Name: Darkroom: Photo & Video Editor
Rating: 4.79007 (24561 reviews)

User Reviews for Darkroom: Photo & Video Editor

4.79 out of 5

24.6K Ratings

5 years ago, CERDABOI

Great features but unstable

Although there are no selective editing brushes, Darkroom is probably the only editor with this many editing tools that allows you to batch edit on mobile. The only thing that’s missing is some stability. It always crashes on my 5th gen iPad mini. The only things I would improve is the stability of app itself, the grain feature, because the grain gets wayyy to gritty, and a noise reduction feature. Honestly I think noise reduction would be more important than a selective brush. I could use Darkoom for event photo editing, where I barely finding myself using the selective brush, but then that leaves out a trusty noise reduction feature so I feel like it really limits my options when it comes to picking a project to edit with this app. I would still rather stick to doing the majority of my editing with Lightroom. This app came very close to opening up my workflow but that one feature of noise reduction missing is a deal breaker for me.

1 year ago, Bitcoin Bryan

Crashing on new iPad M2

This week I been trying to back up and organize my photos. upload/download, then edit in Darkroom and re-upload to a photo site. I opted for darkroom over light room cause that’s how you develop photos in real life. Anyway I’m trying to edit about 1500 photos and after about 10 or 20 the app lags out and crashes. Progress is saved picture by picture so no loss of work. However, it would be nice if I could just select all and use a custom filter I made. Rather than having to go through each and every photo and click several buttons over an over for hours on end. Been at this for a few days on an off hour here hour there. So I think your app is having issues with my large library or it is just buggy, either way wanted to let you know my experience. just can’t do multiple photo edits and can’t seem to avoid crashes every few sets of edits. Thanks, love the app and will continue to use it. Fix the stability and add multiple image editing ability and I’ll start up a paid subscription. Edit-found the "Batch" edit, the ability to edit multiple photos was there the whole time. Please work on application stability

5 years ago, Brandon_219

Screenshots are pictures too

If I could add one advanced feature it would be spot-selected white balance, but I'm content with the controls for the most part. If I could add one basic feature that really shouldn't be an issue, though, it'd be to import screenshots. Why the hell are screenshots excluded? I have this near-perfect photo editor and can't edit 1/4 of my photos. I know screenshots aren't ideal for printing but they're good for testing crops and testing edits of photos, the latter I can't do without making copies of photos thanks to this app's strange limitation. Yes I can test edits on a single image but I would have to note and undo every edit to try the next. It just seems so much more inefficient than simply allowing screenshots to be edited. Edit: added one star. It's good that screenshots aren't completely excluded, but I still wish they appeared in albums like normal photos do. In an attempt to declutter, per developer's response, I feel like they've actually created more clutter in making screenshots harder to navigate and cause needless frustration by making them disappear from albums they're in. If you want to declutter the normal camera roll, that's fine, but favorites and other albums should be left alone.

3 years ago, Don'tWantToType

Full of options

Some nice filters and the app has full of valuable features. They give you enough free options to keep your interest and let you test the paid features before you decide to purchase. No annoying ads is a plus. It’s not easy to commit these days as you don’t know how things will turn out but it’s one of the few apps that I haven’t deleted after running into something unbearable. I really like some of the film like filters. I hope there will be more refinement in that area based on some professional coloring techniques to get a really pro look to photos and videos. It can be a challenge to get good color in your still and moving images. This app’s filters don’t feel cheap. Only thing that bugs me now is you can edit a slow motion video. It becomes normal speed. I don’t know if can be slowed back down after exported but it’s difficult to work on something meant to be viewed slowly while it’s moving rapidly. Otherwise I’d say keep up the good work! It’s beautiful app full of functional features and booming with more potential. For now the only other apps in my personal use that compete with this app are the photoshop apps, even though they can also do layers. For video so far I still rely on my desktop software even though I believe mobile edit is the future. Would be amazing if this app could also animate still photos or bond with video but that’s probably asking too much.

1 year ago, GodBlesstheFreaks

I HAVE FOUND THE ONE

My go to editor . It’s crazy I’ve got to cull all these damned apps . I can’t afford all the subscriptions. Although this app usually does not cost after you buy it, with the problem of hurting one companies feelings ( do they have any? ) I’m sure they do , but for the money and the fact that FilicPro, , Remote & their camera app are bundled, every-time I open it they upgrade it to the newest version . So eat that Adobe. That and the fact that I have the Zhuhai Smooth 4 it has an upgrade and firmware upgrade that keeps it compatible with The gimbal. . I also believe that even with so many variables, FILMIC PRO BUNDLE IS THE MOST LIKELY ONE APP WHICH I WILL DEDICATE MY PHOTO/ VIDEO AND USE LUNAFUSION FOR EDITIng. Sorry you all are good and any one of the top players are in the running , FILMIC PRO seems to have the most for the least $ . Sorry Camera +, I’ll try and keep current as long as you hold me the owner of the software. NES pas?

