Comparison

iLightningCam AI vs MIOPS MOBILE

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iLightningCam AI

Capture stunning lightning strike photos in real-time with your iPhone or iPad. This app automatically detects and photographs lightning, offering both fully automatic and manual ISO controls for expert users. Enjoy high-resolution images without interpolation.

Highlights
  • Real-time lightning detection
  • Full AUTO mode
  • Manual ISO adjustment
  • Original photo resolution
  • Double-shot blending
  • Modern design
Features
Read full description

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.

About

MIOPS MOBILE

Control your DSLR or mirrorless camera remotely with creative modes like sound, motion, and vibration triggers. Schedule complex sequences for unique shots, or use basic shutter functions. The app offers a refined interface for easy camera operation.

Highlights
  • Creative trigger modes (Vibration, Sound, Motion, Distance)
  • Timelapse modes (Basic, Long Exposure, Bulb Ramping, Road Lapse, HDR)
  • Basic shutter release modes (Press&Hold, Press&Lock, Timed, Self Timer)
  • Scenario mode for combining triggers
  • Scheduling of trigger sequences
  • DSLR/mirrorless camera compatibility
Features
Read full description

The MIOPS MOBILE application utilizes the smartphone's capabilities to offer creative modes like Vibration, Sound, Motion and Distance or even various Timelapse modes to trigger your camera. It also provides basic shutter release modes like Press&Hold, Press&Lock, Timed Release, Self Timer and HDR. The most extra ordinary feature is what we call "Scenario" mode which combines any of the available trigger options to create magic. Moreover, you can schedule your desired mode or sequence to fire at any time while you step back and enjoy your life. You can take photos with your DSLR or mirrorless camera using various modes within the MIOPS MOBILE smartphone app. Its refined user interface is easy to use and readily adjustable to fit your needs. Just select the desired mode and leave the control to your smartphone. It will fire your camera while you relax. • Cable Release • Press&Hold • Press&Lock • Timed Release • Self Timer • Timed Release&Self Timer • Basic Timelapse • Long Exposure Timelapse • Bulb Ramping Timelapse • Road Lapse • HDR Timelapse • HDR Mode • Sound Mode • Vibration Mode • Motion Mode • Scenario (Includes Scheduling)

Screenshots

iLightningCam AI4 screens
MIOPS MOBILE4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: MIOPS MOBILE at Free against iLightningCam AI's $3.99. MIOPS MOBILE also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). iLightningCam AI's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 2.4) and review sentiment (67% vs 41%). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

MIOPS MOBILE is free to download; iLightningCam AI costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iLightningCam AI holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 94 and 29 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of iLightningCam AI's written reviews are positive against 41% of MIOPS MOBILE's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iLightningCam AI ships an update every 4 months, MIOPS MOBILE every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
iLightningCam AI versus MIOPS MOBILE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriLightningCam AIMIOPS MOBILE
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (94 ratings) — better2.4 (29 ratings)
Positive reviews67.2% of reviews — better40.5% of reviews
Number of ratings94 — better29
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB62 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlorian StiassnyERON ELEKTRONIK BILGISAYAR VE YAZILIM SANAYI

Customer experience

iLightningCam AI

All ratings93 ratings
Positive73.1%
Neutral4.3%
Negative22.6%
Written reviews122 reviews
Positive67.2%
Neutral6.6%
Negative26.2%

MIOPS MOBILE

All ratings29 ratings
Positive34.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative65.5%
Written reviews37 reviews
Positive40.5%
Neutral5.4%
Negative54.1%

Bugs and requests

iLightningCam AI

Reported bugs

22 issues
  • 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
Show 17 more
  • 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

Requested features

15 requests
  • Vertical mode
  • RAW format output
  • More control over aperture and shutter speed
  • Higher resolution output (24MP)
  • HEIC or RAW format saving
Show 10 more
  • 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

MIOPS MOBILE

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

iLightningCam AI

No in-app purchases

None

MIOPS MOBILE

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iLightningCam AI free?
iLightningCam AI costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is MIOPS MOBILE free?
MIOPS MOBILE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iLightningCam AI or MIOPS MOBILE?
iLightningCam AI is rated higher. iLightningCam AI averages 4.0 out of 5 from 94 ratings, while MIOPS MOBILE averages 2.4 from 29 ratings.
Do iLightningCam AI or MIOPS MOBILE have ads?
Neither iLightningCam AI nor MIOPS MOBILE shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iLightningCam AI or MIOPS MOBILE?
iLightningCam AI ships an update every 4 months, and MIOPS MOBILE every 2 months. Most recently, iLightningCam AI was updated on October 21, 2026 and MIOPS MOBILE on October 13, 2026.

Other comparisons