Top 18 'Analog-Soul' Editing Tools to try for Creating Authentic Film Looks on Digital Photos in 2025
There’s a certain magic to a photograph shot on film, isn't there? It’s not just about the grain or the slightly off-kilter colors. It’s about the feeling. It's the nostalgia, the imperfection, and the tangible sense of a moment captured in time. In a world of hyper-sharp, technically perfect digital images, our eyes—and our hearts—often crave that 'analog soul.'
For years, photographers have been chasing this elusive quality, trying to infuse their clean digital files with the warmth and character of film. The good news? The chase is getting easier. As we head into 2025, the tools at our disposal are more sophisticated, intuitive, and breathtakingly accurate than ever before. We've moved beyond simple, cheesy filters into a realm of true film emulation, where science meets artistry.
Whether you’re a professional wedding photographer, a passionate hobbyist, or an influencer curating a specific aesthetic, this guide is for you. We’re diving deep into the top 18 'analog-soul' editing tools that will help you bridge the digital divide and create authentic, timeless film looks that truly resonate.
1. Dehancer Pro
Dehancer Pro is not just a plugin; it's an obsession. Built by a team of film enthusiasts and color scientists, this tool stands out for its deep, almost fanatical commitment to analog accuracy. It goes beyond simple color profiles, incorporating complex effects like film grain, halation, and bloom—the subtle red glow around highlights and the gentle softening of light that are quintessentially filmic.
The plugin, available for Photoshop, Lightroom, and DaVinci Resolve, gives you an incredible level of control. You can choose from dozens of meticulously profiled film stocks (think Kodak Portra 400, Fuji Pro 400H, or the cinematic Kodak Vision3 500T) and then tweak every parameter. The grain engine is particularly impressive, feeling organic and integrated rather than like a simple digital overlay. It’s a power user's dream for achieving a truly convincing cinematic look.
Pro-Tip: Use the 'Halation' and 'Bloom' sliders sparingly. A little goes a long way. Start with a value of 10-15 on each and see how it subtly lifts your highlights and adds a dreamy quality to your light sources.
2. DxO FilmPack 7
If Dehancer is the passionate artist, DxO FilmPack is the meticulous scientist. DxO has spent years in the lab, analyzing the grain, color, and contrast of thousands of real film stocks. The result is a library of emulations that are technically flawless. FilmPack 7 brings this heritage to a new level with stunningly accurate renderings of classics like Kodak Tri-X 400 and the legendary Kodachrome.
Its strength lies in its authenticity and simplicity. The interface is clean, allowing you to browse film types, from color positive and negative to black and white. It also features beautiful toning, light leaks, and frames. It works as a standalone application or as a plugin, integrating perfectly into a professional workflow. This is the tool for purists who want the most accurate starting point for their film look.
Pro-Tip: Don't just stick to the famous films. Explore DxO's library of lesser-known stocks like the dreamy, low-contrast Fuji Reala. You might just find your signature look where you least expect it.
3. RNI All Films 5 Pro
Really Nice Images (RNI) has been a cornerstone of the film emulation world for a decade, and for good reason. RNI All Films 5 is a masterclass in taste. Their profiles, designed for Lightroom and Capture One, are less about sterile scientific replication and more about capturing the vibe of film. The colors are rich, nuanced, and beautifully balanced right out of the box.
The collection is vast, covering everything from vintage slide film to expired aerial reconnaissance film. What makes RNI special is its subtlety. The presets enhance your photo without overpowering it, providing a sophisticated and elegant foundation for your edits. They are particularly beloved by portrait and travel photographers for the flattering skin tones and gorgeous handling of natural light.
Pro-Tip: RNI presets are designed as starting points. After applying a preset like 'Kodak Portra 400 VC,' head to your HSL panel. Gently adjust the saturation and luminance of the greens and blues to perfectly match the mood of your scene.
4. Mastin Labs
For wedding and family photographers, Mastin Labs is practically a household name. Their philosophy is simple: create presets that are clean, timeless, and consistent. Mastin's packs are built around the "hybrid" photography workflow, designed to make your digital photos match scans from real film labs like Richard Photo Lab or The FIND Lab.
