CUPERTINO, CA—The world of iPhone photography is being shaken up by two innovative new camera apps that offer distinct visions for mobile imaging, moving far beyond Apple’s standard native camera application. The releases—Not Boring’s !Camera and Adobe’s Project Indigo—give users professional-grade creative control and stunning image quality, each in its own unique way.
These apps confirm a new trend: the future of mobile photography is defined by smarter software and customized processing.
1. (Not Boring) Camera: The Cinematic Stylist
Not Boring’s !Camera has quickly gained a reputation as the most “fun” and visually expressive camera app on the App Store. It is built around creativity and tactile design:
- SuperRAW™ Processing: The app utilizes a custom image pipeline called SuperRAW™. This processing is designed to produce a more film-like look, embracing the natural grain and texture of the iPhone’s sensor data without the over-smoothing and artificial sharpening common in standard computational photography.
- 3D LUTs (Looks): !Camera is the first app to enable professional-level color grading using 3D LUTs (Lookup Tables) directly in the viewfinder. Users can apply cinematic film simulations and unique stylistic looks without any post-editing, or even import custom LUTs from other creators.
- User Experience (UX): The app features a playful, tactile interface with dynamic lighting, sounds, and custom haptics, offering full manual control over exposure, shutter speed, and ISO in a delightful, easy-to-use package.
2. Adobe’s Project Indigo: The DSLR Experience
Developed by Adobe Labs (and built by some of the same engineering team behind the original Google Pixel camera), Project Indigo is focused on delivering a natural, “SLR-like” image quality and powerful computational tools, available for free on the App Store:
- Computational Capture: Indigo captures a burst of photos (up to 32 frames) when the shutter is pressed. It then aligns and merges these frames, resulting in photos with dramatically reduced noise, enhanced dynamic range, and fewer blown-out highlights.
- Natural Look: Adobe’s core goal is to move away from the overly processed, artificially vibrant look of standard smartphone photos. Indigo images feature subtle tone mapping and saturation, aiming for a truer-to-life aesthetic.
- Pro Tools & Integration: The app offers a full suite of manual controls (ISO, Shutter Speed, Focus) and features seamless integration with Lightroom Mobile, allowing users to transfer DNG raw files or JPEGs with the natural look embedded, for immediate, professional editing.
- Advanced Features: Indigo also includes multi-frame super-resolution (for sharper digital zoom) and the ability to capture synthetic Long Exposure effects (like water-into-silk).
Conclusion
The simultaneous emergence of !Camera and Project Indigo offers iPhone users an unprecedented choice in creative mobile imaging. Whether users prioritize the fun, customizable, cinematic looks of !Camera or the technical, DSLR-like realism and professional workflow integration of Project Indigo, both apps prove that the cutting edge of photography is now defined by the software that controls the image pipeline.
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Disclaimer
The details regarding features (SuperRAW, LUTs, Multi-Frame Super-Resolution, etc.) and pricing (Project Indigo is free, !Camera requires subscription/one-time purchase) are based on the official App Store listings and public announcements from the developers. App features and compatibility are subject to change. Readers should consult the official websites before downloading or purchasing.
Official Website Links (To Download/Check Info):
- (Not Boring) Camera App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/not-boring-camera/
- Adobe Project Indigo App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/project-indigo/
- Adobe Lightroom: https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html
