Halide Mark III Doubles Down on AI-Free iPhone Photography

Lux, the makers of popular iPhone camera app Halide, have launched a public preview of Halide Mark III. While Lux is offering just a first look at Halide Mark III right now, it has taken the wraps off a huge new feature: Looks.

Halide Mark III’s initial reveal arrives about five years after Halide Mark II, which introduced an all-new design, improved RAW image capture technology, and more. In the years since, Halide Mark II received many significant updates and transformative features, including a very impressive new image processing pipeline called “Process Zero” in mid-2024. Process Zero uses no AI and features no computational photography, promising truly natural-looking iPhone photos.

There are two new Looks: the first is Process Zero II. This updated version of the acclaimed Process Zero promises major upgrades, including HDR support, the ability to use it in Night Mode, and the option to use it with Apple’s ProRAW photo format.

Process Zero II promises more vivid and realistic images, still without any algorithms or computational photography. The upgraded engine also adds tone-editing support, letting photographers recover some of the shadows and highlights they typically lose when using Process Zero. However, for those worried this will make Process Zero photos look more like regular iPhone shots, Lux says the results will be “much more subtle” than the iPhone’s native camera app. The examples below show what Lux means.

The second new Look is called Chroma Noir, which is built on Halide Mark III’s new analog-inspired Film Engine.

“Over the last three years, we took a deep into the details of analog photography that give it its charm, and emerged with an original film-simulation engine,” Lux explains. “To showcase some of its powers, we’re launching our first simulation: a black and white look we call ‘Chroma Noir.'”

Chroma Noir promises a unique blend of modern imaging technology and lo-fi, old-school charm. The Look works with HDR, which Lux says “really works” despite sounding like a contradiction. Of course, HDR can be disabled. In fact, the film simulation that gives Chroma Noir its distinct old-school look can be turned off, too, leaving just a very nice black-and-white photography mode.

Today’s Halide Mark III is just the first step in the full Mark III launch expected later this year. As its developer explains, this is just a taste. There will be a new design, many more Looks, and much more coming to Halide Mark III. The app’s complete set of Looks is being developed by colorist and image scientist Cullen Kelly, who has performed color editing and grading on Oscar-nominated films and high-profile projects for HBO, Netflix, and Apple. Kelly also has a YouTube channel dedicated to the art and science of color grading. Halide Mark III’s Looks are in excellent hands.

iPhone photographers can get their hands on Halide Mark III’s first preview right now by clicking the “3” icon inside the Halide Mark II app. The public preview and final version of Halide Mark III will be available to all Halide subscribers and anyone who purchased Halide Mark II. Subscriptions start at $19.99 annually or $59.99 for a one-time purchase.

Image credits: Lux, Halide Camera