2 years ago, Liffae

edited

It seems that every year I do a lap of the photo editors out there and come back to darkroom. The UI is slick, the file support is broad, and the workflow is clean. It is still the best photo editor I’ve used since my old days on non-sub adobe computer software for my very basic editing needs. The premium model promotions have become more in your face — a week ago I was locked out of many basic tools and did my annual look around, to come back today to an again functional app. I understand the team needs to support themselves and their continual development. As a customer who once paid many years ago I can’t ask for much. It seems the day is coming when I will be forced to choose between a $80 fee for a promise (and what do promises mean these days) or capitulation to the subscription model. In the latter case, I’d probably return to adobe (better desktop option and more sophisticated exposure handling). I hope the day doesn’t come… Old review: With the most recent update, I noticed that tools I had used before, notably curves and selective color edits, are now premium features. This is particularly upsetting because the staff of Darkroom have long promised old users that they would not remove functionality in order to force us into buying the subscription model; rather, they (once) claimed that they would only add new tools exclusive to the premium version. This promise appears to no longer hold true.

4 years ago, JackAttack39

Why no “Camera Roll” option?

Why not include a Camera Roll option in the Album picker? Some of us are working with pictures from the camera, screenshots, selfies, and downloaded photos all at once. The options currently provided limit what is seen by the user without a lot of guesswork and jumping through many different album options which causes so much unnecessary frustration. An un-sorted Camera Roll album option would eliminate this and allow us to work with ease. If this option gets added in an update, I’ll stick around and even subscribe, as I really do enjoy all of the features and feel the developers deserve compensation for their hard work. However, if this doesn’t get changed I’ll be forced to stick with Ultralight to get my needs suited, which is a shame because I really wanted Darkroom to be my go-to.

3 years ago, ✨💅🖤

filters glitching

UPDATE: the problem is fixed and my filters are back! i love this app, i’ve been using it as my main software for editing pictures super easy and fast for a couple years now, but recently it’s been changing and deleting some of the filters that i’ve had and i cant change them back. anytime i try to readjust the settings and press “update”, it updates and works fine on whatever picture i fixed the filter on, but when i go to another picture and try to use it, all of the settings are messed up again and sometimes in different ways than before. even when i remake the entire filter with the same settings, i go to another picture to use it and everything’s changed around again. i’ve had no problems until this point, so hoping for an update soon.

4 years ago, iChris36

Great App and Great Team

I don’t use this app often, but when I do, it does what it needs. Recently, I’ve opened the app up and come across a message detailing their new subscription model. Ok, I understand. The next decade in app development will bring about mind blowing features and it’s important to have the ability to finance that. With that said, I was given two options: continue using the app with no additional cost, or subscribe for a reduced rate. Although I chose the free option, I am impressed and happy that the developers have chosen to allow the end user an option like this instead of forcing a subscription. I’m much more willing to support developers like this in the future. And if I used the app more often than I do, I likely would have gone the subscription route. It’s a great app, and I’m sure the future will be bright! Thanks for all the hard work!

6 years ago, Besdayz

Very useful even for Pros

I use this app when I want to import dslr images (via google drive or canon) to my iphone and display these images on social media or photo share. Obviously I won’t be printing from iPhone files since it’s smaller resolution files. For pro work I would use the real file on my computer and adobe products to edit. But for a quick edit with some nice filters curves perspective cropping and sending previews to clients or even personal use this works well. What I really like is I don’t have to save as a edited image and duplicate files since all edits are non destructive and can easily revert to originals. My suggestion for the developers would be people like me would love more functionality that more closely resembles what I can do on Lightroom or photoshop. I know that means more cost but off top of my head I would really like things like 1) stitching images for panoramas 2) focus stacking 3) spot removal (brush tool) 4) masks (for local edits) 5) hdr 6) more filters esp for B&W. I would pay for these. Carbon has some good ones. 7) Gaussian blurs 8) gradients 9) selective coloring (making eyes whiter, teeth whiter etc) I realize this may be a sophisticated set of functions for a mobile app but hopefully in future it is available.

6 years ago, papaSnoot

Crashes when zooming in on raw photos 😣

Let me start by saying that I really WANT to love darkroom. It is tightly integrated with halide and other camera apps, and the amount of control available in the app is amazing. I also love that you can super easily switch between raw and other versions of your pics. So the reason I just can’t love this app is because for me it is unusable. I am using halide to shoot raw photos and when I edit them in darkroom as soon as I zoom in close on a raw photo and try to pan the view, the app crashes. This happened every time with any raw photo weather it was shot on halide or another iPhone app, or shot on my Sony a6300 and imported through photos app. I have tried deleting the app and rebooting then reinstalling but it just does the same thing with raw photos. Very disappointed. Hope the devs can fix this soon else I really can’t use the program. If this gets fixed it’s easily a 5 star rating!!