Their core packs—Fuji Pro, Portra, and Pan F—are legendary for producing bright, airy, and luminous images with peachy-perfect skin tones. They aren't trying to emulate every gritty aspect of film; instead, they capture the clean, high-end look of professionally processed and scanned film. If you want a polished, light-filled, and consistent analog aesthetic, Mastin is the gold standard.
Pro-Tip: Mastin Labs presets rely heavily on proper exposure and white balance. Use their built-in "Lens Correction" and "Tone" profiles first before applying the main preset for the most accurate and beautiful results.
5. Exposure X7
Originally known as Alien Skin, Exposure X7 is a powerful, all-in-one photo editor that has always put analog emulation at its core. It's a fantastic alternative to Lightroom for those who want a complete editing suite with a film-centric soul. Its library of presets is one of the most extensive on the market, covering everything from early Daguerreotypes to modern motion picture film.
What sets Exposure apart are its creative tools. It boasts one of the best grain engines available, realistic light leaks, authentic lens focus effects (like Petzval swirls), and vintage borders. You can layer these effects infinitely, giving you complete creative freedom. It's a playground for photographers who love to experiment and build a unique look from the ground up.
Pro-Tip: Use Exposure's 'Bokeh' panel to simulate the focus fall-off of vintage lenses. This can add a wonderful sense of depth and character to your portraits, drawing the viewer's eye exactly where you want it.
6. VSCO for Desktop
The app that started a revolution on our phones is just as powerful on the desktop. VSCO's Lightroom presets and Capture One Styles are beloved for their modern, tasteful, and often moody interpretations of film. They aren't always strict emulations but are rather "inspired by" classic stocks, resulting in a unique and highly curated aesthetic.
The VSCO packs (like the Film X series) are incredibly versatile. They can produce everything from desaturated, cinematic tones to vibrant, sun-drenched looks. VSCO's strength is its ability to create a cohesive and atmospheric mood across a set of images, which is why it's a favorite among editorial photographers and discerning social media users.
Pro-Tip: The key to the VSCO look is the 'Fade' slider, but use it with caution in 2025. Instead of a heavy fade, try applying a VSCO preset and then lifting the black point ever so slightly in the Tone Curve for a more contemporary, less "filtered" feel.
7. Noble Presets
Crafted in collaboration with renowned film lab Photovision, Noble Presets are designed to emulate the light and airy look of Fuji 400H film scanned on a Frontier scanner. This specific combination is famous in the wedding industry for its luminous highlights, soft greens, and radiant skin tones.
Noble is all about elegance and light. Their presets excel in bright, naturally lit conditions, transforming digital images into fine art pieces. The pack includes helpful variations for different lighting conditions (like 'Soft Light' or 'Hard Light') and a clever 'Enhance' tool that adds a final pop to the image. For that dreamy, fine-art wedding look, Noble is unmatched.
Pro-Tip: After applying a Noble preset, your image might look a bit flat. This is by design! Go to the 'Presence' panel in Lightroom and add back a touch of 'Clarity' and 'Dehaze' to restore depth while maintaining the soft, filmic quality.
8. FilmConvert Nitrate
Initially a tool for filmmakers, FilmConvert Nitrate has become a secret weapon for still photographers seeking the ultimate cinematic color grade. Available as a plugin for Photoshop, it allows you to match the specific color science of your digital camera to a chosen film stock, resulting in a remarkably accurate conversion.
Nitrate's real power comes from its 3D LUT-based approach and its advanced grain controls. You can adjust the amount of grain in the highlights, midtones, and shadows independently, and even choose between different grain responses based on film format (from 8mm to 65mm). It’s a tool for those who think like a cinematographer and want to apply that same color discipline to their stills.
Pro-Tip: A technique I learned from Goh Ling Yong is to use FilmConvert Nitrate on a separate layer in Photoshop. You can then use a layer mask to selectively "paint in" the film grade, applying it more strongly to the background while keeping the subject's skin tones more natural.
9. The Archetype Process
Created by a team of photographers and a professional colorist, The Archetype Process (TAP) profiles are another tool designed for hybrid shooters. Their goal is to perfectly match the look of Frontier and Noritsu lab scanners, which produce very different color palettes.
