# GelDoc Imager — Manual imaging tool

> Manual camera tool for precise gel electrophoresis imaging with advanced controls. (iPhone/iPad app by Vincent Pennetti.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/geldoc-imager/id6756336912 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Vincent Pennetti](https://appshunter.io/developer/1856392443)
- Category: Utilities
- Price: Free
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 2 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2025-12-10
- Data updated: 2026-08-22
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/geldoc-imager/id6756336912/reviews.md

## What is GelDoc Imager?

GelDoc Imager is a specialized camera application designed for scientists and researchers who need precise control over gel electrophoresis imaging. Capture high-quality images of your gels with full manual camera controls and professional image processing tools.

**Key Features:**

**Manual Camera Controls**
- Full manual focus control with 3x zoom preview for precise focusing
- Adjustable ISO (50-12800) with automatic range detection per camera sensor
- Customizable shutter speed (1/8000s to 30s) with logarithmic slider and long exposure presets
- Exposure compensation (EV) for fine-tuning brightness
- Tap-to-focus autofocus mode for quick focusing

**Multiple Camera Lenses**
- Switch between ultra-wide (0.5x), wide (1x), and telephoto (3x) lenses
- Front and back camera support with easy flip button
- Dynamic ISO and shutter speed ranges adapt to each camera sensor

**Image Processing**
- Real-time contrast adjustment (0.5x to 2.0x)
- Saturation control (0.0 to 2.0x) for color enhancement
- Color inversion for negative gel visualization
- True black and white conversion
- All adjustments apply in real-time to the live preview

**Professional Workflow**
- Automatic metadata stamping: All camera settings (ISO, shutter speed, exposure, focus, contrast, saturation) plus date and time are automatically stamped onto saved images
- In-app gallery: View all photos taken with the app in a dedicated gallery
- Full-screen photo viewer with pinch-to-zoom, swipe navigation, and smooth gestures
- Photos saved directly to your device's photo library

**Settings Persistence**
- All camera settings automatically save and restore between sessions
- Maintains lens selection, focus position, and all manual controls

Perfect for molecular biology labs, research facilities, and anyone who needs precise control over gel documentation. Whether you're imaging DNA gels, protein gels, or other electrophoresis samples, GelDoc Imager gives you the tools you need for professional-quality documentation.

## Key features

- Manual focus with 3x zoom preview
- Adjustable ISO (50-12800)
- Customizable shutter speed (1/8000s to 30s)
- Multiple lens support (ultra-wide, wide, telephoto)
- Real-time contrast and saturation adjustment
- Automatic metadata stamping
- Settings persistence between sessions

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/geldoc-imager/id6756336912/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Has good potential, but....

*2026-01-27*

I am far from being super adept at iPhone cameras, but from point of view, the camera controls worked well and I could take very nice images. However, orientation from portrait to landscape mode does not change the image. Also, the images are saved as JPG and for subsequent quantifications, would need to able to have a TIF format that can be exported. At this time, the support email does not work.

## Frequently asked questions about GelDoc Imager

### What is GelDoc Imager used for?

GelDoc Imager is a specialized camera application designed for scientists and researchers to capture high-quality images of gel electrophoresis with precise manual control over camera settings and image processing.

### Does GelDoc Imager have ads?

No, GelDoc Imager does not contain advertisements. It is a completely ad-free application.

### What manual camera controls does GelDoc Imager offer?

GelDoc Imager provides full manual focus control with 3x zoom, adjustable ISO from 50 to 12800, customizable shutter speed from 1/8000s to 30s, and exposure compensation.

### Can I switch between different lenses with GelDoc Imager?

Yes, GelDoc Imager supports switching between ultra-wide (0.5x), wide (1x), and telephoto (3x) lenses, and also supports both front and back cameras.

### Does GelDoc Imager save camera settings?

Yes, all camera settings, including lens selection, focus position, ISO, shutter speed, and image adjustments, are automatically saved and restored between sessions.

### What image processing features are available in GelDoc Imager?

GelDoc Imager offers real-time contrast adjustment, saturation control, color inversion for negative visualization, and true black and white conversion, all applied live to the preview.

### What devices is GelDoc Imager available on?

GelDoc Imager is currently supported on iPhones.

### When was GelDoc Imager last updated?

GelDoc Imager was last updated on December 10, 2025, with version 1.0.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 1.2 — 2026-08-22

Lossless TIFF output and a new settings page.

IMAGE FORMAT
• Captures are now saved as TIFF by default — lossless, and the standard format for densitometry and band quantification in ImageJ, Fiji, and similar tools. PNG and JPEG are also available.
• Capture settings are written into each file's EXIF and TIFF tags, so your acquisition parameters travel with the image.
• The on-image settings stamp can now be turned off, leaving every pixel untouched for measurement.

SETTINGS
• A new settings page for choosing your image format and controlling the metadata stamp, with links to support, the privacy policy, and the website.

### 1.1 — 2026-07-28

A rebuilt gallery and a faster, smoother camera.

GALLERY
• Your captures are now collected into a dedicated "GelDoc Imager" album, keeping gel documentation separate from your personal photos. Existing captures move into it automatically the first time you open this version.
• The gallery is grouped by date and scrolls far more smoothly.
• Select multiple photos to share or delete them.
• Photos open instantly. Pinch and double-tap zoom, swiping between shots, and swipe down to dismiss are all much more responsive.

CAMERA
• Significantly faster live preview.
• The app no longer freezes while saving a capture.
• Tap the preview to focus and meter on that spot. ISO and shutter now show what the camera actually selected, and adjusting either takes over from there.
• Focus and exposure are now independent, so autofocus no longer discards a manual exposure you've set.
• Photos taken with the phone on its side now save the right way up, and the on-screen controls rotate to stay readable.

FIXES
• The shutter button could become permanently unresponsive after a failed capture.
• Exposure compensation could drift far off when adjusted in manual mode.
• Saturation started at zero on a fresh install.
• The lens picker and front-camera button didn't always update.
• The front camera preview was not mirrored.

### 1.0 — 2025-12-10

No release notes.

## Apps similar to GelDoc Imager

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Counter (Tally Counter) Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/counter-tally-counter-pro/id1507818665) | 4.9 (17) | Free | Utilities |
| [Count Things*](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/count-things/id1588754202) | 4.3 (16) | Free | Utilities |
| [Colony Counter: Bacteria](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colony-counter-bacteria/id6756727185) | — | Free | Utilities |
| [Easy ISO Audits](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/easy-iso-audits/id889658363) | 3.0 (2) | Free | Utilities |
| [ABT-Virtual](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abt-virtual/id6450747604) | — | Free | Utilities |
| [TPCalc](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tpcalc/id6751998119) | — | Free | Utilities |

## More apps by Vincent Pennetti

- [BreedBuddy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/breedbuddy/id6755792872)

All apps by Vincent Pennetti: https://appshunter.io/developer/1856392443

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-22.*