Photography social network Instagram has issued a new update, which brings five new filters, the ability to reorder the filters, and thumbnail previews. Instagram is releasing new filters for the first time in two years.

Using the right filter is an important method to get noticed on Instagram. The five new filters—Slumber, Crema, Ludwig, Aden and Perpetua—are available on both the iOS and the Android app.

Capitol OTC notes [Broken URL Removed] that the new photo trend is moving towards cleaner and less dramatic textures and colours. Originally, Instagram caught on because the filters masked the shortcomings of smartphone cameras. Now, with phone cameras becoming good, the new filters are about respecting the original image while playing with the tones and colours.

What's New In Instagram?

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Apart from the five filters, Instagram has a few other changes in place.

  1. You can now rearrange the filters to customize things to your liking. With the new additions, Instagram now has 24 filters—overwhelming if you're new (read our top Instagram tips for newbies) and too many for regular users. At the end of the filters, you'll see an icon to manage them, where you can reorder the filters or choose to switch off a few. Don't worry, you can switch them back on when you want. This only works with photo filters, not video.
  2. Each filter now shows a thumbnail of your image instead of an icon, with a live preview of what your image would look like. It's hard to make out in the small size, but you get a fair idea, which is enough to make quick choices. This feature, however, works with video filters.

Meet The Five New Filters

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So what are these new filters all about and how should you use them? The Verge spoke with Instagram to figure it out:

  • Aden makes photos look like pastels. Use Aden with portraits.
  • Crema makes photos look creamy and smooth. Use Crema outdoors for warming and cooling effects. (Read tips on how outdoorsy travellers can use Instagram).
  • Ludwig enhances light while taking away most of the colours. Use Ludwig with portraits, architecture, and geometric shapes.
  • Slumber de-saturates photos and makes them hazy. Use Slumber for a retro or dreamy look.
  • Perpetua is characterized by "a bluish, green, earthy look like of nature." There are no guidelines on where to use Perpetua, but after fiddling around with it, we'd say it works with anything shot in daylight.

All of these filters are only for photos, of course. The update did not add any major addition on the video front. Although The Verge is reporting that you can now upload slow-motion videos, we haven't found that on our apps. Still, there are plenty of ways to create unforgettable videos on Instagram.

If you are an existing user, update the app. New users can download the new Instagram 6.4.0 for iOS or Instagram 6.12.0 for Android.

While you're at it, you might be interested in learning how Instagram made $1 billion in two years.

Which new filter do you like the most? Show us your creations in the comments below!

Source: Instagram blog, The Verge