- VWFNDR + MBL is a new camera app that captures unprocessed Bayer RAW DNG (and JPEG) files to skip modern computational photography pipelines and preserve real-world imperfections.
- The app utilizes the open C2PA standard to provide a tamper-evident record, proving the image was taken by a real camera and not generated or altered by AI.
- Available for free on Android 10 or later, the app currently only supports the primary rear camera and serves as the software foundation for future camera hardware from VWFNDR.
Smartphone camera apps from different brands used to have distinct identities, but over the years, we’ve all converged on a single design. While this is great for users who rely on muscle memory, it takes some of the fun out of photography. Add to that the over-reliance on AI and computational photography, and you can see why some of us want to return to the good old days of intentional, thoughtful photography. If you share the same yearnings, this new camera app deserves your attention.
VWFNDR + MBL (stylized form of “Viewfinder Mobile”) is a new camera app from VWFNDR that captures unprocessed Bayer RAW DNG alongside JPEG to bypass the computational photography pipelines on your phone. The lack of computational photography is intentional, so what you shoot will be closer to what you (and your phone’s camera hardware) see, complete with photos that include overexposed and underexposed parts — the imperfections are part and parcel of being “real.”
