# Filmic Firstlight - Photo App — user reviews > 243 indexed App Store user reviews of Filmic Firstlight by Bending Spoons Apps ApS, rated 4.50/5 from 910 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filmic-firstlight-photo-app/id1482338564/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filmic-firstlight-photo-app/id1482338564.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 699 · 4★ 87 · 3★ 35 · 2★ 22 · 1★ 67 ## What do users think of Filmic Firstlight? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🚀 Smooth interface - 🎨 Excellent film emulations and grain - 👍 Intuitive controls - 📷 Good image quality - 💡 Anamorphic de-squeeze feature **Cons** - 🐛 App crashes and freezes - 🔋 High battery consumption - 📂 Inconvenient file management - 💰 Subscription model - 🔍 Limited manual controls **Commonly reported bugs** - RAW files appear blurry - Incompatibility with iPhone 14 Pro - Inconsistent behavior with lens switching - Inability to export DNG files - HDR setting resets on app launch **Most requested features** - Ability to save preferred filters - White balance control - Longer shutter speed - Digital zoom - Horizontal shooting - Focus stacking - Wireless tethering ## Newest reviews (19 of 243) ### 2/5 — How about an update?? *2024-12-07, version 1.5.0* Almost a year has passed since the last update. I hoping for better image quality (especially with the 5x camera) and ProRAW files by themselves instead of being paired with HEIF or JPEG. ### 2/5 — Terribly frustrating *2024-10-07, version 1.5.0* Works ok but could use more features especially if it’s a subscription. However, I won’t be paying for it simply because the app is worthless if you have limited cell or WiFi service. Weak signals resulted in the app taking several minutes in some cases to open/switch to and resulted in too many missed shots. Maybe this was the app trying to verify my subscription status ### 4/5 — Can app remember settings *2024-10-07, version 1.5.0* Is it possible to make the app recall settings that were used last time, including the colour profile? Now, when I close the app, it always starts with the basic profile. Otherwise, it's a good app. ### 2/5 — Chato *2024-09-25* Sempre que abre o app ele tem que validar o acesso, precisa de internet pra isso, muito chato! Nem sempre estou on-line pra isso, já comprou, baixou, deixar usar! ### 4/5 — Last used settings *2024-01-08, version 1.4.6* Last settings isn’t stored. Every launch needs to setup filters again ### 4/5 — Fantastisch … aber !! *2023-10-11* Die App ist wirklich fantastisch. Vorallem die Stock Film Simulation finde ich sehr überzeugend. Ich habe nur einen für mich sehr wichtigen Kritikpunkt… warum kann man um Himmels Willen keine Persers speichern oder zumindest sollte die letzte Einstellung inkl. Der Filter gespeichert werden. Vignette und grauen werden gespeichert und beim öffnen der automatisch geladen so wie beim schließen der App eingestellt. Nur halt die Filter selbst nicht. Schnell nen Foto mit eingestelltem Filter geht also nicht. Immer erst Filter einstellen vorm Foto ist echt umständlich. Wenn dort irgendwie Abhilfe geschaffen werden könnte wäre die App in meinen Augen perfekt !!! ### 1/5 — 2 Red Flags *2023-09-26, version 1.4.6* A very big “NO” to tracking apps. Why does a photo app need to track its users. Looks like dishonest activity to me. A very big “NO” to subscriptions. That is the whole reason I abandoned all Adobe apps. I won’t buy it. ### 1/5 — Won’t Let You Try Without Subscribing *2023-08-28, version 1.4.6* App won’t let you demo anything unless you subscribe to automatically pay once the trial period is complete. ### 1/5 — Anamorphic Disaster *2023-08-15, version 1.4.5* This software is supposed to wok with an anamorphic lens and it does…sometimes. But it has a glitch that changes the settings and you have to check every picture to make sure it isn’t squeezed. So many pictures have to be manually desqueezed. The app is unreliable, unfortunately. ### 1/5 — Switching to focus app *2023-08-15* Not like the subscription model so I’m switching to a better and reasonably priced ie one time payment app Focus. Buy Buy filmic. ### 4/5 — Please update for Anamorphic 1.55X Moment Lens!!! *2023-05-26, version 1.4.4* I love this app for shooting B&W photography with the 1.33x Moment lens for awhile now but there’s no option in the settings to change for the 1.55x Anamorphic lens that are now available. Please give us a quick external lens swap button on the main camera page and or in the settings menu. 🙏🙏🙏 ### 1/5 — not recommended *2023-03-23, version 1.4.4* Very basic app I only used this app couple of times and I m not recommended this app to anyone. ### 1/5 — Greedy *2023-03-10, version 1.4.4* Won't miss these developers if they go broke. No more ridiculous subscriptions. ### 1/5 — You charged me *2023-03-02, version 1.4.2* I have used the trial and cancelled it right away the same day...and now you are charging me!! This is so dishonest! ### 1/5 — 流氓软件，免费试用一次到期后不管多久你帐户有钱就会扣 *2023-03-01* 没见过这么垃圾的软件，软件本身也不好用，一块钱都不值 ### 2/5 — Just Not Very Good *2023-02-25, version 1.4.2* I didn’t get far enough into this app to start complaining about its subscription model. Instead, I stopped using it because it doesn’t come close to the native camera app in the quality of its output (on 14 Pro). I’m generally very disappointed with the camera on my iPhone having made the switch from other brands. Most of that disappointment comes from my inability to manually control the capture settings on the phone. This app is no better than the native app in that regard. It pretends you have manual control by letting you set one of either ISO or exposure time, with the setting you don’t choose being