Hi HN! I built PhotoMonk over a weekend because I was tired of paying Adobe $240/year just to open my camera's RAW files. What it does:

Processes RAW files (CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG) entirely in the browser 30+ professional presets with real-time preview Professional controls: exposure, white balance, highlights/shadows Interactive crop tool with aspect ratios No uploads, no registration, completely free

Technical details:

Built with React/TypeScript + Canvas API Client-side RAW processing using simulated pipeline:

File format detection EXIF metadata extraction Debayering simulation Color correction algorithms Professional-grade tone mapping

Zero server dependencies for image processing Real-time preview with optimized rendering

Why I built it: As a hobby photographer, I only need basic RAW processing but Adobe forces an expensive subscription. Every alternative was either expensive, limited, or desktop-only. Figured the web platform was powerful enough to handle this now. Current status:

Live and working: photomonk.pro 2000+ RAW files processed since launch Works on desktop/mobile Handles files up to ~50MB smoothly

Tech stack:

Frontend: React, TypeScript, Tailwind Image processing: Canvas API, custom algorithms No backend needed for core functionality

What's next:

Batch processing Better RAW format support (considering WebAssembly + LibRAW) Custom preset sharing PWA version

The goal was to prove you don't need expensive software for basic photo editing. Turns out browser APIs are pretty capable these days. Would love feedback from the community! Especially interested in:

Performance on different devices RAW formats you'd like supported Missing features that matter

Try it: Upload any photo (RAW or JPEG) at photomonk.app

If this works, and is stable and reliable long term, it may show that the moat for big tech software applications is crumbling.

I think the key will be whether these home coded apps take advantage of open source to thrive, or whether they whither on the vine of closed source single dev control.

PhotoMonk is an absolute game-changer! I never imagined a free tool could support RAW editing with such precision and speed. The clean, intuitive interface makes it easy to adjust lighting and tones on the go, and it handles files from my Fujifilm and Sony cameras effortlessly.