# Manual – RAW Camera — user reviews

> 372 indexed App Store user reviews of Manual by Will Global, rated 4.20/5 from 279 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manual-raw-camera/id917146276/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manual-raw-camera/id917146276.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 196 · 4★ 25 · 3★ 10 · 2★ 9 · 1★ 39

## What do users think of Manual?

Overall sentiment: neutral

**Pros**

- 🚀 Great manual controls
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 🔍 Precise control over ISO, shutter speed, and white balance
- 📷 Powerful photography tool for iPhone
- 🎨 Allows creative control over photos

**Cons**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 👎 Finicky and unintuitive controls
- 🔍 Difficult to precisely set desired settings
- 🔍 Cropped viewfinder
- 🔍 Missing features like aperture control

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes
- Settings reset unexpectedly
- RAW images come out blurry
- Exposure compensation not working as expected
- Focus issues on certain devices

**Most requested features**

- Longer shutter speed options
- Self-timer and burst mode
- Ability to lock white balance
- Improved RAW image quality
- Volume button shutter release

## Newest reviews (18 of 372)

### 4/5 — Covers the function, but user interface a little flaky.

*2025-11-12, version 3.1*

I found adjusting the ISO to be wonky. I could drag my finger down and it would start to decrease and then start to increase again. But that may just be operator error. I’m glad to have the app on my phone!

### 3/5 — Đánh giá sơ bộ Manual - raw camera

*2025-01-14, version 3.1*

Thực sự rất khó chỉnh

### 3/5 — Great but recent UI is clunky

*2024-01-01, version 3.1*

Not sure what has changed but the sliders for SS/ISO take way longer to change now compared to a few years ago.

### 4/5 — Zoom missed?

*2022-11-26, version 3.1*

Almost perfect but, what happen with a simple/digital zoom tool? :(

### 3/5 — Disappointing a few years later…

*2022-10-19, version 3.1*

This app was great on my 1st generation iPhone SE but it seems a bit unexceptional now - especially not filly supporting iPads so it is easier, especially on the eyes, to use the Apple camera app.

### 2/5 — i need pure raw

*2021-10-15, version 3.1*

very annoying 1 mb raw is a joke 
avoid this app

### 2/5 — Need manual focus update

*2021-06-26, version 3.1*

Manual focus is not working as it should. The stock camera app has a significant shorter minimum focus distance. It’s my primary use of this amazing app.

### 2/5 — This was once a good app

*2021-05-20, version 3.1*

Manual was my go-to photo app on iOS, until I stupidly installed the new version. No more white balance or precise focus controls. Very sad. Goodbye Manual.

### 3/5 — Great App but...

*2021-04-03, version 3.1*

This is a great, simple app, and it’s free! BUT...the frustrating thing is the viewing frame for composing the photo does not include the whole area, it is cropped. Why??? This is an essential thing that for me is the sticking point with this otherwise useful app.

### 1/5 — Does not work with iPad Pro

*2021-02-21, version 3.1*

With iPad Pro what you see is a tiny square in the center of the screen, when you go to the settings you cannot scroll the settings and many of them are off the bottom of the screen. It locks itself in some kind of mode to help you figure out how to run it and that will not go away. It never let you see an actual rectangle of field of you in order to take shots. It’s an absolute waste of money.

### 1/5 — Save your money

*2020-09-11, version 3.1*

I was looking for an application that would allow manual operation of the camera similar to my DSLR. I found this app to have very few features that actually allowed for manual operation. In addition to that this camera app lags severely behind when there is any movement. Overall this has been a waste of $4. Wouldn’t recommend this to anyone.

### 1/5 — Não consigo dar Zoom

*2020-09-04*

Não é possível dar zoom??

### 1/5 — Não é bom

*2020-08-04*

App n tem zoom, fica mudando umas configurações automáticas o tempo todo, simplesmente não vale o valor pago. Não recomendo

### 3/5 — Less intuitive

*2020-07-25, version 3.1*

Not sure what changed, but feels less intuitive from a UI perspective than in the past. Biggest problem is that I cannot figure out how to get a full viewfinder. It seems permanently cropped, which means you cannot take precise photos. For me, that defeats a key function of the app.

### 2/5 — Urge cancelación

*2020-06-03, version 3.1*

Como cancelo la suscripción? Ya no lo necesito por el momento y no quiero que me cobren.

### 1/5 — With no aperture control this is hardly a manual camera

*2020-05-02, version 3.1*

This all let’s you fiddle with shutter speed, ISO, focus and make some Exposure Compensation adjustments, but there is no aperture control, so it’s basically useless.

Also, the sensitivity of controls is such that you will spend ages trying to dial-in any settings. 

So if you want to spend your time messing with your phone instead of taking pictures, spend money here. Otherwise, get a fully manual camera.

