Rian Johnson’s new camera app shows what’s missing from iPhone photos

Rian Johnson's new camera app, Chromagraph Camera, has taken the iPhone App Store by storm, reaching the top of the paid Photo & Video charts. The app, developed in collaboration with Johnson's longtime cinematographer Steve Yedlin, offers a unique take on smartphone photography by utilizing RAW sensor data and bypassing the iPhone's default camera app's image processing.

This results in images that are more traditional in appearance, avoiding the artificial sharpening and reliance on HDR that often characterizes the iPhone's computational photography pipeline. Yedlin, known for his research into color science, has long advocated for creators to have control over the look of their images, suggesting that elements such as grain, tonal rolloff, and halation should be sculpted by the artist rather than the camera.

Chromagraph allows users to adjust these parameters post-capture, preserving image quality through the storage of original raw files. While the app's user interface may not be fully native to iOS, its cohesive performance across various scenarios has impressed users, creating a camera experience akin to using a singular 35mm point-and-shoot with a well-chosen film stock.

This approach differs from other apps that have attempted to offer a more traditional photographic style, including those developed by Chinese phone manufacturers and the iPhone 18 Pro's Photographic Styles feature. However, what sets Chromagraph apart is its polished presentation, providing a ready-to-use creative vision that resonates with users seeking a distinctive photographic style without the complexity of setup.