RNI Films: Photo & RAW Editor

After the backlash developer team had made changes to the way date stamp tool works: now disabling it does not require a Pro subscription. Props to the team for listening to the community. Hope to see more compelling features coming to the Pro package, like additional editing tools and more film emulsions. Old review for the context: Newly added date stamp tool is actually just a way to force an app watermark on your images, that cannot be disabled without a subscription purchase. Even though release notes state that we get to keep all our previous filter purchases, it does not make much sense to continue using them if there is going to be a watermark plastered over your images. Also locking app unless you sign up with your Apple account is unfair if you are not going to use any subscriptions. From a long-time user, not a good look, guys.

If you find the color editing capabilities of your built-in iPhone software to be a little lacking, RNI Films might be exactly what you’re looking for. With just a few taps, you can apply decades worth of simulated photographic film to your images and then tweak them further with the usual selection of photo editor tools. In twenty or thirty seconds you can take a photo from alright to special. Unlike some other tools (sksksk), there are no subscriptions here and the freebie options are copious — the basic starter pack of films is generous, varied, and will keep many people happy for a long time without spending a cent. A small one-time payment unlocks each additional film pack, which again are generously-sized (ranging from 12–22 film variations per pack) and offer plenty of variety. As a photographer, I was familiar with RNI from their desktop film simulations, and they’ve captured that same quality here with a fast, optimized workflow for mobile devices. This isn’t some watered-down version for on-the-go editing; I’ve been known to AirDrop images from my notebook to my phone just to run them through RNI Films. It’s that good.

Presets never quite did it for me. I wanted a better development process - one that was more immersive and reactive to the way I take photos. RNI Films app did that for me. It ticks all the right boxes in what I love about film. That said, it’s important to teach yourself how to shoot for this app and for each film. That starts with good lighting, tuning white balance, tint, and exposure beforehand and/or using the in-app tools to adjust. That will yield much higher quality results when applying these film styles to your photos. This gives you the power to use your knowledge of film looks to design the right feeling. Compared to their Colibri app which is uniquely reactive based on how you shot the photo. The Flashback app is a unique take on the film, where it gives randomized ‘chemical’ selections, then you choose your favorite feeling. All great apps and they’re perfect for different personalities. I recommend starting with Colibri or Flashback if you’re a beginner and see how it beautifully develops your photos with a unique film style. Then I recommend RNI Films app for people more knowledgeable about film types and how they behave in various lighting to emulate styles and achieve specific results. It requires a little more ‘geekiness’ but it’s a lot of fun and totally worth it. Your photos are worth that. RNI Films app supports RAW and I hope they’ll add RAW support to Colibri and Flashback alongside fullscreen iPad support. I highly recommended this to any and all nostalgic film enthusiasts.