2 years ago, Move the box12345678910

Undesired automatic white balance adjusting

I want to start off by saying I really like this app. I knew immediately I need to purchase it for its easy to use tools and raw editing. However, after recently returning from an underwater wildlife photography trip I started editing my photos and immediately noticed an issue. When I go to edit in any capacity the photo automatically darken a little bit and turn the image greener than it was in camera and in my files. I’m using Sony body and underwater auto white balance. I’m still relatively newer to editing and am not the best but I haven’t been able to get any images back to where they were before this random adjusting. It’s a shame since the blues are very blue and the sea life had perfect amount of red. I’d love for this to be resolved since it’s the only thing keeping me from loving the app again. Thank you.

5 years ago, COLORADOAPPUSER

Reading the reviews...

I’ve just downloaded this to try it out. But let me say after reading the responses by the developers to some of the reviews I’m hesitant to put money towards the app. My question, why come across as offensive and upset whenever anyone gives you less than all stars and makes suggestions? Apple, how can you continually highlight this app when you see some of the responses by the developers? You continually suggest you aren’t a pro app, only a team of two etc. That’s fine, then I would suggest making the price less, or even free, until it’s fully ready and it might help you build a loyal following. Most would consider that price point to have a fully polished app ready to work in every way. Just don’t be offended when people who really care make suggestions. By the way I rarely review, this just really caught me by surprise. Not a good way to build loyalty with your brand. Accept the criticism and use it to get better...

3 years ago, Shezzbeck

Best App Ever

This is hands down the best app ever. Even if you are beginner or a professional. I am a professional videographer and a photographer. I routinely shoot instructional fitness videos, portfolios and weddings. The color grading and filters are phenomenal. I really enjoy the workflow set up which is specifically designed for heavy workflow and setup to creat a quick and efficient way of color grading bulk photos by creating personalized filters that you can swiftly apply to your photos. Instead of color correcting each individual pic. This feature creates a uniform look instead of some pics looking different from the others. This app also is just so easy and fast to use. I’m still learning of all the features it has. Keep up the good work!

2 years ago, Ian S.

My go to “premium” photo editing app, ruined by greed.

I’ve been using this app for my photos since basically day one. I outright purchased it as a premium app, then a few years back, they decided to backpedal on that exchange and decided to do what every other app dev is doing; turning their once premium one, time purchase app into a subscription model. It was nice of them to give us “legacy users” 2 years of free updates, and I didn’t initially mind the masks mode being unusable without subscribing. But the new color grading mode is now a big red button cluttering up the UI begging, no, demanding that we subscribe finally. I don’t even need this feature, it’s absurd that we don’t have the option to hide it if we don’t need it instead of having our workflow smudged by a constant reminder. I asked if they had a hidden feature to hide this button, and they simply said no. So here’s a 1 star review for catching up to your greed. The photo is still pretty great bedsides 🙄

3 years ago, Waywaybackmachine

Way Less Buggy since iOS update

Update: things seem more stable lately, it could be my own fault as I was behind on an iOS update. I’ll keep checking back. Thanks for the response and the hard work, sorry for getting a little rant-y. First world problems, 🙄. Batch function and general interface of this program are still tremendously helpful.. one suggestion : Picsart is the only app I’ve found so far that has this, but the ability to use erase (and in particular to control the transparency of the eraser tool in order to facilitate smooth blending) on parts of the applied filter / fx is extremely useful - I’ve used that small function so extensively, you can completely deconstruct and recreate a new image with this tool. If you guys were to add this function, holy moses… I would love that.

12 months ago, DuluthSwede

Nearly Perfect

I’ve worked in a darkroom with enlargers and prints. I moved on to digital processing using a variety of tools - Adobe Elements 1.0, iPhoto. I got away from it for quite a while, and coming back recently and trying all of the supposedly “top” photo editors, I quickly became mired in complexity and irritated by the lack of integration with my Macintosh and iPad. I tried a few that were much simpler, but they lacked the tools I expected to find and, again, accessing my photos, both jpeg and raw, either impossible or full of unexpected glitches. I bought a couple and did free trials, but I had to get refunds. They lacked the elegance and simplicity I was used to in the Mac world. Then I tried Darkroom. Wow! Everything works. ALL of my extensive photo library is at my fingertips. It works on my iPad AND my MacBook Pro for one very reasonable monthly fee and have the option of purchasing it outright. It’s truly a remarkable program and a joy to use, play with, experiment etc. without ruining my originals. It even puts them back in my library when I’m done processing. I can then return again and again if I want. I could not be more pleased!

