Analog texture
The film grain effect layers realistic noise over your photo to simulate the look of analog emulsion. It removes the sterile feel of digital captures by adding organic, physical texture.
Use this film grain online tool to mimic specific film stocks. By adjusting the size, softness, and tonal distribution of the grain, you can match everything from fine 35mm to heavily pushed high-speed film.
Size and softness
Grain size determines the scale of the noise clusters. Small values create a fine, subtle texture, while larger sizes yield the chunky, visible particles of a fast film stock.
Softness blurs the noise slightly so it blends with the image. Without softness, the grain looks sharp and digital; adding a little blur makes the particles feel like they sit physically within the image.
Targeting midtones
On actual film, grain is most visible in the midtones and shadows, fading out in the brightest highlights. The luma target slider replicates this by biasing where the grain lands.
You can push the grain heavily into the shadows to keep highlights clean, or distribute it evenly across the entire exposure. The default setting leans toward the darker tones for a natural look.
Monochrome vs color noise
Monochrome grain only affects brightness, exactly like black-and-white film. This keeps the underlying colors intact while adding texture.
Disabling monochrome mode generates color noise, where the red, green, and blue channels vary independently. This creates a degraded, gritty appearance that mimics pushed color film or a low-light digital sensor.