Comparison

Artemis Director's Viewfinder vs pCAM Pro

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

Head to head
About

Artemis Director's Viewfinder

This app provides a comprehensive database of professional cameras and lenses, allowing filmmakers to visualize shots with custom formats. It streamlines communication between directors and cinematographers, ensuring everyone is aligned on the exact frame.

Highlights
  • Professional camera and lens database
  • Custom camera format support
  • Accurate shot visualization
  • Streamlined crew communication
  • Location scouting tool
  • Blocking rehearsal recording
Read full description

Artemis offers a comprehensive database of professional motion picture cameras and lenses, with the facility to add any custom camera format. Hear from our users: Roger Deakins ASC, BSC: Cinematographer (Two Academy Awards wins, 16 nominations) Blade Runner 2049, Sicario, James Bond: Skyfall, The Shawshank Redemption - “It’s great having Artemis on my iPhone. Since I always have my phone with me, I always have a viewfinder at hand. Not only convenient but extremely accurate.” Claudio Miranda ASC: Cinematographer Top Gun: Maverick, F1, Life of Pi, Benjamin Button, Oblivion - “I've been using Artemis from the very beginning. I love that it's a shared tool. First between the director and myself. Then once we approve shots, the images from Artemis get shared with the crew.” Kate Dennis DGA: Director The Handmaid’s Tale, Glow, The Serpent Queen - "Artemis has streamlined my communication with cinematographers, VFX supervisors and other Heads of Department. Now we all know that we are talking about the exact same frame!" Linus Sandgren FSF: Cinematographer Saltburn, La La Land, Babylon, Joy, American Hustle - "Artemis is an amazing Swiss army knife style lens kit that has helped me frame up countless shots in any format in an instant.” Matthew Libatique ASC: Cinematographer Maestro, A Star is Born, Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain - "Not only do I frame every shot with Artemis , I use it to record blocking rehearsals and as part of my process when debating lens and format choices as I work with a director and production designer while location scouting.” Nicolas Winding Refn: Director Too Old to Die Young, The Neon Demon, Only God Forgives, Pusher - "Artemis Pro has tapped into the way of the future by taking full advantage of the digital revolution. The app quickly became an essential tool to capturing my vision.” Mandy Walker ASC, ACS: Cinematographer Elvis, Mulan,, Hidden Figures, Truth, Australia - "Both Artemis & Artemis Prime are essential tool when scouting locations, allowing accurate information to pass from the director and DP to the crew" Barry Ackroyd BSC: Cinematographer Jason Bourne, The Big Short, Captain Phillips, Hurt Locker - "Artemis makes me feel smarter than I was without it. It’s the sharpest tool on my iPhone.” Toby Oliver ACS Cinematographer Get Out, M3GAN 2.0, Happy Death Day, Insidious IV, Wolf Creek 2 - "Artemis Pro is so well thought out. You can precisely choose the camera package and lenses you have to hand to obtain exact ideas of shot angles and sizes on the location survey.” Darius Khondji ASC, AFC, ACS: Cinematographer Bardo, Okja, The Lost City of Z, Delicatessen, Se7en - "Artemis is the best cinematic tool of modern times. I started using Artemis in 2010 and have loved it ever since. It is so accurate with up to date lenses, cameras and formats. It is always with us on scouts and during shoots. Artemis allows the director and I to share how we see things with each other and with the rest of the crew.” Robert McLachlan ASC, CSC: Director / Cinematographer Landman, Yellowstone, Game of Thrones, Westworld - “On Game of Thrones we scouted locations months in advance. Artemis allowed me to communicate our needs to the VFX and art departments. It was critical in planning the Dance of Dragons sequence.” Artemis also offers: - Virtual Stand-Ins, to assist in blocking actors - Custom Frame-lines - Share camera & lens setups with other Artemis users - Record Images & Videos - Gallery for sorting and planning - Export of Shot-lists & Storyboards - Export of detailed Shot-Plans with sun position data (if paired with the Helios app) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

pCAM Pro

This app provides 27 essential tools for cinematography and photography professionals and students. It offers instant calculations for depth of field, field of view, exposure, and more, with a user-friendly interface designed for on-the-go use.

