About Roll Lab
Roll Lab is a simple place to organize your film photography - your rolls, scans, film stocks, and gear - without the noise.
Why we built it
Film photographers often juggle notes in apps not made for them: spreadsheets, random docs, or memory. We wanted one calm place where you can log what you shot, attach your scans, and build a searchable gallery. No social features, no algorithms - just your archive, under your control.
Who it's for
Anyone who shoots film and wants to keep rolls, scans, and gear organized. Whether you shoot a few rolls a year or many, Roll Lab scales with you. Create a free account and start with a single roll; your archive grows at your pace.
Product roadmap
What we're building next
We're building toward a deeper, calmer archive—richer journaling and gentle workflows—plus the structured layer film lacks: honest dates, lifecycle clarity, and a bridge between negatives and scans. Order and timing will shift as we learn; think direction, not a release calendar.
Features and priorities may change. Some ideas are still in discovery.
For everyone
FreeMetadata, dates, and physical storage that stay honest—without turning the app into a social feed.
Public gallery (opt-in)
Share individual frames into a calm, browsable gallery—discovery without a follow-based feed.
- Mark photos public or keep them private; only what you choose appears in the community gallery
- Browse by timeline by default, with filters for film stock and tags
- Visitors see camera, lens, and related exposure settings on each public photo
Richer roll journaling
Capture how a roll felt, not just what was on it.
- Mood tags and story-style summaries per roll
- Goals when you load a roll, and a “biggest lesson” line when you finish
- Tasting-note style notes for film stocks you love (or are testing)
Calm workflows
Less friction between shooting, dev, and scans—with dates and status you can trust.
- A simple chronological roll timeline with key dates and status
- Sort and browse by exposure date—not just scan or upload date
- Clear roll lifecycle states from loaded to archived
- Gentle completion reminders and session tags for context
- Reusable note templates and a bank of shot ideas for inspiration
Physical archive and quick capture
Link negatives to scans and replace masking tape with what the app already knows.
- Where negatives live (binder, box, sleeve) tied to each roll
- What's loaded in which camera and lens—visible at a glance
- Quick settings notes and dial snapshots without per-frame busywork
- Copy suggested filenames and folder hints from roll metadata
Reflection and craft
Lightweight signals that help you improve over time.
- Hit rate and difficulty cues per roll
- Simple streaks and rhythm (rolls finished, shooting cadence)
- First-impressions review checklists and an “oops” log for lessons
- Lab scan quality checklist so you know what to ask for next time
Stock, gear, and place
Patterns across what you shoot and where.
- Film + gear combo history and balance across bodies
- Consumption helpers and location memory with quick picks
- Favorites, first-time badges, and frame vs shot clarity where it helps
Trust and speed on web
Power-user paths and portability after the lab sends scans back.
- Structured export of your roll list (CSV/JSON) for spreadsheets and peace of mind
- Keyboard shortcuts for navigation and edits where they help most
Pro and power users
Subscription & add-onsArchive-grade tools: full backup, deep search, sync, inventory, labs, and optional AI—when you outgrow the free workflow.
- Smart auto-taggingPro
AI-assisted labels so your gallery stays searchable without busywork—richer search without cataloging every frame by hand.
- Export, backup, and contact sheetsPro
Full archive exports, PDF contact sheets, and peace of mind off-platform—complete media and metadata when you need more than free roll-level export; room to grow beyond the starter photo quota.
- Map view and privacy zonesPro
See where you shot—with geographic context and controls for what stays private.
- Film fridge, stats, and cost trackingPro
Inventory and wishlists plus deeper stats and spend clarity—cold storage when you're at the shop, most-used stocks, camera–lens pairs, cadence, and cost-per-shot when you want the numbers.
- Public portfolio and web galleryPro
Your own shareable portfolio URL (subdomain or custom domain)—a branded home for curated sets, beyond the in-app public gallery on free.
- Batch editing and advanced searchPro
Tune metadata at scale and save the filters you rely on—apply fields across many photos or rolls after scans land; query by stock, body, lens, push/pull, era, and keep the views you reuse.
- Darkroom timer and reciprocityPro
Practical tools for printing and long exposures—right in your pocket; often a fit for one-time or bundled add-ons.
- AI scan enhancementPro
Optional cleanup passes for scans when quality varies.
- AI-themed galleries and sequence storiesExploring
Curated visual stories and smarter sequencing from your archive.
- Collaboration and shared rollsExploring
Workshops, assistants, or friends—shared context without losing calm.