iPhone Lumina Camera: searching for testers!

[salvatore.p]

Hi guys, I'm a cs student who has worked (since 2017) to a new camera app with advanced features.
Is my first real project and helped me to really grow up in development scenario.

I'm about to release the first version but since I own only my i7 (also bought an Xs to improve ui on newer screen size) I need to test if everything is working in the right way also with other models.
So I thought I can ask here if someone would be interested in helping me.

Right now I'm sure that Lumina works on:
- i6s/i7/i8
- i7+/i8+
- X/XS
- XS Max

I'm unsure in i6 and i6+ for the low ram.
Tested on i6/i6+ and works nicely, both HDR and NightMode are working (slowly due to underpowered A8 chip).


Also on i11 and i11 Pro I'm unsure if my logic is able to handle camera switching, even if on dual camera devices is tested and working.
Tested on a friend 11 and camera switching works as should, also UI is scaled nicely.


If anyone is interest, please send my a private message.
I will distribute via TestFlight, so the app will be tested and approved by Apple before.


Main feautures:
- Manual controls exposed for Shutter Speed, ISO, White Balance
- Manual focus control (with focus peaking aid)
- Stability Detector
- Smart GRID
- Histogram
- Timer
- RAW shooting format support
- Enhanced RAW shoots
- True HDR mode (High Dynamic Range)
- AutoHDR
- Night Mode
- LongExposure Mode
- Bracketing Mode
- Selfie Mode
- Integrated Gallery with EXIF reader


Manual controls aids
Lumina provides some aids like Focus Peacking and Exposure Clipping Detection. These will automatically show while touching manual focus slider or ISO/ShutterSpeed wheels.
An option to disable those aids will be in Settings -> Lumina


Stability Detector
Lumina analyzes every frame, in realtime, to determine how the scene (or your hands) is steady.
Than Lumina uses the result to calculate the better possible exposure for that context.
As every photographer know, we are constantly searching for the lowest ISO possible while keeping a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action and get a still image.
Stability Detector enables Lumina to do so.
But we think that the last word is reserved to our user, so Lumina uses Stability Detector only when ISO and ShutterSpeed are not manually set (a sort of AUTO mode).


Enhanced RAW shoots
Our iPhones can take great raw shoot but auto settings generally prefers the lowest shutter speed at cost of iso. This is great when you request a JPEG or HEIC shoot, since it's noise reduction algorithm is very effective but isn't very good when you take an unedited RAW.
To improve noise ratio, Lumina will recalculate exposure to lower ISO value and keeping an acceptable slow shutter speed. Like other modes, also in RAW, Lumina analyzes hands and scene steadiness to calculate the maximum possible shutter speed value.


HDR Mode
Lumina can recover up to 2EV stop from clipped highlight and up to 1EV stop from shadows.
To enable this, Lumina, in HDR mode takes up to 3 shoots with variable shutter speeds than, using its powerful AI models, blends the best pixels of each to create a stunning image.
Is the same process used by professional photographers: the key thing is to determine the right exposure for all the shoots to have the optimal recovery. Lumina can choose the right under/over exposure settings analyzing histogram in realtime.
Lumina uses Metal technology to speed up this process up to 10x.

AutoHDR
Lumina's HDR mode is paired with others AI models that can predict in which scenario the best result is archived via an HDR shoot or via an enanched single-shoot.
Is an automatic process, our user don't need to press any button to archive the best possible shoot in every situation!

NightMode
Lumina enables all devices (from i6/i6+) to get better shoot in lowlight.
This mode takes full advantages of Lumina's stability detector algorithm, to set the maximum possible shutter speed and the lower possible iso value.
ShutterSpeed has two main limits: 1) maximum shutter speed for that iPhone model and 2) user hands stability
Take a look at the examples shoot with i7 in post 6 .

LongExposure Mode
True long exposure, from 0.5s to 30s.
Lumina can generate both ghosting effect and light trails

True Bracketing Mode
Take a true bracket like on your DSLR camera. Lumina will keep ISO for every shoot!
You will get the classical 3 shoot bracket with a range form -3EV to +3EV. If possible ISO settings will be keeped to give a blend-friendly result.


Selfie Mode
Lumina can automatically detect when is a selfie scene and will enable Selfie Mode.
In Selfie Mode, Lumina will take a couple of shoots and select the best.
Lumina's Selfie Mode uses Apple's Vision api, that can valutate shoots based on face expression, open/closed eyes, people smiles and other euristics.



Here is a screenshot of Lumina running on iPhone 7 types screen. On X and other with notch, the layout is a bit different.

 

[salvatore.p]

up
No one is interested?

 

[bogdanw]

If it’s of any help, I can test it on an iPhone 6.

 

[bogdanw]

Thank you for the code, the app installed and started without any problems. The UI is smooth, no lag in the interface.
There is a problem with viewing the photos taken, they show up only on half the screen and I can’t get out of the viewing mode. I have to turn the phone vertical and drag the image down.
In Settings, the text after SmartHDR + is in Italian.
The night mode seems really good, the difference can be seen especially when taking pictures with the front camera.
Depending on the lighting conditions, HDR turns on automatically, but it produces some weird images. Maybe the phone does not have the hardware for this function. This is a photo taken with AutoHDR

 

[salvatore.p]

Thank you for the code, the app installed and started without any problems. The UI is smooth, no lag in the interface.
There is a problem with viewing the photos taken, they show up only on half the screen and I can’t get out of the viewing mode. I have to turn the phone vertical and drag the image down.
In Settings, the text after SmartHDR + is in Italian.
The night mode seems really good, the difference can be seen especially when taking pictures with the front camera.
Depending on the lighting conditions, HDR turns on automatically, but it produces some weird images. Maybe the phone does not have the hardware for this function. This is a photo taken with AutoHDR

Is really a strange result. Since HDR implies the fusion of multiple shoots it can be possible that the phone or the scene were not stable enough and as result you got a really bad photo.
I don't think is related to lower ram of i6, if it was probably the app would crash. And also NightMode works in conjunction with HDR. I think there was a problem with that scene, but if you are getting other bad result with HDR please report

 

[salvatore.p]

Yesterday I finally had the chance to test Lumina’s new NightMode, a new algorithm developed to fix some bugs reported.
Shoots were taken at 9:30 PM.


