# ShadowMagic vs SmartBeam® Luminance Camera

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ShadowMagic at 100% against SmartBeam® Luminance Camera's 0%. ShadowMagic also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). SmartBeam® Luminance Camera's advantage is price (Free vs $14.99) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

SmartBeam® Luminance Camera is free to download; ShadowMagic costs $14.99 up front. SmartBeam® Luminance Camera sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. ShadowMagic asks for nothing beyond the download.

ShadowMagic holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of ShadowMagic's written reviews are positive against 0% of SmartBeam® Luminance Camera's.

ShadowMagic ships an update every 3 months, SmartBeam® Luminance Camera every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShadowMagic | SmartBeam® Luminance Camera |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmagic/id1355895106/reviews)** | [3.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartbeam-luminance-camera/id1449237565/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | **#187** | — |
| Size | 114 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Crossroads Motorsport, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457608809) | [TEYEO LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1620037156) |

## What reviewers say

### ShadowMagic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmagic/id1355895106)

**Currently charting:** #187 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

A virtual lighting simulator for theatrical and stage design. Visualize lighting, color, shadows, and scenery with realistic fixtures and over 1600 gel colors. Save and share your designs.

**Highlights:** Virtual light lab and Black Box theatre, Realistic Source Four® Spotlight and Fresnel fixtures, Zoom and dimming capabilities with photometric accuracy, Over 1600 gel colors from major manufacturers, Precise fixture positioning and auto-focus, Save, organize, and share designs as PDF reports

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### SmartBeam® Luminance Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartbeam-luminance-camera/id1449237565)

This app transforms your iOS device into a professional luminance camera, enabling quick assessments of surface brightness. It uses a calibrated false-color filter to visualize light variations, aiding lighting designers, architects, and engineers. The tool also allows for saving and sharing images for reports and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Surface and point luminance measurement, Live false color display, Luminance selfie mode, Multiple luminance scales (Cd/m2, cd/ft2, fl), Auto and manual exposure control, Image sharing and saving

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Pro Version | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShadowMagic free?

ShadowMagic costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SmartBeam® Luminance Camera free?

SmartBeam® Luminance Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ShadowMagic or SmartBeam® Luminance Camera?

ShadowMagic is rated higher. ShadowMagic averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while SmartBeam® Luminance Camera averages 3.7 from 6 ratings.

### Do ShadowMagic or SmartBeam® Luminance Camera have ads?

Neither ShadowMagic nor SmartBeam® Luminance Camera shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShadowMagic or SmartBeam® Luminance Camera?

ShadowMagic ships an update every 3 months, and SmartBeam® Luminance Camera every 3 weeks. Most recently, ShadowMagic was updated on September 18, 2026 and SmartBeam® Luminance Camera on September 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*