Skip to main content

New Leica Lux app turns your iPhone into a Leica (sort of)

The Leica LUX app for the iPhone.
Leica

If you’ve always coveted a Leica camera, but don’t have the absurd amount of money required to buy one, then perhaps you can make do with camera maker’s new Leica Lux app instead.

Currently only available for the iPhone, the Leica Lux app promises an experience about as close to a Leica as you can get without actually owning one.

Recommended Videos

Features include “authentic Leica looks” via a bunch of Leica lens simulations. The app reproduces Leica lenses such as the Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.2, Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4, and Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4, all accessible via a simple swipe. More lenses will be added in the coming months.

The Leica Lux app also offers an array of color adjustments called “Leica Looks” that offer the same color grading and film presets found in Leica cameras. There are 11 in all, including Classic, Contemporary, Black & White, Vivid, and Eternal, each designed to add that little extra something to your iPhone images. The app includes a bespoke software engine to enhance your images with Leica’s signature aesthetic bokeh, and as you’d expect with a high-end camera app like this, RAW and ProRAW formats are also offered.

For those who have neither the time nor inclination to fiddle about with the app’s manual camera settings that include shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, the Leica LUX app has an auto mode that will do all the work for you.

Take note, though. To make use of all of the app’s features will cost you. The free version of Leica Lux offers a single lens and five Leica Looks. To access the Pro version with all of the features, you’ll need to pay a monthly subscription of $7.

“Whether you’re a seasoned professional or have just discovered photography, Leica Lux gives you the tools to craft stunning images with complete creative freedom,” the company said. If you fancy testing out that claim, head over to the App Store now to download the new Leica Lux app.

Alternatively, if you’re happy with your smartphone’s camera, but could do with a decent editing tool, Digital Trends has you covered.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The iPhone 17 Pro may get an exciting new color
Possible colors for the iPhone 17 Pro.

Desert Titanium, Blue Titanium, Deep Purple, Sierra Blue, Pacific Blue, and Midnight Green are the unique colors introduced on the iPhone Pro series over the years, alongside various gold, black, and white hues. We might get another in 2025 with the iPhone 17 Pro.

Leaker Majin Bu says Apple is thinking about releasing iPhone 17 Pro models in a few brighter or more saturated colors, such as Dark Green, Teal, and Green.

Read more
Arc Search, one of my favorite iPhone apps, is now on Android
Screenshots of the Arc Search app on Android.

Earlier this year, Arc Search became one of my favorite iPhone apps in recent memory. It's a browser app that's wicked fast, has a very clean interface, and has an unbelievably good AI feature. Today, Arc Search's developers (The Browser Company) have announced that the app is finally coming to Android.

Starting tomorrow, October 4, you can head to the Google Play Store and download Arc Search on any Android device running Android 13 or later. The app is still in open beta, and not every feature from the iOS app is currently available. Regardless, it's still exciting to see one of this year's best iPhone apps officially land on Android.

Read more
New iPhone SE 4 details just leaked. Here’s what we learned
The iPhone 14 Plus's main Home screen.

The iPhone SE will finally get a new look, though it might still appear identical to a two-generation-old mainline model. This nugget of information comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who claims that the next “SE” trim could arrive early next year.

“The new model will resemble the iPhone 14, including the notch cutout at the top,” says the report. That means the upcoming iPhone could also be the last Apple smartphone with a physical home button with the integrated Touch ID sensor.

Read more