The 6 Best HDR Camera Apps of 2023

Make your photos stand out with greater detail

You no longer need a DSLR camera to get that perfect shot. Your mobile device can be the only HDR camera you need to shoot professional photos, whether you're a beginner or seasoned in the field.

To get started, here are the best HDR camera apps of the year.

01
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Best All-in-One HDR Camera App: Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom CC app on iPhone
What We Like
  • Offers most useful Lightroom features in mobile form.

  • Easy-to-use editing tools for cropping, filtering, and more.

  • Professional camera mode allows manual adjustments.

  • Many tools are free to use.

What We Don't Like
  • Full feature set requires a Creative Cloud subscription.

No HDR camera list is complete without an Adobe product. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a quick and easy HDR camera app for mobile devices.

Most of the editing tools you love are here, such as filtering, cropping, and more. For professionals, the professional camera mode allows you to choose your camera settings for the perfect shot.

While many features are free, full use of the Lightroom app for Android or iOS requires a Creative Cloud subscription.

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02
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Best HDR Camera App for Beginners: TADAA

TADAA app on iPhone
What We Like
  • The camera is free to use.

  • Automatically saves a copy of each shot to your phone.

  • Easy to use for beginners and professionals.

What We Don't Like
  • To unlock all functionality, you'll need a Pro subscription.

Regardless of your skill level when it comes to HDR photography, the app you choose should be simple to use. TADAA combines professional editing tools with detail you have to see to believe, but it's also intuitive for beginners and seasoned photographers.

You can edit on multiple layers, use the masking tool, blur, and more. While a subscription unlocks pro-level tools, iOS users can enjoy this app for free.

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03
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Best HDR Camera App for Scene Presets: Camera+ 2

Camera+ 2 app on iPhone
What We Like
  • Creates professional photos quickly.

  • The scene presets simplify landscape and portrait shots.

  • Creates shareable images with built-in tools.

What We Don't Like
  • Comes with a learning curve, especially for beginners.

Having a collection of scene presets for your photos is a dream come true for amateur and professional photographers. The Camera+ 2 app offers settings such as Portrait, Food, Backlit, Night, Shade, and more to fit the mood of your photo.

The camera is easy to use, and the photos you take are added to your Camera+ 2 Lightbox instead of your iPhone or iPad photo library, saving space. Camera+ 2's Lab gives you editing options such as tinting, straightening, duotone, clarity, and more.

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04
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Best HDR Camera App for Landscape Photography: Lightleap

Lightleap app on iPhone
What We Like
  • Sky enhancements transform boring photos.

  • HDR mode creates professional landscapes.

What We Don't Like
  • App requires purchasing to access most features.

Want to change a gloomy sky into a breathtaking sunny summer day? The Lightleap app makes that and more possible.

This app includes a full HDR mode, complete with filters and enhancements such as the sky enhancement. Change the sky in your photo using Lightleap's pre-made filters to add stunning effects quickly on your iOS or Android device.

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05
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Best HDR Photo Camera App for Highlights and Shadows: ProCamera

vividHDR on iPhone
What We Like
  • Provides the ability to take enhanced HDR photos quickly.

  • Shadows and highlights look outstanding.

What We Don't Like
  • Bugs with location services and image labeling.

  • Must pay for the vivid HDR tool on top of the app fee.

ProCamera is an app for iPhones and professionals, offering everything a pro would want in one place. When you purchase the additional vivid HDR in Pro Camera, you'll have access to all the tools available for dealing with highlights and shadows with full HDR capabilities.

The app's built-in algorithms help you shoot perfectly sharp and exposed HDR images in an instant. Experience five exposure-bracketed images straight from your mobile device.

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06
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Best HDR Camera App for Gorgeous Filtering: Hydra

Hydra app on iPhone
What We Like
  • Multiple image merging for the best quality photo.

  • Up to 32MP high-resolution images.

  • Filters enhance your photos without taking away from them.

What We Don't Like
  • HDR mode for quick photos could be improved.

Hydra offers photographers one of the most beautiful interfaces for HDR camera apps. It combines full HDR capabilities with a load of gorgeous filters, which makes it perfect for professionals and amateurs. Hydra can merge up to 60 frames at a time to create a single high-quality picture.

Hydra's HDR mode can handle the most challenging lighting situations from dark to light. Lo-Light mode removes sensor noise by merging multiple images and amplifying light by a factor of 10. All of this and more awaits you with the Hydra app for iOS.

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