the camera's 110-degree field of view. You may want to adjust the camera angle slightly. Tap "Done" and you now have one working camera. Repeat the process to add more cameras.

One of my cameras sits on a window sill and watches the living room door and the bottom of the stairs. The other is on top of the fridge and watches the back door and much of the kitchen. For security purposes, neither camera should be triggered by anything except an intruder, though I suppose you could use one to log your driveway, or whatever.

When leaving your home or office, you have to set the Blink app to Armed. If someone, or some thing, triggers a camera's motion detector, a short video is sent to the Blink app's camera roll, so that you can review it.

And that's it.

Now, you must understand that Blink is not a sophisticated CCTV system. You can take a snapshot while you're away, but Blink doesn't provide a continuous video feed. You can get a Live View, but it cuts out after about 20-25 seconds. The default for alerts seems to be 4 seconds, but cameras will take further clips if the motion continues. You can change the camera settings to record longer clips, up to 60 seconds, but this consumes more battery power and more storage space.

Blink's camera is small and simple, but it does the job. Photo: Blink

The cameras are unsophisticated recorders: you can't zoom the image, or pan and tilt the camera remotely. The cameras have microphones but don't do two-way communications. They don't have real night vision capabilities, though they do have an Illuminator, which can automatically turn on in low light conditions. Obviously, any burglar will be alerted by a bright LED....

There's no geo-location system that would automatically arm the cameras if you have left your home/office area. There's no face-recognition system, so you'll trigger a series of videos if you forget to disarm the system before entering your own home or office. There's no emergency alarm system (though an alarm module is already in the printed set-up guide). There are no weatherproof cameras for outdoor use. The only non-obvious feature is the built-in temperature system, which could be useful if your site is unusually hot.

The Android app is rather basic, and not particularly intuitive. Some screens have back-arrows while others use the Android back button, and swiping doesn't work.

Also, it wasn't obvious to me how to save or share a clip, though Blink's excellent support website provided the answer among its copious documentation. Briefly, you hit the Share icon in the bottom left to bring up a wide range of options including Facebook Messenger, Gmail, Android Beam, Dropbox, OneDrive, and even YouTube. Doing this, I learned my latest 4-second 720p mp4 clip used 452K of storage. I also learned that I could bulk-delete clips on Android by holding down one clip to select it and then choosing Select All. (Previously, you had to play a clip to delete it.)

One of the app's few special features is a sort of spreadsheet where you can set a weekly schedule for arming your cameras. This depends on people having predictable routines, which is often not the case today.

However, Blink is an expandable system so more sophisticated modules could be added later. Blink was originally launched via Kickstarter, where it raised more than $1 million, and the "stretch" ideas included a separate alarm system module. Blink also raised the prospect of opening the client API to "enable our developer community to create additional tools and software that will help accelerate the introduction of new features such as additional storage options".

In conclusion, if you buy things based on feature lists, the Blink security camera system is not for you. It's for people who want something that can be set up in few minutes and just works. However, the fact that Blink's battery-powered cameras are completely wireless and can be used almost anywhere indoors - the range is "up to 100ft" (30m) - means that they could have more serious applications than home monitoring.

Blink's UK prices - including 20% tax - start at £109.99 for a sync module plus one camera (the US price is $99). Extra cameras cost £89 each. Packs with a sync module and two or three cameras cost £189.99 and £259.99 respectively.

Source: First look: Blink security cameras for lazy people

Canary takes security to a bigger screen with Apple TV app

Startup Canary, maker of the $199/£159 Canary Flex and the $199/£159 Canary Smart Home Security device, has today released an app update for both Android and iPhone customers.

This next-gen software is supposed to make it possible for Canary owners to view their camera's live feed via Apple TV. You should be able to check out your activity timeline from Apple TV as well. Nest announced a similar update earlier in November, but the Google/Alphabet property extended TV viewing to both Android TV and Apple TV users.

I asked Canary about this and the company said it didn't currently have plans for an Android TV integration.

