# Black Lens — Auto Selfie Camera > Automated, eyes-free selfie camera with haptic feedback and voice control. (iPhone/iPad app by Steven Johnson.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-lens/id6754779190 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Steven Johnson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1849992806) - Category: Photo & Video, Utilities - Price: $1.99 - Rating: 5.00/5 from 5 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 26.0 · 1 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2025-11-19 - Data updated: 2026-08-26 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-lens/id6754779190/reviews.md ## What is Black Lens? lackLens is an accessible camera app built for blind, low-vision, and fully sighted people who want better selfies without needing to see the screen. Designed by legally blind founder Steve Johnson, BlackLens uses face detection, spoken feedback, haptics, high-contrast visuals, and automatic capture to help you frame photos confidently — whether you are using VoiceOver, shooting outdoors in bright sunlight, wearing sunglasses, doing sport, or taking a higher-quality selfie with the rear camera. ◆ AutoCapture BlackLens can automatically take a photo when faces are detected, framed, and steady. No tiny shutter button. No guessing. Just hold the camera and let the app guide the shot. ◆ Headcount Taking a group photo? Turn on Headcount, choose how many faces you expect, and BlackLens helps make sure everyone is in frame before capture. ◆ Missile Lock When AutoCapture is off, Missile Lock gives you an audio lock-on cue. A tracking tone helps you frame the shot, then a lock tone tells you when you are ready to tap or press volume to capture. ◆ Haptic Framing Feel what the camera sees. • Gentle vibration means a face is near the edge • Stronger feedback means someone may be cut off • No vibration means the framing is improving This makes it easier to angle the phone without needing to inspect the screen. ◆ Mask Mode Mask Mode turns the screen into a bold, high-contrast framing surface. It is useful for low vision, bright sunlight, rear-camera selfies, and situations where the display is hard to see. Faces appear as clear visual targets: • Green means face detected • Red means locked and ready ◆ VoiceOver-Friendly Controls When VoiceOver is active, BlackLens provides dedicated accessible controls for key actions like switching cameras and toggling Mask Mode. Headcount can be adjusted with a simple VoiceOver swipe up or down. ◆ Simple Gestures • Tap anywhere to capture manually • Swipe up or down to switch cameras • Swipe left or right to toggle Mask Mode • Press a volume button to capture ◆ Better Rear-Camera Selfies Use the higher-quality rear camera with confidence. BlackLens gives spoken, haptic, and visual feedback so you can frame yourself even when you cannot see the display. ◆ Private and Simple No accounts. No subscriptions. No tracking. Just a focused camera tool designed to help more people take better photos. ## Key features - Automated photo capture - Haptic feedback for framing - Eyes-free operation - Mask Mode for glare reduction - Full voice control - Optimized rear-camera selfies ## Chart rankings - #190 in Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store) ## Recent user reviews (6 of 6) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-lens/id6754779190/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Excellent app absolutely worth the purchase price *2026-06-20* This is an excellent app and allows a blind person to take a selfie independently and it looks excellent ### 5/5 — Revolutionizing selfie taking! *2026-03-15* This app is such a game changer. I am visually impaired and getting my face framed and seeing the screen outside has always been so tricky that I have actually stopped taking photos while outside. Been playing around with this since downloading and it is so simple and easy to use, yet has everything you need to take a successful selfie. Excited to use it more, and see the evolution of this app over time. 100% worth it, whether VI or not! ### 5/5 — Great Selfie App! *2025-12-02* So easy to use. Takes a great selfie everytime. I love the feedback and hands free features. **Developer response:** Thank you so much for the review I am very pleased you find it so easy to use as this was the number one reason for building such a stripped back camera app - thank you for taking time to post a review! ### 5/5 — Works flawlessly!!! *2025-11-28* I’m visually impaired and if it’s sunny outside I can at times barely see my screen. It is a struggle for a lot of us low vision people. So having an app like this that automatically finds your face and snaps the selfie is so amazing! Works perfectly!!! I think this app could be useful for anybody regardless of vision issues. **Developer response:** THANK YOU SO MUCH I am a solo developer and this means a lot in my first month, thank you for taking the time to post a review ### 5/5 — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Game Changing Camera App - Perfect for Selfies Anywhere!! *2025-11-28* Black Lens is honestly one of the best camera apps I’ve ever used. It lets you take selfies with either the front or the back camera, and the face-detection is unbelievably accurate. What really makes it stand out is how it helps you hold the phone in the perfect position without needing to see the screen. Whether it’s too sunny, too dark, or you’re trying to get a natural shot without staring at the display, Black Lens guides you into place and captures the photo flawlessly. The framing is spot on, and the photos come out crystal clear every time. I didn’t expect to love this app as much as I do, but now I genuinely use it more than my built-in camera. It makes taking proper selfies so much easier and more natural. If you want better photos without the hassle, Black Lens is an absolute must-have. Highly recommended! 