I attempted an iPhone app made by Google’s Pixel digicam workforce. It is unbelievable

Within the Android world, it’s laborious to beat Google’s Pixel telephones for constant, lifelike images. Whereas the HDR-ified look is probably not for everybody, there’s no questioning the sheer reliability of a Pixel digicam. Whenever you faucet the shutter button, you possibly can all however assure you’ll get a delightful and pure image each single time.

That digicam expertise is likely one of the essential causes I like utilizing Pixels a lot, and because of a brand new app known as Indigo, now you can get one thing related on the iPhone.

Indigo is an iPhone digicam app created by two people who labored on the Pixel Digital camera and Google Digital camera apps, and it incorporates the identical HDR+ picture processing from these apps into the iPhone. And moderately than merely copying Google’s strategy, Indigo provides its personal distinctive contact, aiming to cut back overexposure, blown-out highlights, and noise-filled shadows.

It appears like the proper method to get a Pixel-like digicam on an iPhone, however does it work? I attempted Indigo facet by facet with Apple’s digicam app to search out out.

I examined Indigo on an iPhone 16, spending a part of a day snapping photos with it and the default iPhone digicam app. Indigo gives a spread of handbook controls, together with shutter pace, ISO, temperature, and extra. Nevertheless, for this take a look at, I ignored all of these settings. I merely opened every digicam app and tapped the shutter button.

Throughout the dozen or so photos I captured, there’s a reasonably constant distinction between Indigo and Apple’s digicam. In nearly each picture, the Indigo image has extra shadows, extra distinction, and extra balanced highlights.

The image of my canine above is a primary instance of this. At first look, the common iPhone digicam is the extra eye-catching picture, largely as a result of it’s brighter. However that doesn’t mechanically imply it’s the higher of the 2 photographs.

Indigo’s image is far more correct to how the room appeared in particular person. My canine’s darker fur round his snout is best represented within the Indigo shot. The white wall behind my canine additionally has a starker white shade, in comparison with the blueish tint Apple’s digicam gave it. The Apple digicam app is probably the extra Instagram-worthy picture, however I recognize how far more true-to-life Indigo’s image is.

You see an identical consequence with the image of the bookshelf. Whereas it’s a subtler instance, it’s one other scenario the place brighter doesn’t = higher. The Indigo image is darker and cooler, providing you with an image that’s each extra lifelike and a bit moody. The improved brightness within the Apple digicam image is visually much less attention-grabbing to my eye. It additionally provides a halo impact round some letters on the books that isn’t current within the Indigo picture.

Past a easy battle of brightness vs. darkness, there’s additionally a notable distinction in how Indigo processes sure colours.

That is effectively represented on this shot of the character path. Right here, Indigo does a extremely good job balancing the plush greenery and the overcast sky. The timber and tall grass are far more colourful and correct to how they appeared to my very own eyes. The common iPhone digicam places far more emphasis on enhancing the blue within the sky and the cloud element on the expense of considerably darkening the remainder of the scene. Personally, I want how Indigo dealt with this one.

My choice for Indigo continues with the image of the dandelion. The Indigo app did a unbelievable job of capturing the intense white of the pappus of the dandelion and the darkish inexperienced vegetation behind it. The Apple digicam app, in the meantime, has a heat, yellowish tint to the entire picture that I don’t significantly like. It’s additionally far more noticeably sharpened than the Indigo image, particularly when you zoom in somewhat bit.

Final however actually not least, an image of my cat, Polo. Each images are fairly good at first look, and whereas the Apple digicam app actually didn’t do a nasty job, delicate particulars lead me to — once more — want Indigo’s consequence.

Just like the dandelion, the iPhone digicam app fairly clearly sharpens numerous particulars right here, particularly round Polo’s nostril. The Indigo picture isn’t missing intimately, nevertheless it seems softer and extra lifelike than the considerably harsh picture Apple’s digicam took. I additionally want Indigo’s subtler lighting round Polo’s left ear and the hotter look of his brown fur. These are admittedly small issues to contemplate, however I feel they add as much as make a greater picture.

After a day with Indigo, I’ve to confess that I’m rattling impressed with the outcomes. The iPhone 16 takes good photos with its default digicam app, however in just about each comparability between the 2, I want the images from Indigo.

Indigo photos are extra Pixel-y than Apple’s digicam app, however they’re additionally fairly clearly not a 1:1 imitation of the Pixel model. Based mostly on my expertise with the Pixel 9 collection, the Indigo app favors darker shadows, distinction, and deeper colours in a means trendy Pixel telephones don’t. And I like that.

Now, is Indigo excellent? Not by any means. Even after just some hours of use, I bumped into quite a few points with the app on my iPhone 16 — together with photos that didn’t save, the viewfinder freezing, and general sluggish efficiency. Indigo additionally brought about my iPhone 16 to get actually sizzling, to the purpose the place I obtained two overheating notifications within the Indigo app. There are additionally lacking digicam modes, resembling portrait mode and panorama images.

Even with all that being the case, I feel the parents behind Indigo are onto one thing particular, and I can’t look ahead to the Android model (which is coming, simply with out a agency ETA) to get right here.