Kinotopic: How to Get Excited Taking iPhone Photos Again

Last week I reviewed Kinotopic, the iPhone app that lets you easily create cinemagraphs. While I loved the result, I found the app hugely flawed. Kinotopic forced you to use a Facebook log-in, and didn't store the finished video on your phone itself. Instead, you had to visit the Kinotopic website to see your cinemagraphs or link to your Kinotopic page using Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr.  

To get an idea of what Kinotopic can do take a look at the movie below. The only way I was able to share this movie with you, considering that Kinotopic doesn't save cinemagraphs to your phone, was to use screen capture software Snapz Pro X to record from the Kinotopic website, and then upload the finished result to YouTube. What a pain in the ass.

But worry not, as Kinotopic developer Radu Spineanu replied on my review post, he's updated the app. The result, while not perfect, does address the two main issues I had:

• You no longer have to use Facebook to access the app. Huzzah! Forcing you to engage with a social network in order to use a tool always feels a bit scuzzy, don't you agree? This problem has been fixed, and what a welcome change.
• You can now access your finished cinemagraph in a variety of ways, not just through the Kinotopic website. Though still not saved on your phone initially, once the cinemagraph is processed, you're sent an email that gives you a variety of share and download options. An embed code is provided as well as a link to a .mov file, allowing you to save the movie to a machine of your choosing, including a phone.

In addition, you can now 'pinch to zoom' for better detail work, and there's an eraser so you can better shape your selected cinemagraph movement. While these are small details, they change Kintotopic from a fun, little toy, to a genuine artistic tool.

Pros

• Creates great cinemagraphs
• Easy to use
• Developer is responsive, aware of issues in the app, and clearly on a roadmap of improvement

Cons

• Still doesn't save your finished work directly to your phone

Who's it for?

• Anyone who wants to expand the range of what can be done with iPhone imagery

Cost

• $1.99 at the Apple iTunes Store

Bottom Line

The great thing about cinemagraphs is that they show us we're still just at the beginning of photography. Digital photography is so fecund, knowing that new concepts such as cinemagraphs, and accompanying apps like Kinotopic are clearly the harbinger of even cooler things coming soon. With that in mind I highly recommend getting the app. It's only $1.99 and the fun you'll have with it should inspire you in other areas of your creative work.

Kinotopic isn't the only cinemagraph iPhone app out there. There's also iCinegraph, recommended by Edit on a Dime member Jack Welsch, and I'll review that later in the week. I imagine between the two apps you'll find something you like. Really, you have no excuse not to soon make your own cinemagraphs!