Comparison

Iris vs Manual Camera

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

Head to head
About

Iris

Features
Read full description

Taking the perfect photo has never been easier than with Iris - Pro Camera Control for iOS. Iris allows for quick, single-gesture adjustments to all camera settings, including exposure, ISO, Focus, Zoom, colour temperature and tint. Iris allows you to adjust all of these settings within a simple and beautiful user interface. If you've ever struggled to take photos at night or of small objects close to your phone, then this is the app for you! Iris also allows you to control all of these features from your Apple Watch. Simply open the companion Watch application, swipe to the setting you wish to adjust, and rotate the digital crown. It couldn’t be simpler. You can also take photos on your iPhone with the simple tap of a button on Apple Watch. Highlights - Make quick adjustments to all camera settings with a single swipe of the thumb. - Adjust each camera control using Apple Watch - perfect when using your iPhone with a tripod. - Instantly share your best photos with the world quickly without leaving the app. - Access all cameras on your device, including the telephoto lens on the iPhone 7 Plus. - Easily review and browse the photos you have taken with the in-app photo browser. - Reset the camera to completely automatic settings with the tap of a single button.

About

Manual Camera

Take full control of your mobile photography with manual adjustments for focus, ISO, shutter speed, and white balance. Achieve professional-looking shots with reduced noise and creative motion blur effects.

Highlights
  • Manual focus control
  • Adjustable ISO sensitivity
  • Variable shutter speed
  • Customizable white balance
  • Long exposure photography
  • RAW photo capture
Features
Read full description

With mcamera you can control parameters that are not available in the standard camera app: - Focus distance - ISO sensitivity - Shutter speed - White balance With manual control of shutter speed you can keep ISO as low as possible which will give you less noise on the photos. Long shutter speed would also give you opportunity to take photos with smeared elements such as car lights or smooth river water. Terms of service: https://vdugnist.com/mcamera_tos.html

Screenshots

Iris4 screens
Manual Camera3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Iris at none against Manual Camera's 2. Manual Camera's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 8 months). On price, ads, 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

Both are free to download. Manual Camera sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per year. Iris asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Iris ships an update every 8 months, Manual Camera every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Iris versus Manual Camera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIrisManual Camera
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.3 (456 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—58.7% of reviews
Number of ratings—456 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStephen AnthonyVladislav Dugnist

Bugs and requests

Iris

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Manual Camera

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Unable to save photos
  • Aspect ratio not saving correctly in free version
  • Slow shutter not working as expected
  • App crashes
  • Cannot access selfie camera
Show 3 more
  • EXIF data not displayed in native Photos app
  • ISO value discrepancy between slider and display
  • Cannot save photos due to photo access settings

Requested features

8 requests
  • Ability to turn on macro focus mode
  • Option to switch to selfie camera
  • Longer exposure times (e.g., 30 seconds)
  • Support for ultra wide and telephoto cameras
  • ND filter for daylight slow shutter speeds
Show 3 more
  • Ability to change lenses on iPhone 12Pro
  • More settings and controls
  • Fix alignment issue with aperture symbol

In-app purchases

None

Iris

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Manual Camera

Subscriptions2
  • Manual Camera PRO7 Days trial$5.991 Year
  • Manual Camera PRO7 Days trial$11.991 Year

Questions

Is Iris free?
Iris is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Manual Camera free?
Manual Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Iris or Manual Camera have ads?
Neither Iris nor Manual Camera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Iris or Manual Camera?
Iris ships an update every 8 months, and Manual Camera every 4 weeks. Most recently, Iris was updated on November 6, 2026 and Manual Camera on November 7, 2026.

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