For a couple of months the projects page had a card that said “For pixel lovers: a completely new kind of camera on iPhone, details soon.” Today I can finally say what it is.
Bitsy Cam is live on the App Store.
Lenses, not filters
Most camera apps work the same way. You take the photo, then you decorate it. I wanted the opposite. In Bitsy Cam you look through a lens, and what you see in the viewfinder is already the picture: Pixel Art, Fluted Glass, Wild Meadow, Arcade, Dreamgaze and more. You swap them from the Lens Dock and the world changes while you’re still pointing at it.
My favorite is the pixel glass lens. It makes everything look like it’s made of little glass pixels, the way a real piece of textured glass would.
Things to keep
A photo you like should feel like something you own. So you can dress a shot in a Frame, or cut Objects out of it and keep them as collectibles. Photo and video both work, with density and color controls when you want finer or crunchier tiles.
I also spent far too long on how it feels in the hand. The controls are meant to feel like a tiny machine, not a settings screen.
Who it’s for
Anyone who’s bored of the same camera app. If you want shooting to feel playful again, and a little magical, this is for you.
It’s free. Open it, pick a lens, and see what happens. More about it at bitsyapps.com.