Highlights
  • Depth of Field calculations
  • Field of View preview
  • Focal Length matching
  • Exposure calculations
  • HMI Flicker-free settings
  • Speed Booster adapter calculations
  • VFX tracking markers
Features
Read full description

Plan shots, choose lenses, calculate exposure, and pre-visualize the frame in seconds. 27 pro tools. Every result illustrated. 2,000+ camera formats plus unlimited user-defined formats. I've deliberately kept pCAM Pro a one-time purchase, with none of the subscriptions that have crept into so many apps. • Universal app for iPhone, iPad, Apple Silicon Mac, and Apple Vision Pro • Depth of Field (hyperfocal, total depth, near and far, image circle) • Field of View (and angle of view) • Field of View Preview in both Portrait & Landscape camera positions (8 images to pre-visualize & size shots by distance & focal length) • Focal Length (lens) Matching — match to horizontal, vertical, or diagonal dimensions • Relative Size (compares sensors) • Exposure calculations • HMI Flicker-free (safe shutters & safe camera speeds) • Reference (technical charts, lists & tables. Cine film stocks with film can labels, cine lens specs, false color/exposure change, diopter distance table, miniature shooting, safe panning speeds, zone system) • Insert Slate (4 font colors plus white or black backgrounds) • Splits — Aperture Finder calculation • Speed Booster® Adapter — calculate reduced Focal Length & Boosted Aperture with various adapters. Also create camera format profiles with attached adapters for use in other tools • Eye Light (soft-edged light shapes — Full Screen, Oval, Ring, and Strip) • Chroma Key & VFX Tracking (green and blue screen and VFX tracking markers) • Light Effects for handheld light or via Apple AirPlay to HDTV. Includes templates for: fire, television, siren, neon, strobe, flashbulb, lightning. Create unlimited custom animations • Mired Shift — Gel Selector • Conversion calculator • 4 Test Charts (incl. Siemens Star) • Triangulate calculation (calculate distances, image circle, etc.) • Film Running Time to Length • Shooting to Screen Time • Color Correction (chooses color correction filters) • Time Lapse (shooting interval, event duration, screen time) • Scene Illumination (beam intensity) • Light Coverage (width/distance) • Underwater Distance • Diopter (lens focus, diopter power) • Macro (object distance, magnification, corrected stop, DoF, object size, image size, fill percentage) • Built-in user guides on each screen • Calculates instantly & automatically as each entry is entered • 2,000+ camera formats plus unlimited customizable, user-defined camera formats, CoC & filters • Designed by a working camera technician who understands that calculations must be done simply and on-the-run AND ONE THING THAT ISN'T A CALCULATOR Crew Wheel — spin to settle who's buying the coffee. Not a tool, just a small gift for the standing-around time. Every long day needs one. TRUSTED WORLDWIDE BY DPs, Photographers, Camera Assistants, Camera Operators, Production Designers, VFX, Videographers, Gaffers, plus Film, Television, and Digital Media students. INDUSTRY RECOGNITION • Membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Production and Technology Branch). • 75th Primetime Emmy Awards — Emmy® for "Outstanding Achievement in Engineering, Science & Technology" from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. • 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards — Engineering Plaque for "Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development" from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. • Technical Achievement Award from Society of Camera Operators — "For outstanding contributions to cinematography through the design and development of the pCAM Film+Digital Calculator."

Screenshots

Artemis Director's Viewfinder4 screens
pCAM Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Artemis Director's Viewfinder at Free against pCAM Pro's $34.99. Artemis Director's Viewfinder also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 9 days). pCAM Pro's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 3.9) and review sentiment (97% vs 63%). On ratings volume, 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

Artemis Director's Viewfinder is free to download; pCAM Pro costs $34.99 up front. Artemis Director's Viewfinder sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and pCAM Pro sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

pCAM Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 150 and 221 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Artemis Director's Viewfinder's written reviews are positive against 97% of pCAM Pro's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Artemis Director's Viewfinder ships an update every 3 days, pCAM Pro every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Artemis Director's Viewfinder versus pCAM Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArtemis Director's ViewfinderpCAM Pro
PriceFree — better$34.99
Rating3.9 (150 ratings)4.9 (221 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.7% of reviews97.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings150221 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#147 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size79 MB42 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChemical WeddingDavid Eubank

