In short
BLACK is an iOS app that lets you put black and white filters over your photos. The filters are based on analog black and white film like apx400 or Ilford HP5.
Design
BLACK has a super sleek black and white design. The different filters are prominently visible on top of the screen and you apply them by swiping left or right. When you have chosen your preset you will see the tools on top of the screen.
Tools
Let’s start with the most important tools: the filters. As a non paying user you get access to 10 different filters:
- AGFA apx 400
- FUJI Neopan 400
- FUJI FP-3000B (expired)
- Ilford HP5
- Kodak TRI-x 400
- Lomography Lady Grey 400
- Shanghai GP3 100
- Tura P400 (expired)
- Paterson ACUPAN 800 (expired)
- ORWO N15 (expired)
The filters are actually well made and have the typical characteristics of their analog counterparts. You can see them all in the slideshow below.
After selecting your filter you can edit further. The app only offers three editing tools. The first one being a ‘fade’ option. The second one is vignetting and the last one is a tone curve in which you can change the exposure. All three are only available for paying users.
Functionality
And that’s where functionality comes in. As someone who isn’t willing to pay for basic editing options I’m forced to apply the filter in the app and then export it to my filmroll, only to import it again in another app like Lightroom Mobile. The fact I have to import and export twice is the main reason I probably won’t use the app ever again. I might as well shoot it in Lightroom, edit there with one of my own black and white presets and then export it once.
Of course if you are really looking for that specific analog look you will find what you need with BLACK.
Because of the minimal design it’s super easy to use the app. Every action feels logical and due to the few different screens you learn to use it fast.
Conclusion
The BLACK app is perfect for those who are looking for a specific analog look and those who shoot their pictures with the standard camera app. For me it’s too much of a hassle because I use Lightroom Mobiel. It’s easier to make some black and white presets yourself and edit in the app that you use to make your photos with.
Thoughts, comments, questions? Let me know in the comment section below!
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Giel Sweertvaegher 