Comparison

Lens Planner vs Datacolor LightColor Meter

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

Head to head
About

Lens Planner

Features
Read full description

Check out my new app, Photo Boffin, which includes the functions of Lens Planner and much more. Have you ever thought of a photograph you would like to take, but are not sure if the vantage point will work with the lenses you have available? Ever wonder long or wide a lens you will need to be able to capture a scene? Lens Planner overlays a field of view representation over a map, allowing you to better plan landscape or cityscape photo shoots. Focal length and camera format can be chosen, with many popular formats included, and the ability to add your own custom formats. Lens Planner is very useful to determine locations to photograph from, and what gear you may need to get your shot. Notices: While every effort is made to accurately represent the information provided, factors such as map angles or inaccuracies, variations in the actual focal lengths of lenses, or other errors may cause the actual field of view to be different. Please make sure that you have some margin of error before taking a trip or spending money. We cannot be held responsible for loss greater than the return value of the app. BlackMagic is a registered trademark of Blackmagic Design Pty. Ltd. Canon is a registered trademark of Canon, Inc. Names are used for reference only, I am not affiliated in any way.

About

Datacolor LightColor Meter

This pocket-sized device streams real-time light and color data to your smartphone, offering precise control over exposure and color consistency for photos, videos, and cinema. It measures various light types and color parameters, and includes gel filter libraries for creative adjustments.

Highlights
  • Real-time light and color data streaming
  • Exposure and lighting ratio control
  • Color consistency across setups
  • Measures Lux, Chromaticity, CCT, DUV
  • Includes gel filter libraries
  • Simultaneous measurements from multiple meters
  • Hands-free functionality
Features
Read full description

· The Datacolor LightColor Meter is a Bluetooth-enabled, multifunctional tool that fits in your pocket, continuously streaming both light and color data in real-time, to your smartphone. · Perfect for photos, videos, cinema and hybrid photo/video shoots, the LightColor Meter takes the guesswork out of exposure settings, giving you better control of lighting ratios as well as color consistency across varied lighting conditions and multiple camera setups. · The Datacolor LightColor Meter accurately measures all types of lighting, from fluctuating outdoor light, mixed natural/artificial location lighting, plus any type of studio lighting, including continuous lighting and strobe/flash. · It goes beyond a regular light meter to also measure color temperature, Lux, Chromaticity, CCT and DUV. Additionally, the device comes with filter libraries from Profoto®, LEE® and Rosco® to help you choose the right color gels for functional or creative color adjustments. · The rugged, travel-friendly device goes anywhere you’re shooting, providing you with a wireless versatility that lets you easily fine-tune your lighting and exposure without having to leave your camera. · You can attach the device to a light stand or tripod, use the through-hole for lanyards to hang the meter where needed, use the alligator clip that’s included to attach the LightColor Meter to clothing or other fabrics or use the rare earth magnet on the back of the device for easy magnetic attachment. · You can seamlessly sync multiple Datacolor LightColor Meters to get light and color temperature measurements from several locations simultaneously. The device accurately measures light and color temperature from a distance of up to 80 feet, allowing you to cover wide areas and is perfect for ensuring uniform lighting for green screens for easy and effective chroma keying in post-production. Key Feature Highlights o Incident Metering for Ambient & Flash o Mobile App/Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 LE o Photo, Video, Cine Exposure Modes o Measures Lux, Chromaticity, CCT, and +/- Green (Duv) o Measures Any Kind of Light Source o Color Temperature Range: 1,600K - 20,000K o Luminance Range: 1.0 - 1,000,000 lux o Cine Settings: Frame Rate, Shutter Angle/Speed & ND Filter Compensation o HSS Flash & Flash Duration Measurements o Included: Gel Filter Libraries from Profoto®, LEE® and Rosco® o Simultaneous Measurements from Multiple Meters Up to 80 ft Away o Hands-Free Functionality - incl. Magnet, ¼”-20 Mount o Cord-in (PC Sync) o Custom Exposure Profiles

Screenshots

Lens Planner4 screens
Datacolor LightColor Meter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Datacolor LightColor Meter at Free against Lens Planner's $1.99. Datacolor LightColor Meter also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 32 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Datacolor LightColor Meter is free to download; Lens Planner costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lens Planner ships an update every 32 months, Datacolor LightColor Meter fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Lens Planner versus Datacolor LightColor Meter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLens PlannerDatacolor LightColor Meter
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating—1.7 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—16.7% of reviews
Number of ratings—7 — better
Update frequencyEvery 32 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPeter HoldmannDatacolor Inc.

In-app purchases

None

Lens Planner

No in-app purchases

None

Datacolor LightColor Meter

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lens Planner free?
Lens Planner costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Datacolor LightColor Meter free?
Datacolor LightColor Meter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Lens Planner or Datacolor LightColor Meter have ads?
Neither Lens Planner nor Datacolor LightColor Meter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lens Planner or Datacolor LightColor Meter?
Lens Planner ships an update every 32 months, and Datacolor LightColor Meter fortnightly. Most recently, Lens Planner was updated on October 29, 2026 and Datacolor LightColor Meter on October 28, 2026.

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