Alternative iPhone camera app Obscura 3 has launched with several new camera features and an overhauled design that aims to make its various photography tools easier to access.
In the newly designed interface, the control wheel of the previous version has been replaced by an entirely gesture-based control system with haptic feedback, which the developer says improves single-thumb control and gives users the closest feeling yet to using a real DSLR on a smartphone.
As in previous versions, Obscura 3 allows users to shoot in a range of formats such as RAW, HEIC, JPEG, Live Photo, and Portrait-style modes, amongst others, but the way the modes are controlled has changed.
The new app builds upon Apple's latest camera hardware, with Pro, Pro Photo, Depth, Live Photo, and Video modes. The default Pro Photo Mode uses only a single camera at a time, enabling manual control of focus, white balance, shutter speed, and ISO.
Pro Mode uses the dual or triple-camera system of the iPhone, with fast zooming between lenses at the expense of the more manual controls. All of the modes offer various shooting options via a gear icon that when pressed reveals horizontally scrolling settings below the viewfinder.
The Obscura camera features also provide flash control, grids, shutter time, and spirit level, while an improved dedicated library browser includes pre-built albums like flagged and starred, and it allows users to apply filters and easily edit, share, copy, favorite, hide, delete, and trash their pictures.
The app also includes three themes, several app icon choices, light and dark modes, and a companion Apple Watch app that can trigger your iPhone's shutter remotely.
Obscura 3 is available to download on the App Store for a one-time purchase price of $9.99.
