Comparison

Carousel Camera vs Photon Camera

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

Head to head
About

Carousel Camera

This app offers a unique circular video recording format that adapts to any screen orientation. Capture footage in high resolution and easily switch between full frame views with a simple double tap.

Highlights
  • Circular video recording
  • Adapts to any screen orientation
  • High-resolution capture (4K compatible)
  • Double-tap for full frame view
  • Ratioless video format
Features
Read full description

Designed by wearedot.agency, Carousel Camera is a beautifully designed, innovative camera solution that gets rid of an old problem: aspect ratio. By using a circular video (ratioless), it can be adapted to any screen! Using a 4K-compatible phone is yields a better than HD image*, that is vertical, horizontal, any angle you want... Double tap to see a complete view of the frame, both horizontal and vertical! *Final image is "1215p" (2160x1215) in 4K phones. 607.5p in 1080p phones.

About

Photon Camera

Transform your iPhone into a professional camera with full manual controls. Achieve DSLR-quality photos with advanced tools like focus peaking, live exposure, and RAW capture. Take creative control with AI processing options and a minimalist interface.

Highlights
  • Full manual control (ISO, shutter speed, white balance)
  • Focus peaking and focus loupe
  • Live exposure and histogram
  • RAW, ProRAW, HEIF, and JPEG capture
  • Adjustable AI processing (Process Control)
  • Minimalist and intuitive interface
  • Image browser with photo details
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone and iPad into a powerful photography tool with Photon Camera. Ideal for passionate enthusiasts and those venturing into professional photography, Photon Camera ensures DSLR-quality captures with every tap. DSLR-Quality Photos with Professional Features Photon Camera brings DSLR-quality photos to your iPhone and iPad with professional features for full manual control. Adjust focus, ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and, on iPhone 18 Pro, aperture, to capture unbelievable images. The ultimate camera app for creative photographers. Minimalist, Intuitive Design Ditch the clutter and focus on your shot. Photon sports a sleek, minimalist design that puts essential features at your fingertips. Clearly labeled, high-contrast, easy-to-tap controls give you instant access to focus, exposure, and white balance, so you can capture the perfect shot every time. Powerful, Professional Tools Experience the best of professional photography on your iPhone and iPad. Photon Camera equips you with robust tools such as live exposure, histogram, level, a focus loupe, timer, exposure clipping, and focus peaking, ensuring you capture exactly what you want. A Native iPad Camera Photon is built for iPad. All your pro tools are there: manual controls, histogram, level, focus peaking, and loupe, with layouts designed for the larger screen. A dedicated editing sidebar gives your photos more room while keeping adjustments close at hand. Smart, Precise Editing Edit with the same precision you shoot with. Smart Selection lets you tap an object and adjust it independently: Photon detects its edges, so you can brighten your subject, cool the background, or give each its own look. Blur and Sharpen tools let you soften a background or bring out detail, across the whole image or just a selection. On iPad, a dedicated editing sidebar gives your photos more room while keeping adjustments close at hand. Smart Selection requires iOS 27. Take Creative Control with Process Control Go beyond the basics of RAW photography with Process Control. This innovative tool lets you select the level of AI processing applied to your photos on a scale from 0% to 100%. Whether you prefer unprocessed RAW purity, fully enhanced photos, or something in between, Process Control ensures your creative vision comes to life. Process Control photos open directly in the editor, ready for finishing touches. Seamless Image Browser Relive your memories in a swipe with our easy-to-use image browser. Browse through your recent captures, get detailed insights about each photo, move smoothly into the editor, and share or delete with a single tap. Why Choose Photon? Simple, clutter-free interface designed for focused photography A native camera experience on iPad Capture in any format you like, including True RAW, ProRAW, HEIF, JPEG, and JPEG XL (iPhone 16 Pro and later). Or combine RAW and non-RAW formats. Instant access to manual controls, including Best-on-iPhone focus tools and manual aperture on iPhone 18 Pro, also through Camera Control Smart Selection, Blur, and Sharpen for precise, targeted edits Professional tools like live exposure, histogram, level, focus peaking, loupe, timer, exposure clipping, reliable RAW burst shooting, and external storage (iPhone 15 Pro and later) A user-friendly image browser that doubles as your digital photo album Photon Studio companion app that shows a live preview as you shoot your photos! Free for all Photon Pro users. Join the community of aspiring photographers taking their iPhone and iPad photography to the next level with Photon. It is not just a camera; it is a tool to unleash your creative vision. Download now and start capturing the world around you in stunning detail. You can review terms of use at https://photon.cam/terms/.

Screenshots

Carousel Camera3 screens
Photon Camera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Photon Camera at 4.0 against Carousel Camera's 2.7. Photon Camera also leads on ratings volume (64 vs 3). Carousel Camera's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 24%) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Carousel Camera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Photon Camera sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Photon Camera holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Photon Camera has 64 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Carousel Camera's written reviews are positive against 24% of Photon Camera's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Carousel Camera ships an update every 10 days, Photon Camera every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Carousel Camera versus Photon Camera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCarousel CameraPhoton Camera
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.7 (3 ratings)4.0 (64 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better23.8% of reviews
Number of ratings364 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS10.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRafael CostaLateNiteSoft S.L.

Customer experience

Carousel Camera

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%

Photon Camera

All ratings64 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews122 reviews
Positive23.8%
Neutral8.2%
Negative68.0%

Bugs and requests

Carousel Camera

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Photon Camera

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Manual mode crashes
  • Inability to access external storage
  • Incompatibility with certain devices
  • Unreliable photo saving and syncing

Requested features

5 requests
  • Bracketed HDR mode
  • Customizable white balance controls
  • Landscape orientation support
  • Macro mode
  • Integration with other photo apps

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Carousel Camera

One-time1
  • Carousel Camera Pro$0.99
3 purchases

Photon Camera

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • One-time purchase$39.99

Questions

Is Carousel Camera free?
Carousel Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Photon Camera free?
Photon Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Carousel Camera or Photon Camera?
Photon Camera is rated higher. Carousel Camera averages 2.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Photon Camera averages 4.0 from 64 ratings.
Do Carousel Camera or Photon Camera have ads?
Neither Carousel Camera nor Photon Camera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Carousel Camera or Photon Camera?
Carousel Camera ships an update every 10 days, and Photon Camera every 3 weeks. Most recently, Carousel Camera was updated on June 1, 2026 and Photon Camera on September 27, 2026.

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