New Camera App Takes Smartphone Photography to the Next Level

A new camera app has hit the Apple App Store, and it's got some serious backing. Two key figures from the Google and Pixel Camera apps have teamed up to create Indigo. This app is designed to enhance the quality of smartphone photos by using advanced computational photography techniques. The app is currently only available for iPhones. It works on all Pro and Pro Max iPhones from the 12 series and all non-Pro iPhones from the 14 series. The team behind Indigo has plans to release an Android version, but they haven't announced a release date yet. Indigo is built on the foundation of the Pixel Camera app. It uses a similar approach to HDR+ processing, combining multiple under-exposed images to create a single, high-quality photo. However, Indigo takes this a step further by combining up to 32 images at once, compared to the Pixel Camera's 15. This results in photos with fewer blown-out highlights and less noise in the shadows. The app also offers a night mode that combines up to 32 one-second-long images into one picture. It can detect if a tripod is being used and adjust the exposure time accordingly. This feature is similar to other camera apps that automatically detect a tripod and offer longer exposures. Indigo also includes a super-resolution zoom feature. This feature combines multiple frames, natural hand shake, and super-resolution to deliver improved hybrid zoom. It's similar to the Super Res Zoom feature found in the Pixel 3 series and later models. The app also offers full manual controls, allowing users to adjust ISO, shutter speed, exposure, and white balance. It also has a long exposure mode that supports RAW output. Users can even set the number of captured frames to be combined into an image, which could be useful for capturing fast-moving subjects. The team behind Indigo has also mentioned that they are considering adding alternative looks, a high-quality portrait mode, a video mode with "cool computational video" features, and a panorama option. They are also looking into adding bracketing options for exposure and focus, which could be useful for astrophotography or completely in-focus shots. The app is designed to provide a more natural look by avoiding strong tone mapping, aggressive smoothing, and over-sharpening. It also uses semantic segmentation to make subtle tweaks rather than major adjustments. This approach results in photos that look more natural and less processed. The app also offers zero shutter lag, which means there's no delay between pressing the shutter button and taking the photo. This is a great feature for capturing fast-moving subjects or action shots. The team behind Indigo has a lot of experience in the field of computational photography. They have worked on some of the most influential smartphone camera apps ever made. This experience shows in the app's design and features. It's clear that they have a deep understanding of what makes a great camera app. The app is a great example of how computational photography can enhance the quality of smartphone photos. It's also a great example of how experienced developers can create innovative and useful apps. It's exciting to see what they will come up with next.