iPhoto's camera is one of the better available on a phone, but there are no controls: you can't adjust for backlighting or underexposure. You take what you get. And if shooting conditions are less than ideal, the results may not be what you want. Jade is the app I have been waiting for. There are a few other image editing apps already available for the iPhone. But I wanted one that's really simple and can quickly and accurately clean up some of the issues we face with iPhone cameras: underexposure, washed out colors, lackluster contrast, haze from the lens coating wearing off. This is it.
Jade automatically corrects for these and does a decent job. You open it and select a photo. Jade goes to work and makes the correction. It works better at this than iPhoto's Enhance button, which is more than I was hoping for in an iPhone app. The Filter slider position will vary based on what Jade has done. You can slide it more if you like. In very underexposed images, sliding right will lighten the image more. Press the Save button when done. You get a 640 x 480 emailable or Web-postable image.
The app has not had good reviews at the App Store. I think people don't get it. They're expecting PhotoShop, or even worse: they're expecting miracles. If you have worked with something as simple as iPhoto, you know that improving an image is a real art that typically requires time and finessing, yet often leaves you with only a better image, not a great one. I'm seeing Jade get sensible results without even touching the slider. To compare, just tap the screen to see the original. You may still get a lousy image, but then you may have still had a lousy image after PhotoShopping. Some images are just not fixable. I suggest you do a side by side comparison with your desktop image editing app. I think you'll find Jade holds it's own.
Jade is especially adept at lightening dark photos without blowing out highlights. When photos are a little washed out or hazy, Jade can add a nice snap. The advantage is that you can do all this with a photo you've just taken with your iPhone camera and email it without being near your computer. And Jade is no simple piece of software. It's available http://jade.datamind.biz/ for iPhoto and Aperture as well.
Negs? There seems to be some bizarre texture sometimes added in formerly underexposed areas. I hope this is addressed in an update soon.
App: Jade Fixes Photos