Now you can watch your Canary camera's live video stream on Apple TV.

Photo by Canary

In addition to Apple TV connectivity, the Canary app should now work on Android tablets and iPads -- previously, the app was limited to phones. And, it should work with Android Wear products, including the Moto 360, LG Watch, Huawei Watch and Asus ZenWatch.

Canary software now also supports an on-demand siren-triggering emergency button for anyone with a siren-equipped Canary Smart Home Security device. Canary Flex models do not come with built-in sirens.

We've already reviewed Canary's Smart Home Security product, but we expect to get our hands on a Flex in short order, so we'll be sure to test out these software updates when that happens.

36

35 connected cameras for a safer smart home (pictures)

Source: Canary takes security to a bigger screen with Apple TV app

Finding digital photo location

I been working on my Tour De France bike trip story and needed to upload pictures. I had taken a lot of pictures during my bike trip, some picture I was not sure where I had taken them.

How do I find out where a picture was taken, if you use a mobile phone to take your picture, then there is an easy way to find out where a picture have been taken. EXIF stands for Exchangeable Image File Format. Every time you take a picture with your digital camera or phone, a file (typically a JPEG) is written to your device's storage. EXIF contains information about your camera, and potentially where the picture was taken (GPS coordinates).

In each photo that you take, the EXIF data is embedded in your pictures. You can prevent geotagging by simply turning it off in your camera or camera app.

You can often play Internet detective, peeking at hidden details in photos you see online to find out where they were taken. You may want to hide this information when sharing sensitive photos online.

Finding Picture Location

But, first things first, to view EXIF in Apple, first select the photo or photos you want to fix, right-click, and select "Get Info."

show-exif-data-photo

Select Details to find the latitude and longitude of where the picture was taken.

image-coordinates-exif-data

As you can see, your image has a lot of data that stored in it, to find out where the pictures were taken. You take the Longitude and Latitude details and open up Google maps. Add your coordinates in the search like 51.1372, 2.7555

GPS-coordinates-Google-Maps.

That is all, click on search and the location will show up.

Removing EXIF Data Remove Using GIMP

GIMP is an effective way to remove EXIF, especially if you already use GIMP on a regular basis. Simply launch GIMP, open your image, then go to File > Export As… to export the image. (Note: GIMP differentiates between "saving" and "exporting" — the former is for projects, the latter is for images.) Make sure you name the image with a JPG extension!

After clicking the Export button, you'll be presented with a window where you can set export options. Expand the options by opening the Advanced Options panel, and uncheck Save EXIF data. Change the other options to your liking, then click Export to finish.

You have to open all images and export them one by one, and even though it only takes about five seconds per, it can be quite a nuisance.

You could also do this using Photoshop instead of GIMP, but is it really worth buying Photoshop just to remove EXIF data? 

Using a Mobile App to remove EXIF Data

If you take most of your photos on your phone, first check your Camera app's settings to see if you can disable EXIF data generation. Some camera apps may only let you disable location inclusion, while others may not allow you to disable EXIF at all. If that does not work.

Then You can try Exif Eraser for Android or Metapho for iOS. Both are free to download, but Metapho requires an in-app purchase to unlock the ability to remove metadata, edit date and location, and share safely to social networks.

Download — Exif Eraser for Android (Free)

Download — Metapho for iOS (Free, Premium for metadata removal)

Any comments, just added them below.

Source: Finding digital photo location

Best Photo Editing Apps to Beautify Your Instagram

New York City,Justas Markus: Want to impress followers with high-quality content every time you post on Instagram? If so, you may need to use resources outside of the native Instagram features to gain a following. Many brands, big and small, are finding new ways to set their instas apart. Below are a few of our favorite photo editing apps to help you crush it on Instagram:

Snapseed

Google-owned Snapseed has become hugely popular among iPhone/iPad users looking to edit on the go. After a recent Snapseed 2.0 update, Snapseeders are now able to quickly edit photos using a variety of features. The app allows you to tune, crop, rotate, filter, adjust, brush, spot repair, and more. Micro features allow for some of the best images and most powerful editing software available on smartphones.