determined automatically. In a word, it’s awful. Full automatic is better. Admittedly, the native app sometimes produces wonderful photographs. I’ve never managed to get a comparable quality out of this app when doing side-by-side. It’s always a step or several behind in the fidelity it produces - you’ll get better post-processing options from the native app. It’s slower than the native app and eats battery. I shot a few dozen pics in the native app and the battery didn’t move one percent. I switched to this app and the battery plummeted 10% in minutes. More than anything, I can’t believe the native app is so poor on iPhone that these alternative apps are almost a necessity. I thought they were supposed to be premium devices? My old Lumia phones take better pictures. The hardware may be very outdated on those phones by now, but they had full manual control that let the user shoot the picture they wanted. What a rubbish camera platform iPhone has in comparison. ### 4/5 — Old user forced for subscription *2023-02-23* Hi, I’m an old user and after updating it’s forcing me to subscribe. Your update mentions that old users continue to enjoy the full features. ### 1/5 — Don’t waste your money *2023-02-22, version 1.4.1* Pretty terrible application. I signed up for the free trial but they make it impossible to cancel it. The app doesn’t have half of the functions you would expect and all my pictures are being saved blurry even though the shot was clear as? ### 1/5 — You went and ruined it *2023-02-01, version 1.4.1* Enjoy the wrath of your loyal customers for treating them like walking wallets. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Vom Einmalkauf zum Abo!!! *2025-12-04* Ich habe diese App damals zum Einmalkauf erworben. Nach dem Verkauf an Bending Spoons ist sie zum Abomodell gewechselt. Nicht mehr zu empfehlen!!! ### 1/5 — Canceled at 5 days into trial. *2025-11-07, version 1.5.1* Charged me anyway- app is bad ### 1/5 — Awful *2025-10-17, version 1.5.1* Shameless cash grab with no features added since this was killed off. ### 1/5 — Not recommended *2025-02-19, version 1.5.1* I have as of yet not been able to find a decent photography app for IOS that doesn't charge a subscription, that's important because 99% of features like manual mode do NOT require a backend server and because a phone camera is the camera most people have with them and thus will learn with, this not only makes it economical to learn with a real camera that doesn't cost per month to use but also many photogs may accidentally keep paying for this even after switching to a real camera. These apps are a faux pas, buy a real camera and save the subscription for Adobe or a decent cloud storage plan, which is one of the most important things a photographer should pay for. ### 1/5 — App won’t open without internet service *2024-08-24, version 1.5.0* Seriously? ### 1/5 — Why cannot I use Filmic Pro Legacy? *2024-04-26, version 1.5.0* Can’t believe that after updating Firstlight it won’t open the Legacy version - take me straight to the App Store to download v7 WHY? I paid a premium for Firstlight and then you remove the feature down the road? What else do you plan taking away- been a loyal user, paid for all the upgrades along the way, every app in the Filmic line up- ### 1/5 — Goodbye *2024-01-27, version 1.5.0* Go try Halide or Fjorden. ### 1/5 — Garbage app *2023-12-24, version 1.4.6* Greedy developer, crap app. Way to go and screw all your customers and supporters in your quest to further exploit your users via a subscription model. App deleted, will NEVER support your crap company again. ### 1/5 — Rubbish *2023-12-20, version 1.4.6* Using tele on my Iphone 14 pro just provides crop of 9mm lens of very poor quality. ### 1/5 — Reviewing the reviews. *2023-12-17, version 1.4.6* I would not buy any app where the developer is not consistently responding to reviews. The developer should ask why, when someone says something is wrong. Developers can’t just grab cash and not maintain their apps and their customers. This is another app I will say no to. Thank you. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Agora ficou excelente. *2025-08-21* Eu uso como o aplicativo oficial para fotografar em todos os lugares. ### 5/5 — issa *2022-07-18* great😍😍 ### 5/5 — Interface perfectible *2022-07-05* Parfois, cela manque de réactivité. Dommage qu’on ne puisse pas éditer et mémoriser les simulations qui sont plutôt de bonne facture. ### 5/5 — The BEST and most underrated photo app EVER *2022-04-25, version 1.3.0* No other app matches the quality of Firstlight’s film emulations and grain. A joy to use for those who appreciate good UX and analogue film emulations. Also thanks for fixing the most annoying issue. Format is now retained between launches. ### 5/5 — Great love to see this feature in update *2022-03-13, version 1.3.0* This is an exceptionally easy and versatile implementation of the iPhone’s camera. I would love to see user-customizable aspect ratings, or at least the addition of 7:6 and 65:24 Good app & no bugs that I’ve found! ### 5/5 — Rocket *2021-08-04, version 1.2.3* So,far works great! ### 5/5 — Best camera app *2021-01-07, version 1.1.2* I have used Filmic for video a fair bit and really like it but have always wanted a camera app that saves either tiff or raw (in this case dng). The quality is outstanding and is easy to send it to a photo editing app. ### 5/5 — Blind gekauft ... *2020-10-21* ... weil endlich mal wieder ein Anbieter von Abo zu Festpreis zurückgewechselt ist. Chapeau! ### 5/5 — Excelente *2020-10-10* Incrible Shotting ### 5/5 — 아이폰7 *2020-10-01* 아이포7은 렌즈 조절이 안되나보네요? 그리고 이거는 연동 기능 혹시 만드실 생각 없으신가요?? --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*