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RitchieCam App Update — New Filters, Features & Improvements!!

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Ritchie Roesch

I just released a brand-new RitchieCam App update! If your iPhone didn’t automatically update the App, be sure to manually do it now. There are two new Filters, plus some improvement and feature changes that I believe you’ll appreciate, but I need to explanation some of it—I think it will all make a lot more sense afterwards.

First, the two new Filters: Slide Film and Negative Film! These are both only available to RitchieCam App Patrons, and are not unlocked in the free version.

Slide Film

The Slide Film Filter is reminiscent of color reversal (slide) film. Vibrant and contrasty—yet still versatile—with a touch of analog nostalgia. Set EV anywhere from 0 to -1 for best results.

Negative Film

The Negative Film Filter is bright, warm, and slightly faded, with some similarities to overexposed color negative film by Kodak. Great for sunny daylight situations. For a more faded and retro rendering, try reducing the EV between -0.6 and -1.3.

Next up is Favorites, which has been significantly revamped. Favorites is a Patron-only feature that improves the way you select Filters. You can Star as few or as many Filters as you’d like (including all of them), and arrange them in whatever order makes the most sense for you—providing you with a customizable experience. Whichever Filter is in the first slot is the one that the App will open with when in the regular view (with the tray of Filters).

One thing that’s new is Favorites will now stay open until you close it—even if you close RitchieCam entirely and relaunch, Favorites will still be open until you close it. The Filters (that you have added to Favorites) are activated by scrolling right or left, and the one in the center is what’s selected for use (if you’re not on iOS 17 or newer, you’ll have to tap to select… this might be a good opportunity to update the operating system). This is a more intuitive way to switch between filters, and makes Favorites quite useful for regular use. If you prefer the Filter tray, which gives you access to all of the filters, including the “i” information icon which provides some samples and a brief explanation, simply tap the Star icon to close Favorites. If you are a Patron, you have two different approaches to how you interact with and select the Filters; however, I anticipate that many of you will use Favorites quite often now, and the regular view less.

Another important note is that long-pressing on the Star icon opens the Favorites menu, which is where you choose the Filters that you wish to Favorite and organize them in whichever order you prefer. This is a quicker way to access the Favorites menu.

The Drag-to-Select Filter option, where you press-and-drag your finger across the screen to quickly scroll through the filters, can now be toggled on-and-off. By default it is set to Off. If you prefer this method, be sure to tap the Gear icon and enable Drag-to-Select Filter. This feature didn’t go away, but you must take this step in order to use it. For those who have had issues inadvertently switching the filter when attempting to tap-to-focus, you might consider leaving it Off.

A couple changes were made to Filter Intensity. First, the icon looks a little different (it’s now three parallel lines, where the top line is longer and the bottom line is shorter). RitchieCam will now remember the Intensity you selected for each Filter (previously, it was a global adjustment). Additionally, the icon gives you visual feedback as to the level of intensity you have selected for that Filter (this is pretty slick, in my opinion).

Last but certainly not least, in the Photos view (where you review the pictures you’ve captured), you can now tap or pinch to zoom in and out. This will make culling a lot easier.

I hope that you enjoy this update!

How to get Filmic Photographs from your iPhone

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Ritchie Roesch

*iPhone 13 Pro + RitchieCam + Sandmarc Case + 20% CineBloom filter*

There’s an easy way to get a filmic look from your iPhone!

I set out to help my wife, Amanda, get a filmic look from her cellphone images. Her “main” camera is a Fujifilm X-T4, but she also shoots quite a bit on her iPhone 13 Pro; her interest in photography and videography began with the iPhone. The filmic aesthetic is highly sought after, but not always easy to achieve; however, I found a good way to get it on the iPhone, so read on to find out how you can do it, too!

*RitchieCam App — Vintage Kodak filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch*

What exactly is a filmic look? I would describe it as a cinematic film aesthetic. Think stills from a motion picture, or photographs captured with cinema film that has had the Remjet layer removed. This wasn’t an attempt to mimic any specific movie or emulsion, but just achieve a general filmic look through cellphone photography—make it seem less digital and more analog-like, except without all of the editing that is traditionally required. As a mother of four and behind-the-scenes Fuji X Weekly cohort, Amanda is quite busy, and doesn’t have time for extensive editing, so post-processing pictures could not be a prerequisite for achieving a filmic aesthetic.

