Leica’s new iOS app turns your iPhone into one of its cameras for free
Leica has launched a new iOS app called LUX that allows iPhones to emulate one of its cameras. The app does this two main ways.
Firstly, LUX has a feature called ‘Aperture Mode’, which simulates the ‘characteristic features’ of a handful of Leica lenses. These include the Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4 ASPH and the Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.2 ASPH.
The software includes the company’s “proprietary image processing engine,” which uses AI to imitate how a lens performs. This also includes replicating their bokeh effect or how a camera renders parts of a photo that are out of focus.
It’s important to note that you can’t change the aperture on an iPhone because it’s a fixed part. Yet LUX gives you the freedom to control the amount of light captured by the device’s camera via software.
Notable features
The other method of imitation comes in the form of Leica Looks. This is a series of filters that can emulate photos taken by any of the brand’s cameras. These range from different color gradations to film presets.
For example, Lively appearance displays vibrant colors, Natural Look goes the other way by muting tones, and the Eternal filter saturates them. There are even different grayscale options. BW Natural is your standard black and white filter, while Blue removes all color and applies a bluish tint throughout.
In addition, LUX has several recording modes. If you want to eliminate all the guesswork in photography, you can choose Auto. Or you can opt for manual controls to fine-tune key functions from shutter speeds to white balance. Other notable features include the ability to save photos in the ProRAW format and ‘various focus options’.
LUX can be downloaded from the Apple App Store. The so-called “Freemium” model offers free access to automatic photo mode, aperture mode and five Leica Looks filters.
However, you can purchase a monthly subscription to unlock more features. For
For $6.99/€7.99/AU$9.99 per month, users get the manual control feature, five lens simulations and all 11 Looks filters. You can also purchase an annual subscription for $69.99/AU$99.99.
Quality problems
If The edge points out, and via shared images, that there are some concerns about the quality of LUX. If you look closely, you will notice strange artifacts in the images.
A drink straw has jagged edges and a cat has lost its whiskers. They also point out that you can’t undo certain edits in some recordings. In fact, users can apply Apple’s own image effects to LUX photos, which TheVerge refers to as a “weird anachronism… guaranteed to destroy any photo.”
Granted, they only had access to a beta version of LUX, so the issues may no longer exist. The company plans to regularly upgrade its software with new filters and features, so perhaps the artifacts were addressed quickly. We’ve reached out to Leica for clarification on the artifacts and will update this story if we hear back.
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