Download on iOS and Android here. (Available for free.)

VSCO Cam

After much publicity from Apple on the App Store, VSCO Cam has been a popular app amongst Instagrammers looking to enhance imagery. Not unlike Snapseed, you can edit an image with great detail. The added value in VSCO Cam is its following: a community of photography fans who use VSCO Cam daily to create powerful art. VSCO Cam users can post work publicly or store images in their "journal." Use this app to support your Instagram and inspiration development.

Download on iOS and Android. (Available for free.)

Hipstamatic

This iOS app serves Instagram lovers and indie photographers alike, with a classic, retro experience. All features are designed to mimic an old camera, from the first shoot to the last edit. Hipstamatic has very similar features to both VSCO Cam and Snapseed, with additional benefits, such as the ability to apply filters to videos. As we watch Instagram's video market grow, Hipstamatic could become a tremendous asset to Instagrammers looking to experiment with video content.

Hipstamatic also offers a darkroom editing suite, as well an instant filter that can be used while shooting.

Download on iOS. (Available for $2.99.)

Camera+ 

Camera+ is a longtime-running camera app, and with over 10,000,000 downloads, it has become one of the most popular, too. In addition to its range of darkroom editing features, Camera+ allows users to enhance imagery through continuous flash, touch exposure, zoom, (up to 6x) and advanced shooting mode. Camera+ doesn't lack in filter options with over 30 in their collection.

Download on iOS. (Available for $2.99.) 

Facetune

Does your Instagram game revolve around selfies? If so, then Facetune might be your perfect app. Facetune offers a healthy variety of services to enhance your selfie photography. Even blemishes are no match for Facetune, with editing tools ranging from teeth-whitening to skin-clearing technology. You can even apply filters to give yourself that ideal glow.

Download for iOS and Android. (Available for $3.99.) 

Layout

If you haven't got this sister app from Instagram, we recommend it. Using Layout allows you to take images from your camera roll and mix them into a collage. This customization option allows the creation of impressive pieces of artwork using existing photos. It works with Instagram, so dimensions aren't a problem. After you save the new collages you've made, you're ready to show off!

Download for iOS and Android. (Available for free). 

Boomerang

Instagram's other sister app, Boomerang, allows you to master Insta stories with simple mini clips. These mini clips play perfectly inside Instagram. Boomerang allows you to capture short videos by stitching together ten separate images. Once you've chosen your images, download then re-upload to Instagram for your one-of-a-kind shot.

Download on iOS and Android. (Available for free). 

SnapPen

If Instagram is feeling a little too predictable, consider standing out with a bit of handwriting or stamping.

SnapPen is just one of the many available apps to set your images apart. SnapPen allows personalized customization; you can add pen markings to any of your images. Perfect for artists and designers looking to get noticed.

Download on iOS. (Available for $0.99.)

PicsArt: Photo Studio

PicsArt is currently one of the most downloaded iOS and Android photo editing apps. With over 250M downloads across the board, it offers an easy-to-use and simple photo editing experience. With over 1,000 available features, you can easily edit and share your images. If you're looking for psychedelic images, PicsArt has a set of illusion features, such as walking on water, becoming a mermaid, and even transforming eyes into galaxies.

Download on iOS and Android. (Available for free.)

Canva

Canva has been one of the most popular websites for designers across the world. This graphic design tool has been made available for both iPhone and iPod touch in the last few months. Canva offers extensive photo editing services but allows you to add text, shapes, elements, and more. Canva offers numerous templates with post-perfect dimensions, ideal for any social media manager or Instagrammer. The start-up is now worth $345M in a recent valuation, and Apple continues to promote it in the App Store as a recommended photo editing tool.

Download on iOS. (Available for free.)