Customer experience

Artemis Director's Viewfinder

All ratings150 ratings
Positive71.3%
Neutral3.3%
Negative25.3%
Written reviews225 reviews
Positive62.7%
Neutral8.9%
Negative28.4%

pCAM Pro

All ratings221 ratings
Positive98.6%
Neutral0.5%
Negative0.9%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive97.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative0.0%

User reviews

Artemis Director's Viewfinder

From 150 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎬 Essential tool for cinematographers and filmmakers
  • 👍 Intuitive viewfinder with accurate focal length simulation
  • 📸 Comprehensive camera and lens database
  • 🤝 Exceptional customer support and responsive developer
  • 🎯 Useful for pre-production planning and location scouting

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues across iOS versions
  • ⚠️ App closes immediately after opening on newer iPhones
  • 📸 Missing or lost photos after updates
  • 🔒 Requires full photo library access with privacy concerns
  • ⏱️ Slow performance between shots and when taking photos

pCAM Pro

From 221 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Indispensable tool for cinematographers
  • 👍 Great calculators and converters
  • 👍 Very easy to use and intuitive
  • 👍 Clear, accurate, and concise
  • 👍 Useful for pre-visualization

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Does not access iPhone camera for POV simulation
  • 🐛 Cartoon cutouts for actors are not realistic
  • 🐛 Hyperfocal 'apply' button placement on iPad is accidental
  • 🐛 Users had to repurchase the app for updates

Bugs and requests

Artemis Director's Viewfinder

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • App crashes on launch after iOS updates
  • Photos disappear from library and app after taking them
  • Focus issues in viewfinder - won't focus or loses focus during recording
  • App freezes when viewing previously taken photos
  • Performance degradation with photo albums exceeding 80 images
Show 14 more
  • 4-second delay between photo captures
  • Photo button not registering properly
  • App closes when changing camera or format settings
  • Folder order reverses unexpectedly
  • Cloud sync failures between devices
  • Photo archiving errors - wrong photos get archived
  • Export functionality extremely slow and difficult
  • App crashes on iPad without apparent cause
  • Lag in photo trigger - photos taken 2 seconds late
  • Focal length display blur in some cases
  • Custom frame line ratios don't affect composition guide overlay
  • Scene viewing causes app to freeze
  • Keyboard won't dismiss when reporting bugs
  • Data loss after version 7.0 update

Requested features

16 requests
  • Add Nikon ZR camera support
  • Update database with newer camera models (Canon RF mount, Fuji X-H2S, Lumix models)
  • Widget for quick app launch
  • Save multiple camera and lens profiles for quick switching
  • Custom anamorphic squeeze ratios
Show 11 more
  • Crosshair composition tool
  • Lock screen widget functionality
  • Ability to import custom logos instead of Artemis branding
  • QR code export for camera/lens settings
  • Live depth of field calculator on screen
  • Better LUT options
  • Support for more prosumer lenses (Sigma, Tamron, Sony G Master)
  • PDF export for shot lists
  • Ability to customize frame guide ratios independent of camera sensor ratio
  • Video recording at higher frame rates
  • S16 lens support expansion

pCAM Pro

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • None explicitly mentioned, but feature requests imply areas for improvement.

Requested features

3 requests
  • Access iPhone camera for exact POV simulation
  • Implement a night mode
  • Relocate hyperfocal 'apply' button in Depth-of-Field calculator

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Artemis Director's Viewfinder

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Annual$16.991 Year
One-time3
  • External Camera Mode$9.99
  • Helios View$9.99
  • Core License$29.99
3 purchases

pCAM Pro

One-time3
  • Small Tip$1.99
  • Medium Tip$4.99
  • Large Tip$7.99

Questions

Is Artemis Director's Viewfinder free?
Artemis Director's Viewfinder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is pCAM Pro free?
pCAM Pro costs $34.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Artemis Director's Viewfinder or pCAM Pro?
pCAM Pro is rated higher. Artemis Director's Viewfinder averages 3.9 out of 5 from 150 ratings, while pCAM Pro averages 4.9 from 221 ratings.
Do Artemis Director's Viewfinder or pCAM Pro have ads?
Neither Artemis Director's Viewfinder nor pCAM Pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Artemis Director's Viewfinder or pCAM Pro?
Artemis Director's Viewfinder ships an update every 3 days, and pCAM Pro every 9 days. Most recently, Artemis Director's Viewfinder was updated on September 26, 2026 and pCAM Pro on September 25, 2026.

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