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<td><a href="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Swankolab.png"><img title="SwankoLab" src="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Swankolab.png" width="472" height="344" alt="SwankoLab"></a></td>
<td><img title="SwankoLab" src="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Swankolab-Logo.png" alt="SwankoLab App Logo" />

SwankoLab, brought to you by the same folks who created Hipstamatic, takes us back into the era of pre-digital photography. Develop your photos in a virtual darkroom by "mixing" chemicals and creating your own developer recipes. It's fun and functional at the same time...doesn't get better than that! Or does it? 

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Let's get to the gist of it in the tabs below.

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[tabhead id="1"] Overview [/tabhead] [tabhead id="2"] Cheers [/tabhead] [tabhead id="3"] Jeers [/tabhead] [tabhead id="4"] Who is it for? [/tabhead] [tabhead_last id="5"] The Verdict [/tabhead_last] [tab id="1"] [list style="orb" color="grey"]
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<li>Developed by Synthetic Infatuation (also known for Hipstamatic)</li>
<li>Eight photo-altering "chemicals" come free with the app</li>
<li>Purchase other chemicals at Uncle Stu’s Photo Emporium (in-app)</li>
<li>Create and save your own formulas</li>
<li>Retina display support</li>
<li>Share photos via email and Facebook</li>




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[/list] [/tab] [tab id="2"] [list style="orb" color="grey"]
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<li>Stylish interface</li>
<li>Good set of preloaded formulas</li>
<li>Formulas can be saved for future reuse</li>
<li>Nicely processed images</li>
<li>Brings the experience of developing photos in a darkroom</li>







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[/list] [/tab] [tab id="3"] [list style="orb" color="grey"]
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<li>Mixing chemicals may turn off the impatient users</li>
<li>User has to wait  for seconds while the app is processing the photo</li>
<li>No way to fine-tune or preview the final result</li>


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[/list] [/tab] [tab id="4"]
 Beginner iPhone Photographers
 Advanced iPhone Photographers
<strong>√  Anyone</strong>

SwankoLab is a great app for beginners - or anyone who has the time (and patience) to experiment with different effects in a virtual darkroom setting. 

[/tab] [tab id="5"]A virtual darkroom on your pocket, SwankoLab provides a unique and fun way of developing (editing) your photos. The game-like element is great, but it's worth mentioning that the novelty factor may wear off given a few frustrating limitations. Also it's worth mentioning you'll need a fairly hefty dose of patience if you want to use this app for any length of time.[/tab] [/tabswrap]

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<h4>The Beginners Lens Verdict</h4>

SwankoLab is a harkening to the old-school days where photographers spent many a long hour developing their photos in a darkroom...the app is a virtual darkroom on your iPhone. SwankoLab lets you “develop” your photos by selecting from the preloaded formulas or by creating your own mix of virtual chemicals to create unique filters and effects.

SwankoLab uses the photos you've already taken with the native camera app (or other shooting apps). You begin your darkroom session by choosing a photo from the camera roll or another album, and then mixing up a batch of "chemicals". You've got control over how much or how little of the chemical you add to your developing tray, and you also have the ability to layer chemicals to achieve whatever look you're going for. When you create a mix you like, just save the formula to the formula book so you can use it again in the future. 

SwankoLab also has a set of pre-loaded formulas to use, and if you want to add a few more chemicals to your collection you can shop through the in-app chemical store "Uncle Stu’s Photo Emporium". What's great about Uncle Stu's Photo Emporium is the option to sign up for a lifetime of updates...for just a couple of bucks you can get all of the chemicals plus you'll receive new chemicals as they are released...definitely a more economical way to get a full shelf of chemicals. 

Targeted towards the adventurous and creative iPhoneographer, SwankoLab is definitely unique. As far as a creative, interactive, game-like interface goes it smashes the competition every time. It certainly gets a gold star for novelty factor. More importantly though, the app produces really great photos, with high-quality effects on par with that of it's sister app Hipstamatic. If you're looking for an app that produces Hipstamatic-type effects without having to shoot in Hipstamatic, SwankoLab is for you. 

Now, there are a few limitations here which you should be aware of before you buy. Because the app tries to mimic a true darkroom, the process of developing photos is certainly more tedious than other photo-editing apps. It is definitely a matter of trial-and-error as you process chemical formulas. You will need to invest quite a bit of time before you figure out what combinations you like the best. As if you were in a real darkroom, there is no way for you to preview or fine-tune the photo. If you get it wrong, it's a matter of trashing it and starting over again. 

It also takes (quite a long) time for the app to “develop” the photo. If you're looking for a quick-fix edit, you will need to go elsewhere. Just keep reminding yourself "Good things come to those who wait..." Our last little grips is the lack of sharing platforms, at present you can only share SwankoLab photos through Facebook; we would love to see at least Flickr and Twitter in the next update. 

So with all that said, SwankoLab is a swanky (pun intended) app that produces high-quality effects, if you've got the time to play. Beware of the limitations before you buy. The nostalgic experience is fun and quirky, but it may get old after awhile...

<h4>The Beginners Lens Flash Rating:</h4>

<img title="3.5 Flash Rating for SwankoLab App" src="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/3.5flash.png" alt="We give SwankoLab App 3.5 Flashes" />
<a title="The Beginners Lens Flash Rating System" href="http://thebeginnerslens.com/about#rating">Learn more about our rating system.</a>

&nbsp;
<strong>Review Digest</strong>

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<td style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;"><strong>APP REVIEW WEBSITE</strong></td>
<td style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;"><strong>WHAT THEY HAVE TO  SAY</strong></td>
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<td style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;"><strong><a href="http://appmodo.com/17681/swankolab-review-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch/">AppModo</a></strong></td>
<td style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;">“SwankoLab comes highly recommended to photography fans everywhere. Not only is it a fun application to use, it also produces amazing results.”</td>
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<td style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;"><strong><a href="http://www.148apps.com/reviews/swankolab-review/" rel="shadowbox;width=1000;height=640">148Apps</a></strong></td>
<td style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;">“A gorgeous virtual darkroom in your pocket from the guys behind Hipstamatic. Could there be anything wrong with this picture?”</td>
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<td style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;"><strong><a href="http://www.macworld.com/appguide/app.html?id=496664&expand=false" rel="shadowbox;width=1000;height=640">MacWorld</a></strong></td>
<td style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;">“SwankoLab is not just about having fun mixing chemicals and getting your darkroom fix vicariously through Uncle Stu, however. The results produced by the app can be stunning.”</td>
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