From selfies to videos, these apps for Android and iOS can liven your Insta persona. Give a few of them a try this week and see how your results improve.

Source: Best Photo Editing Apps to Beautify Your Instagram

Nikon’s KeyMission360 beaten out by a $199 iPhone addon

Nikon's KeyMission 360 camera landed with a fair bit of hype when it was first announced in January. A real camera manufacturer was getting into the 360° market. A company with a hundred years of photographic history. Then after delays in release due to earthquakes, the KeyMission 360 was re-announced, along with two more 80° and 170° cameras.

I got to see the KeyMission 360 in person twice this year, at The Photography Show in March, and at Photokina a couple of months ago, but they wouldn't let us get our hands on them to try them out for ourselves. With all three cameras now out in the wild, the reviews are starting to come in. After watching this video review from iPhonedo, it's not looking great for Nikon.

After watching the complete video, I have to say I'm more than a little disappointed. As was iPhonedo, obviously, given that he returned it to the retailer after giving it a thorough workout.

I've been in the market for a 360 camera for a while, and this one was definitely on my Christmas list. Now, not so much. Despite shooting 4K, the quality just simply isn't there. It's certainly it's not up to the quality we've come to expect from a company like Nikon. The mobile app to control it, however, is pretty much exactly what we've come to expect from Nikon.

Most shocking was that it was beaten out by a $199 iPhone addon that only shoots 1440p. Even upscaled to 4K, the difference between the two when it came to sharpness was noticeable, and the colours far more realistic (although the Insta does seem to tend to overexpose quite a bit). And if you want electronic image stabilisation with the KeyMission 360, you're not going to get it if you're shooting 4K, degrading the footage even further.

Ultimately, it looks like a pretty average effort on Nikon's part. But, this is the first camera of its type for Nikon. So, hopefully they'll learn from it, quickly, and fix the issues when they release a Mark II. Either that, or they'll give up on this style of camera completely, and finally give us a decent mirrorless.

The KeyMission 360 is available now for $499 with the accessory pack being a further $146.95. For almost $650, I expected a whole lot more than this. How about you?

Have you bought a KeyMission 360? Are your results the same as those found by iPhonedo? Has seeing this now scrubbed the KeyMission 360 off your list? Did you get another 360 camera instead? Which did you get? and why? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Nikon's KeyMission360 beaten out by a $199 iPhone addon

A rearview camera may be closer than it appears with this app

Did you know that starting in May 2018, all new vehicles sold in the United States will have to have a backup camera?

Every time I drive a car with a backup camera, I really like it. Unfortunately, my 2009 Honda didn't come equipped with a backup camera system, and even though I have a screen for my Honda navigation system, it doesn't have a video input port, so I can't add a camera to the screen that's already on my dashboard.

If I want to add a camera to my car, I'd have to mount a second screen on my dashboard -- no thanks.

I've been waiting for a backup camera that would wirelessly beam the video to my cellphone, which is usually mounted next to my steering wheel.

Earlier this year I learned of a system called the Pearl RearVision ($500), which is exactly the system I wished for.

Pearl was founded by Bryson Gardner, Joseph Fisher and Brian Sander, formerly executives with Apple's iPod group, and the Pearl team has more than 50 former Apple employees.

The system

In the box you'll find a frame for your rear license plate with two cameras -- one for daylight and one for night. The system will automatically switch to the appropriate camera. There are also parking sensors that will alert you when you get too close to objects behind you.

The system is powered by a rechargeable battery in the frame that's kept charged by small solar panels.

The cameras connect via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to a dongle that plugs into your car's OBD port under your dash.

The dongle also uses Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to beam the image to your smartphone, where you use a Pearl app to see the camera's view.

Pearl also includes a pretty slick magnetic phone mount you can use in your car's vents or directly on the dash.

The app

The Pearl app is designed to be launched when you get in the car and to be the only app you need while you're driving.

The app not only shows you the view of the camera, it can also launch four other apps that might be appropriate to use while you drive.

