The workflow.
The positive image appears directly in the camera view. Automatic color balancing gets it into a useful range; lock the balance when it looks right, then move to the next frame without the color changing again.
- View color and black-and-white negatives live.
- Adjust brightness, contrast, and warmth.
- Lock the color balance across several frames.
- Freeze the image, then zoom and pan to inspect it.
- Save the current positive to Photos as a reference image.
- Calibrate for uneven illumination and lens falloff.
- Use a second phone or tablet as a plain white light panel.
For a basic setup, place the film over an even, diffused light, fill the camera view with the frame, wait for focus and color to settle, then lock the balance. Keep a little distance between the film and a screen used as a light source so you do not photograph its pixels in heroic detail.
FAQs.
Does it work with any film?
Yes. Choose Color or B&W in the app for your film type. It also works well on films with non-standard base (e.g. Harman Phoenix 200 or Aviphot) as the base color compensation is automatic.
Why does the color change while I move the film?
The app is estimating the film base from the live image. Once it looks right, you can lock the color balance for the remainder of the fiilm
What light should I use?
An even, diffused light: a light table, a white screen, or a window onto an evenly lit sky. If the corners are uneven, run the light-source calibration in Settings. When using a laptop or phone screen, the scan quality might be lower than when using a good diffused light.
Does the app collect anything?
No. Nothing is collected. See privacy policy for details.
Support.
Positive View requires iOS 16 or later. For help, read Positive View Support or email [email protected].
Get it.
Free on the App Store. No ads, no account, no subscription, no tracking.
Download Positive View — free →