Adobe's New 'Computational Photography' App Launches for iPhone

Adobe has launched a new computational photography camera app for iPhones – developed in part by Marc Levoy, the expert who created the advanced computational photography features that powered earlier Google Pixel cameras.

The new app, Project Indigo, was released last week by Adobe Labs. It is free to download and compatible with iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, and all iPhone 14 models and later. (Adobe recommends using an iPhone 15 Pro or newer for the best experience.) No Adobe account is required to start using the app.

“Rather than capturing just one photo, Indigo takes a series of images and merges them to create a high-quality final photo with reduced noise and improved dynamic range,” the app’s description explains. Indigo aims to deliver a natural, “SLR-like” appearance, while also providing extensive manual controls such as focus, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance.

To get a deeper look at how Project Indigo works behind the scenes, it’s worth reading a detailed blog post by Levoy – now an Adobe Fellow who joined the company in 2020 to build a “universal camera app” – and Florian Kainz, a senior scientist. The post explores topics like the strengths of smartphone cameras, the science behind computational photography, how the app achieves its natural look, and technical details about its image processing workflow.

I should note that I’m not a camera expert myself. Still, I found the post highly engaging and educational. The sample photos included look impressive, and Adobe also provides a gallery of images you can explore.

Related

• Marc Levoy discusses balancing camera hardware, software, and creative expression
• The mind behind the Google Pixel camera is working on a universal camera app for Adobe

In the post, Levoy and Kainz mention that Project Indigo will also serve as a platform for testing new technologies that could later be integrated into other flagship Adobe products, such as a feature to eliminate reflections. Looking ahead, the team aims to develop an Android version, portrait mode capabilities, and even video recording.

"This marks the start of Adobe's journey toward a unified mobile camera and editing experience that harnesses the latest innovations in computational photography and AI," write Levoy and Kainz. “We hope Indigo will attract both casual mobile photographers seeking a natural, SLR-like look – even on large screens – and advanced photographers who value manual control and superior image quality. We also welcome anyone who enjoys experimenting with new photographic tools.”