Help and Support
Get help with Stenope.
Find answers to common questions, capture tips, crop and export help, troubleshooting steps, and a contact form for anything that still feels stuck.
Common questions
What is the best first exposure to try?
Start with 5 seconds, Average mode, Normal speed, Balanced performance, and the Classic look. Once you understand the motion in the scene, try a longer custom duration, Additive, or Bright Trails.
Why is my photo blurry?
Stenope intentionally creates soft pinhole-style images. Lower the Blur control in the Adjust tab if you want a cleaner result.
How do I focus where I tap?
Tap the preview where you want Stenope to focus and expose. Double-tap the preview to return focus, exposure, and white balance to automatic.
Why does a moving screen or light create trails?
During an exposure, Stenope accumulates frames over time. Moving subjects, changing screens, and bright lights can smear or trail depending on the exposure mode.
Does the pinhole calculator change the photo?
Yes, but only when you apply it. Apply Look maps the calculator into Stenope blur, vignette, grain, contrast, and brightness. Apply Exposure switches to Custom exposure and sets the duration from the calculated f-number.
What is Bulb Lock?
Bulb Lock lets you keep the shutter open until you close it manually. It is useful when you want to watch the image build and decide the end point by eye.
When does the tripod reminder appear?
The tripod reminder appears for timed exposures longer than 5 seconds and for bulb-style captures, since those are difficult to hand-hold cleanly.
What do the Performance settings do?
Smooth updates the live result more lightly, Balanced is the general default, and Detail favors higher-detail capture when your device and scene can handle it.
How do I compare the edited photo with the original?
In review mode, press and hold the photo area to temporarily show the original/raw exposure.
How do I hide the controls while reviewing?
Use the close button on the controls panel to dismiss the edit controls and see more of the photo before you shoot, save, or continue editing.
How do I crop before saving?
Tap the eye/export preview button, drag the crop handles to choose the visible area, then tap Done. The cropped version is what you see when you return to review.
How do I share a saved photo?
After saving, Stenope shows a saved thumbnail banner. Tap that thumbnail to open the system share sheet for the saved image.
Why did Stenope ask for photo library permission?
Stenope needs add-only photo library permission to save your finished image when you tap Save Photo.
Does Stenope upload my photos?
No. Camera frames and imported photos are processed on device. Stenope does not upload photos to a server.
Quick tips
Use a steady phone
Long exposures reward stillness. Rest the phone on a surface or tripod for anything over 5 seconds.
Try Bright Trails at night
Bright Trails keeps the brightest pixels and works well for moving lights, screens, and reflections.
Edit one thing at a time
Use the Adjust tab to pick Blur, Grain, Vignette, Contrast, Brightness, or Saturation, then tune the single focused slider.
Crop with handles
Use the export preview to drag crop corners directly. There is no forced aspect slider, so the crop can match the image you want.
Use safe-light at night
Turn on red safe-light and keep-awake for darker scenes where a bright screen would get in the way.
Pick the right performance mode
Use Smooth for cooler, lighter captures, Balanced for most scenes, and Detail when you want the richest result.
Apply the calculator
Use Apply Look for simulated pinhole softness and falloff. Use Apply Exposure when you want the calculated f-number to drive a custom timed exposure.