By default, the app had buttons to launch Maps, Waze, Apple Music and Spotify.

The buttons to launch the apps are nice and big so they're easy to press while you keep your eyes on the road.

You can swap out the apps. I replaced Spotify with Pandora. You can also place the buttons in any order you like.

When you are ready to go into reverse, you open the camera view by pressing a button in the app. The camera view stays on your phone until you start moving forward and the app buttons reappear.

In use

The Pearl RearVision picture is very clear. When your phone is oriented vertically, you'll see two rear images. One is a "normal" view, and one is wide angle.

You can touch the wide angle view to make the "normal" view pan left or right.

You can also touch arrows on the screen to tilt the view up or down.

When you have the phone mounted horizontally, you get one large wide-angle image that you can adjust with arrows on the screen.

If you've been in a car with a built-in backup camera, you may have seen lines superimposed on the screen to show where your tires are headed. The Pearl does not have these lines, and I wish it did.

I also hoped the backup camera image would automatically pop up on my phone's screen when I shifted my car into reverse, but it didn't. 

I had to press the camera button on my phone's screen every time I wanted to see the video.

Conclusions

The Pearl RearVision is a great product. It that does what it says it will do. It's easy to install, and the hardware and software are well thought-out.

I mentioned a few things I wish the app would add. I'm sure the Pearl team is working on the next version.

It's nice to see Pearl's first auto product be such a good one. I do wish it cost $300 instead of $500, but I know innovation costs a bit more for early adopters.

Pearl RearVision

Pros: Super easy install. Clear, helpful video, backup sensors.

Cons: Expensive. The camera view doesn't automatically launch in reverse.

Bottom line: The Pearl RearVision sets the bar high for backup cameras.

Source: A rearview camera may be closer than it appears with this app

10 Best Photo Apps For iPhone Photography (2016 Edition)

With so many different iPhone photo apps on the App Store, the choices can seem overwhelming. That's why we've put together a comprehensive list of the 10 best photo apps you can download today to improve your iPhone photography. Whether you're looking for a camera app, image editing app, or photo sharing app, you'll find the best of the best right here!

1. Snapseed

A powerful photo editing app with adjustment tools and filters:

Comprehensive set of editing tools to adjust exposure, color and sharpness

Customizable filters to quickly change the look and feel of your image

Ability to edit selected areas of an image

Intuitive interface makes it easy to use

Snapseed is one of the most popular photo apps amongst iPhone photographers. If you only download one app for photo editing, let it be Snapseed.

This powerful (and free!) photo editor can take care of nearly all your image enhancement needs. It's great for the most important photo processing techniques, including exposure, color, cropping, sharpening and perspective correction.

It has a Healing tool for removing unwanted objects from your photos, and you can even use the Brush tool or Selective tool to adjust the color and brightness of just one part of your photo.

Besides having a suite of basic editing tools, Snapseed also has a number of built-in filters to give you more creative control over the look and feel of your photos.

Filters allow you to create many different kinds of look, including converting your photos to black and white, giving them a grungy or vintage look, or smoothing skin and brightening eyes in portraits.

Snapseed is a great photo app for both beginner and advanced iPhone photographers. Once you start using it, this is likely to be your go-to app for photo editing.

Snapseed is available for FREE from the App Store.

Learn how to use Snapseed with our in-depth editing tutorials:How To Use Snapseed's Basic iPhone Photo Editing ToolsHow To Use Snapseed's Advanced Photo Editing ToolsHow To Use Snapseed Filters To Create Wonderful Mood In Your iPhone Photos

2. VSCO

A stylish editing app with built-in camera and photo sharing community:

Beautiful photo filter presets that mimic the look of classic film

Integrated adjustment tools for exposure, color and other enhancements

Built-in camera with manual controls

Ability to share your images with the VSCO photography community

VSCO (pronounced "Visco") is best known for its incredible range of preset filters that allow you to quickly change the look and feel of your photos.

