Comparison

Photon Camera vs Cinema P3 Pro Camera

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

Head to head
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/.

About

Cinema P3 Pro Camera

This application provides advanced manual controls for capturing professional-quality photos and videos. It offers extensive features for color grading, focus, and audio, allowing for cinematic results directly from your device.

Highlights
  • Manual and automatic camera controls
  • 10-bit video capture with Apple Log and HDR formats
  • Advanced scopes for real-time image analysis
  • Anamorphic desqueeze and distortion correction
  • LUT support for color grading
  • Precise focus and audio controls
Features
Read full description

Cinema P3 Pro Camera unlocks the full capability of your device’s cameras. — Intuitive easy to use controls make taking photos and video a pleasure. — Advanced professional tools allow you to capture the highest quality image every time. FULL CONTROL — Automatic and Manual controls White balance, temperature and tint, exposure, ISO, shutter speed, shutter angle and focus — ISO Priority and Shutter Priority with Spot, Matrix and Center Weight Metering — Manual and Automatic White Balance (AWBc) with Temperature and Tint controls Automatic White Balance calibration using a grey card — Manual Zoom control with adjustable zoom speed for smooth transitions Zoom with a two finger pinch gesture — High Dynamic Range (HDR) Video Capture — Capture 10-bit video with Apple Log*. — Capture 10-bit BT.2020 color (Dolby Vision)*. — Capture HDR video with Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG). — Capture HDR video with C-Log and D-Log. — Capture and playback video with P3 wide color. — Presets to store custom camera settings such as Exposure Mode, White Balance, Video Format and Anamorphic Lens Distortion, Restore a preset with a single tap. ADVANCED TOOLS ● Multiple video recording formats: — 10-bit Apple Log* — 10-bit HLG (Dolby Vision)* — 10-bit 709* — 8-bit P3 HLG — 8-bit P3 — 8-bit 709 ● Full control over video format settings: — Use all Frame Rate, Resolution and Color Spaces supported by your device. — H.265 HEVC, H.264, H.265 4:2:2, ProRes* — Bit Rate, Pixel Aspect Ratio and Key Frame Interval — Time Code Track — 4K Wide Recording Mode ● Powerful full screen and mini scopes, with advanced image processing tools provide real time image analysis. — Luma/Luminance Scope — RGB Parade — RGB Overlay — Histogram. — XY Colorspace — VectorScope — Luma Histogram — (False) Color Analysis ● Tools — Anamorphic Desqueeze with Distortion Correction — Aspect Ratio Guides and Grids assist scene composition. — P3 Button highlights parts of an image that use P3 color. — Anamorphic De-squeeze for 1.3x, 1.55x and custom lenses. — Preserve Camera Settings when changing camera modes — Lock White Balance on Record — Camera Quick Select — Torch — Tilt Sensor — Rotation Lock — Zebras ● Creative Video Mode to optimise and enhance the image in camera: — A-Log & B-Log (SDR) — C-Log & D-Log (HDR) — 33 and 65 point LUT export to convert Log footage to 709, 2020 PQ & 2020 HLG color spaces. — Creative presets with saturation adjustment — .cube LUT support with “LUT Tools Upgrade” In-App Purchase. ● Focus Controls — Continuous Automatic Focus, Manual and Automatic Focus — Face and Animal Detection focus modes. — Focus Target for automatic focus and Focus Lock function — Focus Assist Tool for precise manual focus — Manual focus control with Focus Loupe — Focus peaking ● Audio — Audio level meter — Audio monitoring with headphones — Stereo audio recording on compatible devices — Audio Format selection AAC/LPCM — Manual or automatic microphone selection — Microphone gain control for compatible microphones ● Media Player/Viewer — Photo Viewer with image info display (EXIF, TIFF) — Video Player with track info display (audio, video, timecode) PHOTOGRAPHY ● Full Manual Control for Photos — White Balance, Color Temperature and Tint, Exposure, Shutter Speed, Stabilisation, Flash, Focus, HDR and Red Eye Reduction ● Multiple image formats — Capture photos in HEIC or JPG formats, with optional Live Photo — Custom Aspect Ratio for JPG photos 4:3, 3:2, 5:4, 7:5, 1:1, 16:9, 2.39:1 — RAW, ProRAW* capture — RAW with Bracket capture ● User customisable EXIF Data ● Photo Timer NOTE: *Not all functionality is available on all iOS devices In-App purchase is required to enable some functionality Feature availability is dependent upon model of iPhone/iPad used

Screenshots

Photon Camera4 screens
Cinema P3 Pro Camera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cinema P3 Pro Camera at 76% against Photon Camera's 24%. Cinema P3 Pro Camera also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Photon Camera sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Cinema P3 Pro Camera 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

Cinema P3 Pro Camera holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cinema P3 Pro Camera has 376 ratings behind it against 71, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of Photon Camera's written reviews are positive against 76% of Cinema P3 Pro Camera's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Photon Camera ships an update every 3 weeks, Cinema P3 Pro Camera every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Photon Camera versus Cinema P3 Pro Camera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhoton CameraCinema P3 Pro Camera
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (71 ratings)4.7 (376 ratings) — better
Positive reviews24.2% of reviews76.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings71376 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB72 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLateNiteSoft S.L.Thomas Blackburn

Customer experience

Photon Camera

All ratings71 ratings
Positive76.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative23.9%
Written reviews124 reviews
Positive24.2%
Neutral8.1%
Negative67.7%

Cinema P3 Pro Camera

All ratings376 ratings
Positive93.1%
Neutral2.4%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews232 reviews
Positive76.3%
Neutral7.8%
Negative15.9%

User reviews

Photon Camera

From 71 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great camera controls
  • 👍 Intuitive interface
  • 🔋 Efficient battery usage
  • 💡 Direct USB storage option
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🔒 Lack of transparency around app ownership
  • 🔒 Concerns about developer trustworthiness
  • 🔍 Limited zoom and lens options

Cinema P3 Pro Camera

From 376 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Incredible features and controls
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 🎥 Powerful video capture capabilities
  • 💰 Excellent value for the price
  • 🔍 Comprehensive manual controls

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 🔌 Compatibility problems with newer iPhones
  • 🕰️ Weird frame rate issues
  • 🔒 Difficulty restoring in-app purchases
  • 🔍 Lack of remote monitoring via second device

Bugs and 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

Cinema P3 Pro Camera

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Face detection focus causing crashes
  • Incorrect frame rates being recorded
  • Inability to delete footage from within the app

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add Apple Watch remote control support
  • Implement manual bitrate control
  • Include timelapse and slow motion modes
  • Allow importing custom LUTs
  • Add gimbal integration and control

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Photon Camera

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

Cinema P3 Pro Camera

One-time3
  • 7-Day TrialFree
  • LUT Tools Upgrade$9.99
  • Pro Tools Upgrade$14.99

Questions

Is Photon Camera free?
Photon Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cinema P3 Pro Camera free?
Cinema P3 Pro Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Photon Camera or Cinema P3 Pro Camera?
Cinema P3 Pro Camera is rated higher. Photon Camera averages 4.1 out of 5 from 71 ratings, while Cinema P3 Pro Camera averages 4.7 from 376 ratings.
Do Photon Camera or Cinema P3 Pro Camera have ads?
Neither Photon Camera nor Cinema P3 Pro Camera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Photon Camera or Cinema P3 Pro Camera?
Photon Camera ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cinema P3 Pro Camera every 3 days. Most recently, Photon Camera was updated on November 2, 2026 and Cinema P3 Pro Camera on November 6, 2026.

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