Comparison

Magic Sonic ViewFinder vs Northlight DP

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

Head to head
About

Magic Sonic ViewFinder

This app simulates the field of view for various camera and lens combinations, aiding filmmakers in preproduction. It allows users to preview shots with different focal lengths, aspect ratios, and color presets, and save them for future reference.

Highlights
  • Precise framing preview
  • Simulates digital camera field of view
  • Supports numerous camera models
  • Tele adapter and anamorphic lens simulation
  • Aspect ratio frame guides
  • Color presets (LUTs)
  • Save shots with metadata
Features
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Magic Sonic ViewFinder presents you a precise framing preview for the real camera/lens combination you'll be shooting with, right where you stand with your iPhone / iPad. It simulates the field of view of digital cameras and can help thousands of professionals in filmmaking at the preproduction. PLEASE READ: this app does not turn your Apple device into an external monitor, but operates as a stand-alone director's viewfinder. The app contains ad banners, which can be turned off with additional in-app purchase. The app is a digital directors viewfinder -- it helps you see the field of view for your future shot. Select the camera from the menu and rotate the wheel to select the focal length of the lens. Supported cameras: - Alpha a99 II, 7RIII, 7RII - Alpha 7III, 7S II, 7R - Alpha a77, a6500, a6300, a5100 - FS100 / FS 700 - F3 / FS5 / FS7 - FX9 FF 6K / FF crop 5K / S35 4K - RX100 (1" sensor) - Venice 6K / 4K / 3.8K Magic ViewFinder simulates using tele adapters or anamorphic optics on your camera (see menu). From the menu you can also select the aspect ratio of the frame guide overlaying your image. Magic ViewFinder also lets you apply some commonly used color presets (also known as LUTs)to the live picture, which brings you even closer to the final shot. When you have found the right view, you may save it for future reference, with additional data like the focal length, date and time and camera / lens information. While taking a photo, you may lock exposure and turn on and off the auto focus to better control the captured picture. You can set camera to work in constant auto-focus mode, or lock the focus temporarily. You can also tap the live screen to focus on particular objects (which turns on the focus-locked mode). White balance may work in Auto, Locked or Manual mode. If the field of view of your real camera is wider than your in-device camera, the app adds 'padding' around the image, since the device cannot 'see' what is beyond. It is the best solution that we developed first amongst other viewfinder apps. Please note that position of your iPhone or iPad should correspond to the 'nodal point' of your real lens, which is somewhere in the middle of the lens. This point is, so to speak, the weighted center of the optics. Ad policy: Ads can be turned off (see below). Additional info about the app may be read at: http://dev.kadru.net/index.php/magic-viewfinder/ If you have any issues please email us for a quick support: dev@kadru.net To activate additional settings (i.e. to use all available optical adapters and frame guides) and to turn off advertising, please subscribe to (Option #1) or purchase Premium Features (Option #2) in 'About the App' menu. In-App Purchase Option #1: - Title of service: Premium features: subscription - Length of subscription: a month (auto-renewable) - Contents of service: Turned off ads and additional options for frame guides, optical adapters, anamorphic indices, more LUTs - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase - Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable In-App Purchase Option #2: - Title of service: Premium features: purchase - Length of subscription: once and forever - Contents of service: Turned off ads and additional options for frame guides, optical adapters, anamorphic indices, more LUTs Terms of Use: http://dev.kadru.net/tos.html Privacy Policy: http://dev.kadru.net/privacy_policy/Privacy_Policy_Magic_Sony_ViewFinder.html

About

Northlight DP

Features
Read full description

Northlight predicts how your lights will actually render on camera — before you roll. If you light people for a living — cinematographers, gaffers, DPs, camera operators, and serious content creators — you know the guesswork. A fixture's box-spec Kelvin is a claim, mixed sources fight each other, and you burn set time on white-balance tests instead of shooting. Northlight replaces the guesswork with real color science: tell it your fixtures, your camera, and the look you want at the subject, and it solves how every source renders at your camera's white balance — then hands you the exact Kelvin and tint to set on each light and the white balance to set on the camera. It's a planning instrument, not a control surface. Northlight computes the targets; you dial them into your own gear by hand. Nothing to connect, no accounts, no subscriptions. — Design the look Place your fixtures on a top-down plan around your subject, set each one's color and intensity, and dial the look you want at the face. Northlight solves it live: the combined color at the subject, the key-to-fill contrast ratio, and the illuminance, with warm/cool and gel-equivalent read-outs. A master level fader and a subject color dial push the whole look while your ratios hold. — Calibrate with your phone A fixture's nominal Kelvin is a claim; a measurement is the truth. In the Measure tab, point your iPhone at a grey card under a light and Northlight reads how it really renders — median-aggregated across frames, held steady by a stability gate — and records it against that fixture. From then on your predictions match the gear you actually own, not the marketing spec. — See it rendered On ray-tracing-capable Apple silicon, a path-traced preview shows a head lit by your exact setup: real perspective from your camera's spot, your chosen lens, a skin tone or neutral clay reference, bounce cards and negative fill, windows and room bounce. Read the modeling and the color cast before you're on set. Every other feature works without ray-tracing hardware. — Three ways to balance Camera-locked holds your white balance and re-dials your bi-color sources to reach the look. Follows-subject anchors the camera to the mix at the face. Explore sweeps every lever at once. Pick the instrument that fits your intent. — Yours, everywhere Your fixture and camera libraries and every saved look sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac over iCloud, automatically, in your own iCloud account. No account to create, no sign-in, no ads, no analytics, no data collection. The camera is used only on your device to meter a grey card — no images ever leave it. Northlight opens on a ready-made Demo look, so you can start experimenting immediately. Northlight is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any manufacturer named in the app. Product names are used for identification and compatibility reference only, and catalog values are published nominal specifications — measure your own units for accuracy.

Screenshots

Magic Sonic ViewFinder4 screens
Northlight DP4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Northlight DP at none against Magic Sonic ViewFinder's 2. Northlight DP also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). Magic Sonic ViewFinder's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price 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

Both are free to download. Magic Sonic ViewFinder sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Northlight DP asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Magic Sonic ViewFinder ships an update monthly, Northlight DP every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Magic Sonic ViewFinder versus Northlight DP: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMagic Sonic ViewFinderNorthlight DP
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (42 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings42 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRoman MedvidMatthew Grdinic

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Magic Sonic ViewFinder

Subscriptions1
  • Premium features: subscription1 Month trial$1.491 Month
One-time1
  • Premium features: purchase$4.99
None

Northlight DP

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Magic Sonic ViewFinder free?
Magic Sonic ViewFinder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Northlight DP free?
Northlight DP is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Magic Sonic ViewFinder or Northlight DP have ads?
Magic Sonic ViewFinder shows ads; Northlight DP does not.
Which is updated more often, Magic Sonic ViewFinder or Northlight DP?
Magic Sonic ViewFinder ships an update monthly, and Northlight DP every 2 weeks. Most recently, Magic Sonic ViewFinder was updated on October 5, 2026 and Northlight DP on October 7, 2026.

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