Wondershare is a developer best known for releasing multiple versions of its Mac applications under different names, each focused on a specific task. Thankfully, the company shows more restraint on iOS, and judging from PowerCam, the quality of its mobile apps is much higher as well. The free PowerCam 2.0.1 for iPhone/iPod touch (also available in an “HD” iPad version) includes more than 60 Instagram-style effects like Vintage, Retro, and LomoCyan, which can be applied to existing Camera Roll files or new photos and videos as they’re being shot.
PowerCam makes jumping between shooting photos or recording video a breeze, with buttons for each function available at all times. A $1.99 in-app “Creative Pack” purchase unlocks the ability to pause video recording – a handy feature for doing in-camera editing on the fly. That same in-app purchase adds additional real-time effects like FaceTimer (for steady self-portraits), Tilt-Shift, and Panorama. Color Splash is an impressive favorite here: Tap to select a single color to highlight, and then watch as the rest of the image becomes black-and-white, no post-processing necessary.
Unfortunately, PowerCam accomplishes these feats of strength by reducing the resolution as it shoots. Preference settings are limited to “Social Networks” or “Widescreen” (for video) and “Print” (for photos), which caps the former to 640x480 or 960x720 and the latter to 960x720 or 1280x960, respectively. PowerCam’s UI could also use a little consolidation, with effects spread out over two frequently hard-to-tap icons, with settings tucked away under a third icon. Options here include date-stamping photos, using an on-screen grid to frame shots, or tapping anywhere on the screen to start or stop shooting.
The bottom line. Overall, I liked PowerCam – despite the lowered resolution, image quality is quite good and either preset size is well-suited to social network sharing, which can be done without leaving the app. It's not my go-to camera app right now, but with a few small tweaks, it certainly could be.
iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 4.2 or later
Wide variety of fun effects that can be shot or recorded in real-time. Dual shutter buttons make it easy to jump from shooting photos to recording video.
Can't use iPhone volume-up button as camera shutter. UI is a bit cramped, especially for beefier digits. Resolution limited to two presets, neither of which takes full advantage of iPhone 4S.
