GrainLab
Real film grain for iOS arrived. And you are in full control!
Control your grain
The GrainLab app specialises in one thing: creating realistic film grain to apply to your photos and letting you customize it with nuanced controls, so you can create the perfect grain for your artwork, every single time.GrainLab is available for iPhone & iPad.
Film grain changes the tone and mood of your photography. It can add a real sense of nostalgia and history to your work.
Fake Vs. Real Grain
99% of the photo editing apps, including VSCO, Darkroom, Lightroom and Photoshop, do the fake grain-noise thing and stop there. But in GrainLab you can make it look real. For example, with our five “Cluster Controls” you can mimic the effect of film emulsion making non-uniform grain clusters, achieving that authentic grain look. But we didn’t stop there.In GrainLab, you’ll also find a Blend curve-editor that allows precise control over the visibility of grain at different luminosity levels. It’s very easy to use yet makes a significant impact on your final result.
“The more we get to a clean digital world, the more we long for analog things that make us feel a sense of texture and connection”
— Nick Escobar
The basic noise pattern, commonly used as “film grain” in other apps, tends to lack natural variation and grain clustering. Additionally, their grain is usually visible across the entire photo, even in pure white areas and highlights, something that would never occur in real film photography.With GrainLab, you can finally achieve authentic grain effects, all from the comfort and flexibility of your mobile device.
The Need for GrainLab
We created this app out of a genuine need. As mobile cameras continue to advance, we saw a growing demand for a mobile tool that adds true customizable, realistic film grain to photos. And while phone cameras improve, their software often over-corrects for lens limitations, leaving photos looking overly clean and artificial. Our app bridges that gap, providing photographers and visual artists alike with a creative solution that feels natural and authentic.
Why is film grain important?
Film grain can change the tone of your imagery. It can add a sense of nostalgia and history to your work. And from a technical perspective, in analog film there simply is no photo without film grain.GrainLab simulates the organic size variations of silver halide crystals reacting to light, just like in traditional film development. You get control over the grain, but the result is always beautifully natural.
So, what is film grain?
The crystals in photography film grain are typically silver halide crystals. These crystals, which can be composed of silver bromide, silver chloride, or silver iodide, are light-sensitive and form the basis of traditional photographic film. When exposed to light, these crystals undergo a chemical reaction that, after development, creates the image on the film. The size of these silver halide crystals influences the graininess of the image, with larger crystals producing a grainier appearance.
Tell us your ideas & suggestions!
Your feedback is EXTREMELY important to us, so whether you have any trouble, want to suggest a new feature or workflow, or just say "Hi!", please don't hesitate to get in touch!If you'd like to have a video call to discuss something, that absolutely fine too! Just let us know.
GrainLab is proudly made by Marvin Krueger & David van Ballegooijen • © 2024-2025