August 16th, 2024

Halide embraces photo purists with new anti-AI processing mode

Halide's new Process Zero mode minimizes AI interference, allowing photographers to capture raw sensor images for greater control over lighting and exposure, producing detailed images reminiscent of traditional film.

Read original article

Halide embraces photo purists with new anti-AI processing mode

Halide, a well-known camera app for iPhone, has introduced a new processing mode called Process Zero, aimed at photography purists who prefer minimal AI interference. Unlike the standard image processing systems used by companies like Apple and Google, Process Zero allows users to capture images directly from the raw sensor data, providing greater control over lighting and exposure. This mode produces images with more detail and includes digital negatives, enabling photographers to adjust exposure post-capture, similar to traditional film photography. However, it is optimized for daytime or mixed lighting conditions and introduces a grainy texture reminiscent of film. The feature is part of the Halide version 2.15 update, which is now available for download on the App Store. This move reflects a growing interest in preserving the authenticity of photography amidst the increasing reliance on AI technologies in the field.

- Halide's new Process Zero mode caters to photo purists by minimizing AI processing.

- The mode allows for greater control over lighting and exposure, producing detailed images.

- Process Zero captures images at the raw sensor level, similar to traditional film.

- The feature is available in the latest Halide update (version 2.15).

- It is best suited for daytime or mixed lighting conditions.

Fujifilm X100VI Camera Is Worth the Hype

The Fujifilm X100VI camera, with a 40MP sensor, improved autofocus, and 6-stop image stabilization, offers upgrades like better battery life and color rendering. Despite some noise, it excels in tracking and low-light conditions, appealing to photography enthusiasts. Limited availability due to high demand.

Fujifilm X100VI Camera Review: 40MP APS-C sensor with 35mm F2 lens

The Fujifilm X100VI is a $1599 fixed-lens camera with a 40MP APS-C sensor, F2 lens, hybrid viewfinder, 14 film simulations, 6.2K video, 4EV ND filter, in-body stabilization, and new features.

Hasselblad Masters 2023 Winners

The Hasselblad Masters 2023 competition announces six category winners, each receiving the title of "Hasselblad Master," a 100MP camera, lenses, and a creative fund. Winners' projects span diverse themes globally.

A Guide to CRT Photography

CRT photography involves capturing images from CRT displays, focusing on flicker, moire, and color accuracy. Key techniques include shooting in RAW, matching shutter speed to refresh rate, and using a tripod.

Halide's 'Anti-Intelligent' Update Makes iPhone Photos Natural

Halide's update introduces Process Zero, a new image processing pipeline that captures images faster than ProRAW, offering a natural aesthetic. Users can choose from various processing options and access Image Lab for adjustments.

9 comments

By @jchw - 5 months

The original press release calls it "anti-intelligent" which makes some sense. This blog headline calls it "anti-AI" which makes it sound like it is meant to mess with machine learning training algorithms, but actually it's not really "anti-AI", just "not AI". (Whether ML-based image processing should really qualify as "artificial intelligence" in the first place, just because it uses machine learning algorithms, is an entirely different story, but I guess this is just our lives now.)

By @xkcd-sucks - 5 months

A couple years ago before the current "AI" hype cycle, someone sent me an IPhone photo of their boston terrier on a black-and-white patterned Ikea rug. Although it was "just an unprocessed photo", the rug pattern had been propagated over the dog's body replacing some of its original markings.

By @wyager - 5 months

Great. This looks like it may address some problems I've written about in the iPhone photo pipeline:

http://yager.io/comp/comp.html

https://petapixel.com/2023/02/04/the-limits-of-computational...

By @lxgr - 5 months

On a technical level, this seems a bit silly (everything coming out of a Bayer filter is post-processed in some way, in the end), but I can definitely see people getting tired of "opinionated" photo processing, AI or otherwise.

Tangentially related: I learned today that an old point-and-shoot 1-inch camera I'd bought over 7 years ago is now selling for twice the MRSP used online, apparently because it looks cool/retro and/or because photos and videos coming out of it don't look "pre-processed" in any way.

By @selykg - 5 months

This will absolutely get me to go back to Halide once iOS 18 hits and I can change the default camera that gets launched from the Home Screen button.

In 2025 I'd love to see "AI" disappear from usage. I know I'm not likely to get that, but damn if I am not tired of hearing about it. I've never wanted a dumb phone more than I have in 2024, or to get rid of my computers.

By @erksa - 5 months

The processing we're starting to do on the standard images on these phones are crazy. I'm always excited for the camera advancements in the phones, but always have to go hunting for an app that does exactly this.

By @dawnerd - 5 months

Direct link: https://www.lux.camera/introducing-process-zero-for-iphone/

By @datadrivenangel - 5 months

There is no such thing as a 'pure' photo, and pretending otherwise is an editorial decision. Our imaging technology collects radiation and we then process that signal and re-emit similar radiation. Every step along that process has decisions made about how that step works.

And that's not even getting into the fun things we can do by applying our own radiation to reflect off the object! We can do a lot with good lighting.

It is nice to have the ability to choose to take more control over automated steps of the process though, especially because modern apple phones have impressive cameras.