5 more camera apps to get perfect retro pics

What makes a photo look vintage? Retro colours, flickering, light leaks, dust and scratches can all be added to your photos in Fimo to instantly age them with a single tap. The app comes with seven presets that replicate the look of old-school camera film – our favourites include the Business 400 and Pan 100. You can make a one-off purchase of individual presets as well, for HK$8-HK$15. 

The app has a fun interface design which allows you to look at your photos as if they were part of a real film roll. The camera also has a zoom function, which means you can use the wide angle lens or telephoto lens on your smartphones, which is rare in vintage camera apps. Good news for Android users: the app is available on both iOS and Google Play. 

There are many apps that mimic the look of VHS recorders, which were first developed in the 1970s. This particular VHS cam app comes with six effects, and features the signature VHS date and time display at the bottom left corner, as well as the “play” signal on the top left corner. Users can both record videos and take photos with the app, but be prepared to be interrupted by adverts which frequently pop up in the free version. You can, of course, get an upgrade, but the annual subscription fee is HK$158. Perhaps you should first take advantage of the seven-day free trial to decide if it is worth your money. 

This app is for iOS users only, but there are alternatives in the Google Play app store, such as VHS Camcorder Lite.

This is a photo-editing app that offers multiple retro film filters that can add a vintage vibe to your modern photos. RNI Films has five film packs: negative, slide, instant, BW and vintage. The app offers a few filters from each pack for users to use for free. Most of the films replicate the effects of Agfacolor film, which is a series of colour film products. To have an even wider range of choices, you can buy film packs individually for HK$28. The app is currently only available on the Apple App Store. 

A photo of a man delivering gas in Hong Kong, edited with the RNI Films app using preset 'Fuji Instax'.

Like many other film camera apps available, the design of KD Pro mimics the set up of disposable cameras from the 90s. The app comes with four filter themes: Kudak, Kuji, Kuji Light, and Black & White. It also adds random light leaks to your photos. If you’re not a fan of this effect, simply go to the settings to turn off the function. You also get to decide what the date stamp looks like, but you can’t alter the date the photo was taken. 

The free version has limited functions, but you can upgrade to the premium one for just HK$8, which allows you to import photos, redevelop them, and customise the colour of the camera’s interface. Most importantly, there will be no adverts to distract you from producing your vintage photographs. The app is available for both iOS and Android. 

The developers of Dazz describe the app as a “pocket photographer”, which we think is a pretty accurate way to explain it. The app allows users to experiment with both film photography and videography, offering more than 10 analogue cameras for you to try out. These cameras can be used in combination with several accessories, such as an ND filter, prism and timestamp, for creating more unique retro photos. 

Taken with Dazz Cam's D Exp camera.
The app also launches new cameras from time to time; the latest is a three-dimensional one called D3D. It captures a photo from three different angles with its three lenses which, when combined, give the photo a 3D effect, and make the subject look as if it’s moving. The Retro 3D camera can produce the same effect, but why shell out HK$780 when you can get the app for free? The catch, however, is the camera on the app only works on devices that support the iPhone Portrait mode. This also means the app is exclusive to iOS users.