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Is This Photo-Sharing App Better Than Instagram?

Up your iPhone photography game.
500px interface screenshots courtesy of 500px

Are you over seeing photos of brunches and screenshots of inspirational quotes? Maybe it’s time to ditch Instagram. Online photography community 500px has released a new version of their iOS app, which is aimed at passionate/professional photographers rather than casual snappers. Described as “a new, fun and beautiful way to capture, edit, share and discover inspiring photos,” on surface (and interface) level it doesn’t seem too different to Instagram, but advanced features make it obvious that this app is for photography aficionados.

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The in-app camera features manual focus and exposure compensation, but more importantly, there’s a suite of Adobe editing tools on offer—all without having to leave the app. Unlike Instagram, photos aren’t restricted to squares, plus you’re able to zoom in on details. Camera nerds will rejoice at the ability to view photo specifics—aperture, shutter speed, camera used etc—as well as being able to see what filter’s been applied if an image has been edited with VSCO Cam. To keep quality high and remain true to 500px's mission of unearthing fresh photography talent, there’s a strong editorial approach; users vote on the best shots and guest editors curate their favourite images.

Considering that Instagram has around 300 million monthly users, it's unlikely that 500px will surpass it in terms of popularity, however it fills a gap in the market for those seeking a more technical app and community of likeminded photography fanatics.

The new 500px app is available for iPhone and iPad now, and is free to download in the App Store.

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