Snapchat lenses and filters are features on the popular social media app Snapchat that allow users to augment and edit their Snaps in fun and creative ways. But what exactly is the difference between a Snapchat lens and a filter? Let’s break it down.
Snapchat Lenses
Snapchat lenses are playful, augmented reality effects and animations that you can overlay onto your face or the world around you. Lenses use advanced technology like face mapping and facial recognition to track motions and facial expressions, allowing the animations to move and respond in real-time as you move your face and body.
Some examples of popular Snapchat lenses include:
- Fun filters like dog or cat faces that animate according to your facial expressions
- Wacky effects like filling your mouth with flashing rainbow colors
- Beautifying lenses that smooth skin or enhance eyes and lips
- Lenses with 3D objects like flowers or butterflies that can interact with or stick to parts of your face
- World lenses that overlay animations onto your surroundings using augmented reality
Lenses can make use of your phone’s front or rear-facing cameras. You access lenses by tapping the camera icon in the Snapchat app and then swiping left or right to browse the available lenses.
Key Features of Snapchat Lenses
- Augmented reality effects overlayed onto faces or surroundings
- Facial tracking and expression detection
- Animations and interactions responding in real-time
- Fun, goofy, beautifying, and stylizing options
- Constantly updated library of new lenses
Snapchat Filters
Snapchat filters are static image overlays and enhancements that you can add to your Snaps. Filters apply color tints, stylizations, or fun captions and stickers to your photos and videos.
Some examples of Snapchat filter types include:
- Color filters like black and white or faded retro looks
- Overlay filters with the time, weather, speed, or geo-tag
- Caption stickers and emoji with sayings like “Squad Goals” or “Lit”
- Stylizing filters like Pixel or Watercolor that alter the image aesthetics
- Beautifying filters that smooth skin or enhance facial features
You can access filters by taking or uploading a Snap and then swiping left or right to browse and select a filter before sending or saving your Snap.
Key Features of Snapchat Filters
- Static overlays and enhancements
- Color tints and stylizations
- Captions, stickers, and emoji
- Time, weather, speed, and geo-tag options
- Beautifying and retouching capabilities
Differences Between Lenses and Filters
While lenses and filters both allow you to enhance your Snaps, there are a few key differences:
| Snapchat Lenses | Snapchat Filters |
|---|---|
| Augmented reality effects | Static overlays |
| Animated, interactive | Flat, non-interactive |
| Facial tracking capabilities | No facial tracking |
| Overlay 3D objects and animations | Add 2D effects like color tints or text |
| Fun, goofy, wacky options | Stylish beautifying options |
In summary:
- Lenses utilize AR and facial tracking to overlay interactive animations that respond to your expressions and motions.
- Filters are static 2D effects that simply alter the aesthetics and add stylized overlays to your Snaps.
Popular Snapchat Lenses
Here are some of the most popular and used Snapchat lenses that you can try out:
Face Mask Lenses
These lenses overlay a 3D mask or head onto your face that tracks your facial movements:
- Cartoon animal masks like dogs, cats, pandas
- Funny monster masks with large eyes and teeth
- Gas masks or robber masks
- Cartoon character masks like Spongebob or Mickey Mouse
Beautifying Lenses
These lenses enhance your facial features:
- Smoothing and color correction for flawless skin
- Eyelash and eye enhancements
- Lip tints and plumping effects
- Adjustable makeup looks from natural to glam
Funny Lenses
Add some humor and silliness to your selfies:
- Big eyes, small eyes, googly eyes filters
- Flashing rainbow colors animations
- 3D glasses, mustaches, hats
- “LOL” caption stickers
Environment Lenses
Augment your surroundings with these AR world lenses:
- Sparkles, confetti or fireworks that erupt around you
- Weather effects like rain, lightning, or snow
- Sky overlays like starry nights or sunrises
- Floating 3D objects like butterflies or bubbles
Popular Snapchat Filters
These are some of the most commonly used filters on Snapchat:
Beautifying Filters
- Facetune filter – Subtly smooths skin and enhances facial symmetry
- Beauty mode – Adjustable beautification from subtle to glam
- Makeup looks – Simulates eyeshadow, lipstick, blush, and contour makeup
Stylizing Filters
- Black and white filter
- Vintage filter – Gives a faded retro film look
- Pixel filter – Blocky 8-bit pixelated effect
- Watercolor filter – Artistic washed out painterly effect
Geo Filters
- Time filters – Overlays the time your snap was taken
- Weather filters – Displays the current temperature and weather
- Speed filters – Shows speed if you’re traveling in a car or vehicle
- Location filters – Displays your geo-location or place name
Caption Stickers
- “Squad Goals” sticker
- “Vacay Mode” sticker with sunglasses emoji
- “Current Mood” sticker with various emoji
- Holiday and event related stickers like New Year’s
How to Use Lenses vs. Filters
Using Snapchat Lenses
To use Snapchat lenses:
- Open the Snapchat app and tap the camera icon to go to the camera screen.
