Chroma Lab

Can a Single App Handle Both RAW Photo Editing and Real-Time Color Grading?

For photographers and visual creators who demand precision, the gap between capturing an image and achieving the final look often involves juggling multiple tools. Chroma Lab, developed by Ilixa, aims to consolidate this workflow into a single, powerful mobile application. Positioned in the Photography category, it focuses on delivering professional-grade color manipulation and image processing directly on your Android device (requiring version 5.0 or higher). The core proposition is straightforward: provide granular control over color channels, curves, and LUTs without sacrificing the tactile immediacy of a touch interface.

Core Features and Functional Mechanics

The application’s primary strength lies in its non-destructive editing pipeline. Users can import standard JPEG, PNG, or RAW files (DNG support is critical for this tool), and every adjustment is applied as a layer that can be tweaked or removed without altering the original data. The interface is built around a three-panel system: a live preview, a histogram with RGB and luminance channels, and a floating control panel. This layout minimizes screen clutter while keeping all essential metrics visible.

Color grading is handled through a combination of HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance) sliders, curves with up to 16 control points per channel, and a 3D LUT (Look-Up Table) browser. The HSL tool allows for targeted adjustments—for example, shifting only the greens in a landscape without affecting skin tones. The curves tool offers both parametric and freehand modes, giving users the choice between mathematical precision and manual sketching of response curves. A particularly effective feature is the “Color Space” selector, which lets you switch between sRGB, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, and ProPhoto RGB profiles, ensuring output matches the intended display or print standard.

Real-time performance is a key differentiator. Chroma Lab leverages GPU acceleration to render all adjustments at 60 frames per second, even when working with 16-bit TIFF files or 48-megapixel RAW captures. The app includes a “Split View” mode, allowing you to compare the edited version side-by-side with the original without leaving the editing screen. For batch processing, the “Copy/Paste Adjustments” function lets you apply a grading preset across an entire folder of images, with a single tap confirming the export resolution (up to 4K).

Key Advantages

• Non-destructive RAW processing with full DNG support
• Real-time 60 FPS GPU-accelerated preview
• Multi-point curves and 3D LUT import/export
• Color space management (sRGB, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, ProPhoto RGB)
• Batch copy/paste of adjustments across images

Consider Downloading Chroma Lab Now

If your workflow demands precise color correction, RAW file handling, or the ability to create and apply custom LUTs on a mobile device, Chroma Lab offers a robust solution. The combination of a responsive GPU engine, professional color spaces, and non-destructive editing makes it a practical tool for photographers who need to finalize images on the go. We suggest trying it for situations where you need to match footage from multiple cameras or apply consistent grading across a series of shots.

Internet connection required for LUT downloads and updates. In-app purchases available for premium color presets and extended export options.