Momento Brings Depth Filters to Version 4.0

A GIF maker for your Live Photos, videos, and bursts, Momento makes it easy to turn your memories into bite-sized, customized animations. In version 4.0, Momento introduces a new way to take advantage of the iPhone’s dual camera system: depth mapped filters.

As you can see in the GIF above, Momento is layering a confetti effect behind the photo’s subjects, but in front of the background. This is done using iOS 11’s new Depth Map APIs, which enable developers to create custom layered effects and filters by utilizing the dual cameras and Portrait mode features found in the iPhone 7 Plus and upcoming iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X.

Momento uses the new API to enable the user to play with a variety of things, including brightness, contrast, and AR effects. That last one is most interesting, because it can completely change the complexion of your photo – if you’re taking a photo of someone in the middle of a snowy winter scene, you can add a snow effect to bring the environment to life. It’s worth noting though, that for now, Momento only works with depth photos that have faces, so you won’t be able to layer hearts behind your potted plant.

Momento’s implementation of the Depth Map APIs hint at the potential for even more ambitious editing in the future. In the current version, the app uses Instagram-like filters, altering the color and mood of the background while leaving the subjects untouched. But the more I play with these features, the more uses I can imagine like instant subject cutouts, background swaps, or even animated backgrounds.

For now, though, what Momento offers using the API is plenty. I found that being able to change the contrast and brightness of individual layers makes a huge difference for the mood of the shot and brought the scenes to life when exported as a GIF or Live Photo. Portait selfies should also work with Momento, so expect to create GIFs with the front-facing cameras in the iPhone X.

If you’re a Plus owner or plan to get an iPhone X, Momento’s filters are a must-see. When I get my iPhone X in a couple months, I’ll be eager to take and plug in my own portrait photos.