The VSCO app is free to download, and includes a sampler pack of presets. Dozens more presets are available for purchase within the app.

VSCO filters allow you to create subtle edits that mimic the look of film. You can then fine-tune the image by using a wide range of adjustment tools for tweaking color, exposure and more.

The camera in VSCO has a great set of manual settings, including shutter speed, ISO, white balance and manual focus. It also has a handy on-screen leveling guide which is great for getting horizons and architectural lines straight.

Lastly, VSCO has a built-in photo sharing platform. Here you can can publish your images to your own profile within the VSCO app, and discover other photographers' work.

Whether you want to shoot, edit or share your iPhone photos, VSCO has it all. If you enjoy creating subtle film-like edits, this is definitely a photo app you should have in your collection.

VSCO is FREE to download from the App Store. It comes with a basic collection of presets to get you started, and you can download additional preset bundles if you wish (some are free while others must be purchased).

Learn how to use VSCO with our in-depth tutorials:VSCO Tutorial: How To Shoot & Edit Incredible iPhone PhotosHow To Use VSCO Filters To Create Beautiful iPhone Photos

3. Camera+

An incredibly powerful camera app with built-in filters and editing tools:

Precise control over manual camera functions, including ISO, shutter speed, white balance and focus

30-second timer option (3 times longer than the usual 10-second timer)

Full set of editing tools for improving exposure, color and clarity

Free filter sets, plus the ability to purchase additional filters

A handy "layers" feature allowing you to stack multiple filters for unique effects

If you're familiar with using manual shooting controls on a DSLR camera, you'll feel right at home with the Camera+ app.

This app allows you ultimate control over your shooting, giving you the option to specify the shutter speed, ISO and white balance. It also has a manual focus option which is great for fine-tuning focus when photographing close-up subjects.

The 30-second timer in Camera+ is also very useful. For example, if you wanted to appear in the photo as a tiny figure in the distance, the 30 second delay gives you plenty of time to get into position.

In addition to Camera+ being a great camera app, it also has a handy set of editing tools. "The Lab" section of the app offers a wide range of manual adjustment tools for correcting color, exposure and sharpness. There's also a decent selection of one-tap filters.

Once you've applied a filter, you can then use the "Advanced" option to adjust the intensity of the filter. You can also use the "Add Filter" option to combine multiple filter effects for a truly unique look.

Camera+ is $2.99 on the App Store, and includes the option for in-app purchases of additional filter sets.

4. Cortex Camera

A camera app with amazing ability to capture sharp night-time photos without a tripod:

Allows you to shoot in very low light and at night

Captures multiple photos and then blends them together to get rid of noise

Electronic image stabilization means that no tripod is necessary

Cortex Camera, popularly known as Cortex Cam, seems a little bit like magic because it allows you to shoot low light photos without the need for a tripod.

This app is perfect for shooting at night, or in very low light situations, because of a special process it uses to minimize digital noise (grain).

Typically when you shoot in low light, the camera will increase the ISO in order to get more light onto the sensor. Unfortunately this has the unpleasant side effect of adding noise or grain to the image.

Cortex Cam takes a lot of photos in a short amount of time, and quickly aligns them in case you moved a little bit while shooting the photo. Then it averages all those photos to reduce the digital artifacts that result in grainy photos. The result is a high quality, clear, sharp shot.

When you shoot with Cortex Cam, you have to hold still for a few seconds until the temperature bar at the bottom lets you know it's done exposing. Then you just have to wait a few seconds more until the app does its magic before it saves the image.

The default shooting mode allows you to shoot great low light photos. But advanced users can fine-tune the app further by controlling exposure compensation, exposure time and the number of frames shot.

Once you try Cortex Cam you'll never use another camera app for shooting at night or in low light settings.

Cortex Camera is $2.99 on the App Store.

