Everything
mono+
can do.

Quick Start

Five steps from first launch to your first signature shot.

1. 01Swipe the filter strip at the bottom of the viewfinder. Tap any thumbnail to apply. Start with Tri-X for hard black and white, Portra for warmth and color.
2. 02Drag INTENSITY right for full effect, left to blend toward natural. B&W filters default to full intensity. Film and Vintage start at 50%.
3. 03Tap PRO — a full creative studio floats over your live camera. Six tiles. Tap any to enter. Start with LOOK to dial in tone and texture.
4. 04When your look is set, tap PRO again to collapse the panel. This locks the look and enters Shoot Mode — full-screen viewfinder, everything ready to fire.
5. 05Shoot. Every filter, grain, border, and overlay bakes permanently into the file. Not added later. The look is the image.

Capture Modes

Select your mode from the pill above the shutter: PHOTO, VIDEO, PROMPT, BOOTH, FUNHOUSE.

• PhotoSingle frame. Every filter, effect, border, and overlay bakes permanently into the file at full resolution.
• VideoTap to start, tap to stop. Every setting renders live. What you see is what records.
• PromptYour script scrolls over the screen. Your audience sees you. The front camera activates automatically. Record professional narration without memorising a line.
• BoothSequential photo capture. See below for full details.
• FunHouseCutout frame experience. See below for full details.

Shoot Mode

Shoot Mode is the deliberate separation between building your look and using it. When you collapse the PRO panel, mono+ enters Shoot Mode automatically.

What changes in Shoot Mode

• Filter stripCollapses to a slim amber bar showing the active filter name. Tap the bar at any time to return to Look Mode.
• PRO buttonReplaced by an amber lock icon. Tap it to exit Shoot Mode.
• ViewfinderFull screen, unobstructed. Tap anywhere to focus — the entire frame is a focus target.
• Render rateReduced between captures to conserve battery. The live camera feed and your active look remain fully visible at all times.

What does not change

Every capture control works identically in Shoot Mode: shutter, volume button, countdown, zoom, torch. Capture quality is identical to Look Mode. The look bakes at full fidelity on every shot.

Photo Booth

Sequential multi-frame capture in a single session. Select BOOTH from the mode pill. Configure in PRO → SETTINGS → PHOTO BOOTH before shooting.

Output formats

• StripFour frames captured in sequence and composited into a single 2×2 image — the classic photo booth strip. The active filter and border apply to the composite.
• BurstEach frame saves individually to your camera roll. Same look on every frame, sequential timing.

Configuration

• ShotsNumber of frames per session: 2, 3, or 4.
• DelayGap between frames after the first: 1s, 2s, or 3s.
• CountdownInitial countdown before the first frame: 3s, 5s, or 10s.
• FrameCustom booth frames received from the Companion appear here. Select one to composite over each capture in the strip.

FunHouse

A classic boardwalk cutout board on your iPhone. Hold up a custom frame with a transparent hole — an on-screen guide directs the subject to align with the opening. When aligned, shoot.

How it works

1. 01Design a FunHouse frame in the Companion — a PNG with a transparent cutout, hole position defined on the preview. Send to iPhone.
2. 02Select FUNHOUSE from the mode pill. Your frame appears over the live viewfinder on the rear camera.
3. 03Hold the phone up or hand it to your subject. An amber guide ring appears around the detected face with directional arrows: move left, move right, move up, move down.
4. 04When the face aligns with the hole, the ring turns green and HOLD STILL appears. Tap the shutter.
5. 05The frame composites permanently over the capture with your active filter applied.

Guide overlay

• Amber ringTracks the detected face in real time. Directional arrows show which way to move.
• Green ringFace is aligned with the hole. Ready to shoot.
• FIND THE HOLENo face detected in the frame. Move until the guide ring appears.

Teleprompter

Select PROMPT from the mode pill. The front camera activates. Your script scrolls over a live preview of yourself — your audience sees your face, you read your lines.

Setup

Tap the script area to open the setup sheet. Paste or type your full script — any length. Set scroll speed and font size. Tap Done.

