Halide Mark III
A manual iPhone camera with natural, unprocessed photos, built-in film looks and a quick editor
by Lux Optics Incorporated · listed Nov 2, 2026
Quick verdict
If you care about how your iPhone photos are rendered and like working with manual focus and framing, Halide is well worth the upgrade. Casual shooters can stick with the built-in camera.
Best for iPhone photographers who want manual control and natural, less-processed images straight from the camera
Reviewed by AppsPicks on Nov 2, 2026. How we review
Halide Mark III review
Halide replaces the iPhone's stock camera with one built for people who want more control and less automatic processing. Its Process Zero mode skips Apple's computational pipeline for a more natural, film-like result. Creative Looks, developed with colorist Cullen Kelly, are applied as part of the capture itself rather than as a filter afterward. It suits enthusiasts and working photographers who care how their images are rendered.
Day to day, it feels like a dedicated camera. Focus peaking and a zoomed focus loupe help you nail manual focus. Framing guides range from a simple grid to the golden ratio, and a dedicated macro mode handles close-ups. When a shot needs work, Photo Lab lets you swap Looks, adjust exposure and crop, or recover highlights and shadows with Tone Fusion. It can also open RAW files from Apple's camera app and from standalone cameras.
Why we picked it: It is a long-running, well-regarded pro camera app that gives iPhone users real control over capture and rendering, and it has won an Apple Design Award.
Watch out for: The download is free, but the full feature set sits behind a paid upgrade, and casual shooters may find the stock camera simpler.
What we like
- Process Zero skips heavy iPhone processing for natural-looking photos
- Looks are baked into capture rather than added as an after-the-fact filter
- Focus peaking, focus loupe and detailed framing guides for manual shooting
- Photo Lab editor with Tone Fusion for recovering highlights and shadows
- Imports RAW files from Apple's camera and from dedicated cameras
What could be better
- Full features require a paid upgrade after the free download
- iPhone only, with no Android version
- More controls than casual snapshot takers will need
Questions about Halide Mark III
Is Halide free?
It is free to download, but most features are unlocked through a paid subscription or a one-time purchase. Check the App Store listing for current pricing and any trial.
Is Halide available on Android?
No. Halide is built for the iPhone and is not on Google Play.
What is Process Zero?
It is a capture mode that skips Apple's computational photography and AI processing. The aim is a more natural, film-like image.
Can I edit photos from other cameras in Halide?
Yes. Photo Lab can import RAW files from Apple's camera app and from standalone cameras by makers such as Canon, Nikon, Sony and Leica.
What are some alternatives?
Apple's own Camera app with ProRAW covers the basics. Moment Pro Camera and ProCamera are other manual-control options for iPhone.
From the developer: how Halide Mark III describes itself
Halide unleashes your iPhone’s camera. Disable iPhone processing for natural photos, apply powerful film situations, access manual controls, and more. Halide has over 24,000 5-star ratings and is an App Store Editors’ Choice and Apple Design Award winner.
Halide’s Looks are built into the camera itself, changing how your photo is captured and processed - not just a color filter applied after the fact. These are the best photos you can get out of an iPhone. Start with Process Zero for natural, film-like results, without any AI or computational photography. Explore our rich set of creative Looks developed with Hollywood colorist Cullen Kelly, and powered by sophisticated film simulation.
For nine years, Halide has set the standard for professional iPhone camera control. Nail your manual focus with Focus Peaking and the Focus Loupe. Compose your shots with intention using sophisticated framing guides, from a basic grid and rule of thirds, to the golden ratio and rabatment of the rectangle. Get perfect macro shots with Halide's dedicated Macro Mode.
Hate editing? Halide gives you amazing results straight out of the camera. But when you need to fine-tune, Photo Lab makes it fast and intuitive. Try dramatically different Looks, adjust framing and exposure, experiment with film simulation, or rescue details in highlights and shadows with Tone Fusion.
You can even import and load RAWs from other apps, such as Apple’s own camera app, or standalone cameras by Canon, Nikon, Sony, Leica, Fujifilm, and Hasselblad. Specific formats are listed below.
*Halide is a paid app. Try it free for 7 days with an annual membership, or buy it outright with a one-time purchase — no subscription required.*
Features: - Shoot without Apple’s computational photography for stronger contrast and more natural results. - Photographic Looks developed in collaboration with esteemed Hollywood colorist Cullen Kelly. - Rescue details in shadows and highlights with a Tone Fusion slider inspired by darkroom dodging and burning. - Try any Look on existing ProRAW files - including photos shot in Apple’s camera app. - Become a better photographer by signing up for our 10-day tutorial directly from the app. - Full manual exposure controls including shutter speed, ISO and white balance. - Technical Readout to view all details of your iPhone camera hardware. - Also runs on iPad, for an amazing Photo Lab experience.
RAW File Support: - DNG (iPhone, Leica) - CR2 (Canon) - CR3 (Canon) - NEF (Nikon) - RAF (Fujifilm) - ARW (Sony) - FFF (Hasselblad)
Terms of Use can be found here: https://halide.cam/terms
Privacy: https://www.lux.camera/privacy/
Text from the app store listing, quoted for reference. Our own take is above.
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