Here is the dame shoot taken with default Camera app:

And here is the same shoot talento with Lumina in NightMode:

Both are shoot with my 4 years old iPhone 7, handheld and without retouching.

I would point out that not only lumina’s shoot is about 2-3 stops brighter but is clearly less noiser. Also some finer details are visible in background buildings, and a couple of stars.
But photos are not only noise or details, the more important thing are colours: and I think that white balance is better in lumina shoot (look at the sky gradients).



PS: Keep in mind that iPhone 7 camera sensor is really weak compare to newer sensors, so I imagine that an xs or 11 would deliver even better results

 

[matt3526]

I’d love to test it. How can I get involved? I have an XR

 

[FunkyMagicUK]

I'd like to test also - I have an XR

 

[salvatore.p]

I pushed a new build. A lot of bugs should be fixed and the UI is improved on both look and usability.
As for now I can test only on 7 and Xs, so could be very helpful reports on 7+/8+.
[automerge]1591550532[/automerge]

 

[salvatore.p]

Another comparison, this time I tested HDR mode with both stock Camera app and Lumina.
In the last couple of years, even early build of Lumina outperformed my old iPhone 7 (and before my old 6s) in HDR shoots, and by a large margin, (some example are my shoots in Berlin on instagram #shootwithlumina).
Since the introduction of SmartHDR with Xs, I wanted to check how worse my algorithm performs compared to it.

Last week finally I got my hands on the XS, and, after a complete refactor of Lumina’a UI, I did some comparisons on both HDR and NightMode.

NightMode results were shocking, was unbelievable how much details this sensor can capture and recover on low light.


Now to HDR.
Same shoot in HDR scenario: bright sky out of the window and dark inside.
As usual, shoots are taken at the same time (3PM here in Sicily) and in the same position. Handheld of course.
Shoots are posted unedited of course.


This shoot was taken with stock Camera app, with disabled SmartHDR in Setting -> Camera and manually selecting HDR inside Camera app to make sure that hdr mode is used.

And this was shoot with Lumina’s new HDR engine. This new HDR engine was introduced a week ago and, strangely, I haven’t got any complaints!

In my eyes is a night-to-day change.
A great amount of detail was recovered both from sky, the blown highlight area, and from the sofa, the underexposed shadow area.



I want to make clear that Lumin’s AutoHDR correctly detected the scene and enabled HDR.
But, as some of you requested, in the next builds there will be a button to manually enable HDR shoot.

 

[salvatore.p]

A new build is available: this time I’m introducing a video mode!
Some of you requested and I wanted to try how can Lumina help users to take better videos.

As for now, Lumina enables to set custom exposure, custom white balance and focus distance in video mode. Is also possible to switch camera lens and to set resolution (720p, 1080p and 4k) before recording is started. As a side note, all aids implemented in photo modes are not available during video.
This is a limitation of AVFoundation.

Take this build as an experiment, if the quality and performance standards of Video Mode aren’t as good as I expect I can remove this mode any time.



Another big change is the new White Balance controller, that now supports several presets and a full manual mode that enables to set both temperature and tint.


Lastly I worked out some of my algorithms to speed up image processing: on i7 and Xs I was able to decrease processing times for HDR and NightMode from ~4sec to ~1.2sec.

I also improved lens switching times, removing some animations.



I want to close this post sharing a sunset image that I took yesterday with my old and trusty iPhone 7 in raw.
Raw was than developed with darkroom free (I think that this editor has one of the best render engine for Apple raws).

Enjoy the new build

 

[salvatore.p]

A new build is up here:

TestFlight - Apple

Using TestFlight is a great way to help developers test beta versions of their apps.

testflight.apple.com

At this point all the ui bugs should be fixed, working on improving Video Mode!

 

[matt3526]

I must say the app is awesome. When are you planning on releasing it officially?

 

[salvatore.p]

I must say the app is awesome. When are you planning on releasing it officially?

In my opinion Lumina is ready for sale.
Actually I’m working on marketing stuff, I really need to find someone who can translate to French, Dutch and Spanish.
I want to translate in others languages as well, but is really hard to find people..


PS: In latest build I added an option to share unmodified DNG file for raw shoots.

 

[salvatore.p]

I must say the app is awesome. When are you planning on releasing it officially?

I officially released on AppStore!

 

[John Grana]

I officially released on AppStore!

i just checked (in US, East coast). It doesn’t show up...yet.
I was in the beta program if that makes a difference

 

[salvatore.p]

i just checked (in US, East coast). It doesn’t show up...yet.
I was in the beta program if that makes a difference

Can you please confirm that using this link the app shows?
h ttps://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1529119045

 

[John Grana]

Can you please confirm that using this link the app shows?
h ttps://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1529119045

That link worked. I purchased the app.
If I go to the App Store and search Lumina, it doesn't show up...

Maybe it takes a few days!

 

[salvatore.p]

A new build is on TestFlight channel, I'm implementing Widget in iOS 14 style. Next step would be a Watch companion app..