Controls during recording

• SpeedAdjust scroll rate with the speed slider while recording. Fine-tune to your natural speaking pace.
• Font sizeSet before recording. Larger for distance viewing, smaller for more words on screen.
• PauseTap the screen to pause and resume scrolling without stopping the recording.

Resume sheet

When you stop recording mid-script, a resume sheet appears. Choose Continue from here to resume from your current position, or Start from Beginning to reset the scroll to the top.

Camera Controls

Focus and exposure

• Auto focusmono+ maintains continuous autofocus at all times. Every image is sharp without any user interaction required. Tap-to-focus is for selecting a specific focal point, not for achieving focus.
• Tap to focusTap anywhere on the viewfinder to move the focus and exposure point. An amber square appears briefly at the tap location. Focus returns to continuous autofocus automatically after a moment.
• AE/AF lockLong-press the viewfinder to lock both focus and exposure at that point. The indicator shows AE/AF LOCK. A haptic confirms. Tap elsewhere to release. Clears automatically on camera flip or mode change.
• Tilt-shift syncWhen tilt-shift is active, the in-focus band automatically follows your tap point. The sharp zone moves with your subject as you reframe.

Exposure compensation

A vertical slider appears on the right edge of the viewfinder after a tap-to-focus. Drag up to increase exposure, down to reduce. Auto-hides after 3 seconds of inactivity.

Zoom

Tap any zoom level in the left column: 0.5× / 1× / 2× / 3× (availability depends on device hardware). The full optical and digital zoom range is available via pinch-to-zoom. Active level highlighted amber. Tap the chevron to collapse the column.

Torch

The bolt icon activates continuous torch light. Rear camera only — hidden when the front camera is active. Disables automatically on camera flip and when recording stops.

Volume buttons

Either volume button triggers the shutter in Photo mode. Identical to the on-screen shutter — haptic and sound included. A brief suppression window on launch and after audio events prevents accidental captures.

Countdown timer

Tap the timer button in the shutter row to cycle: off → 3s → 5s → 10s → off. Tap the shutter to start the countdown. Tap anywhere to cancel before it fires.

Last capture

A thumbnail of your most recent capture appears in the shutter row. Tap it to jump directly to the Photos app.

Film Simulations

27 simulations across three categories. Swipe the strip to browse, tap to apply. INTENSITY blends the simulation against the natural image — 1.0 is full effect, 0.5 is half. B&W filters default to 1.0 on selection.

B&W — 10 filters

Each renders the tonal signature of a classic optical filter over black and white film.

Film Stocks — 10 simulations

Color response, contrast curves, grain character, and vignette — each built from the actual emulsion's known characteristics. Film Stock simulations also render a film rebate on captures: the stock name in amber alongside the frame number, on the left edge of the image.

Vintage — 7 processes

Analog and lo-fi formats built frame by frame from the process itself, not a color grade.

Precision Controls

Tap PRO to open the glass panel. Six category tiles float over your live camera. Tap any tile to enter. The back arrow returns to the grid. Every slider updates in real time — what you see is what you capture.

PRO — LOOK

Tone and texture layered on top of your active simulation.

• ShadowsLift or crush the shadow range. Positive opens them; negative drives toward black.
• MidtonesShift midrange luminosity without clipping highlights or crushing shadows.
• HighlightsRecover blown highlights with negative values; extend them with positive.
• ClarityMidtone-targeted local contrast. Adds bite without touching highlights or shadows.
• GrainAdditional texture layered on top of any grain your filter already carries. Additive.
• VignetteCorner darkening. Subtle at low values, dramatic at high.
• Tilt-ShiftSelective focus simulation. Enable the toggle first — Center, Width, and Blur controls appear. Center sets the vertical position of the sharp band. Width sets its height. Blur sets falloff. When tilt-shift is active, tapping to focus moves the sharp band to follow your subject automatically.

PRO — COLOR

Shadow and highlight toning, independently controlled. Works in color and B&W. From a whisper of selenium to a full cyanotype wash.