### 1/5 — Get a different App.

*2020-04-26, version 3.1*

Poor User interface, manual focus is constantly resetting and seemingly can’t be moved from centre screen, it’s too easy to accidentally shift from front camera to forward facing which also resets the auto focus feature meaning you have to press more buttons to get it back to the settings you require. Just a terrible app all round..

### 3/5 — Terrible Tutorial

*2020-02-22, version 3.1*

The tutorial completely takes over when you first launch the app, is confusing, and you can’t quit it. Terrible design.

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Almost there

*2023-03-29, version 3.1*

With no control over f/stop this really isn’t a manual camera app. You control ISO, Shutter speed and white balance. If there were just control over f/stop this would be a very good app.

### 1/5 — I hate the tutorial waste of money tutorial makes app impossible to use

*2022-11-30, version 3.1*

Waste of money you can’t get out of the tutorial so you can barely use the app. I want my money back this is trash

### 1/5 — Whack a mole app

*2022-07-28, version 3.1*

Changing one setting turns off or changes other settings.  I feel like I’m playing whack a mole.  Very unintuitive.   What a waste of four dollars.

### 1/5 — Horrible

*2022-07-14, version 3.1*

Nada de lo ofrecido es 
Pido la devolución de mi dinero

### 1/5 — Extremely frustrating

*2022-06-18, version 3.1*

Read the reviews first. There should be a refund available. 5minutes using the most frustrating interface on the planet. I just wasted my time and money, I hate that I was so stupid.

### 1/5 — ホワイトバランスが調整できない

*2021-09-27*

撮影時にホワイトバランスを固定したくて購入したが、そもそも、その機能がなかった。以前のバージョンのユーザーレビュー見るとホワイトバランス調整出来るのに、最新版はできないようだ。本家サイトでの購入前の確認不足ではあるが、マニュアルならホワイトバランスの固定は当然あると思ってしまった。無用の長物なので捨てます。

### 1/5 — Doesn’t work XR

*2021-08-02, version 3.1*

The manual focus control doesn’t work on my XR, and keeps putting up a message ‘tap to autofocus’ which it doesn’t do.

### 1/5 — Muito ruim!

*2021-04-03*

Não perca o seu tempo e dinheiro

### 1/5 — Sem zoom

*2021-03-23*

Aplicativo sem zoom.

### 1/5 — Fully unused apps

*2021-02-23, version 3.1*

Regret to buy this app.

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — why

*2020-06-11, version 3.1*

why did u guys remove the white balance settings & zoom feature? please bring it back, i love that feature so much 😔

### 5/5 — Great app

*2020-02-25, version 3.1*

Bought it on day 1 of its release on the App Store, and it has been on every iPhone I’ve owned since. It’s use declined a bit as I started using LR but I still use manual from time to time. While it’s simple but powerful I do however feel it’s UI was more intuitive back in the day. In more recent updates it seems the iso and shutter speed are a bit more less than intuitive to use than earlier days and pinpointing a specific setting can be difficult as swiping back and forth they move quickly. I do hope the developers address this but it doesn’t break the app.

### 5/5 — Thanks

*2020-01-28, version 3.1*

Hope you’re having a good day too.

### 5/5 — Perfect

*2019-12-25, version 3.0.1*

This is the best manual phone app I have found. If you want optical camera settings and not gimmicks, this is the one. 
It is nice to use with vibration feedback and works nicely to switch between 28mm and 56mm on a new iPhone. I appreciate that that the app has been updated regularly since getting it on an older phone.
For me it helps me understand the hardware on the phone better through being able to change the camera settings easily.

### 5/5 — I get portraits at concerts, others only get drums

*2019-11-06, version 3.0.1*

Drums are shiny and make great point light sources for cameras to focus on, so they do. With manual focus, iso, and shutter, I get expressions on properly exposed faces of whomever I choose.

### 5/5 — Fab

*2019-07-16, version 3.0*

My go to camera app everyday xx

### 5/5 — The best camera app!

*2019-06-27, version 3.0*

I’ve been using this app for years and I’m so thrilled that it’s still be updated. It’s powerful and easy to use- and it’s so much better than the stock camera app. Definitely worth it!

### 5/5 — Good app, some issues

*2018-04-25*

Edit: latest update breaks the adaptive theme

It’s a great app that works as advertised. Would be nice to see slightly more frequent updates. Controls, especially shutter are a little tough to navigate around. Love the level indicators along two axes. The controls also auto rotate despite systemwide orientation lock, which is great.

### 5/5 — Clean and simple

*2018-04-21, version 2.2*

Nice clean interface, simple to use and find all the controls. None of the software-as-a-service junk like VSCO etc

### 5/5 — One of the best!

*2017-11-23, version 2.1*

Love Manual! The haptic feedback and slow shutter speed options with RAW shooting makes this app near perfect for me. It’s simple and effective and I love the lock screen widget.

I’m happy to help support indie devs and hope to see the following updated:
iPhone X support
Depth Effect support
Apple Watch app to for remote trigger

Maybe an in-app purchase would make sense here. Thanks dev!

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*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 2026-08-31.*