I started with a Sandmarc case for her iPhone 13 Pro because Sandmarc has an adapter, which they call Step Up Ring Filter Mount, that allows you to use filters on your cellphone camera. This adapter has 40.5mm threads, and, using a 40.5mm-49mm step up ring that I already owned, I was able to mount my 20% CineBloom diffusion filter to Amanda’s iPhone. I felt that this filter would be a key component to achieving a filmic look, and the Sandmarc case with the Step Up Ring Filter Mount plus the 40.5mm-49mm step up ring was the easiest way to get that CineBloom filter onto her iPhone.

I’m sure the Sandmarc case isn’t the only one that allows you to use filters, but it is the one we got, and so far it seems to be a quality product. It works well and is reasonably inexpensive, so it’s easy to recommend. It did take a fall; while the case kept the phone safe and undamaged (which is great!), it did leave a noticeable mark on the case itself. Another note: Sandmarc has their own line of filters—including a diffusion filter—but we used the 20% CineBloom because I already own it for my Fujifilm X100V. I personally really like CineBlooms, but the brand of diffusion filter doesn’t really matter all that much, I don’t think.

On the iPhone 13 Pro, you can attach the filter over the main 26mm camera or over the telephoto 77mm camera, but not over the ultra-wide 13mm camera. You can only use it on one camera at a time, so it does take some of the convenience out of using the iPhone for photography—not only do you have to carry the filter, but also screw it over the correct lens. Not a dealbreaker for this method, but certainly a limitation that one should be aware of.

The camera app that Amanda uses is RitchieCam, which has filters inspired by film, crafted to have an analog essence. Designed with a one-step philosophy, RitchieCam produces photos that are ready to be shared or printed the instant that they’re captured. RitchieCam was recently enthusiastically endorsed by Leigh & Raymond Photography as their favorite iPhone camera app—it was one of their five suggested ways for achieving a film look on a digital camera. RitchieCam is my very own camera app; download it for free today from the Apple App Store!

I said that the 20% CineBloom was key to getting a filmic look because diffusion filters take the digital edge off of digital pictures. It blooms the highlights and softens the shadows more like negative film. Also, diffusion filters have been a cinematographic tool long before they were popular for still photography, so the aesthetic produced by these filters is inherently filmic. Below is an example of what a diffusion filter does to an image. I chose this particular set because the difference is obvious; oftentimes the effect is a little less apparent, especially if there is not a bright light source (such as the sun) in or near the frame. The strongest CineBloom is 20%, so if you find it to be too strong, consider the 10% or 5% options instead—sometimes subtlety is preferable.

Below are some of Amanda’s pictures captured with her iPhone 13 Pro using RitchieCam and the 20% CineBloom filter, made possible by the Sandmarc case and filter adapter. Combining RitchieCam with a diffusion filter produces images with a filmic quality, and, because editing isn’t required, this process works well for those who don’t have time to post-process their pictures, or who only want to do quick adjustments.

*RitchieCam App — Analog Gold filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch*

*RitchieCam App — Sunny Day filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch*

*RitchieCam App — Instant Color 2 filter — iPhone 13 Pro — Photo by Amanda Roesch*

Visit RitchieCam.com to learn more about the App. Also, RitchieCam is on Instagram!

RitchieCam Filter Intensity Trick

Posted on July 16, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

*iPhone 11 — RitchieCam App — Instant Color 3 — 30% Intensity*

As Chase Jarvis coined, the best camera is the one that’s with you—sometimes that’s your cellphone. Whenever I use my iPhone for photography, I always use my very own camera app: RitchieCam. Designed with a one-step philosophy, RitchieCam produces photos that are ready to be shared or printed the instant that they’re captured.

I partnered with Sahand Nayebaziz to develop RitchieCam. I worked with Sahand on the Fuji X Weekly and Ricoh Recipes Apps, so we already had established a great working relationship even before beginning work on this camera app. Sahand uses Fujifilm cameras, and sometimes his iPhone, for his photography.

