Last week Instagram released version 2.1 of its popular photography app for the iPhone. The marquee feature is Lux, which fixes underexposed or low-contrast photos with a tap. Professional photographers know how to handle sharp shadows and other tricky lighting scenarios, but the rest of us need help, especially when using a point-and-shoot camera like the iPhone. That’s what Instagram hopes to provide with Lux.
Of course, other developers offer similar functionality. Camera+ from Tap Tap Tap features Clarity. Apple’s own app, Camera, features HDR mode. How do they compare? I shot several photos to find out. Here’s a comparison of Instagram Lux, Camera + Clarity and Camera HDR.