5. Enlight

A versatile photo editing app, allowing for simple edits as well as complex artistic blends:

Wide range of photo editing tools

Built-in filter options with conventional and unique looks

Artistic tools for creating painterly, sketch and other creative effects

Mixer tool allows you to blend two photos together to create double-exposures

Powerful Mask tool allows you to limit effects to just certain areas of the photo

If you've mastered some of the other editing apps and are looking for something a little more advanced, you might enjoy working with Enlight. It's a powerful all-in-one photo editing app that can do a little bit of everything.

Enlight has the regular editing tools that you'd expect, such as exposure, color and cropping. But it also has some unique built-in filters which allow duo color toning, a wide variety of black and white looks, and unparalleled control over highlights and shadows.

Where Enlight really sets itself apart is with the Mixer and Mask tools. The Mixer allows you to combine two photos into a beautiful double-exposure image, with all kinds of different blending modes to create the perfect image.

The Mask tool allows you to "paint" onto the image to specify which parts are affected by any filter or effect. This makes it easy to apply spot color or more subtle effects to your photos.

Enlight is available for $3.99 from the App Store.

Learn how to use this app with our comprehensive Enlight tutorial, including step-by-step video demonstrations.

6. TouchRetouch

Remove unwanted parts of your photos quickly and easily:

A single tap automatically replaces unwanted areas with surrounding pixels

Clone tool allows you to remove things manually

Ideal for removing dust spots, wires, sun spots or flares

While there are other apps that have healing and cloning capabilities, none work quite as well as TouchRetouch.

This app is great for removing things like dust spots or telephone wires, but it can also remove other unwanted items easily and quickly.

TouchRetouch is a delight to use. All you do is use your finger to "paint" over the area you want to remove. The app then does a bit of magic by analyzing the surrounding pixels, using that information to seamlessly replace the unwanted area.

Not only can you remove technical problems from a photo, like dust or sun spots, but you can also simplify the composition by removing other distracting elements. It's easy to get rid of litter, a misplaced tree, a photobombing person, or other unwanted components of your photo.

The app doesn't always get it right on the first try, but with the other cloning capabilities you can manually remove elements easily. It's a great way to simplify your photos so that nothing detracts from your main subject.

TouchRetouch is available for $1.99 on the App Store.

Learn how to remove unwanted objects from your iPhone photos with our in-depth tutorial on TouchRetouch.

7. SKRWT

Correct distortion problems and make your lines straight and true:

Corrects perspective distortion commonly seen in architectural photos

Fixes lens distortion for iPhones, GoPros and other cameras

Ability to change aspect ratio of photo by squishing or pulling the photo

Easy to straighten, rotate and crop

Several built-in grids make it easy to align your photo

There are several ways that photos can look distorted in an unpleasant way. The most common is perspective distortion, where you have to tip your phone back in order to get a whole building into the frame, causing the sides of the building to angle in toward the middle of the photo.

This "keystoning" can sometimes detract from the straight lines of the rest of the image. But fortunately the SKRWT app allows you to easily correct this common problem.

Another reason that photos can look distorted is because of lens distortion. iPhones have a wide-angle lens which can exaggerate depth, causing the center of the image to bulge out toward the camera. SKRWT can fix this distortion easily, making that wide-angle look feel more natural.

If the horizon or other horizontal lines in your photo aren't level, you can easily straighten the image with SKRWT.

Lastly, SKRWT can also change the aspect ratio of your photo, stretching it out to make it wider or taller, or pushing in the sides or top to make it narrower or shorter.

This tool is great when you want to crop a photo square, but the square crop cuts off too much of the sides. With the aspect ratio adjustment tool, you can make the photo a little narrower, crop it square, and nobody will be any the wiser.

SKRWT is available for $1.99 on the App Store.

Learn how to correct perspective in your iPhone photos with our SKRWT tutorial.

8. Superimpose

Combine two images into one for realistic or fantasy-inspired composites:

Easily combine two photos to create imaginative blended images

Make realistic-looking composites, adding planes, birds, people or other objects into your photo

Combine two different edits of the same photo using gradient masks

Superimpose is a powerful app for combining two or more photos in realistic or imaginative ways.