📸✨ **Developer response:** WOW Thank you so much - I worked very hard to make it easy especially when using the rear camera eyes free - Thank you for such a kind review and taking time to post it!! ### 5/5 — Excellent apps *2025-11-28* Brilliant app and easy to use. Really has been thought through well and makes taking pictures in bright conditions easy. Works well for everyone would recommend to great work. **Developer response:** THANK YOU - I am so pleased you find it so easy to use this was my primary objective and the reason for creating this type of camera. ## Frequently asked questions about Black Lens ### What is Black Lens? Black Lens is a fully automated selfie camera app designed for an eyes-free experience. It uses face tracking, haptic feedback, and spoken cues to help users capture perfect selfies. ### How does Black Lens help with framing selfies? Black Lens provides haptic feedback to guide framing. Gentle vibrations indicate a face is near the boundary, while stronger vibrations mean someone is cut off. No vibration signifies all faces are perfectly centered. ### Can Black Lens be used in bright sunlight? Yes, Black Lens features a 'Mask Mode' that turns the display black to reduce glare, heat, and battery usage. Faces are shown as high-contrast targets, making it ideal for bright outdoor conditions. ### Does Black Lens support voice commands? Yes, Black Lens offers full voice control. Users can open the app and initiate actions using voice commands, allowing for a completely hands-free and eyes-free operation. ### What is the price of Black Lens? Black Lens is a one-time purchase priced at $1.99. There are no subscriptions or hidden fees. ### Is Black Lens suitable for users with low vision? Yes, Black Lens was designed by a legally blind founder and is optimized for low-vision users. It features a high-contrast interface, spoken commands, and compatibility with VoiceOver gestures. ### Does Black Lens have ads? No, Black Lens does not contain advertisements. The app is a one-time purchase with no ads or in-app purchases. ### What devices is Black Lens available on? Black Lens is currently supported on iPhone devices. ## Version history (last 4 releases) ### 3.0 — 2026-06-02 Version 3.0 adds Headcount for group photos, improved VoiceOver navigation, better burst-mode announcements, refined Mask Mode guidance, Missile Lock promotion, and silent camera-quality improvements for sharper face capture. ### 2.1 — 2026-04-25 Version 2.1 improves the customise options, allows user to turn off Auto-capture, improved accessibility of the settings and custom options. ### 2.0 — 2026-02-19 Version 2.0 introduces new accessibility features, customization options, and camera improvements. New in this version: • Burst Mode — capture multiple photos when AutoCapture triggers • Automatic Mask Mode — enables or disables mask mode based on lighting conditions • Haptic 3-2-1 countdown to complement the verbal countdown, designed for loud environments and users who are hard of hearing • New Settings panel for configuring core app features • Adjustable AutoCapture sensitivity and trigger tolerance • Stability tolerance control for AutoCapture • Face detection and focus improvements • UI refinements and performance improvements You can now customize AutoCapture, Mask Mode, and Burst Mode to suit different environments and shooting styles. ### 1.0 — 2025-11-19 No release notes. ## Apps similar to Black Lens | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [FoCal Mobile](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focal-mobile/id1644899552) | 3.8 (17) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Morphr - Audio Video Converter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/morphr-audio-video-converter/id1627929759) | 3.3 (3) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Oka - AI Selfie Camera app](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/oka-ai-selfie-camera-app/id1556012005) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Photo & Video | | [CaptureMe](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/captureme/id1277036775) | 3.2 (5) | Free | Photo & Video | | [GeoGrid - Better Pattern maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/geogrid-better-pattern-maker/id1662729378) | 3.9 (15) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Pixelate - AI Photo Enhancer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelate-ai-photo-enhancer/id6479973172) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Photo & Video | ## More apps by Steven Johnson - [Green Lens Virtual Background](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/green-lens-virtual-background/id6757193028) - [Talking compass](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/talking-compass/id6760539664) All apps by Steven Johnson: https://appshunter.io/developer/1849992806 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*