TAP profiles are known for their rich, warm tones and deep shadows, giving images a tangible, almost painterly quality. They excel at rendering skin tones with incredible depth and realism. Unlike many presets that simply crush blacks, TAP preserves detail in the shadows, mimicking the density of a true film negative. This is for the photographer who craves warmth, depth, and character.
Pro-Tip: The "Noritsu" profiles in TAP are incredible for indoor and low-light scenes. They add a beautiful warmth and richness that can make a dimly lit room feel cozy and intimate.
10. Capture One Pro
While not exclusively a film emulation tool, Capture One Pro has some of the best built-in analog features of any raw editor. Its color engine is renowned for its superior rendering, and this extends to its "Styles," which are Capture One's version of presets. The built-in Film Styles provide excellent, subtle starting points.
However, Capture One's real secret weapon is its grain engine. It is, without a doubt, one of the most realistic and powerful on the market. You can choose different grain types (like Fine, Silver Rich, or Tabular) and control the impact and granularity with incredible precision. Many photographers will do their entire edit in Lightroom and bring the final image into Capture One just to apply its grain.
Pro-Tip: In the Capture One grain tool, try the 'Silver Rich' method. It adds a beautiful luminance to the grain particles themselves, making them feel more like authentic silver halide crystals shimmering in the final print.
11. Goodlight Presets
Goodlight Presets by photographer couple Gabe and Brit McClintock are all about emotion and nostalgia. Their packs, like 'Pack 03 - Worn,' are designed to evoke the feeling of finding a shoebox of old family photos. They aren't afraid to embrace imperfections like heavy grain, muted colors, and soft focus.
These presets are perfect for documentary, lifestyle, and family photographers who want to inject a strong sense of story and timelessness into their work. They masterfully desaturate greens and blues while keeping skin tones warm and natural, creating a beautifully focused and intimate mood. If you find other film presets too clean, Goodlight is your answer.
Pro-Tip: Goodlight presets work best on images with soft, directional light. They can be quite strong, so don't be afraid to pull back the preset's overall 'Amount' using Lightroom's slider to find the perfect balance for your image.
12. RNI Films (Mobile App)
For editing on the go, the RNI Films app is a portable powerhouse. It brings the same tasteful and high-quality film simulations from their desktop products to your phone. The interface is minimal and elegant, focusing your attention on the image itself.
The app offers a generous number of free filters, with more available via in-app purchases. The real-time rendering is fast, and the tools for exposure, contrast, and color are simple yet effective. It's the perfect tool for elevating your mobile photography with a sophisticated analog aesthetic that goes far beyond typical Instagram filters.
Pro-Tip: In the RNI Films app, tap and hold on the image to see the 'before' version. This is crucial for judging your edits and ensuring you're enhancing the photo, not just changing it.
13. Tezza App
Created by influencer and creative Tezza Barton, the Tezza App is a one-stop-shop for creating a trendy, cohesive, and vintage-inspired look for your photos and videos. While it includes a wide range of presets, its strength lies in its 'analog-soul' offerings that emulate disposable cameras, dusty film, and sun-drenched 70s vibes.
Beyond presets, the app includes beautiful textures like dust, light leaks, and film frames. It's an all-in-one content creation tool. It's less about pure film accuracy and more about capturing a specific, popular aesthetic that feels both retro and modern at the same time.
Pro-Tip: Layering is key in the Tezza app. Start with a color preset like 'Cocoa,' then go to the 'Effects' tab and add a subtle 'Dust' overlay. This combination creates a rich, textured look that feels instantly nostalgic.
14. ImagenAI
This is a bit of a curveball, but ImagenAI is changing the game in 2025. It's an AI-powered editing tool for Lightroom that learns your personal editing style. But here's the analog twist: you can use one of their "Talent AI Profiles," many of which are from photographers who specialize in filmic looks.
You can essentially 'rent' the editing style of a famous film-inspired photographer. The AI analyzes your photos and applies their style with uncanny consistency and speed. It's a massive time-saver for professionals, and it's a fantastic way to achieve a high-end analog look that is intelligently tailored to each of your photos.