After importing one photo as the background and another as the foreground, you can mask out unwanted parts of the foreground to achieve the desired effect.

Superimpose has powerful masking capabilities. You can either erase part of the photo by drawing with your finger, or use the incredible Magic Wand tool which effortlessly removes other parts of the image with a similar color.

The app has most of the blend modes that you'd find in Photoshop, allowing you to easily create interesting composites where the dark or light parts of the image are automatically hidden. This is a great tool for creating imaginative double-exposure blends of two images, such as a silhouette of a person and a forest.

You can also use the simple-to-understand gradient masks to combine two different edits of the same photo. This would be great for a landscape photo where you like how the sky looks in one edit, and how the ground looks in another edit. Using Superimpose, you can seamlessly blend those two edits together and have the best of both worlds.

Superimpose is available for $1.99 on the App Store.

Learn how to use this app in our step-by-step Superimpose tutorial.

9. Mextures

Add textures, grains and light leaks for a unique and creative look:

Easily add color treatments and textures to your photos

Many light leak, emulsion and grain options

Layer multiple effects for a unique look

Use pre-made formulas to quickly edit your photo

Create your own formulas and save them for later use

Mextures is a unique app in that it focuses on many film-based effects for photo editing. In addition to the normal image editing tools, there are many options to add light leaks, grain, grit, and different emulsion looks to emulate the look of film.

There are also many unique color gradients specifically meant for landscape photos, or any photo you want to add a special color treatment to. There are multiple blending modes, and it's easy to add layers to create your own special look.

If you're new to Mextures, you might want to start off by using the built-in "formulas." These typically have several layers of color, grain, light leaks and scratches that someone else has carefully balanced. If you come up with your own formula that you like, you can save it and re-use it later.

Mextures is $1.99 on the App Store, and offers in-app purchases for additional presets.

Learn how to enhance your photos with textures, light leaks and other effects in our step-by-step Mextures tutorial.

10. Instagram

The premier platform for photo sharing, with a great set of photo editing tools:

Largest photo sharing platform with over 500 million monthly users

Connect with people across the world who have similar photography interests

Build your own online brand

Edit photos and videos within the app

Share "Stories" with your followers

Direct messaging facility for private conversations

Instagram has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 2011, where you would take a photo within the app, slap a filter on it, and post it (often with a funky photo frame).

With over 500 million monthly users, there's an audience for just about any kind of photo. By digging through hashtags and geotags you can find people with similar interests as well as people that live near you.

Instagram is the ultimate blend of photography and community. It's easy to connect with like-minded people by commenting on their photos and engaging in discussions.

You can also send a direct message to a friend or follower, allowing you to ask questions that are more private or share images with a select group.

Instagram now has some pretty sophisticated editing tools. In addition to a varied set of filters, it has tools such as perspective correction, fade, sharpening, and shadow/highlight tinting. For some photos you don't even need another app to create a stunning and memorable edit.

Instagram is FREE to download from the App Store.

Check out the following tutorials to learn how get the most out of sharing your photos on Instagram:11 Instagram Tricks For Beginner iPhone PhotographersInstagram Photo Editing: Create Stunning iPhone Images To ShareHow To Become Instagram Famous In 3 Easy Steps

Photo Apps: Conclusion

These top ten photo apps give you the tools you need to shoot, edit and share amazing iPhone photos. Whether you're a beginner or advanced iPhone photographer, it's likely that you'll want to use all of these apps at some point.

Most of the photo apps covered here are easy to use and allow you to make your photos better with just a few taps. Some of them may take a little longer to master, but if you practice using them on a regular basis you'll soon master the more technical features.

You don't need hundreds of apps to improve your own iPhone photography. Just a small handful of great photo apps is all you need to develop your mobile photography skills.

Source: 10 Best Photo Apps For iPhone Photography (2016 Edition)