3 years ago, Oldie999

Great Integration, Limited Dynamic Range

I really love the way they have integrated Darkroom with the native Photos app, so you don’t have to go to the extra step of importing from and exporting to the Camera Roll. However, when I tried to edit photos that were previously edited with Lightroom, I couldn’t come close to matching the results and was. very disappointed. The problem was especially evident in photos that have deep shadows. It is just impossible to bring out the shadows the way you can with Lightroom. The brilliance, highlights and shadows sliders don’t have enough dynamic range to tune the image. If the developers can fix this limitation, it will be a winner. The developer has responded that they are working on improving these adjustments in a future release. I will be very interested in using the app once they do as it should make if five stars.

2 years ago, zwoolwine

Great integraation. Still waiting on a few improvements.

I've been a Darkroom user since the early days. It has really come along way and is an incredible tool in its current iteration! I think a ton of users will be stoked on it just the way it is. I am a working professional a still need to see a few improvements to really be able to embrace it. 1. It still tends to be buggy. 2. On my Mac the displayed image while editing is a bit blurry. When you zoom in the image clears up....but their default editing image is not sharp. 3. The presets are almost all a bit too extreme for actual work...(I have to back them down to about 50% for them to become usable.) It would be nice to see some more subtle presets. 4. The Smart Masks are great! But we need to be able to use them on non-portrait and ProRaw images. My main overall issue, is that I know bringing an image into Darkroom is going to equate to a bit of work to get my final edit the way I want. I know that I can go into Lightroom and have what I want in a few clicks...I can't say the same for Darkroom. I love Darkroom. I love what they're doing. and I really feel like they are close to something revolutionary....and theyre getting closer and closer. I'm rooting for Darkroom. I'm a big fan. Download it!!

3 years ago, scarbge

Replaced every photo editing app I had

Had to review bc they’re really on top of everything. I emailed them a few days ago about crop related issues after updating the app and in 2 days they released an update fixing my problem. Beyond impressed 💘 FYI I’ve been using this app since 2018 and I’ve tried everything out there. I was also a heavy Lightroom user before now I rarely edit photos on my laptop and strictly use darkroom. I still check out new app recs but nothing even close is out there. Also, I saw someone suggest a healing tool be added and that would def be great but doesn’t affect my use bc I also don’t crazy edit anymore. But I would loveeeee an Exposure feature added to iPhones 🙏🙏🙏

6 months ago, M Chase

My go-to mood enhancer

I love editing in Lightroom, and occasionally Photoshop. They're my first port of call, and probably always will be. But that's just where I start. I feel like my best work isn't finished until I've brought it through the Darkroom process. I have my own presets that I work from and I love them. The only criticism I have is around pasting edits - I have my presets set to, say. 42 percent opacity, but when I apply the filter, the opacity is defaulted to 100 percent. I have to manually adjust the opacity in at least one image before copying and pasting the preset onto my gallery. Outside of this minor annoyance, I love the ability to create my own "film," so I continue to use the app regularly.

6 years ago, thinkman

Restored previous purchases

Not the most intuitive means of restoring previous purchases but FINALLY found the settings menu and now all is well. 3 stars because this should also be a full resolution iPad app. Take care of that and this review goes to 5 stars. After the developer responded to my 3 star review saying “Apple doesn’t make it very easy for us to restore purchases……”, I have to add that this has never been case with other Apps – in this case it was a matter of finding the settings to be able to do this. My feelings are that developers need to standardize on the look and position of the settings gear! I upped my review by a star as they noted they were working on an iPad version, even though I feel it should have been developed for that in the first place. If this happens, I’ll make it a 5 star review.

5 years ago, zedlyfe

I really want to move to iPad only photo editing, this is almost the app I need

I would LOVE to sell my mac and move to iPad only photo editing, but before I can do that I need an iPad app that includes the functionality I have from Lightroom Classic (Lightroom CC doesn’t have all the features I need). I found Darkroom from The Sweet Setup and its definitely the best photo editing app I’ve tried but it doesn’t quite make the move for me. I shoot primarily events and landscapes, sometimes portraits. Required (for me) features that this app does have: RAW support Custom filters Paste edits across multiple photos (the batch edit feature wasn’t working for me, I wish it did) Batch exports iCloud Photos support Ability to tap to change adjustments instead of drag a slider Required features that are missing (or I can’t find): Brushes (for highlights, shadows, saturation, etc...) Spot healing brush or repair tool (I forgot what Lightroom calls it, the shortcut is Q) Wishlist that isn’t a dealbreaker: Dropbox support Ability to view iCloud photos with the date added view in addition to the chronological view What’s nice but isn’t a required for me: Modify copyright metadata on export Favoriting an image in Darkroom also favorites it in Photos

5 years ago, Joseph_Joseph

Useful; terrific and unique Inset Width for Frame feature

1 thank you for years of use and my benefit with your well designed app. Your app has helped me as a regular guy with my home pictures, not a professional in many ways. And as a volunteer to groups to post schedules and things. 2 your app is the only app, or PC edit s/w that I know of, that has the added frame width keep to the dimensions of the original picture, e.g., I add a border to an 8.5 x 11 in poster. After the frame is inserted, the resulting poster with frame is still 8.5 x 11 in. As the frame width is increased, the original image shrinks to accommodate the new width. This is ingenious - I have used this feature for years. This is the most important feature for me. Thank you! 3. I read your statement about why you are in need of a subscription. It is not easy in retirement, but your truthfulness and intent to honor past members to continue free, is a remarkably ethical character that I applaud you for, so I will likely pay the one time fee after this post to support your endeavor and to not have reoccurring fees. Healthy and Success to you and your team.

