Photographs are about creating memories, and few things offer the same pull of nostalgia as shooting on analogue cameras. At the same time, it would be self-deception to believe that cameras such as the Pentax 17 will spark a broad revival of analogue photography beyond a small circle of committed enthusiasts. This is where apps like Mood.Camera enter the picture.

The app’s appeal lies in its restraint. Its photographs are grainy in a way that feels organic rather than performative. They have texture, warmth and, most importantly, a sense of character. These are images with a feeling of soul.

Mood.Camera is not alone in attempting to recreate film grain and colour shifts, but it succeeds where many others fall short. The results do not look as though a filter has been slapped on as an afterthought. Adding to its appeal, the app is available as a one-time purchase, a rarity in an ecosystem dominated by subscriptions. It also has a quiet way of changing how you think about photography on the iPhone.

Designed by Alex Fox, Mood.Camera is a film-emulation camera app built around a simple idea: digital photography does not need to feel clinical. It aims to produce photographs with personality while offering a seamless, uncomplicated experience. Smartphone images often suffer from excessive sharpness and heavy processing. While there is no shortage of shooting modes and editing tools to counteract that, they usually delay the pleasure of seeing the photograph itself. With Mood.Camera, the reward is immediate. You take the picture and enjoy it as it is.

The app offers meaningful control over grain levels, encouraging a more thoughtful, enjoyable approach to shooting. Its film styles are versatile enough to evoke the look and feel of photography in the 1990s, a period many remember fondly for its balance of imperfection and clarity.

There is a carefully curated selection of emulations, including Chrome, Gold, Vista, Xenon and Cine. Where many competing apps stumble is in offering too much choice. An excess of filters often dilutes their impact. Mood.Camera takes the opposite approach. It is streamlined, deliberate and focused. These are not filters in the conventional sense. The app uses its own processing pipeline, and even its controls are inspired by the language of film. Emulations you do not use can be hidden, and the list itself can be rearranged.

There is no live preview. The results reveal themselves only after the photograph is taken. That delay feels intentional, a small nod to the rhythms of analogue photography.

At its core, Mood.Camera is about simplicity. It strips mobile photography back to something closer to play. Unsurprisingly, it has developed a dedicated following, with an active community on Reddit.

For those hesitant to commit, a monthly subscription is available on the iOS App Store. For us, the decision was straightforward. We opted for lifetime access, priced at ₹1,499.