Halide Mark III Promises ‘Most Beautiful Photos Possible’ on iPhone

May 27, 2026

Jeremy Gray

Five smartphones are displayed side by side, each showing a different photo and editing interface with sliders and filter options, including images of tomatoes, a bridge, a street scene, a child, and birds by rocks.

Halide Mark III, which was first previewed back in December 2024, has finally arrived. As developer Lux detailed earlier this year, the new major update to one of the most popular iPhone camera apps on the market promises an AI-free mobile photography experience and an all-new “Looks” feature.

All-New ‘Looks’ Promise ‘Most Beautiful Photos Possible From an iPhone’

Looks traces its roots back to Process Zero, which arrived in summer 2024 with the promise to make iPhone photos look significantly more natural and realistic.

A person with long dark hair wearing a light blue button-up shirt looks to the side with a slight smile, standing against a plain light-colored background. — Rembrandt Look

A cluster of bright red berries hangs from a branch with narrow, reddish leaves, surrounded by dark, blurred foliage in the background. — Zephyr Look

“In 2024, we launched Process Zero, our own approach to rendering photos that removes all the AI and computational photography from your iPhone,” Lux explains. “After its incredibly positive reception, we invested all of efforts into the the next generation of Halide’s photo processing, built on top of Process Zero. We wanted to build a camera that produces the most beautiful photos possible from an iPhone.”

This was a significant undertaking, and Lux partnered with Hollywood colorist Cullen Kelly to design what Lux believes is “the best photo pipeline of any iPhone app.” Halide Mark III and its new Looks feature promise to take full advantage of an iPhone camera sensor’s expansive color gamut and wide dynamic range, without making photos look overly processed or artificial.

A woman with braided hair and a burgundy top smiles while sitting on a wooden bench in front of vibrant pink flowering bushes in a garden. — Valencia Look

Black and white photo of a cityscape with buildings in the foreground and layers of mountains in the background, beneath a sky filled with dramatic, rolling clouds. — Chroma Noir Look

Lux describes Looks as “physically accurate alternative processes” that work alongside the app’s film simulation engine and optional HDR. Halide Mark III launches with five Looks, each carefully developed to deliver a specific style.

Valencia is built with landscapes and cityscapes in mind, although it also promises interesting effects on skin tones in portraits. It has “thick contrast, deep saturation, and solid color separation.”

A narrow alley in Japan decorated with paper lanterns and cherry blossom branches, lined with small restaurants and signs, creating a cozy, inviting nighttime atmosphere. — Valencia Look

Rembrandt is Halide Mark III’s premiere portrait Look, emphasizing bone structure and lighting.

“Abundant color in the low end converges to white as exposure increases, for perfect uniformity in skin-tones to emphasize contour of the face,” Lux says. “Compared to the default iPhone processing, we find the differences striking.”

A smiling woman with long braided hair, wearing a burgundy crop top and black pants, stands against a plain white background with her hands behind her back. — Rembrandt Look

Next up is Nova, another landscape-and-cityscape style. This promises beautiful, rich color, tight contrast, and warm highlights.

A tall, rugged red rock formation rises from a dry, reddish-brown hillside under a clear blue sky with a few white clouds in the background. Sparse vegetation is visible at the base of the formation. — Nova Look

Zephyr offers subtle, film-like contrast and has a “refined” appearance. Lux says its neutral tone scale and carefully tuned contrast make it a great option for just about any photographic scenario.

A quiet, steep street lined with old buildings, colorful murals, and political graffiti. In the background, a distant statue stands atop a green hill under a partly cloudy sky. — Zephyr Look

Rounding out the launch group is Chroma Noir, Halide Mark III’s in-house, panchromatic-inspired black-and-white Look.

Black and white photo of a large, modern indoor space with tall, ribbed arches and a skylight. Silhouetted people walk across the open floor, casting long shadows in the dramatic light. — Chroma Noir Look

Seven app icons with different designs and color schemes are shown in a row. Each has a label: Apple, Process Zero, Valencia, Rembrandt, Nova, Zephyr, and Chroma Noir.

The Photo Lab

Halide Mark III also introduces an all-new Photo Lab. When photographers shoot in RAW on their iPhone, they can access a new Quick Edit section where they can try different Looks, adjust exposure, toggle HDR, and use film simulations. After just a few more swipes, the Photo Lab offers cropping, color balance, and more.

A tablet screen displays a photo of a woman with long braided hair and a burgundy tank top. Editing options for exposure, film, and color balance are visible on the right side of the screen. — Photo Lab on iPad

A New Camera

Halide Mark III also features a newly designed camera interface. Lux says the revised design puts the most important tools within easy reach without overwhelming the user.

“Composition is the bedrock of photography, so we put composition tools front and center,” Lux says. “Choose an aspect ratio that matches popular film cameras: 35mm (3:2), medium format (1:1), and pano (65:24). We even have a dynamic aspect ratio for Instagram, which changes depending on landscape or portrait.”

A smartphone screen displays a camera app with a scenic landscape viewfinder showing grassy fields, a fence, rolling hills, and a blue sky with clouds. Camera settings and controls are visible on the right.

The camera refresh also embraces Apple’s Liquid Glass aesthetic, which it introduced in iOS 26 last year.

“We’re really excited about the new design, but we also know that a new UI can feel disruptive. That’s why you can still access the Halide Mark II design with a few taps,” the developer explains.

Not Just for iPhone Photos

When the Lux team was developing Halide Mark III’s Looks, they realized that in many cases, their iPhone photos looked better than those captured with their expensive, standalone cameras. That’s not necessarily a great feeling after spending thousands of dollars on high-end cameras and lenses.

A young child with short brown hair wearing a fuzzy brown jacket stands by a chain-link fence, looking at the camera. Sunlight filters through trees in the background, creating a natural outdoor setting. — Hasselblad X2D II 100C RAW file processed in Halide Mark III

To help quiet this discomfort, the team decided to combine Halide Mark III’s Photo Lab and Looks with RAW photos captured on dedicated cameras. Halide Mark III can open and edit RAW files from Canon, Sony, Nikon, Leica, Fujifilm, and Hasselblad cameras. This RAW support is technically still a beta feature, but it looks promising.

Pricing and Availability

Halide Mark III is available now on the Apple App Store. It is a free upgrade for all users who purchased Halide Mark II and all current Halide subscribers.

For all-new customers, Halide Mark III is $59.99 for a lifetime license or $19.99 annually as part of a subscription. Either purchasing option includes all future Looks that Lux may develop.

Image credit: Lux (Halide Mark III)