# iLightningCam AI — Lightning Strike Photography > Real-time lightning strike photography app with automatic and manual ISO controls. (iPhone/iPad app by Florian Stiassny.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ilightningcam-ai/id1016445476 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Florian Stiassny](https://appshunter.io/developer/425886734) - Category: Photo & Video, Weather - Price: $3.99 - Rating: 4.00/5 from 93 App Store ratings · 122 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 51 MB - Languages: German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, French (France), American English, Brazilian Portuguese, European Spanish - Released: 2015-07-17 - Data updated: 2026-10-17 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ilightningcam-ai/id1016445476/reviews.md ## What is iLightningCam AI? iLightningCam AI – photograph lightning without pressing the shutter. Set up your iPhone and point it at the storm. The app watches the camera image and takes the shot automatically at every strike. Each detected strike appears as a card with all images of that moment and a combined image that brings all phases together. Save the images you choose to the Photos app. iLightningCam AI is the successor to iLightningCam 2 and to iLightningCam, the first lightning app for iOS, available on the App Store since 2011. Existing owners of iLightningCam 2 receive iLightningCam AI as an update. Why “AI”: the parameters for lightning detection and for post-processing in the Studio were determined with artificial intelligence, using thousands of real lightning images from iLightningCam 2 and iLightningCam AI. iLightningCam AI is a genuine photo app. It uses no generative AI to create images. The Studio, too, only optimizes and enhances your own shots and never creates artificial lightning. WHAT THE APP DOES • Real-time lightning detection, day and night, with images at photo resolution • More phases per strike: high temporal resolution captures how a strike develops across several individual images • Much improved detection, especially in daylight against a bright sky, with few false triggers • Higher image quality thanks to the new engine and the HEIC format • Automatic exposure, frame rate and capture mode, tuned for lightning and for your iPhone • Modes for every storm: Auto, Normal, Near Lightning, Distant Lightning, Sheet Lightning and Manual, with your own ISO range • Horizon line: nothing below it is analyzed, so cars and streetlights don’t interfere • Focus calibration for every lens, optimized for storm photography • Detailed in-app manual in eight languages, including the basics of lightning photography iLightningCam Studio (in-app purchase) The optional add-on brings editing tools to the app: • Choose the best phases of a strike and combine them into an image of your own • Lightning Repair: bring out the bolt, remove dark edges along it, soften the bright horizontal band the camera can produce. Many image defects can be reduced considerably this way, but not all. • Crop and fine-tune light and color • Save as an image, Live Photo or video clip • Time-lapse of the entire storm, with separate speed settings for the strikes and the storm One-time purchase, Family Sharing included, no subscription. Your originals stay untouched. The Studio only works with strikes captured with iLightningCam AI. Images from iLightningCam 2, from other apps or from the Photos app cannot be imported. REQUIREMENTS iPhone with iOS 17 or later, iPad with iPadOS 17 or later. For good results, use a tripod or steady support and make sure you have a clear view of the storm. SAFETY Thunderstorms are life-threatening. Seek shelter immediately as soon as a storm can be seen or heard, and never stay outdoors. Only take photos from inside an enclosed building, through a window. You are responsible for your own actions and for any resulting damage. The app is not intended for children or for people who cannot protect themselves from thunderstorms. The full safety information is in chapter 1 of the in-app manual. ## Key features - Real-time lightning detection - Full AUTO mode - Manual ISO adjustment - Original photo resolution - Double-shot blending - Modern design ## What do users think of iLightningCam AI? Reviews of iLightningCam AI are mixed: the Photo & Video app is rated 4.0/5 from 93 App Store ratings. What users like most: captures amazing lightning, works automatically. Top complaints: blurry photos on newer iPhones, white/gray bars on photos. Summarized from real user reviews. **Pros** - 📸 Captures amazing lightning - 🚀 Works automatically - 👍 Easy to use - 🤩 Creates stunning photos - 💰 Worth the price - 💯 Reliable for lightning shots - ✨ Produces high-quality images - ⏱️ Fast capture speed - 📱 Compatible with newer iPhones - 💡 Innovative for its purpose **Cons** - 🐛 Blurry photos on newer iPhones - 🐛 White/gray bars on photos - 🐛 Overexposed photos - 🐛 Misses many lightning strikes - 🐛 Outdated UI - 🐛 Not user-friendly - 🐛 Focus issues - 🐛 App freezes - 🐛 App not working well recently - 🐛 Consumes battery - 🐛 Duplicate