App Review: Channie Film
It's my first paid app on Google Play!
This thing is not cheap since apps are usually made free at least when you're first installing, but I figured this would be a good investment since I've always wanted something like this. Well, I hope I don't make it into a habit though. Online spending can be very fatal for my wallet.
The app is called 'Channie Film' and it's actually a collaboration between Gudak and A.C.E's Chan. They released it during A.C.E's 3rd Anniversary which was on the 23rd of May 2020.
Gudak is an analog camera app and actually have a non-collaboration version of the app called 'Gudak Cam' so the one I bought is overall similar to it. The word 'gudak' is short for the Korean word 구닥다리 which means 'old fashioned' referring to the analog aspect of this digital application.
What makes this app so interesting is the concept of disposable camera that is embedded in it. It uses a similar "waiting" concept and a non-preview concept after each snap. Disposables are mainly used because of
1. The vibe of an analog picture
2. The fact you don't get to see the outcome immediately
To me, those are what makes disposable so cool in this day and age. Therefore, the fact that A.C.E had this collaboration just tempted me so much into purchasing it.
It is actually an individual collaboration so only one of the members - Chan, is featured in the app. I don't mind that much as I honestly love all of the members.
This app comes in 2 filters (also known as 'skin change') and you can also change things like the ISO settings, timestamp and flash on.
The features are limited just as how analog cameras are and I love how they made it that way. Another cool feature is that you have to wait once you've used up each roll of exposures. Exposures are basically each snap. One roll of film comes in 12 exposures. After you've finished a roll, you then have to wait for 12 minutes and 31 seconds before you can use it again.
Wait, but there's more.
You then have to wait for another 12 hours and 31 minutes for your pictures to be ready for development. But in the mean time, you can still finish up the roll that have been reloaded within the 12 minutes and 31 seconds mentioned.
This is where this collaboration version and normal one differs. The normal 'Gudak Cam' takes 3 days to be developed while this takes a big chunk out of that. The meaning behind the time of development is actually because of Channie's birth date. Chan was born on the 31st of December, thus the 12:31 meaning behind the time chosen.
Pro tip: You can also take a picture using the front camera (just by swiping the screen to the left/right).
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| Here's Chan with a cutout of the app. |
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| Actual app interface. |
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| Chan with the rear side of the cutout. |
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| The actual rear side - where you can see the settings mentioned along with the exposures left. |
Another unique feature (but can be annoying to some), is the sound effects. After each snap, a cute voice of Chan fills the air as he said things like "beu-i" (as in 'V' like the ✌), "chi-jeu" (Korean slang for 'say cheese') and "choi" (short for A.C.E's fandom name - CHOICE), on top of the loud camera snap. Don't worry you can silent your phone to mute it. There's also real sound effects when you change the filters and when you turn on the flash through the app - just like how physical analog cameras would sound like. Cool, right?
A little gift from Chan through this app is his unreleased pictures that we can find within each of our developed film rolls. Definitely would mean nothing if you aren't a huge fan of him, but it's nice to see bits of him here and there within the app.
Oh, I haven't mentioned about the price.
This app comes in a hefty RM21.99 or $4.99 for a one-off payment purchase. Honestly, considering the price of an actual disposable that I've bought for RM65 with only 27 exposures, this app is definitely a bigger win for me. Not only the exposures are pretty much unlimited (given I waited for a bit) and the outcome that gives off almost similar analog vibes, it is also a third of the price of a disposable. I didn't even have to bother getting it physically developed at a camera shop. Environmentally speaking, it also reduces single use plastics, which I am definitely guilty off when I bought the disposable.
In conclusion, I love what this app has to offer and I'm grateful I get to support my baby by purchasing it. Gonna enjoy taking pictures using this after I am able to go out and about again hehe.
Thanks for reading.
Dropping by,
Melynn.
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Your thoughts are much appreciated! TQ.