Halide Mark III Camera App Gets Film Looks and RAW
Quick Reads
- Lux Optics released Halide Mark III, the biggest update to the pro iPhone camera app yet.
- The update introduces Looks, a film simulation system developed with Hollywood colorist Cullen Kelly.
- A new built-in RAW editor called Photo Lab supports DNG and ProRAW files directly in the app.
- Halide Mark III now supports RAW imports from Canon, Sony, Nikon, Leica, Fujifilm, and Hasselblad in beta.
- The app also ships with a redesigned interface inspired by Apple’s Liquid Glass design language.
Halide Mark III gives iPhone users a far more powerful creative photography tool. Lux Camera released Halide Mark III, a major update first teased in December 2024. Consequently, mobile photography enthusiasts now consider it one of this year’s most anticipated releases.
At its core, Halide Mark III introduces Looks, a new image system. Additionally, Lux Camera partnered with Hollywood colorist Cullen Kelly to develop realistic film simulations. Furthermore, Halide’s new engine recreates the characteristics of traditional film photography. For example, users can shoot landscapes with Valencia, portraits with Rembrandt, or black-and-white scenes with Chroma Noir. Notably, Lux includes every Look at no extra cost and supports HDR across all Looks.
Beyond Looks, Halide Mark III adds a completely redesigned editing workspace. Specifically, the new Photo Lab edits DNG and ProRAW files with a streamlined Quick Edit pane. Additionally, Photo Lab simplifies editing instead of overwhelming users with excessive controls.
Surprisingly, Halide Mark III also edits RAW files from Canon, Sony, Nikon, Leica, Fujifilm, and Hasselblad cameras. However, Lux still labels this cross-camera RAW support as a beta feature. Meanwhile, the redesigned viewfinder adopts Apple’s Liquid Glass design language. Likewise, the new Look picker mirrors the film window of an analog camera.
Importantly, this release marks Halide’s first major update since co-founder Sebastiaan de With joined Apple. According to Engadget, Lux released this update after de With’s reportedly complicated January 2026 departure. Nevertheless, the team delivered a release reviewers already call a turning point for mobile photography. You can learn more about the app directly on the official Halide Mark III page, and the full story was first reported by The Verge.
