Boinx Software (http://www.boinx.com) has updated iStopMotion, the stop motion and time lapse tool for Mac OS X, to version 2.5. Headlining the new update is the combination of a brand new Tilt Shift Filter with stop motion animation and time-lapse recording.

A popular effect among photographers aiming to capture a “miniature-scale model” effect, Tilt Shift is designed for stop motion animation’s small movements and individually photographed frames. This pairing of Tilt Shift with stop motion and time-lapse recording software allows animators to expand creative expression, manipulating the depth of field of their images so that life-sized locations or subjects appear miniature in size, says Boinx CEO Oliver Breidenbach.

Additional product updates include full support for new Canon DSLR camera models and HDV camera support in iStopMotion Pro when Logic Studio or Final Cut Studio is installed. Version 2.5 boasts a new “Send to iMovie” functionality in the file menu, for export of your stop motion animations to iMovie 8 or later. Enhanced color correction functionalities in iStopMotion 2.5 Express and Pro allow users to adjust the atmospheric settings of a shot — right at the time of capture.

iStopMotion comes in three flavors, targeting different users. The US$49 Home edition is for the family. The $99 Express version is for the serious hobbyist animator, and the $499 Pro edition is for the animator who makes money (or plans to) with stop motion animation. A special education edition with a multi-user license key is available for educational institutions.

Version 2.5 is a free update for registered users of version 2.x. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.