photos - 🐛 Captures street lights instead of lightning - 🐛 Rolling shutter effect - 🐛 Sensitivity to movement **Commonly reported bugs** - White bar across the top of the image - Pictures are blurry on newer iPhone models - App captures nothing or everything is overexposed - Auto setting not getting lightning, only brightness and out of focus - Large lightning setting gets nothing - Misses a lot of strikes, ones caught are out of focus - Constantly out of focus on 13 pro max - Only 2x zoom works, other cameras are blurry - White bar showing up - App takes 4 pics but captures nothing - Weird pink light but no lightning strike - Focus not working on iPhone 12 max pro - Took a lot of blank pictures and lots of duplicates - Out of focus on iPhone 12 - Every photo is out of focus on 13 pro max - App freezes - Not triggering camera on newest version - Tells user to upgrade to iOS 10 when on iOS 11 - App freezes after a minute - App not saving photos despite access rights - App not working well on iPhone 5 - App not capturing lightning bolts, only sheet lightning **Most requested features** - Vertical mode - RAW format output - More control over aperture and shutter speed - Higher resolution output (24MP) - HEIC or RAW format saving - Option to choose more than 2 shots for composite - Timelapse/Video/Live Photo mode - Way to review shots within the app - 5x zoom - Daytime lightning capture - German language support - Tutorial for settings - Improve UI/UX - Higher resolution camera optimization - Fix bug with x0.5 lens focus ## Is iLightningCam AI safe? iLightningCam AI appears mostly safe based on user ratings. The AppsHunter Safety Score for iLightningCam AI is 78 out of 100. This assessment is based on 93 user ratings, with an App Store average of 4 out of 5. Of 93 App Store ratings, 73.1% point to a safe experience, 4.3% suggest some concerns, and 22.6% point to a risky experience. ## Is iLightningCam AI legit? iLightningCam AI appears to be a legitimate app. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for iLightningCam AI is 83 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Recent user reviews (10 of 122) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ilightningcam-ai/id1016445476/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Content de la voir revivre ! *2026-10-15* Merci l’IA qui permet de ramener à la vie des apps en dormance comme celle ci que j’adore et qui m’avait permis de prendre de très bons clichés pour un iPhone . Super refonte, j’ai hâte de la tester sur le terrain ### 5/5 — Enfin une maj *2026-10-15* Quatre ans qu’on attend une mise à jour de la meilleure application pour prendre en photo les éclairs je l’avais acheté à l’époque, je viens de renouveler merci, il n’y a aucune équivalence dans le store. Bravo👍👍👍 ### 1/5 — Löst nicht aus *2026-07-13* Die App löst einfach nicht aus. Da waren mehrere richtig fette Blitze auf dem Display zu sehen, aber sie hat kein Foto gemacht. Hab dann einfach die 120fps Funktion der normalen Kamera App benutzt und Videos gemacht, aus denen ich dann die Frames raus gespeichert habe. ### 4/5 — Update *2026-05-19* Please update to the latest devices. I want vertical mode. обновите пожалуйста до актуалтных устройств. и хочется вертикальный режим ### 5/5 — My all time favorite app *2025-08-22* I’ve been using this since version 1 back in the 2011, I LOVE THIS APP. Over those years I’ve captured thousands of amazing lightning pictures that I cherish and even got my parents and colleagues to download the app and get into lightning photography. Thank you so much Florian and team you guys are rockstars! ### 4/5 — Toll aber alt. *2025-07-20* Die APP hat tolle Features, wird nur leider nicht mehr weiterentwickelt. Die Bedienung könnte man sicher verbessern oder die App auf aktuelle Geräte anpassen. Vor allem ein RAW Format wäre gut. ### 4/5 — White streak on photos *2024-09-26* Has been excellent but just had a storm and looked at images and they have a white bar across the top of the image, please can you fix this issue? ### 1/5 — Versagen auf ganzer Linie *2024-08-29* Die tollsten Blitze, riesengroß und superlang - und alles, was die App bewerkstelligt hat, waren Bilder von einem partiell helleren Wolkenhimmel. Hab die App geschlossen und ganz normal fotografiert, so habe ich doch noch einen guten Schnappschuss bekommen. ### 5/5 — Although not updated since 2 years… *2024-08-14, version 4.0* …still the benchmark lightning cam for iPhone (now running on 14 Pro with iOS 17.6). The UI comes a little bit clumsy and old-fashioned, but it does its job very well. I hope that it will still be working with upcoming iOS versions. ### 4/5 — Good app, a must have *2024-08-01* One of my best investment in an app ever, compatible with iPhone 15 Pro. Works well, and takes beautiful shots of lightnings. But… I really wish it was a bit improved. The auto mode is pretty good, manual mode lacks a bit of controls, only ISO, but nothing about aperture and shutter speed. Output is limited to 12MP saved as JPG, while I think it could take photos within my phone capabilities, i.e. 24MP