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Camera manufacturer Leica has launched a Lux app to bring the brand’s signature visual style to iPhone users.
Lux accomplishes this through a combination of color profiles and software-based lens simulations.
The Leica Lux app provides a range of “Leica Looks,” which are color profiles designed to emulate the color science found in newer camera models like the Q3 and SL3. These include options like Leica Standard, Leica Classic, Leica Contemporary, and various black-and-white tones, allowing users to apply Leica’s signature color rendering to their iPhone photos.
While Leica has previously collaborated with smartphone makers like Xiaomi and Huawei, the Lux app represents a fresh approach, aiming to distill the essence of Leica’s cameras into a software solution. According to Leica, this approach is like using Leica camera lenses without having to hold a physical camera.
Leica Lux App Subscription Models
The Leica Lux app can operate in full auto mode, similar to Apple’s camera app, or in “Aperture mode,” using software to replicate the style and bokeh of high-end lenses like the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.
Although the Leica Lux app offers a basic free version with limited features, unlocking the full suite of Leica Looks, lens simulations, and manual controls requires a subscription priced at $7 per month or $70 annually.
While some may praise Leica for making its signature style more accessible to a broader audience, others will likely question the value proposition of the subscription model and the ability of computational photography to truly replicate the experience of using Leica’s high-end hardware.
Whether the app can deliver a compelling enough experience to justify its subscription model remains to be seen. However, it represents an intriguing fusion of Leica’s legacy and the capabilities of modern digital image capture.