• Shadow HueColor direction in the shadow range. −1 to +1 across the full spectrum.
• Shadow StrHow strongly the shadow hue is applied. 0 is no color, 1 is fully toned.
• Highlight HueColor direction in the highlight range.
• Highlight StrHighlight tint intensity.

Print Tone

One tap sets shadow and highlight hue and strength together — each preset drawn from a classic darkroom process.

PRO — DECAY

The imperfections that make film feel real. Light leaks, halation, dust, scratches, gate weave. All default to zero. All rendered live.

Light

• LeakWarm or cool soft light bleeding in from a random frame edge.
• HalationRed-channel bloom from specular highlights. The glow of light off the film base — signature of CineStill and fast stocks.
• BurnIntense orange-white edge flare at the frame boundary.

Texture

• DustAnimated particle drift — dark and bright specks across the frame.
• ScratchAnimated vertical scratch lines with opacity flicker.
• GateWhole-frame horizontal jitter — film transport instability.

Color

• BleedChromatic aberration — red shifts right, blue shifts left. Hidden in B&W mode.
• FadePrint fade — red push, cyan loss, shadow lift toward brown. Hidden in B&W mode.

PRO — FRAME

Aspect ratio and border selection.

RATIO

• FullNative sensor — no crop.
• 1:1Square. Classic medium format framing.
• 16:9Widescreen.
• 2.39Anamorphic cinematic.

BORDER

• NoneClean, full-bleed.
• BlackSolid black frame.
• WhiteSolid white frame.
• HUDFilming-style heads-up display. Timecode, date, GPS, battery, and user ID burned into video recordings. Suppressed entirely on photo captures.
• PolaroidWhite frame, thick bottom. Forces 1:1 automatically.
• Polaroid AgedWarm cream tint. Also forces 1:1.
• CustomPNG borders received from the Companion. Transparency preserved. Scroll to see all installed.

PRO — OVERLAYS

Text, film data, and identification elements composited into every capture. Open in PRO → SETTINGS → gear icon. All toggles are mutually exclusive within each group.

Text on Frame

Only one text element can be active at a time.

• WatermarkYour text, semi-transparent, positioned in the lower right corner of the image content — on the photo itself, not in the border. On Polaroid borders it appears centered. Respects the image area regardless of which border is active.
• Text OverlayYour text in the border margin area. Color: White, Grey, or Black. Requires a border to be selected. Appears centered at the bottom of the border strip.

Film Data on Frame

Only one film data element can be active at a time.

• Exposure IDYour custom label alongside an auto-incrementing frame number. Renders on the left edge of the image, rotated 90 degrees, at a random vertical position. When GPS is enabled, moves to the bottom center of the frame instead. Renders on all captures — no border required.
• Film StockThe active film stock name rendered as a film rebate on the left edge of the image. Amber text, random vertical position, rotated 90 degrees. Only active when a Film Stock simulation is selected — not available with B&W or Vintage filters. Renders on all captures — no border required.

Location

• GPSGPS coordinates burned into the HUD during video recording. Also moves the Exposure ID element to the bottom center of the frame when both are active.

PRO — SETTINGS

Output configuration and reset controls. Access via the gear icon in the PRO panel.

Output

• Video QualityHigh or Maximum.
• Video FormatH.264 or HEVC. HEVC is the default — better quality at smaller file sizes.
• Photo FormatJPEG or HEIF.

Photo Booth

Strip or Burst output, number of shots, delay between frames, and initial countdown. Custom booth frames received from the Companion appear here.

Reset

• Reset CreativeZeros all sliders, turns off all toggles, and clears all text fields. Output format and filter selection are preserved. No confirmation required.
• Reset AllResets everything including filter selection, output format, and teleprompter configuration. Requires confirmation. Your installed borders and saved looks are never affected by either reset.

Saved Looks

Every combination of filter, intensity, PRO panel settings, borders, and overlays can be saved as a named Look. Access your library from the looks icon in the camera UI.