and saved as HEIC or even RAW. It takes 2 shots, and saves a composite as a third, but I would love to choose more. A sort of Timelapse / Video / Live Photo mode could be appreciated. The app lacks a way to review the shots and doing it in the iOS app is kind of a pain, since you may have to go through thousands of shots. The user interface feels old, and hard to handle particularly when a storm is coming and it starts to rain, it’s easy to make mistakes with wet fingers (and end up with a bunch of blurry photos). And finally, I think there is a bug with the focus function, I did not find a way to set the focus for the x0.5 lens, only x1 and x2 is set. Anyway, update or not, I will continue to use it EVERYTIME a thunderstorm starts to flash. Thank you for this ! ## Frequently asked questions about iLightningCam AI ### What does iLightningCam 2 do? iLightningCam 2 is designed to capture real-time photographs of lightning strikes using your iPhone or iPad. It automatically detects lightning and triggers the camera to take a picture, preserving the moment in high resolution. ### How does the automatic mode work? The Full AUTO Mode requires no user input. The app intelligently switches between day and night modes and continuously calculates the best ISO settings based on detected lightning strikes, making it easy to use. ### Can I manually control the camera settings? Yes, for expert users, iLightningCam 2 offers fully manual adjustment of ISO ranges. This allows for greater creative control over your lightning photographs if you wish to fine-tune the settings. ### Is this app compatible with all iPhones and iPads? The description states that the app works with iPhone or iPad. While specific iOS version compatibility is not detailed, it is designed for modern iOS devices capable of real-time image processing. ### What are the safety precautions for using this app? Lightning storms are dangerous. The app strongly warns users to take extreme care and avoid exposure to thunderstorms. It is recommended to use the app only in lightning and storm-protected locations and to read the full safety warning before use. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 5.0 — 2026-10-15 iLightningCam AI is the update to iLightningCam 2, rebuilt from the ground up. • New lightning detection: more sensitive and more robust at the same time, especially in daylight against a bright sky • New photo engine: more phases per strike, many individual images of each strike instead of a few photos • Better image quality from the new engine architecture, with higher resolution in daylight • Automatic exposure, frame rate and capture mode, tuned for lightning • Improved focus with calibration for every lens • Optimized for current iPhone and iPad models • New in-app manual in eight languages • New: iLightningCam Studio as an optional in-app purchase with strike selection, custom combined images, Lightning Repair, Live Photo, video clip and time-lapse of the entire storm Requires iOS 17 or later, or iPadOS 17 or later. ### 4.0 — 2021-08-27 - Support for all 3 lenses on Pro devices - Better focusing at night - Improved manual in English and German - Bug fixes ### 3.6 — 2019-08-20 - Bugfix for some users who experienced problems with saving images - Focus bugfix - New and redesigned picture preview ### 3.5 — 2019-07-09 - Support for telephoto lens - Pictures are now saved in an iLightningCam Album in your camera roll (for devices newer than iPhone 6) - Bug fixes and improvements ### 3.2 — 2018-11-05 - Support for new iPhone XS, XS max and XR - Support for new iPad Pro - Bug fixes ## Apps similar to iLightningCam AI | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Lightning Camera: ThunderCatch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-camera-thundercatch/id6736884627) | 4.3 (38) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Bimostitch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bimostitch/id1598709872) | 4.5 (33) | $7.99 | Photo & Video | | [Dramatic Black & White](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dramatic-black-and-white/id457075492) | 4.8 (345) | $2.99 | Photo & Video | | [MIOPS MOBILE](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/miops-mobile/id1185942737) | 2.4 (29) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Circular Tiny Planet Editor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circular-tiny-planet-editor/id845737955) | 4.7 (650) | $4.99 | Photo & Video | | [Distressed FX : Plus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distressed-fx-plus/id1441905750) | 4.8 (1,234) | $19.99 | Photo & Video | ## More apps by Florian Stiassny - [iLightningCam 2 Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ilightningcam-2-lite/id522096043) All apps by Florian Stiassny: https://appshunter.io/developer/425886734 ## Related topics [ilightningcam 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ilightningcam-2) · [ilightningcam 2 lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ilightningcam-2-lite) --- *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 2026-10-17.*