Sahand and I were talking recently when he mentioned that his favorite RitchieCam filter is Instant Color 3 set to about 30% intensity. I have always used 100% intensity. Even though I put this feature into the app, I had never used it personally, other than testing it out when it was being developed. I thought that some would appreciate it, so it was important to include it.

The three-slider icon (between the star and gear) opens the Filter Intensity slider. All the way right is 100% and all the way left is 0%. I like to use 100% on all of the filters, but that’s to be expected because I created the filters. You might prefer something different, so you can customize the intensity to fit your tastes.

I thought that there’s some potential for creativity with this feature, so I began to experiment with it. First I tried Sahand’s suggestion of Instant Color 3 at 30%, which did in fact produce good results (see the picture at the top of this article). Then I played around with the other filters at various intensities.

I found the three black-and-white filters in particular can produce interesting results, because they become muted-color filters when set to about 70% intensity. Of the three monochrome options, my favorite filter to adjust the intensity of in order to create color pictures is Dramatic B&W. Set to about 70%, the Dramatic B&W filter makes for wonderful muted-color photography. I was actually very impressed with this, and spent a couple of days shooting the Dramatic B&W filter set to about 70% intensity.

Here are some examples:

*Dramatic B&W Filter set to 70% intensity*

The RitchieCam App has 18 filters (15 color and 3 B&W), but the potential aesthetics that can be achieved using RitchieCam is much greater because you can adjust the intensity of each filter, and that adjustment changes the look—at least a little, and sometimes a lot—which gives you even greater creative control over your pictures.

If you have an iPhone and you haven’t downloaded the RitchieCam App, go to the Apple App Store right now and do so! Then play around with the Filter Intensity slider and see what fun things you come up with. Let me know which filter is your favorite, and what intensity you use. If you find something especially interesting, I’d love to try it myself.

Review: Moment Tele 58mm Cellphone Lens

Posted on June 16, 2022 by Ritchie Roesch

This review of the Moment Tele 58mm cellphone lens is long overdue. When I started developing the RitchieCam iPhone camera app about a year ago, I figured it would be a good idea to get some external lenses for my iPhone 11, which would come in handy when needing to capture the example pictures. While there are a number of companies that offer lenses that can be attached to your cellphone, the Moment offerings stood out to me as the “better” option, so that’s what I chose.

To use Moment’s lenses, you must also use their phone case, because that’s how the lenses mount to your phone. They have a case for many phone makes and models, so there’s a good chance there’s one available for your device. The case is good quality, and has survived nearly a year of heavy use and abuse. I cannot tell you how many times that I’ve dropped my phone and thought it was done for, yet it survived unscathed, without even a scratch! While I’m sure there are cases that offer more protection, I’m pretty darn impressed with how good the Moment case has been.

One cool thing about the Moment case is that it has the “MagSafe” stuff built-in. I have this tripod-mount accessory that attaches to the case (via magnetism), which has come in handy a number of times. It’s a really good method to mount your cellphone to a tripod, if that’s something you do. There are a number of other accessories that you can buy that also use magnets to attach to your case, but the only one that I personally have used is that tripod accessory.

I had never used an external lens before with a cellphone, so I was definitely a novice when I started—I didn’t really realize how it all worked. On my iPhone 11 case, the lens mounts only over the main camera. The iPhone 11 has two rear facing cameras: 1x (26mm full-frame-equivalent) and 0.5x (13mm full-frame-equivalent). The Moment lenses cannot mount over the 13mm lens, only over the 26mm lens.

I have two Moment lenses: 18mm and 58mm. The Moment lenses are actually “conversion” lenses, and the millimeter numbers don’t actually mean anything. The 18mm is a 0.5x wide conversion lens, and the 58mm is a 2x tele conversion lens. Using the 18mm lens on the 26mm camera actually makes it 13mm, which is the same focal length of the second camera. In other words, the 18mm lens is pointless for the iPhone 11; however, I’m sure it makes sense for other cellphones. The 58mm lens makes the main camera 52mm, which is a very useful focal-length. The focal-length that these lenses will be on your cellphone depends on the focal-length of the cameras on your cellphone (either times by .5 for the 18mm lens or times by 2 for the 58mm lens). Clear as mud? I think if Moment had simply called the one lens 2x teleconverter and the other .5x wide-converter (instead of using millimeter numbers) it would save a lot of confusion. As you can imagine, the Moment Tele 58mm lens is the one that I used by far the most.

