FX Photo Studio HD for iPad adds more filters and printing

FX Photo Studio HD, was already a comprehensive collection of photo filters for the iPad. Version 3.0, priced at US$2.99 for a limited time, adds 53 new effects, bringing the total number of filters to 181. Effects can be combined and modified, and changes can be saved. If you have compatible printers, you can print directly from the app and share photos via email, Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler or Flickr. An innovative feature is the ability to share your creations with friends who are also running the app.

FX Photo Studio HD can save your photos in the photo album on your iPad, copy images to the clipboard, or even save to a document folder so that you can move the images to your computer or other iOS device.

There are filters for just about any mood. Images can be blurred, turned into black and white or sepia. Textures can be added, and even lightning bolts can be generated. You can simulate tilt-shift lenses, to make parts of your photos look like miniatures.

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I found the app easy to use, and it was stable. There are a few tools, like crop, rotate and re-size, but no tool for sharpening, which is a shame. You can create simple frames for your photos, but the options and styles are limited. You can purchase more frames and other effects in app. If you buy them all it would total $5, which is more than the app itself. I don't like in-app purchases that make the app fully functional. I'd rather pay a little more and get everything, but in-app purchases are all the rage.

Like most photo filter programs for desktop computers, phones or tablets, you won't use most of the filters that are included, but if the app has filters you like, it's worth the money. It is fun to experiment, and combine filters to create something new. No filter can make a bad photo good, but it might make them more interesting. FX Photo Studio HD is worth a look if you like to experiment with your images, and it would be nice in combination with the iPad Camera Connection Kit, especially if you are traveling. One caveat: FX Photo Studio won't import raw image formats, but the developer says that feature will be in the next update, due in March.

I've placed some of my images in the gallery to show a few of the many effects available. They are scaled down to half size.