The definition of average
If you are a phone-photography lover, then finding interesting ways to show off your handy work can be a persistent problem. Slideshow makers are an easy fix but, with hundreds of alternatives on the market, which is the best for you?
The answer is, I don't really know, but I am pretty sure that it isn't Photo Slideshow Maker. Which is not to say it’s bad, simply that it is lacking in any real features to distinguish it.
All the bells...
Starting to create in Photo Slideshow Maker allows you to pick a folder and any images from it in order to make your show. It is a simple process, made even easier thanks to its visual touch interface. Unfortunately if you select any images incorrectly you can't remove them at this stage - eventually you can, but if you don’t realize this then you can waste time looking for an option that doesn’t exist.
After you have confirmed you have all the desired images, you are able to tweak your selection. Moving to a larger timeline, you are can delete, reorder, and add new images. One of four visual effects can be applied each individuation frame and any pictures that are in the wrong orientation can be rotated 90 degrees to ensure everything is the right way up.
The few other editing options on offer are also clearly presented. A slider sets how long you want each image on screen for before transitioning to the next (there are four transitions on offer). It is also possible to add an audio track, but you can’t make any changes to this, so any music will just loop under the slideshow.
Once you are done you can preview your handy work, and make any further changes before saving and sharing.
... none of the whistles.
That all sounds good right? Except - if you are reading carefully - you will see that at each stage it is like the developer has stopped just short of a competitive feature set.
With no real audio options, you feel like your selected music never really fits your images. And it isn’t that I expect a full audio editing suite here, I just want to be able to fade in and fade out so the music starts and ends with the slideshow.
There are also only four visual filters for each picture, which feels laughably limited. This isn’t helped by the fact you can only apply one transition across your whole timeline – making it feel oddly predictable after ten slides. Then there is the inability to mirror images or apply minor edits in app (such as zoom and crop) - again preventing you from being able to create a single, cohesive show without using external apps.
Finally, there are the intrusive, hard to clear adverts that pop-up between most tasks slowing the whole process.
Forgettable
Photo Slideshow Maker is fine. It’s not good but, even with the adverts, it isn’t bad - if only because it lets you create its limited videos with ease thanks to its self-explanatory interface. Look a little further, however, and you will probably find something better suited to your needs.
