Apple has always prioritized iPhone camera innovation. Each new model brings upgrades like higher megapixel counts, better low light performance, and intelligent software enhancements.
The native Camera app even offers popular options like Portrait mode, Smart HDR, Night mode and support for capturing video up to 4K resolution. For many users, the built-in camera provides everything needed to capture decent snapshots and even artistic shots.
But more advanced photographers eventually run into the limitations of Apple‘s stock Camera interface and default settings. With no support for shooting in RAW or granular manual controls, you must rely on automatic point-and-shoot functionality.
That‘s why third party camera apps remain popular downloads from the App Store. They unlock capabilities far surpassing the native camera, giving skilled iPhone shooters DSLR-like control in a convenient handheld package.
In this guide, we‘ll explore 15 top camera apps that transform your iPhone into a much more powerful photographic tool:
Best Overall Camera Replacement Apps
These multi-featured camera apps offer full manual control and rich functionality expanding far beyond the built-in iPhone camera.
Halide Mark II
Veteran camera app Halide Mark II sets the high bar for mobile photography excellence. Intuitively designed for both simplicity and flexibility, Mark II puts immense possibilities even in novice hands while keeping seasoned photographers happy.
Gorgeous UI/UX earns near perfect user reviews. Stunning image quality owes credit to computational photography algorithms working behind the scenes. Shooting in multiple RAW formats provides real photographer appeal.
Standout features make Halide remarkably accessible yet extremely capable:
- Depth mode with Portrait segmentation maps
- Instant RAW and RAW+ Review with editable histograms
- Focus peaking and exposure zebras for precision
- 100% coverage live viewfinder even at max zoom
- Privacy-first design with no analytics/tracking
For those seeking ultimate creative control paired with beautiful design in an iPhone camera app, Halide Mark II is peerless.
Spectre Camera
Blurring the lines between professional camera gear and artificial intelligence, Spectre Cam brings powerful auto-enhancement tech to your iPhone shooting workflow.
It captures multiple exposures to reduce image noise. Then the AI Neural Engine goes to work, processing the composite images while applying deep learning adjustments for incredibly crisp, vibrant photographs.
Spectre suggests tailored edits optimized specifically for each shot. Instead of demanding technical skill upfront, it enables your existing creative eye through intelligent recommendations adapted to your individual style over time.
Fun, friendly UI encourages experimentation thanks to smart auto mode. More granular control available too with manual adjustment of focus, exposure values, white balance and more. If you believe AI can enhance your artistic perspective, Spectre brings a delightful, ever-evolving photography experience.
Obscura 2
Streamlined yet capable camera app Obscura 2 focuses on quick access to powerful features without cluttering your shooting flow. Excellent responsiveness keeps you focused on the moments unfolding before your lens.
Robust manual controls include non-destructive exposure and focus adjusters. RAW+JPG capturing provides editing flexibility later on desktop. Real-time dynamic range and histogram visualizations empower intelligent decision making while shooting.
5 specialized shooting modes adapt the Obscura interface for your needs:
- Photo: Quick shooting with live filters and intuitive one-handed gestures
- Pro Photo: Full manual control over ISO, shutter speed and white balance
- Depth: Portrait mode with real-time bokeh simulation
- Live Photo: Self explanatory!
- Video: Up to 4K/60fps with manual adjustment of parameters
Obscura‘s streamlined power earns it a spot as a top camera app for knowledgeable iPhone shooters.
Specialty Camera Apps
These apps zero in on specific photographic situations enabling images not possible with the standard Camera interface.
NightCap Camera
Amazing low light photography once demanded expensive specialty gear. Now expand your shooting possibilities into the dark with NightCap.
Automatic alignment calibrates based on accelerometer and gyroscope data for precision compositions of night skies. Manual or automatic exposure settings properly expose details invisible to the naked eye. Real-time stabilization keeps images crisp.
Famous features include:
Clarity: Reduces noise and enhances details for brilliant low light shots
Horizon: Keeps compositions perfectly straight every time
LE: Stands for "long exposure" – captures movement over time from water to stars
Selfie Flash: Front screen flash illumination for perfect selfies even at night!
NightCap removes technical barriers standing between you and brilliant images where other cameras fall flat. opening up creative possibilities once unfathomable on iPhone.
Slow Shutter Cam
Transform reality into canvasses of surreal motion blur and misty watercolor dreamscapes with Slow Shutter Cam. Techniques once demanding expensive DSLRs and complex know-how become point, shoot and wow simplicity.
Paint flowing water into silky ribbons showing temporal movement. Capture ghostly light trails streaking through the city. Give portraits vivid sense of speed. Slow Shutter‘s name says it all – easily craft images where time stands still by capturing over longer exposures.
Other excellent features include live filters for real-time previews of popular effects. Self timer mode prevents camera shake during long exposures. Apple Watch app remote controls camera right from your wrist! If you seek new photographic dimensions transcending space and time alike, Slow Shutter Cam delivers.
Focos
Take full creative control over portrait photography focus effects with Focos. Mimic SLR camera optics to artistically isolate subjects against creamy bokeh backdrops. But instead of demanding lenses costing thousands, Focos puts DSLR-like capabilities right on your iPhone.
Face tracking keeps subjects tack sharp. Click portrait lighting effects dial in studio lighting looks in real environments. The real-time bokeh adjust gorgeously isolates focus against harmoniously blurry backgrounds.
Focos makes portrait artistry easier than ever by solving tricky focus challenges digitally. Free up mental bandwidth to pursue your creative vision rather than technical limitations. If you love using Portrait Mode but demand greater artistic flexibility, Focos pushes possibilities dramatically further.
The Photographer‘s Ephemeris
Meticulous planning makes the difference between good landscape photography and jaw dropping images for the ages. The Photographer‘s Ephemeris puts immense planning power right in your pocket.