3 years ago, Beaconmark

Broken. Just as another recent poster says, bad landscape vs portrait

For some reason, the app is not picking up the orientation on the photo taken on my iPhone 12. It rotates them 90 degrees clockwise when it shouldn’t. Then, to edit them, I turn the iPad Pro or iPhone sideways (the error is happening consistently on either device). Sometimes when switching the photo is distorted, but this whole situation really makes me worry about what is happing to the base image stored, and about the orientation of exports. in any case it’s a serious bug, and has caused me to exercise some of the other photo apps. I’ll be checking back for the fix to this, and will definitely switch back and update my rating to a 5 star when you get it straightened out. Do love the app. One big feature request—choice of sort method of “My filters” or even any and all filters, either by alphabetic sorting, or frequency of use, or recency of use.

4 years ago, CaptHarlock

Replacing Adobe Lightroom with this

Very capable photo editing app at a reasonable yearly subscription rate. I’m getting myself out of the expensive Adobe universe and this is a good option for an in-phone photo editor. It’s missing a few adjustments like “Clarity” and “Dehaze” that I’ve used frequently enough to miss but you can create those effects yourself with the included adjustments. And then save them as your own presets. The one adjustment I would like to see improved in Darkroom is the curves. The adjustments are locked at 5 percentage points (at least that’s how it seems to me) where other photo apps allow you to add and move the points to different percentages.

3 months ago, aaronbleop

I really want to love this editor

It just isn’t there yet. Way too unstable, bugs reported over a year ago unfixed, some of which completely brick the app experience on certain platforms e.g. black imported images when importing RAW. The sliders are a bit unresponsive to subtle changes, no manual entry of values, and the arrow key usage for controls is counterintuitive and awkward, so I often find myself over/under adjusting settings. They claim preset sync between devices but I simply haven’t gotten that to work (using all iOS, iPadOS, macOS). I could live without some of the larger features when comparing to Adobe, but the essentials are too flakey and buggy here. I’ll check back in every few months for any progress, as I am desperately looking to break free of Adobe and loved the prospect of Darkroom, but definitely look for alternatives if you need a serious editing workflow.

1 year ago, Horseshoe86

Good but...

Really looking for an app for culling my Photos library on my mac. I use Lightroom for culling photoshoots and love that I can use those same flag/reject options in Darkroom for culling my iphone photos. However... Photos library allows me to filter just videos or just photos, and that is a feature that is lacking in Darkroom. When culling, I want to be able to do all photos or all videos, not just raw photos OR live photos OR portrait photos. Definitely an area of opportunity. Would also love to have a less expensive option to use the app for just culling. I have no intention of using it for editing and can't see spending that kind of money for just culling. I could see this being very helpful for culling but overall, it just doesn't quite meet the mark for me.

2 years ago, LiamNeesom

Screw Lightroom

Ever since greedy Adobe got even greedier and refuses to let anyone buy their software now with an anti consumer SUBSRIPTION so you’re forced to always give them money at all times, I’ve been looking for a replacement. Not only is this app almost as good as Lightroom, it’s priced well to own it for how well it’s designed. I’ve wanted to do photo editing more on the go instead of being stuck behind a computer. Darkroom gives you a lot of the most used tools needed. The controls a very well made and thought out for touch screen use. Everything just makes since how it’s designed, the user interface is simple and over engineered. I have 2 gripes I would like to see fixed. Three no noise reduction. Kinda a very useful tool to have for cellphone pics and night time photography when you can’t get away with using a tripod. The masking is missing a brush. I would much rather use a brush (I have he Apple Pencil) to mask off what I need. This can easily be a toggle option for using the stock way or doing it on your own with a brush. If either of these is an option please let me know. I’d be happy to change to a 5 star rating.

5 years ago, J o e P h o t o

Bait and Switch Pricing

App looks great with good controls and fast to use. Image quality looks very good as well. Before downloading I saw in the in-app purchases description on App Store that it was $9.99 US to unlock everything! I was ready to jump on it. That’s an awesome price for an app of this caliber. However once open, it’s revealed that it’s actually $50, (or subscribe which is a business model I don’t support). I’m kind of upset at the false advertising. I want to support the devs and get a great iPhone editing app, but going to pass on this one. Affinity Photo, a full desktop class app, is more than 50% less, (and feature rich Procreate is a fraction of the price)! Granted they are iPad apps, but just have to bounce images to the iPad for editing. Comparing features and usability of Affinity Photo vs. Darkroom I’m disappointed with the ratio of features to asking price here... Especially after the bait and switch.

