Excellent UX, noticeably better-looking photos!
As other reviewers noted, the quality of the film simulations is next-level—far superior to any currently available app. Based on the rate of new releases, the thoughtful responses to reviews here, and the quality of the product, it's obvious that the team behind this app is in it for the right reasons. Subscribed!
Laggy & Bad Pricing
I’m on an iPhone 15 Pro Max and it doesn’t run well at all. Counter productive for taking photos.
Response from developer
We did our best to price Pearla fairly and affordably. Considering the costs of running and maintaining Pearla, a one-off purchase isn't a sustainable model or an option we plan to offer. We are unaware of any usability issues regarding the UI. We've had a few reports from a handful of users regarding usability, and in 100% of reports, it was down to user error. That said, we encourage users who experience unexpected results to contact us at support@houseofmars.io. It is the most efficient way to report your concerns to us, and we typically respond to emails within hours. It also allows us to follow up with questions to help us identify less intuitive aspects of our UX and potential edge cases where bugs must be fixed. We hope to see you back in the future.
Fantastic Vintage Inspired Camera App
I have one question and two suggestions please:
Q. Is it possible to change the image size, as it appears to be fixed at 48MP?
S1. While I like the current interface, I would like to see either a black option and/or a black option with silver accents, which would be more in line with the retro style of these cameras.
S2. A link to the Camera Roll would be helpful so you don’t have to exit the app and open the Photos app each time you want to check the image you’ve just taken. This would be handy when you are taking a photo you want to ensure has focused and/or exposed correctly, when travelling for example, when you may not have a second chance to re-take an image if it has not captured as expected.
Otherwise, I love the app and especially the film simulations. They are the main reason I subscribed to this app. It would be great to pull these in line with the X100V / X100VI if possible in future.
Great job all round though.
Surprisingly innovative professional features!
The app's ability to match stills taken with my iPhone 15 Pro to Sony's professional line of cinema cameras is very impressive! It would be great if they extend this functionality to video with the same built-in 'colour space transform' process from Apple-log to s-log3.
Tinkering with the "Recipe Editor" allows you to recreate Fuji recipes easily if you understand the underlying processes in Fuji's recipe settings.
The best features of all mirrorless cameras are in one app!
Presets look nothing like the image you take
Once you click the shutter and view the image in your photo album, the photo has a completely different look to what you have just taken. You have no idea what your photo will look like until you view it in your photo album.
For example I am seeing a super vibrant orange/teal image on the app but once I take the shot and view it in my album, it is a super faded and dark desaturated picture.
Response from developer
Dear Raeeskola, Thank you for trying Pearla and for your kind words. Earlier this week, we identified an issue that causes some users to get unexpected results compared to the preview feed. Although we test Pearla extensively, as more people start using it, we inevitably uncover such edge cases. It is always best to contact us at support@houseofmars.io if you notice a technical fault. We typically respond within hours, and if we can get more information about the issue, we often release a fix within 48 hours. App store reviews take roughly two days to publish, and we are not notified when they do. As for the issue you described, we will have a fix available to download in (version 1.2.4) within the next couple of days. Don't hesitate to contact us if you'd like to extend your trial to try the latest update.
Unstable junk
You can get more out of the built in camera or any number of free and paid apps that don’t require a subscription at all. Save your money.
Response from developer
Dear Unhappy Monkey, We test Pearla extensively on devices ranging from the iPhone XS (the oldest iPhone supported by iOS 17) to the iPhone 15 Pro (the most powerful iPhone currently available). I can confirm that Pearla is stable on all supported devices. That said, as more people start using Pearla, we inevitably uncover "edge cases" that might result in sub-optimal performance. The most efficient way to help us identify and resolve such cases is to contact us at support@houseofmars.io. We typically respond within hours. Pearla is not "junk". It's the product of much hard work by people passionate about photography. It indeed offers features you will not find on any other app (free or paid). You are correct that the paywall does not appear until you try to take a photo. We did that to allow new users to explore the interface and all available features and decide if Pearla is right for them. At that point, new users can activate a 3-day trial to assess the quality of the photos before paying. Find happiness, dear monkey.
Glitchy waste of money
Response from developer
Dear Kiell, The subscription page appears when you don't have an active subscription or trial. On the subscription page, you can activate the three-day trial with an annual subscription or purchase a monthly subscription. This behaviour is typical in the app store and relates to limitations imposed on app publishers. We test Pearla extensively on devices ranging from the iPhone XS (the oldest iPhone supported by iOS 17) to the iPhone 15 Pro (the most powerful iPhone currently available). We can confirm that the latest version of Pearla is stable on iPhone 11 devices (with some limitations due to the age of the device in mid-2024). If you experience technical difficulties with Pearla, the most efficient way to resolve them is to contact us at support@houseofmars.io. We typically respond to support requests within hours. App store reviews take roughly 48 hours to publish, and we aren't notified when they do.
Absolute must have
Response from developer
Dear Gangsterlover, We indeed have many exciting features planned for Pearla, and we can't wait to share them! Thank you for the kind words!
Not there yet
1. The dials to adjust shutter speed, iso etc are awful. You move your finger one way and the dial goes in the opposite direction. Incredibly frustrating.
2. To change the focal length you have to go into the settings, too much hassle when you’re trying to get a quick photo. I would like the option to move iso to the settings and have focal length on the main screen (with a useable dial of course).
Response from developer
Thank you for the kind words, and I'm sorry you experienced some difficulties with Pearla. Regarding the dials, we have received similar feedback from a few users. In all cases, we identified that the behaviour you described happened when the dials were not used as intended. The dials work when you tap and hold a dial and then move your finger left or right (like dials on camera devices). However, if you try to rotate your finger (like in old dial phones), they will not work as expected. That said, we value your feedback and will assess the intuitiveness of this aspect of our user experience. There's a tappable lens icon at the top of the viewfinder. If you tap on it, a bottom sheet allows you to select a different focal length. You don't have to go to the settings page to change it. In addition, one of Pearla's unique features is that the buttons are all customisable. Most settings are assignable to custom buttons, and we regularly add new ones. We hope that addresses all your concerns with Pearla. If you have any more feedback for us, it's always best to contact us at support@houseofmars.io. We respond to support emails within hours, but we are only notified of reviews 48 hours after they are posted, and it takes another 48 hours for our responses to appear on the app store,