Initially I was disappointed by these lenses. I think my expectations were significantly askew. I figured that I’d be impressed by the image quality when using these lenses vs. not using them; however, the image quality will never be greater than that of the lens permanently attached to your cellphone. These lenses won’t improve on what the manufacturer installed on your device. Instead, what you get is either a longer or more wide-angle focal length without a loss in image quality. It’s much better to use the 58mm lens than “zoom by cropping” (a.k.a. digital zoom). The image quality produced by these lenses is determined mostly by the image quality produced by your phone.

*iPhone 11 + Moment 58mm – RitchieCam App – “Instant Color 3” – Arches NP, UT*

The reason to use the Moment Tele 58mm lens is to double the reach of your built-in cellphone lens without degrading the image quality (or, if it does degrade the image quality, it’s extraordinarily minimal and not really noticeable). That’s what this lens does, and it does it well. It doesn’t do much else, so keep your expectations in check.

When I carry the 58mm lens with me, I get three focal-length options on my iPhone 11: 13mm (using the 0.5x camera), 26mm (using the 1x camera without the Moment lens), and 52mm (using the 1x camera with the 58mm lens). Those are all excellent focal-lengths to have available. While I prefer to use my Fujifilm cameras over my cellphone, as Chase Jarvis coined, the best camera is the one you have with you, which is sometimes my cellphone. When I do use my cellphone for photography, I appreciate having the Moment Tele 58mm lens, because it affords me additional flexibility.

I said two paragraphs ago that this lens “doesn’t do much else” which isn’t completely true. There’s a small amount of pincushion distortion, which, when combined with the distortion in the iPhone 11 camera, can do some weird things to straight lines when photographing brick walls. The solution: don’t photograph brick walls. There’s also some interesting lens flare that shows up sometimes (see picture below), which I personally like, but maybe you won’t, depending on how you feel about lens flare. The Moment lens is also softer in the corners than the 1x iPhone camera.

*iPhone 11 + Moment 58mm – RitchieCam App – “Faded Film” – Canyonlands NP, UT*

The build quality of the Moment Tele 58mm lens is excellent, made of metal and glass. It has six elements in four groups, and the glass has multi-layered anti-reflective coating. It comes with a lens cap and carrying bag. The lens is small enough that you can easily take it with you, although when attached to the phone, it’s unlikely that the phone will fit into your pocket (unless you have particularly large pockets).

I have used the Moment Tele 58mm lens for nearly a year now. It’s not an essential cellphone accessory, but it’s certainly nice to have around. I found the lens and the Moment case (that you are required to have in order to use the lens)—plus the tripod-mount accessory—to be useful to me. If you do a lot of cellphone photography, you might want to take a closer look at these Moment products, and consider if they might be useful to you, too. Like a lot of things in the photography world, these products are not cheap, but if you think you’ll use them regularly, they might very well be worth the cost. The best place to find these products is on Moment’s website.

This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.

Moment Tele 58mm lens B&H
Moment MagSafe Tripod Mount B&H

Gallery:

*iPhone 11 + Moment 58mm – RitchieCam App – “Vintage Kodak” – Arches NP, UT*

*iPhone 11 + Moment 58mm – RitchieCam App – “Sunny Day” – Canyonlands NP, UT*

*iPhone 11 + Moment 58mm – RitchieCam App – “Instant Color 3” – Canyonlands NP, UT*

*iPhone 11 + Moment 58mm – RitchieCam App – “Standard Film” – Canyonlands NP, UT*

*iPhone 11 + Moment 58mm – RitchieCam App – “B&W Fade” – Arches NP, UT*

What is RitchieCam? It’s an easy-to-use streamlined camera app intended to bring one-step photography to the iPhone. You’ll find 18 analog-inspired filters so that you don’t have to edit your mobile pictures if you don’t want to. I think you will appreciate the app, yet it is designed for anyone and everyone with an iPhone, and not just photographers. You can read all about it at RitchieCam.com. The app is intended to be a useful free tool, yet for $9.99 (USD +Tax annually) you can unlock all of the filters and features for the best app experience.