3 years ago, YourPalMichael

Makes Photo Editing a Pleasure

Darkroom is the best balance of accessibility and depth of features that I've been able to find. The recent flag/reject workflow was a great addition that has made it easier to narrow down which pictures to focus on editing. The filters are my favorite that I've found in any app (looking at you Instagram/VSCO). I'm not a professional, so I always feel like I owe the Darkroom devs credit when I end up with a great picture in the end. The only thing I frequently have to jump into another app for is retouch/repair. But that's a quick hop into PIxelmator Pro and then back into Darkroom for everything else.

6 years ago, masnun

RAW editing needs improvements

This is a great app. I love the UI and UX. Love the integration with Halide. The filters are great. Copy hashtag feature is absolutely great - love it. But what I think needs more work is raw editing features. The photos are underexposed sometimes. Even after increasing exposure and brightness, they remain underexposed. With Adobe Lightroom, the same photo gets a lot of light when I move up exposure a bit. This is my only issue with the app. I am quite fine with it missing some other useful features like selective editing. Darkroom in app purchase is a one time thing, so compared to Lightroom, Darkroom definitely offers better value at a lower price. If the under exposure issue is fixed, I will continue using Darkroom for almost all my photo editing.

5 years ago, mDevereaux

Very Misleading

To be clear, downloading the app is free. “Trying” is it free. But you can’t export anything unless you pay for the app so I feel it’s very misleading to advertise that it’s free. The developer should clearly state upfront that if you actually want to use the app - as in make edits and download the final image - that the user has to pay. I understand the premise of try before you buy but that’s wasn’t clear from what I read. I also find it odd that no matter what edits you make, even simple edits, you still can’t export the image. Most freemium apps allow some free options. That said, the app seems to have a lot of nice editing features. From a usability standpoint, sliders that have a generous margin to snap back to 0 is nice. My suggestion to the developer is to rewrite the description so it’s very clear that the app is not free.

6 years ago, Amherst Owens

DarkRoom

DarkRoom is a fantastic iOS photo editing app that I have been using for a few months now. I really like the slider functions as it gives almost pinpoint accuracy over editing your photos. Also this app lets you edit Raw files as well as other more common file types. You have to buy other functions within the app, but most other notable apps like Polarr do the same. At $5.00 per unlock it can get costly. You don’t have to buy them if you don’t want to use the app and it even lets you try before you buy to see if you even want the extras. But over all its functions, and clean interface make it a wonderful photo editing app to use.

6 years ago, dan beltran

As a professional, this is my go to

I absolutely love darkroom. It has all the controls I want for editing in my iPhone without getting clunky or bogged down with unnecessary extras. If I want to do complicated functions I’d do it on my computer. One request I have is to be able to reorder adjustments so for instance I could move temperature and tint up to the top. I work in Lightroom all day and it would be nice to reorder them to what’s familiar instead of hunting down the adjustment I’m looking for. Darkroom has serious updates so often I can’t imagine they aren’t already working on this, I’m sure it’s just a matter of time. Thank you for making a pro editing tool that just works.

7 years ago, itsmechris

Excellent App!

I recently discovered the Darkroom App. I immediately purchased full functionality. For years, I have made “social media” posts by editing JPG files with less than ideal image quality. Frustration finally led me to search for a better option than the stock Nikon wireless mobile utility and Apple Photos on my iPhone. That’s how I came across Darkroom (and ShutterSnitch by a different developer which allows me to download RAW files in bulk off of my Nikon camera). This combination is incredible; I only wish I would have discovered it earlier. Note to developers: I just sent an email to you with a couple of suggestions that might make your 5 star app even better 😊

4 years ago, CarterV78

Great app that keeps improving

I love this app, and continue to be impressed by the developer’s improvements, it’s come a long way even in the few months I’ve had it. The only thing I really feel like I’m missing at this point is some more advanced editing controls like clarity and noise reduction, better support for RAW files, and more filter options (I still find VSCO to have better, more subtle filters). I absolutely believe it will continue to improve though, and right now this covers 90% of my editing needs. The stability and speed of the app is fantastic, batch editing is fantastic, and the design of the app is superb!

1 year ago, Frydaho

The developers are good humans!!

Read the privacy policy (in part): “At Darkroom, we firmly believe that your data belongs to you. As such, Darkroom does not collect, store, or share any images, or data that can be used to identify or contact a specific individual. We do not have advertisers, nor do we require an account to use Darkroom. All information that we do collect is usage and analytics data that is anonymized, generic, and used to help us improve the quality of Darkroom. We never upload your photos.” Dear all other developers: this is the type of privacy policy that makes me want to give you money.