Pro-Tip: Don't just accept the AI's first pass. Use ImagenAI to get you 90% of the way there, then do a final pass in Lightroom to add your own personal touches, like a custom crop or a slight tweak to the skin tones.
15. Dirty Boots & Messy Hair Presets
Aimed squarely at the modern wedding and elopement photographer, the DBMH presets are all about earthy tones, moody vibes, and raw emotion. Their look is distinct: warm, desaturated, and often high-contrast, perfect for epic landscapes and intimate moments.
Their presets are designed to handle tricky lighting conditions, from harsh midday sun to dark, candle-lit receptions. They manage to add a significant amount of style and mood without making skin tones look unnatural. If your photography is adventurous, emotional, and a little bit wild, the DBMH aesthetic will fit like a glove.
Pro-Tip: The DBMH presets often add a significant S-curve to the tone curve for contrast. If it's too much for a specific image, go into the Tone Curve panel and gently flatten the curve to bring back some detail in the shadows and highlights.
16. Daze Cam (Mobile App)
Daze Cam is pure, unadulterated fun. It's a mobile app that mimics the experience of using vintage point-and-shoot film cameras. You don't get a lot of editing control; instead, you pick a "camera" (like the 'DCR' for a disposable look or the 'K35' for a Kodachrome vibe) and shoot.
The app automatically adds light leaks, color shifts, and date stamps, creating wonderfully unpredictable and authentic-looking results. It’s about letting go of control and embracing the happy accidents that made film photography so exciting. It's perfect for capturing candid, everyday moments with a heavy dose of nostalgia.
Pro-Tip: In Daze Cam, physically move and point your phone's camera towards different light sources before taking the shot. The app's light leak effects often react to the real light in the scene, creating more organic and believable results.
17. The Old-School Photoshop Method
Sometimes, the best tool is the one you already know. You can create incredibly authentic film looks right inside Photoshop with a few manual techniques. This method gives you ultimate control over every element of your analog creation.
Start with color grading using Adjustment Layers like Curves, Selective Color, and Color Balance to mimic a film stock's palette. Then, create a new layer, fill it with 50% gray, and add monochromatic noise (Filter > Noise > Add Noise). Set this layer's blend mode to 'Overlay' or 'Soft Light' and adjust the opacity to control your grain. This hands-on approach is how many high-end retouchers build their signature looks.
Pro-Tip: For truly realistic grain, create two grain layers. One with very small, subtle grain set to 'Overlay,' and a second with larger, more sparse grain set to 'Soft Light' at a lower opacity. This mimics the different-sized silver halide crystals in real film emulsion.
18. CineStill Film Presets
For photographers who love the distinct look of motion picture film, presets from the film manufacturer CineStill are a must-try. They are famous for their 800T (Tungsten-balanced) and 50D (Daylight-balanced) film stocks, known for their cinematic colors and unique halation effect.
Their official preset packs for Lightroom are designed to accurately replicate these unique characteristics. The 800T presets are perfect for night photography, transforming cityscapes and neon lights with those iconic glowing red highlights. The 50D presets deliver fine grain and warm, vibrant colors perfect for sun-drenched scenes. It's a niche but powerful tool for a very specific cinematic aesthetic.
Pro-Tip: The CineStill 800T look is all about the halation. To enhance it, use Lightroom's masking tools to select your brightest highlights (streetlights, neon signs) and add a small amount of negative Dehaze and a touch of red/orange color to them.
The Final Frame
Chasing the 'analog soul' in a digital world isn't about rejecting technology; it's about using it to connect with a more timeless, tactile, and emotional form of expression. Each of the tools on this list offers a different path to that destination. Some are scientific, some are artistic, but all of them can help you infuse your pixels with personality.
The best tool is ultimately the one that fits your eye, your workflow, and your voice. Don't be afraid to experiment. Combine a preset from one company with a grain engine from another. The beauty of digital is its flexibility. Find what feels right, and go create something beautiful.
Now, I want to hear from you. What are your go-to tools for creating that authentic film look? Did I miss your favorite? Drop a comment below and let's share our analog secrets!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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