The “phone look” for smartphone photography is a well-known thing and, while it’s not always bad, it’s not always what you want. Zerocam launched on Android in 2024 as a way to do away with AI overprocessing, and it’s now getting a major 2.0 update that includes new photographic color profiles.
Zerocam launched first on iOS and then expanded to Android in 2024. The name of the game here is limiting the processing done by software after the camera hardware snaps a photo, and the results are often pretty great. Our Damien Wilde calls it his “favourite camera app,” and said back during the 2024 launch that “it simplifies the process of taking a photo and makes you think more about what and when you press the shutter button. It also helps that there are no distractions to speak of.”
You can see more about his thoughts on Zerocam in a recent 9to5Google video going over the modern Google Pixel camera experience. The video below is time-coded to the Zerocam discussion:
Anyway, the news this week is that Zerocam 2.0 has landed on Android, and it’s a pretty huge update.
As the developer put it, Zerocam 2.0 for Android is “all about pure camera power and the absence of complexity.”
One of the core features here is “Zero Looks,” which is a collection of color profiles for your camera that apply in real-time. New color profiles arrive every month and promise to be “subtle,” unlike the camera filters many are used to on phones.
Zerocam 2.0 also fixes one ofthe biggest problems of the original release, with support for more lenses such as the ultrawide and telephoto lenses. This is device-dependent, though.
Here’s everything new in Zerocam 2.0:
- Native Lens Support (Beta). Easily switch between Wide, Ultra-Wide, and Telephoto. (Availability depends on the manufacturer’s camera API support. Please let us know if it doesn’t work on your device.
- Zero Looks (Natural Filters). Subtle, film-inspired color profiles that apply in real-time. These aren’t heavy “filters”. They are professional color grades, developed carefully every month.
- Multi-Exposure Mode. Create artistic shots by merging two frames into one, instantly.
- Foldable Optimized (Beta). A redesigned interface that feels native whether your phone is open, closed, or half-flexed.
- Pro-Grade RAW & JPG. A rebuilt image pipeline delivers cleaner tones and more reliable RAW files, giving you greater flexibility in post-production.
Zerocam is available for download via the Play Store, but it does require a subscription for basically everything – which is the primary complaint amongst the app’s reviews. The subscription costs $0.99/month or $7.49/year.
More on Android:
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