- Point your camera at your face – lenses need to be able to track your facial features.
- Tap and hold on your face for a second until some lenses options appear at the bottom.
- Swipe left or right through the lens carousel to browse available lenses.
- Tap on a lens to select it. The lens animation will overlay onto your face.
- Press and hold the circular shutter button to record a video with the lens, or tap it to take a photo.
- You can tap the lenses carousel again while recording to swap to a different lens.
Using Snapchat Filters
To use filters:
- Take or select a photo/video within the Snapchat app to bring up the editing screen.
- Tap the sticker icon at the top – it looks like a sticky note.
- Browse left and right through the filters bar and tap on one to select it.
- Tap and drag on the screen to reposition the filter overlay.
- Tap the check mark icon to confirm the filter and go back.
- You can add multiple filters by repeating the sticker icon process.
- Tap the send arrow to share your Snap or long-press to save it.
Creating Custom Snapchat Lenses
You can also create custom Snapchat lenses with Lens Studio desktop software for Windows and Mac. This takes more effort but allows full customization options for things like:
- 3D objects, scenery, and environments
- Face/world tracking points and masks
- Visual effects like particles or oscillations
- Trigger events based on expressions or motions
- Custom art, audio, and directional controls
Some key steps include:
- Download Lens Studio and open a new project file.
- Import a base object like a 3D model, image backdrop, or face mask.
- Add Snapchat supported tracking points and assign behaviors.
- Set up interactivity with the Camera button and Face touchpad.
- Add visual effects layers and enhancement options.
- Preview your lens and package the project to submit to Snapchat.
It takes some technical knowledge and rendering processing power, but allows full creative freedom when designing custom interactive lenses.
Pros and Cons of Lenses vs. Filters
Pros of Lenses
- Fun, interactive augmented reality effects
- Advanced facial tracking capabilities
- Frequent new options in the lens carousel
- Animated 3D overlays that respond in real-time
- Entertaining goofy selfie and video options
Cons of Lenses
- Can be gimmicky or silly at times
- Require centering your face and waiting for tracking
- Aren’t always applicable for photos of scenery/environments
- Need sufficient lighting and camera resolution
Pros of Filters
- Quick and easy one-tap media enhancements
- Versatile options like stylizing, captions, and stickers
- Can overlay onto any media, not just faces
- Creative and fun way to enhance images
Cons of Filters
- Less advanced than interactive lenses
- More basic editing capabilities
- Some exaggerated filters look unrealistic
- Often used cliché and generic options
Conclusion
Snapchat lenses and filters both offer engaging ways to enhance your Snaps before sharing. Lenses provide advanced augmented reality effects using face and environment tracking, while filters apply quick stylish overlays to any image or video.
Ultimately lenses and filters serve different purposes. Lenses are all about goofy, interactive selfie fun, while filters offer versatile basic editing options. The variety keeps Snapchat content fresh and exciting while allowing complete customization for perfect Snaps.
Whichever mode of enhancement you prefer, lenses and filters make Snapchat such a popular social app by letting you easily style visually entertaining Snaps for sharing with friends or to your Story. The possibilities are endless!