Rian Johnsons camera app brings Knives Out look to iPhone
Rian Johnsons camera app, Chromagraph Camera, is a new iOS photography tool that applies the same image processing used in his films, including the Knives Out look, to iPhone photos. Built with cinematographer Steven Yedlin and programmer Eric Cameron, it shoots in RAW and is sold on the App Store for $12.99.
Key Takeaways
- Chromagraph Camera is Rian Johnsons camera app for iPhone, made with Steven Yedlin and Eric Cameron.
- It uses the same image processing Yedlin applied on Johnson's films, aiming for a Knives Out style colour grade.
- The app shoots in RAW, then shows a processed still after you take the photo, with limited colour, exposure, grain, and halation controls.
- It is iOS-only for now, costs $12.99, and does not support video or exporting unprocessed RAW files.
- Early users say shots look darker and warmer than the default Camera app, with less digital sharpening.
If you have been chasing a cinematic look on a phone, this launch sits neatly in our Nostalgia: Then & Now lane: film colour science from the big screen, translated into a pocket camera workflow.
What is Chromagraph Camera and how does it work?
Chromagraph Camera is the photography app Knives Out creator Rian Johnson has launched so other people can copy his preferred look on iPhone. According to Mashable, it was created in partnership with cinematographer Steven Yedlin and programmer Eric Cameron.
The selling point of Rian Johnsons camera app is not a trendy sticker pack. It applies the same image processing Yedlin used in Johnson's films. That is why coverage frames it as Knives Out colour grading for everyday phone snaps.
Unlike many third-party filters that sit on top of an image your phone has already processed, Chromagraph Camera works from RAW. Johnson states that it captures unprocessed image data so there is more flexibility when editing inside the app.
Because of that pipeline, the app does not preview the final graded look before you shoot. You take the still first, then see the processed picture. From there you can fine-tune colour, exposure, grain, and halation tools, then export to your camera roll.
Adjustments stay fairly limited on purpose. Mashable reports that the design keeps every image true to the look that is the core of the app, rather than turning Chromagraph into an open-ended editor. You can also tweak colour, tone, and texture within those bounds.
Why did Rian Johnson make a camera app?
Johnson has said the origin story is personal. Posting on X, he explained that he asked Yedlin and Cameron to make it because he takes a ton of phone pictures and wanted the tool for himself.
"I honestly just asked Steve (and our genius color science coder friend Eric Cameron) to make it because I take a ton of pics with my phone and wanted to have it for myself, and they figured hey, let's put it out there," Johnson wrote.
He also positioned Chromagraph as a simpler alternative to juggling other third-party tools. In his words, it is an elegant one-stop-shop that takes beautiful shots with Yedlin's "special sauce" processing, then lets you refine the image before sending it to the camera roll.
That then-and-now contrast is the cultural hook. A colour science pipeline associated with theatrical features is now something an iPhone owner can buy and use for casual photos. Rian Johnsons camera app turns a film-set preference into a consumer product without asking users to learn a full grading suite.
What are the limits of Rian Johnsons camera app?
There are clear boundaries. You cannot access the completely unprocessed RAW files to edit elsewhere. Chromagraph Camera currently handles still photography only, not video, though Johnson left the door open to potentially adding video on Pro model iPhones later.
Android users are out of luck for now. Johnson said Apple's more consistent hardware made it possible to dial in performance across iPhone models, while Android device variety would be too hard for a small team to support well.
"Android devices are much more varied, and there's no way with our small team we could dial it in for every device," he wrote.
Dedicated photographers who want maximum control may still prefer shooting RAW in another app and grading themselves. Mashable notes that enthusiasts will likely miss the deeper customisation available on dedicated cameras. Chromagraph is aimed at people who want Johnson's film look quickly, not at rebuilding a full post-production desk on a phone.
Is Chromagraph Camera worth trying for film fans?
If the top question is whether Rian Johnsons camera app can actually give your iPhone photos that Knives Out colour grading vibe, early reactions suggest yes for the intended audience. Some iPhone users who have tried it say the processing looks more filmic than the base Camera app.
Compared with default iPhone shots, Chromagraph Camera images are described as noticeably darker, with a warmer hue and less digital sharpening. That matches the nostalgia pitch: less "phone crisp," more cinematic grade.
Pricing is straightforward. Chromagraph Camera is available in the App Store for $12.99. For buyers who specifically want Yedlin's processing baked into a simple shoot-and-tweak flow, that one-time purchase is the whole proposition.
Bottom line: Rian Johnsons camera app is a niche but clear product. It will not replace a dedicated camera or unrestricted RAW workflow, and it will not run on Android yet. For Knives Out fans and anyone chasing that warmer, film-leaning phone aesthetic, Chromagraph Camera is the direct route Johnson himself wanted on his own device.