What Halide Mark III does
Halide Mark III is a pro camera app for iPhone and iPad from Lux. It offers manual controls, focus tools, film-style Looks, and Process Zero, a RAW capture mode with minimal processing and no AI.
Halide is a camera app that turns an iPhone into something closer to a traditional camera. You can keep the default iPhone processing, use reduced processing, or switch to Process Zero, a single-shot RAW capture mode that produces film-like photos with minimal processing and no AI. You can change the processing choice between shots.
Looks are built into the capture process rather than applied as a filter afterward. They were developed with a professional Hollywood colorist, and you can add film simulation such as grain, halation, and MTF. The website states that all Looks are included in the price with no upsells. Photo Lab lets you redevelop a shot later, adjust framing and exposure, and recover shadow and highlight detail with Tone Fusion.
For manual shooting, Halide offers control of shutter speed, ISO, and white balance, gesture-based focus with focus peaking and a focus loupe, histograms, color zebras, waveforms, and framing guides. There are also Depth and Macro modes, a technical readout of the camera hardware, Siri Shortcuts, Lock Screen capture, an Apple Watch app, and a 10-day photography course inside the app.
Halide can also import RAW files from standalone cameras, including Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Leica, and Hasselblad formats, and from Apple's own camera app. The iPad version has its own interface with a Pro View for larger screens.
Halide is made by Lux, a company founded in 2015 that also makes the Kino video camera app and Spectre. Halide won an Apple Design Award. The app has no tracking and does not collect or share your photos or information.
On the App Store, Halide is a free download with a 7-day trial on an annual membership, listed at $19.99 per year in the US store. You can also buy it outright with a one-time purchase instead of a subscription.
Best for
iPhone photographers who want manual control, RAW capture, and natural-looking photos without heavy computational processing.
Not for
Android users, and people happy with the default iPhone camera who do not want to adjust settings.
Questions and answers
What is Process Zero?
Process Zero is a single-shot RAW capture mode that gives film-like photos with minimal processing and no AI, without Apple's computational photography.
How much does Halide cost?
Halide is a paid app. You can try it free for 7 days with an annual membership or buy it with a one-time purchase, with no subscription required.
Can I use Halide with photos from other cameras?
Yes. Halide can import RAW files from Apple's camera app and from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Leica, and Hasselblad cameras.
Does Halide work on iPad?
Yes. Halide for iPad has a custom interface and features such as Pro View, which shows a scaled-down view of your shot with room for pro tools.
Does Halide track me?
No. The website says Halide's camera has no tracking and does not collect or share any of your information or photos.