XnView Photo Fx App for iOS

To begin, open a photo from your device--and you can crop, rotate or mirror the image before adding effects. The crop tool offers presets for the most common aspect ratios, as well as a free crop option.

Next, you can tap the action button to explore the vast array of image effects as thumbnail images. The thumbnail images display the actual image you are working with, so you get an idea of what to expect. Once you choose an effect, several variations of the effect are presented as thumbnails along the bottom of the screen. Some effects have sliders for adjusting the intensity or opacity of the effect.

At any time, you can look at the history of actions you have applied, and/or compare your changes to the original image. Multi-level undo and redo are also available. When you are happy with your image, the share button allows you to choose the export quality and save your edited image back to your iOS photo album, or share via email, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and more.

• Basic photo edit tools to rotate, crop, and mirror.

• Actions button reveals image effects divided into categories for Image, Color, Effect, and Filter.

• The Image category includes effects such as vintage, tint, light, texture, vignette, tilt-shift, motion blur, frame, etc.

• Color effects include gamma, exposure, temperature, hue, black & white, sepia, posterize, etc.

• Effect category includes pencil sketch, pointillize, halftone, kaleidoscope, mosaic, color fantasy, etc.

• Filter effects include sharpen, blur, noise reduction, edge, emboss, minimum, and maximum.

• Each effect selection presents a number of presets to the effects, and many effects have additional adjustments.

• Undo/redo are available, along with the full history of actions--and you can compare the original and edited images with the tap of a button.

• Quickly access your preferred effects by saving them under "Favorites."

• Tap the info button for image width, height, file size, and DPI.

• Share your edited photos to Facebook, Flickr, Tumbler, Twitter, Vkontakte.

• Export photos to other apps, device photo albums, email, or clipboard. Choose export quality in preset sizes or preserve original image size when exporting.

• Identical feature set between iPhone and iPad app.

• Works in either portrait or landscape orientation.

XnView Photo Fx is a free app, so there really is no reason not to take it for a spin. Chances are you will enjoy exploring it enough to keep it around; it's certainly one of the best free photo effects apps I've come across for iOS. In an app store flooded with photo effect apps, XnView Photo Fx is one that stands out as deserving of a spot on your home screen.

XnView Photo Fx Links:
• XnView Photo Fx in the iTunes App Store
• XnView Mobile Apps Site

_{Reviewed: XnView Photo Fx version 2.04}