• SaveTap Save Look. Name it. Everything is captured: filter, intensity, all PRO sliders, active border, all overlay settings.
• ApplyTap any look in your library to apply it instantly. The live camera updates in real time.
• ShareExport any look as a .monopluspack file. Recipients import it directly into mono+ with one tap.

LookDNA™

Every image captured in mono+ carries its complete creative specification embedded invisibly. The recipe travels with the photograph.

When you share a mono+ image, everything that made it — the filter, the grain, the color tone, the decay, the borders — travels with it. Anyone with mono+ can extract the full Look from the image and apply it to their own work with a single tap.

Sharing and Import

Looks travel as .monopluspack files. These can be shared directly from the app, via the Mac or iPad Companion, or from the Gallery at monoplus.pro.

• Export a LookFrom your saved looks library, tap the share icon on any look. Choose Share Pack to send via AirDrop, Messages, email, or any standard iOS share sheet.
• Import a LookTap any .monopluspack file on your device or in a message. mono+ opens and installs the look, including any custom border the look was built with.
• GalleryBrowse and download looks created by the mono+ community at monoplus.pro/gallery. Each look installs with one tap.

Companion

The Mac and iPad Companion is a free desktop and tablet tool for building looks, designing custom borders, managing FunHouse frames, and sending everything to your iPhone via iCloud. What you build in the Companion arrives on your iPhone immediately.

Companion — Looks

Build and refine your complete look library on a large screen with the full slider set. Every control matches the iOS PRO panel exactly — filter, intensity, all six PRO tiles, overlays. A live preview renders the look on a sample image as you adjust.

Switch the sample image to any photo from your Mac to preview the look on your own content before sending.

Companion — Borders

Design and send custom PNG borders to your iPhone. Three border formats are supported.

• Single FrameA standard portrait border. The PNG overlays directly over every capture. Full transparency support — any shape, any aesthetic. Keep the center transparent to reveal the photo through the frame.
• Photo Booth StripA composite frame for Booth mode. Designed for four-frame strips — the border overlays the entire 2x2 composite output. Design the outer frame, the gutters, and any background.
• FunHouse FrameA cutout board frame with a defined hole position. See FunHouse Frames below.

Companion — FunHouse Frames

Design the cutout board frame as a PNG, then use the Companion to define exactly where the hole is.

1. 01Design your frame PNG. The transparent area is the hole where the subject's face will appear. Make it distinctive — a character, a scene, an oval portrait cutout.
2. 02In the Companion Borders tab, select FunHouse Frame from the format buttons.
3. 03Upload your PNG. It appears in the preview panel.
4. 04Drag the orange circle on the preview to the center of the hole opening. Use the Hole Size slider to match the circle to the opening.
5. 05Click Send to iPhone. The frame arrives on your device via iCloud and appears in FunHouse mode immediately.

Companion — Script

Write or paste your teleprompter script in the Companion and send it to iPhone in one click. Longer scripts are easier to edit on a full keyboard. The complete script transfers via iCloud and is immediately available in Prompt mode.

Companion — Send to iPhone

Every item in the Companion — looks, borders, FunHouse frames, scripts — sends to your iPhone via iCloud with a single click. No USB connection, no AirDrop pairing. The item arrives and installs automatically within seconds.

iPad Companion

The full Companion experience on iPad. Every feature is identical to the Mac Companion — looks, borders, FunHouse frames, scripts, and Send to iPhone. Optimised for the iPad screen with touch interaction throughout.

Requirements

• iOS appiPhone with iOS 16.0 or later. Portrait orientation. iPhone 12 or later recommended for best filter performance.
• Mac CompanionmacOS 14 (Sonoma) or later.
• iPad CompanioniPadOS 16.0 or later.
• iCloud synciCloud Drive must be enabled for Companion send to work. The same Apple ID must be signed in on both Mac/iPad and iPhone.
• PermissionsCamera access is required. Photo library access is requested the first time a capture is saved and when the thumbnail feature loads your last photo. Location access is optional — only used for GPS overlay in the HUD.

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