Halide Devs Launch New 'Spectre' App for Capturing Long Exposure Photos - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Halide Devs Launch New 'Spectre' App for Capturing Long Exposure Photos

by

The developers behind the popular Halide photography app today launched an all-new app, Spectre. Spectre is designed to overhaul the way that we take long exposure images using some unique machine learning and stabilization techniques.

When capturing a long exposure image with Spectre, the app takes advantage what's described as an intelligent computational shutter to take hundreds of photos over the course of a few seconds. Because it's taking hundreds of images instead of one continuous shot, you can hold your phone while you take long exposure images with Spectre.


Normally, these kind of long exposure shots require a tripod or another stable surface to come out well, but Spectre uses image stabilization and its computational shutter to simplify the process.

spectre1
Spectre's software can also do some neat things with the long exposure images that you capture with the app. It can remove crowds if you take a medium or long exposure photo in a touristy area, and it can create those neat blurred effects you sometimes see from long exposure images when capturing flowing water.

At night, there's an AI mode designed to create light trails for creative nighttime shots and light painting purposes.

spectre2
All photos captured by Spectre are saved as Live Photos, so you can see the end result as a still photo or see the exposure process from start to finish. Spectre supports 3 to 9 second exposures in the app, and while the long exposure features won't work for all types of images, you can still get a decent shot in most situations because it's simply stitching photos together.

spectre3
Spectre can be downloaded from the App Store for $1.99. It works on the iPhone 6 and newer and requires iOS 11 and up. Scene Detection features require iOS 12, while AI-based stabilization requires an iPhone 8 or later.

Tag: Halide

Top Rated Comments

StellarVixen Avatar
100 months ago
Seems like a neat concept, but I'd prefer to use my actual DSLR/mirrorless camera + tripod to shoot long expsoures.
You people are unbelievable!


Nobody is saying that you should throw away your DSLR and all the lenses you have. This is for people who want to shoot best possible photos on iPhone.


Please...
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
100 months ago
Seems like a neat concept, but I'd prefer to use my actual DSLR/mirrorless camera + tripod to shoot long expsoures.
I cannot believe comments like this!

Well, go and use your $40,000 Hasselblad and tripod or whatever it is you own (clearly, you need us to know you have a mirrorless DSLR). This is a $1.99 iPhone app for a smartphone. It's not meant to replace a DSLR, it's meant to make what you have in your pocket that little bit better.

For goodness sake.

Side note: Maybe this is the iOS answer to Google's 'Night Sight'.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tzm41 Avatar
100 months ago
Seems like a neat concept, but I'd prefer to use my actual DSLR/mirrorless camera + tripod to shoot long expsoures.
I also have a full backpack of lenses and my Sony full frame mirrorless camera. They surely produce pictures of great quality. But you can't compare the convenience of that full backpack 10 pounds setup with the iPhone that weights 6 ounces and fits in your pocket. Being able to take a creative picture is more important than being able to take a picture of high image quality, in my opinion.

Side note from this I feel like we are starting to see more and more ML based app. Glad that CoreML is taking off.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
StellarVixen Avatar
100 months ago
And I'm not saying that. Typical MacRumors to jump on someone's post who you don't agree with....

Take a breathe and calm down.
I do not need to calm down, I am perfectly calm. Don't play a victim now.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JRobinsonJr Avatar
100 months ago
Seems like a neat concept, but I'd prefer to use my actual DSLR/mirrorless camera + tripod to shoot long expsoures.
Agreed! Except... not everyone *has* a good DSLR+tripod, and even then I don't carry mine everywhere. The ability to get these pics is still a net positive.
[doublepost=1551454022][/doublepost]
The app looks pretty cool, but I would've preferred it as a paid IAP to Halide app. I prefer not to have that many apps, especially for shooting photos or video.
I would take that one step further and wish for the stock camera app to have snap-in capabilities. That way we would have ONE app to load for all photography scenarios.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
100 months ago
The app looks pretty cool, but I would've preferred it as a paid IAP to Halide app. I prefer not to have that many apps, especially for shooting photos or video.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

halide v3 2

iPhone 18 Pro Aperture Control Goes Fully Manual in Halide 3.2

Thursday October 1, 2026 5:39 am PDT by
Award-winning camera app Halide Mark III has been updated to version 3.2, bringing dedicated support for iPhone 18 Pro by broadening user control over the device's new variable aperture camera system. Apple's stock Camera app lets iPhone 18 Pro owners choose from a four-stop variable aperture ranging from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0, delivering around 50 percent better low-light performance and giving ...
iPhone Duo Trio

Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo

Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:12 am PDT by
With just three days to go until the iPhone Duo is released, Apple is getting ready for the launch. Behind the scenes, the App Store now has screenshots of Apple's built-in apps running on the Duo. We've seen some apps in marketing materials, but images of the ones we haven't seen give us an idea of what it will be like using the iPhone Duo day to day. Many apps are shown in landscape...
Apple Creator Studio iWork suite

Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]

Thursday October 22, 2026 11:01 am PDT by
Apple has temporarily removed Keynote, Pages, and Numbers from the App Store, just after releasing an update that added iPhone Duo support and a new Intelligent Assistant. It is not clear if the apps were removed intentionally, or if it is a bug. Apple has not said when the apps will be reinstated, but if it was in error, they should return soon. Update: The Mac versions are back without...
Latest Stories
iPhone Duo Demand Reportedly Exceeds Apple's Expectations
iPhone Duo Demand Reportedly Exceeds Apple's Expectations
1 hour ago
iPhone Duo Launch Begins as First Orders Reach Customers
iPhone Duo Launch Begins as First Orders Reach Customers
7 hours ago
1Password for Agents Keeps Your Passwords Hidden From AI
1Password for Agents Keeps Your Passwords Hidden From AI
8 hours ago
iPhone Duo 24 Hours Later: Your Questions Answered
iPhone Duo 24 Hours Later: Your Questions Answered
9 hours ago
Apple's iWork Apps Get 'Intelligent Assistant' and iPhone Duo Support
Apple's iWork Apps Get 'Intelligent Assistant' and iPhone Duo Support
10 hours ago
Apple is Apparently Considering a Slightly Larger iPhone Duo
Apple is Apparently Considering a Slightly Larger iPhone Duo
10 hours ago
Giant iPhone Duo Displays Coming to Four Apple Stores
Giant iPhone Duo Displays Coming to Four Apple Stores
11 hours ago
Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]
Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]
12 hours ago
Apple Updates More Apps With iPhone Duo Support
Apple Updates More Apps With iPhone Duo Support
12 hours ago
Apple Will Label Apps 'Made for iPhone Duo' in App Store
Apple Will Label Apps 'Made for iPhone Duo' in App Store
15 hours ago
Amazon Takes $49 Off iPad With Prices Starting at $399.99
Amazon Takes $49 Off iPad With Prices Starting at $399.99
16 hours ago
F1 on Apple TV Now Available in Dolby Atmos
F1 on Apple TV Now Available in Dolby Atmos
16 hours ago
Apple Reveals More Than 50 Apps That Will Be Updated for iPhone Duo
Apple Reveals More Than 50 Apps That Will Be Updated for iPhone Duo
17 hours ago
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
18 hours ago
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
19 hours ago
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
19 hours ago
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
23 hours ago
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
23 hours ago
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
1 day ago
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
1 day ago
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
1 day ago
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
1 day ago
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
1 day ago
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
1 day ago
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
1 day ago
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
1 day ago
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
1 day ago
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
1 day ago
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
1 day ago
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
2 days ago