View solar and lunar positional data for precise golden hour and celestial event planning. Augmented reality displays overlay possible compositions onto real environments. Simulation tools preview shadow positions over time at each location.
Save detailed location notes for revisiting epic shots across seasons when optimal conditions align. Two offline map styles work sans cell service for true wilderness adventure. If your photographic journeys demand diligent preparation, The Photographer‘s Ephemeris promises infinitely more fulfilling destination experiences.
Photo & Video Editing Camera Apps
For photographers and videographers alike more interested in post-processing potential than capture tools, these apps provide excellent built-in cameras plus integrated editing suites.
Darkroom
Streamlined photo editing app Darkroom expands beyond post-processing with an impressively capable camera packed with handy assists. Shooting full resolution DNG RAW means more creative options later during export.
Embedded RAW+JPG capture provides built-in backups. Real-time histogram visualization helps balance tricky exposures on location. Focus peaking combined with zoom assist confirms critical sharpness in scene.
The Darkroom image editor shines too with powerful capabilities like batch editing, portrait adjustment tools and dual thumbnail interface for selecting images. Integrations with cloud storage providers like iCloud, Google Photos and Dropbox round out this end-to-end photography solution.
Adobe Lightroom
Industry standard photo editor Lightroom needs no introduction, but not everyone realizes a full featured camera comes built-in too! Before diving into edits, the LR camera impresses with subtle yet significant assists:
- Integrated level indicator
- Grid overlay for compositional precision
- Real time histogram visualization
- Dual axis virtual horizon guider
Plus the complete Lightroom toolset stands ready to develop photos with its refined yet accessible controls. The Image Picker even supports raw file imports from other apps for total editing flexibility. For existing members of Adobe‘s photography ecosystem, LR mobile offers a refined capture-to-edit solution.
FiLMiC Firstlight
Serious about mobile videography? FiLMiC‘s video camera pedigree now extends into its Firstlight photo app too. Footage excellence owes thanks to proprietary technology merging multiple exposures taken through iPhone‘s cameras. This novel Dual Lens Engine approach reduces noise for clean images replicating film‘s coveted organic quality.
The signature adaptive film grain algorithm completes the look. Results impress with enhanced dynamic range and vibrant tonality. Focus and exposure aids in-app provide key feedback when shooting. Manual control options appeal to seasoned photographers. If you take mobile filming seriously, Firstlight ensures excellence extends to photos too.
VSCO
Arguably the definitive modern photo editing app, VSCO cam provides an elegantly designed capture experience too. Standards like grid overlay, timer and aspect ratio options logically integrate. Creative options expand through focus and exposure controls alongside double exposure for artistic in-camera effects.
RAW DNG capture grants maximum editing flexibility. Directly sharing to VSCO‘s vibrant creative community stays centrally positioned. And of course perfectly exposed images seamlessly flow into the legendary preset-driven editing workflow that made VSCO famous. For iPhone creators cultivating a personal aesthetic, VSCO provides an exceptional stem-to-stern photography solution.
Up and Coming Camera Apps
Beyond well established photo apps, newcomers continually push mobile photography forward with fresh ideas. Keep an eye on these shooting solutions defining the future of iPhone cameras:
Mavis
Branded a "cinema camera for iPhone", Mavis brings professional production equipment-level filming capabilities through elegantly designed software controls. Its digital gauges enable constant monitoring over recording parameters from sound levels to exposure.
Both LOG and HDR video modes capture extended dynamic range to maximize creative grading options later while retaining detail. Support for exporting direct to Final Cut Pro and Premiere Pro or uploading footage to YouTube saves crucial post-shoot time. For budding videographers, Mavis unlocks cinema quality productions without demanding expensive cinema cameras.
Average Cam Pro
Average Cam Pro specializes in artistic "temporal collages" – composites with elements captured at different moments then intelligently blended into a single final image. Shooting modes supporting long exposure style motion blur effects breathe new photographic life into flowing water, cloud motion and light trails.
Additional neat touches include live filters for real time effect previews when shooting. Extended timers – up to 2 minutes – prevent camera shake induced motion blur over longer exposures. Support for shooting simultaneous front and back facing perspectives facilitates unique selfie options. Average Cam Pro‘s novel takes on time inspire photographers to see the world around them through new dimensions.
Afterlight
Versatile photo editor Afterlight offers over 100 fully customizable filters accessible through a user friendly interface. It‘s quick adjustment tools like cropping plus selective tweaks such as brightness and contrast modifications make easy work of even advanced enhancements.
But Before diving into edits, Afterlight‘s underrated camera delivers subtle assists supporting capture excellence:
- Horizons overlay prevents crooked compositions
- Grids overlay for perfectly aligned architectural symmetry
- Advanced time lapse functions including intelligent frame analysis with keeps only the best shots
Afterlight brings a quality camera paired with great editing into a single app accessible for all skill levels.
Hopefully this guide illuminated exciting possibilities far surpassing the default iPhone camera app. Download a few that caught your eye to dramatically expand creative photographic boundaries.
My top three all-around recommendations which provide exceptional cameras paired with helpful functionality:
- Halide Mark II – Remarkably designed with both simple automatic operation and full manual control
- Spectre Camera – AI-enhancements automatically improve images while inspiring creative growth over time
- Obscura 2 – Quick yet extremely capable camera neatly organizes powerful features
Determine key factors most important for your needs – planning tools, manual adjustment capability, photo editing built-in and more. Use the app summaries above to narrow options tailored to your shooting style and skill level.
The native Camera app establishes an admirable baseline for iPhone photography. But unlocking advanced creative possibilities demands expanding your app library with a few of these incredible options.
Shoot farther.