6 years ago, Sunflash.iph

Great App, Developers work hard to keep it that way

Edit: Thank you darkroom! You fixed the problem that I mentioned in this review, glad to see that you are trying to make a great product. I added a star, cause I really do love this app, but have run into a new issue that is almost as annoying as the first. My edits do not remain on photos when I modify the original. I’ve gone back in multiple times and modified a photo, exported it to modify the original. But once I close the app it goes back to its original state. Will be glad once this is fixed! I really do love this App, makes editing a snap. The color controls are a game changer for me when it comes to editing on my phone. The one issue I have with the app, and keeping it from 5 stars is the that in the library, where I can select which photos to edit, it gets the photo is displays is different than the photo that comes up when I select it. This makes it hard to edit photos cause I’m not sure where the photo I want to edit is, I’ll find it, click on it and it’s a different photo. Fix this issue and I think it’s a 5 Star app

3 years ago, asho13

I bought the full version

Let me start this review by saying the only thing this app is missing IMO is a spot healing feature. For me it would be a the perfect mobile editor with spot healing. With that said I did buy the full version of this app and I believe it is a steal at the current price. If you’re willing to make monthly payments for Lightroom or Capture One this should be a no brainer for mobile editing. The lack of selective editing brushes (besides spot healing) is a non issue for me as my editing doesn’t get too crazy these days. Highly recommend! Easy 5/5 even without the spot healing.

5 years ago, Gevork g

RAW image processing isn’t usable compared to others

This app has the potential of being great. It has the library support and copying edits across many pictures by pasting. Overall the feature set is ok , but I noticed the biggest problem compared to other apps for RAW image processing. This app shows the RAW image file with muted colors and a white haze across the image. Adjustments that O make aren’t the same adjustments as in Lightroom or Affinity Photo, or even After Light 2. Is it the RAW image processing or the was it show the image? Ive tried many images back and forth with the other apps, and I cant get a desirable edit on Darkroom the way I get it on Lightroom or Affinity Photo. I cant get that crisp vibrant photo I want. The end result looks muted, off color, and not clear, with noise. I like the potential for the app, but it needs to update its RAW image processing algorithm to make it useable and on par with the other apps.

5 years ago, Devyn Fields

RAW editing lags behind

Comparing Darkroom and Lightroom on iOS at editing RAW images taken on iPhone is incomparable. Lightroom takes the raw file at has WAY more latitude for editing shadows and highlights than Darkroom. I conducted multiple tests thinking I was using the app wrong, but I’m on the latest editing and shooting RAW with both Halide and Moment apps. The raw image looks RAW (bad) but when trying to bring back the shadows and highlights, it is unsuccessful where Lightroom handles with ease. I prefer Darkrooms ui over Lightroom, but have to continue using Lightroom due to this gap in processing capability. This app could surpass Lightroom easily if it’s RAW editing power worked.

2 years ago, Fabfatima_m

Update needed??

I love this app, but recently I haven’t been able to edit my photos in the photo app as I’ve done before. In the past I was able to press edit and have the option to edit there without having to open the darkroom app. I liked doing that because it wouldn’t remove the filter I had put on the photo beforehand. Now I have to open the app , choose the photo but as soon as I do that , it automatically removes the filter I had put on the photo .I don’t know if I have to do something different now to get the same result, and I don’t know if there’s a solution to this , really hoping that I can get some help

7 years ago, TouchTodo Author

Overall quite good

Coming from desktop raw workflow, I knew I need to give up something when comes to mobile. This app is probably as close as it gets for what’s out there. One of the key feature I’m looking for is curve, and it (kinda) has it, with fixed highlight and shadow mid point, which for the most part I’m fine with it. The problem I have with it right now, and I hope developer can fixed it in next version, is the inconsistent preview AFTER I did the editing. For couple photos the preview inside the app shows overexposed (after I choose to modify original). It constantly skews my judgement, and esp when I want to copy over edits to other photos.

5 years ago, ixland

A little question

Hey dear Darkroom team, Firstly, it was a very nice experience to use your app. You know, you guys have got the best interface in a market, But I do need to ask you a question that if you want to add a precise editing feature to your app because your app has been nearly perfect except for the absence of that one little feature. And I’m really sure there are a lot of people out there who are willing to pay you for that. To be honest there are some apps which have already had this feature and charge less, but I believe Darkroom will still be the best if that feature has been added. :)

6 years ago, drk_adapt

I never write reviews but...

I found myself compelled to give credit where credit is due. As an amateur photographer I found myself very impressed with the features and customizability in darkroom. I have used several photo editing apps in the past including Lightroom, VSCO cam, etc. However; this app offers the flexibility and depth where other apps fall short. Keep up the good work. If you have graduated beyond just point and click filters then seriously look into this app. I bought the one time purchase to unlock all features and have been thrilled with the results. Cheers!

