SplitPic is a unique Windows Phone 8 photography app that allows you to divide your camera viewfinder into several sections and blend the photos you take into a single, creative image.
SplitPic will combine existing images in your Windows Phone Pictures Hub or let you capture new images to merge. Editing features include alignment, blending, filters and focusing tools to further expand SplitPic's creative potential. SplitPic is a very appealing app that further expands our Windows Phone photography.
App Layout
When you first launch SplitPic, you will be presented with a collection of images SplitPic's Instagram account from other SplitPic users. If you are at a loss on ideas for SplitPic, these images can be of inspiration to get your creative juices flowing.
In the upper right corner, is the gear icon to access SplitPic's settings that cover export resolution and the option to use SplitPic as your Lockscreen image. The highest resolution SplitPic will save an image is 1713x1280 pixels. A camera button sits at the bottom of the screen to launch the process.
The camera interface with SplitPic has options to change your section layout and select images from your Pictures Hub to merge. The free version of SplitPic has six layouts (horizontal and vertical sections) and you can unlock six additional layouts with the Pro version, a $1.99 in-app purchase. Whichever layout you choose it will be reflected on the viewfinder. The active section of the layout you are trying to populate will be clear, with the other sections glossed over.
Three camera control buttons rest on the left side of the viewfinder to control your flash, a self-timer feature and to toggle between the front and rear camera. SplitPic has an on-screen shutter button or you can use the hardware shutter button on your Windows Phone.
Editing
Once you have captured or imported the images you would like to merge, tap the green check mark to head over to the editing screen. Four editing options line the bottom of the screen that includes:
- Lines and Zoom: Here you can toggle between moving your merge lines or pinch to zoom your images. Moving the lines affords you the ability to show more or less of one of the picture sections. When you zoom into a picture section, you can move the image around to get the alignment just right.
- Blend: This tool increases and decreases the amount of blending SplitPic applies to your images.
- Filters: The free version of SplitPic has eight effects filters that range from a Black&White filter to a Lomo Filter to several colored hue filters. Additional filter packs are available through in-app purchase ($.99 each or upgrade to the Pro version).
- Focus: If you want to add a little vignetting to your images, the focus slider will slowly darken the corners of your images.
Once you have everything tweaked just right, the Save Arrow at the bottom of the screen will let you save the final image to your Pictures Hub or share it with friends.
Final Product
SplitPic does a nice job of merging two or more images into one. How creative the final product is rests on your shoulders. It is a little tricky lining up your shots just right but if you hit the Windows Phone Back Button, it will remove the last photo taken and allow you to try again.
It did feel as though a shutter lag was present, nothing mission critical, but you do need to hold steady for about a second after hitting your shutter button or the image alignment will be slightly off.
The editing tools are nice but I would like to see the ability to remove a specific image or re-arrange the images without the need to back out and re-take/re-load photos. The filters and layout styles aren't bad with the free version. They are strong enough to get you hooked on SplitPic where you are taking the plunge and picking up the add-ons.
Overall, SplitPic is an appealing photography app for Windows Phone 8. Whether it is cloning yourself or merge contrasting landscapes, SplitPic has enormous potential for creating fantastic images.
SplitPic is a free app that is available for Windows Phone 8 devices. You can find your copy of SplitPic here in the Windows Phone Store.
