A Boomerang alternative

Looping moving pictures, the way PHHHOTO did them first

Boomerang, Instagram's looping-video camera from 2015, plays a short clip forward and backward. PHHHOTOS - REVIVED makes the same kind of loop from photos instead: tap once, it shoots a burst of five frames and plays them back and forth as a moving picture. It is a remake of PHHHOTO, the app that made these loops in 2014, a year before Boomerang.

How it compares

• Made from photos, not video: five sharp frames give the stop-motion, flip-book look PHHHOTO was known for, rather than a smooth clip.
• Filters made for loops: about 30, some that move (VERTIGO, WARP, GLITCH, SWIRL), plus film looks and limited-time ones.
• RAW mode: frames straight from the sensor with no Apple processing.
• TXT captions baked into the loop, and tricks like ZZZOOM, LIGHTPAINT and TIMESPLIT.
• Its own feed: loops stay on your profile and on the web, instead of in stories that disappear.
• Save anywhere: export a GIF or MP4 and post it to Instagram, TikTok or a group chat.

What it isn't

It is not on the App Store: it is invite only and installs with SideStore. It is iPhone only, and it is an unofficial fan project, not made by PHHHOTO, Inc. or Meta.

Questions

What is a good alternative to Boomerang?

PHHHOTOS - REVIVED, a free iPhone app that makes one-tap looping moving pictures from a burst of photos, with filters, RAW mode, TXT captions and a feed of friends. It remakes PHHHOTO, which made these loops before Boomerang.

What's the difference between a PHHHOTO and a Boomerang?

A Boomerang is a short video played forward and backward. A PHHHOTO is a handful of still frames (five here) played back and forth, which looks more like a flip book or stop motion.

Can I post the loops to Instagram?

Yes. Save a loop as an MP4 or GIF and post it anywhere.

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