5 years ago, asteroidbooty

Like the App Interface, good basic editing

Lovely interface! Would like to make this my primary editing app, but there are still a few features missing (see other reviews). Overall, it has most of the things you need to edit photos quickly. The asking price for additional filters is also pretty reasonable. However, pre built filters aren't what I want most. If prioritizing new features, please work on retouch tools next and add a way to resize images easily. Edit: I would like the ability to resize photos to reduce file size for easier sharing. Also crop for upload to social media - the popular aspect ratios are 1:1 , 4:5 and 16:9. Thanks!

2 years ago, ah.xiou

So forget Darkroom legacy customers?

I remember when Darkroom was barely starting out, I paid for it and appreciated that they kept their promise in letting us “legacy members” still use the basic features of the program. Today I accidentally chose using a mask and went back and now I can’t even export the images I edited with their basic features. Now they’re pushing I subscribe or buy again “forever”. But what is forever? A few years back I thought my purchase was so I could edit on it “forever”, what’s going to make me believe $75 will let me edit on it forever this time? I already subscribe to Adobe so I guess I’m going back to that. Companies need to understand we can’t subscribe to them forever. A solid price to use it forever and keeping it that way would help.

6 years ago, Mad Chipmunk

The Very Best

UPDATE: This is still my favorite photo editor and one of my favorite apps period. The developer team continues to invest in and add useful features on a regular basis. Recent examples include iOS 12’s portrait depth map and hashtag collections. What’s equally impressive is the thoughtfulness of placement for new features. When an (any) app is new, users like it for its simplicity, but software developers have to improve it — they have to add new features. It’s hard to do that without adding tons of complexity. Darkroom hits an awesome balance. **** This is my go-to photo editor. The included filters are great. The manual controls are awesome. It's incredibly handy that you can modify the original photo. You can use the app to browse and edit photos on your camera roll: no importing. Recent improvements have improved the experience of the user interface as well. I'm really glad I paid for this one. 👍 Hey Developers! You created something pretty special. Nice work!!! 😄

2 years ago, JIH88

Disappointed with their direction

I purchased this app years ago and found the features and UI easy to use- was a great tool to process raw images when I didn’t have a computer. They updated their app and gifted early adopters with updates. Makes sense considering I paid for the app. Opened it up today to find a message stating that I can no longer use the app unless I pay again. This is absolutely absurd. To think a developer would imagine that this is a good idea is ridiculous. Asking supporters to buy an app they already paid for a second time to continue to use it is pathetic. Unless they re-reverse their decision, I can’t recommend anyone giving these people your money- you never know when they’ll backtrack and ask for more.

Description

Get ready for Darkroom: Photo & Video Editor, an innovative app meticulously crafted for iPhone, iPad, and macOS. Elevate your creative journey with Darkroom, your go-to mobile-centric tool, brimming with a range of comprehensive features that makes photo and video editing simpler and more effective. Experience the precision of AI-driven depth editing and smart object detection, allowing you to generate a 3D map of your photo's scene and edit individual elements like the sky, hair, and skin with unparalleled accuracy. Darkroom has abundant features, providing a diverse toolkit that complements the functionalities of advanced photo editors like Adobe Lightroom and Canva. Unleash a world of limitless possibilities with touch-friendly curves and selective color tools, simplifying your photo editing process while allowing the creation of unique presets. Uncover the full potential of your RAW photos with full-resolution editing and 16-bit color depth, capturing every detail, shadow, and highlight recovery. Darkroom also offers video processing capabilities, allowing real-time playback and 4K video color grading. Apply filters, frames, and a host of editing tools to your video content, making Darkroom a versatile tool for all your photo and video editing needs. Leverage Darkroom's comprehensive album management tool suite for easy photo organization. The integrated hashtag manager and Siri shortcuts feature simplify hashtag creation and exportation. Just like with PicsArt or Canva, batch editing allows for easy photo management, all within a single application. Darkroom's Membership Trial and Subscription offer excellent value for its price, proposing a user-friendly alternative to apps like Adobe Lightroom. Simplified subscription management and auto-renewal settings provide a worry-free experience for users. Whether you're a fan of VSCO, Peachy, IG filters, or rely on Canva and Pic Collage for your editing needs, the upcoming release of Darkroom is a must-have. Prepare to experience the future of mobile-centric photo and video editing with the new Darkroom: Photo & Video Editor. Please note that your Darkroom+ membership will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can go to Settings > iTunes & App Store > Apple ID > Subscriptions to manage your membership and turn auto-renew off. Your iTunes Account will be charged when the purchase is confirmed. Read more about our terms and conditions here: https://darkroom.co/legal/terms.html Read more about our privacy policy here: https://darkroom.co/legal/privacy-policy.html