Use the “Anti-AI” Camera Apps Zerocam and Hallide to keep your photos more natural

Artificial intelligence is everywhere you look now, making its way music streaming, social media, video games, web searchand almost every other technological field. Whenever a new phone or laptop is launched these days, what is invariably mentioned first is how much AI it has on board.

The reach of AI also extends far into mobile photography. It started with intelligent algorithms, guided by tweaks to color and brightness in your mobile photos. Now we’re up to leaving out people in photos who weren’t really there at the time – or, alternatively, removing people and objects from a shot. Both Android and iOS also apply machine algorithms to make the colors in the photos “pop” and to add more dynamics to the image.

It shouldn’t be like that. You can also find mobile camera apps that bypass the AI ​​and give you control, so taking pictures is more about framing moments and scenes rather than any kind of AI faking. These are two of the best.

Zerocam

The Zerocam interface couldn’t be much clearer.

David Nield

Zerocam proudly promotes its anti-AI ethos, describing itself as “the simplest way to take photos”, with the idea that it’s as close to a real point-and-shoot camera as possible. Natural and authentic looks are in – the app actually shoots in RAW format – and artificial overprocessing is out.

There’s really not much to say about using the app: You frame the shot, and hit the yellow shutter button (which has a rotating carousel of labels on it, including “zap” and “piu piu”). The only other button on the interface lets you control the zoom options, which will vary depending on the phone you’re using.

At first, it’s a bit unsettling to have such a simple and minimal interface to work with, but I found that I quickly got used to it. It feels liberating to just point and shoot without worrying about anything else – and the Zerocam social media feed is full of examples of the great photos you can take with this app.

The app’s developers are committed to their community, and are currently running a “365 Challenge” to encourage users to take a snap a day. You can see the indication if you configure the Zerocam widget on your home screen. It is also possible to launch the app directly from the lock screen if you want.