Helio Black&White Film Camera
Authentic Film Grain & Styles
About
Capture stunning black and white photos with authentic film grain and styles. This app uses on-device machine learning to create realistic textures, offering five distinct looks and customizable grain settings.
What's New in Helio Black&White Film Camera
1.4
May 1, 2026
Helio's style engine now ships with five distinct B&W looks — Pure, Hard Contrast, Reportage 400, Nocturne 3200, and Chroma 400 — each driven by zone-adaptive ML models for richer tones and authentic grain. The camera also gets a redesigned Style picker that combines look selection and grain controls into one screen, with visual previews of each grain texture and an optional Custom mode for fine-tuned size, contrast, and tonal response.
MoreFAQ
What are the five film-inspired styles in Helio?
Helio offers five distinct black and white styles: Pure for classic monochrome, Hard Contrast for punchy tones, Reportage 400 for a documentary feel, Nocturne 3200 for high-speed pushed grain, and Chroma 400 for smooth chromogenic mono.
How does Helio create film grain?
Helio uses on-device machine learning to generate authentic film grain, rather than applying simple noise or overlaid textures. You can choose from presets like Fine, Medium, or Heavy, or use Custom mode to fine-tune size, contrast, and per-zone tonal response.
Does Helio have ads?
No, Helio does not contain advertisements. It is a completely ad-free experience for users.
What devices is Helio compatible with?
Helio requires an iPhone 13 or later for optimal performance and is supported on iPhone devices. It utilizes the device's camera hardware for high-resolution capture.
What is the update frequency for Helio?
The latest version of Helio was released on May 1, 2026, indicating active development and updates. The app was last updated in 2026.
How does Helio handle user privacy?
Helio prioritizes privacy with no accounts, no cloud uploads, and no analytics. All machine learning processing occurs entirely on your device, ensuring your photos remain private.
Can I see the effects live before taking a photo with Helio?
Yes, Helio features a 'What You See Is What You Get' approach. Every style, grain texture, and adjustment is rendered live in the viewfinder, so the photo you capture is exactly what you see on screen.
What is the user sentiment for Helio based on ratings?
Helio has a perfect 5.0-star rating from 2 reviews, indicating very positive user sentiment among its current users.