iPhone users get a free AI-powered camera app with Adobe’s Project Indigo

Adobe has introduced an exciting new experimental camera application called Project Indigo, specifically designed for iPhone users. This release marks an expansion of Adobe Labs' mobile toolset, following the recent launches of Photoshop and Firefly on the App Store. Project Indigo leverages cutting-edge artificial intelligence and advanced computational photography techniques to produce images that exhibit greater depth, detail, and realism. Currently available for free download, this innovative app aims to enhance the photography experience by overcoming the limitations commonly associated with traditional smartphone cameras. The app is crafted to break free from the typical 'smartphone look,' often characterized by overly bright images, excessive smoothing, and exaggerated color saturation that can seem artificial on larger screens. Unlike standard camera applications found on most smartphones, Project Indigo places a strong emphasis on image fidelity. Utilizing sophisticated algorithms, it captures up to 32 individual frames per shot, which are then combined to create a single image boasting improved dynamic range, reduced noise, and fewer blown-out highlights, particularly in shadowed regions. Users will appreciate the extensive manual controls offered by Project Indigo, including options for aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus, and white balance, along with additional adjustments for temperature and tint. The app provides two shooting modes: 'Photo' for regular daytime captures and 'Night' mode, which employs longer exposure times and enhanced stabilization to deliver clearer images in low-light conditions while minimizing motion blur. One of the notable features of Project Indigo is its multi-frame super resolution capability. This function addresses the quality degradation often found with digital zoom by stacking multiple frames of the same scene, resulting in sharper, more detailed images—especially beneficial when zooming in on distant subjects. Photos taken with Project Indigo are saved in both standard dynamic range (SDR) and high dynamic range (HDR), and the output is fully compatible with Adobe’s Camera Raw and Lightroom platforms. The app’s unique under-exposure technique facilitates a more natural, DSLR-style output without relying heavily on post-processing. Currently, Project Indigo is available for iPhones starting from the iPhone 12 Pro series and select non-Pro models from the iPhone 14 onwards. It does not require user sign-in and remains completely free to use. Adobe has also announced plans to develop an Android version of Project Indigo in the future.