First Look: Boinx PhotoBox app for iPad

The guys at Boinx Software have done it again, this time with a product for the iPad. PhotoBox, a free app, is the first iPad app for the company, which is primarily known for its Boinx TV and FotoMagico applications for Mac OS X and the You Gotta See This iPhone photo collage app.

What's PhotoBox all about? The idea is that it's an on-site photographer's assistant, allowing you to analyze photos that have been moved to the iPad through the Camera Connection Kit or a wireless connection. The analysis can consist of checking the exposure of a photo against defined limits, allowing digital photographers to make sure that parts of a picture aren't over- or under-exposed. It's also useful for checking out the focus on an image, and can even do video-out to a projector for a much larger view of the image.

Boinx is soliciting feedback as well as ideas for what the app should contain in the future. Boinx wants to turn PhotoBox into a much more complete photographer's tool and then charge for it in the App Store.

As-is, the app has limited functionality. You can add photos to the app's browser from the Photo Library, and then view them in full-screen and 1:1 modes to check overall composition and focus. With the exposure mask tools, underexposed portions of a photo are highlighted in blue, while overexposed bits show up in red. While that's useful for checking exposure in the field, it's not enough to make this an app you'd want to buy.

If you're a professional digital photographer or dedicated amateur, download a copy of PhotoBox and give it a try, and then tell Boinx what you'd like to have added to the app. Several screen shots are available in the gallery below.