Retrospecs

If you’re trying to take videos and photos, throw a pixelated filter on it and -boom- it’s done, this app can do it. If you would like to take the emulated aesthetic of an Apple IIe or NES or even a Virtual Boy, tweak it by making it high resolution to fit your source image, follow that up by setting a scanline and chroma shift effect while adjusting brightness saturation contrast and even cropping until it’s perfect THIS APP can do that all of that. And that’s barely scratching the surface. You have so much customization and control you can truly make wonderful art here. Don’t pass it up for the other guys pixel filter stuff. The IAPs are more than fair they’re almost a steal.

So a while back I was looking for a way to pixelize my photos in a rather cool way. I was slowly picking through photo editors and either they didn't do what I needed them or it was a bad app. Eventually I made my way to this app, I tried it out and it was really good. Even without paying for the full version (I have now), it a surprising amount of options to mess with attributes. And the full version is really good and I hope you keep this app going and adding systems.

First the free version is unusable. It keeps words on the screen that tell you to upgrade. It happens when you click on something that is only available with the upgrade, but the words don’t disappear even when you try to go back to using the free filters, rending it unusable. It looked good enough so I paid. There are really neat filters here with loads of options and customization. Authentic replications of tech nostalgia. However, your field is limited to a square, so if your pic is not a square you won’t be able to alter the entire photo. Also if you save a photo you can’t re-open and edit it again. It will re-open in the app but you can’t re-apply filers or adjust the picture.

Retrospecs rules. So much! The paid version is mind blowing—so many effects, so many customizations, and so easy to use. And when I had a few questions, the developer answered right away, in friendly detail. (Thanks, John!) I am usually too lazy to review apps, but this one has so much love and care behind it. Consequently, I love and care about it, too. One of my most-used and adored digital art tools. A must-get! All the kudos to Retrospecs. 🙌

I have been using this lovely app for over a year now, and it never gets old! I love converting my photos into my favorite computers and consoles. I also love making new emulations for systems I never even heard of, or fantasy consoles I make up. One complaint is that I can't find out where to adjust the level of dithering, I tried looking, but I can't find it. Please help! I want to make it look better in certain consoles!