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Colin Smith, founder of PhotoshopCAFE, introduces Adobe Project Indigo

3 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8LKeQw7jlY

Colin Smith, founder of PhotoshopCAFE, introduces Adobe Project Indigo, an exciting new camera app focusing on advanced mobile photography. He argues that while traditional cameras (DSLRs, mirrorless) excel in certain areas like video, low light, and dynamic range, smartphones have surpassed point-and-shoot cameras due to their convenience, larger viewfinders, and on-device editing/sharing capabilities. However, traditional smartphone camera apps often suffer from a lack of manual controls, over-processing (leading to soft, over-sharpened, oversaturated images), and limitations due to small sensors and lenses. Smith highlights that the rapid improvement in mobile photography isn’t primarily due to hardware changes (sensors are only updated every few years, and both iPhone and Pixel use Sony sensors), but rather through computational photography – the use of software to enhance image quality. Project Indigo’s Key Features & Benefits (currently iPhone-only beta):

  • Computational Photography Core: It captures a burst of up to 30 raw frames (when the viewfinder is active in Photo mode, not Night mode), even before the shutter is pressed. These raw frames are then aligned and merged to create a superior image.
  • Enhanced Image Quality: Noise Reduction: By merging multiple frames, Indigo significantly reduces noise, especially in shadows, leading to cleaner images. Dynamic Range (HDR Native): It captures all details in shadows and highlights simultaneously through bracketing and merging. This is “real HDR,” not just an effect, resulting in photos that “glow” on compatible HDR displays (like modern iPhones, Apple XDR displays, and HDR TVs/monitors). It also provides a graceful fallback to SDR for non-HDR displays. Raw (DNG) Support: While shooting, it constantly captures raw files. When saving, it applies an “Adaptive Color Profile” (similar to those in Camera Raw/Lightroom) to the DNG, providing an excellent starting point for professional editing without baking in adjustments. Smart JPEG Processing: For JPEG files, it uses advanced tone mapping, sharpening, and color tuning. It generates two profiles: one for HDR display and one for standard dynamic range, ensuring optimal viewing across different screens.
  • Improved Digital Zoom: Unlike traditional digital zoom which simply crops and interpolates, Indigo utilizes Adobe’s Super Resolution technology. By combining information from multiple frames and using AI, it dramatically improves the quality of digitally zoomed images, even at high magnifications (e.g., 25x pinch zoom).
  • Low Light Performance: The multi-frame capture and merging process makes Indigo highly effective in low-light conditions, significantly reducing noise and improving detail.
  • Zero Shutter Lag (in Photo Mode): Because it’s constantly buffering raw frames, there’s virtually no delay between pressing the shutter and capturing the exact moment. (Note: Night mode and other advanced modes may have a slight processing delay and require a stable tripod for long exposures.)
  • Additional AI Features: Includes AI Denoising and Reflection Removal (specifically for flat glass surfaces like windows), incorporating more of Adobe’s existing AI technologies.

Smith concludes by encouraging viewers to consider the evolving landscape of photography. He poses the question of whether phone cameras will eventually replace traditional cameras, or if traditional cameras will adapt to a more compact form factor, but emphasizes that computational photography is clearly the future. He invites viewers to share their thoughts in the comments.

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