I of late went on a photo journeying without get the iPhone ’s camera processing “ pollute ” an otherwise pristine bod . The putz I used wasHalide ’s Process Zero , and the objective was to eliminate excessive sharpen , impregnation adjustment , and exposure recompense .
The results , in their grainy and noisy halo , were a stark contrast from what the iPhone cameras farm . With a bit of introductory redaction , these unprocessed figure of speech make on a lovely cinematic character of their own .
I ’ve commence a soft spot for film cameras , especially their unique tint profile . Nothing exemplifies that preference quite like vintage Hasselblad cameras . Over the past few years , brands likeOnePlus have bring with Hasselbladand offered the XPAN encompassing cyclorama modal value on their phones .
With a bit of framing adaptation , it can develop arresting panoptic - format guess . Apple , despite all its well - stand claim of a powerhouse camera , has left the iPhones rather unmoved by such artistic approval .
That ’s where XP4N comes into the icon . The brainchild of a veteran app developer , this app brings the signature tune 65:24 shots popularized by the Hasselblad XPAN camera to the iPhone . The app is refreshingly undemanding and declare oneself a relatively round-eyed interface .
“ Every time I press the shutter , a movie still should come out , ” notes Bram Bos , the judgment behind the XP4N app . Interestingly , Bos secern Digital Trends that the app is a passion projection that was make in spare time over weekend .
The results , however , tell a different fib .
The best UI is a simple UI
One of the elementary reason I often turn to the neckcloth iPhone camera app is the simplicity of taking out the earphone and snap a picture . When I require more granular dominance , I look at Halide .
XP4N , despite being an app for the originative “ mobigrapher , ” take a deliberately sportsmanlike route to the user interface . You get a shutter push button , a wide viewfinder , a film preset selection , and a slipper for adjusting the vulnerability level .
You wo n’t demand to fiddle with the latter in most cases . That ’s just how rewarding the results are , all thanks to the adorable tuning out of the box . I perfectly love the access , and it seems to be the creator ’s end , too .
“ It needed to be really good at one affair : a point - and - shoot photographic camera for Xpan - trend cinematic film shots . The drug user ’s only task with this app should be to think about the framing , ” Bos secernate me .
At some stop , you might even sense the lack of control somewhat determine while you compose your shot . Bos tells me that the deficiency of controls is an intentional — and admittedly polarizing — option , but he signify to keep thing simple in the future .
The pattern applies to adding features , as well as working on the user port . “ I will always do it in such a way that the user interface stay bare and uncluttered . I ’m not going to add a bunch of piddling button and sliders to the UI , ” Bos adds .
What if you unload those granular control to the physical push button , specifically theCamera Control button on the iPhone 16 seriesphones , instead of making things look littered on the control condition ? Bos is open to exploring the idea .
Bos , who has worked predominantly on iOS music apps , tells me it was not the development part that was tough . Getting the film output as tight to the vintage Hasselblad XPAN feel was the real challenge .
Compared to a distinctive camera or photo - editing app , XP4N does n’t offer much originative headroom . Bos is mindful of the working scarceness , and he intend to add newer options down the road , but not at the price of functional ease .
Mixed results, but in a good way
Now , the results are not universally pleasing . Sometimes , you would choose the extra dose of sharpness and dividing line offered by the stock iPhone tv camera app , specially in lowlight scenarios . But at the end of the sidereal day , it would boil down to your definition of a “ adept picture . ”
It also misses out on the fancy detector - shift stabilization perk you’re able to get in the stock television camera app . As a solution , the expert action seizure and nighttime mode photography will duck you in the XP4N app . But that ’s not always a bad thing .
Take a look at the laugh Buddha toys captured in a cubicle at Nox . One of the XP4N filters crushes the chroma inside information ( top slide ) , the background colors , and the dependent control surface high spot . The frame only looks sound with a soft monochrome filter or an amber colour tone with clean grain details .
On the insolent side , the broth iPhone photographic camera battle with noise and grainy grain in lowlight scenarios . The XP4N tuning helps mask those shortcoming with low-keyed highlights and lower photo , both of which combine to extradite a sharper - looking picture with an artistic tinge .
The general composition here is that the range of a function you get from the XP4N camera will be lower in saturation and deepness . gratefully , tune the six film presets more than makes up for it with standout resultant that would otherwise take a lot of hit - and - miss editing work .
Purists , especially sports fan of film picture taking and those with experience accept Hasselblads out for a drive , might find the results a bit off — or even a flawed diversion of something pristine . Bos is n’t come to with the literary criticism because that was never the intention .
” The film search are very much a interpretation of what I personally find pleasing to look at , rather than full - on scientific simulations of an actual photographic emulsion , ” Bos tells me . Take a flavor at this compare of a flower vase that I click in a dimly lit room .
In the picture clicked by the iPhone ’s stock television camera app , the algorithmic program lay over depressed - exposure and gamy - photograph shots , corrected the coloring material , and do aggressive racket isolation to give a elaborated picture .
Many of those colour and details are not visible to the naked center , and the reproduction is not exact either . Now , compare them to the Hasselblad XPAN - inspired picture and notice the color alchemy .
The movie you get from the XP4N app are not as sharp , but the unique chromaticity visibility gives them a much more pleasing fictional character . The most surprising part is that you do n’t involve to tinker with any frame command .
I asked Bos about the hypothesis of adding a few more film presets for some diversity . It seems that might happen down the route , but Bos did n’t give any concrete timeline for it . “ I still intend to add something for capturing really brilliant coloured aspect , but without making it garish and oversaturated , ” he said .
As far as personal preference goes , I am in fear of the Gritty preset , which dial down the saturation , and gives a noir appeal to the icon . I prefer the “ Soft B&W ” preset over the “ Contrast B&W ” because the former edge nearer to the feel of vintage cameras , specially the slimly foggy upshot they produce .
Another perquisite of XP4N is for frame situations where you are struggling with rough highlights or lack of igniter . The motion picture filters do a really good line of work of giving a retro or aesthetic feeling to those pictures .
In fact , a absolute majority of the pictorial matter I sink in with the app did n’t even demand a manual nidus . you may switch between even , across-the-board , and telephoto lenses in the app with a single tap on the view finder , but I mostly stuck to the principal snapper .
genus Bos stresses that these motion-picture show presets are not but filters . They are dynamic and adjust the chroma found on the frame photo . But in its bid to embolden the Hasselblad tactile property , the app does n’t add artificial grain or slapdash promiscuous leaks .
The photographic film presets might amount out as a variation of photographic camera filters at the closing of the day , but that ’s not really the casing . Each film preset requires a deep discernment of what made the original moving picture brook out , peculiarly when it comes to adjusting nicety like halation and tungsten recompense .
One of the best apps for the iPhone camera
If you are into street photography , especially urban landscapes with discriminating lines , murkily lit alleys , and Ne lights , the XP4N app will give you mesmerised . In a span of one week , I ’ve clicked more pictures using these photographic film filter than I ’ve clicked with theiPhone 16 Pro’sdefault camera since I purchase it on release day .
XP4N cost $ 1 , and by a fair margin , it has been the most fulfilling purchase I ’ve made from the App Store in years . If you involve to add together some time of origin or cinematic pizzazz to your hush without jump through too many technical hoops , this app is a gloomy - price , eminent - reward option .
You candownload the XP4N app from the App Storenow .
