Light Meter vs Optaxis
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Light Meter
This tool assists film photographers by providing accurate aperture-priority and shutter-priority metering. It displays EV values, supports popular film stocks for ISO settings, and allows for ND filter input. Users can also capture scene photos with recorded metering data for analysis.
- Aperture-priority metering
- Shutter-priority metering
- EV value display
- Film stock selection for ISO
- ND filter parameter input
- Scene photo capture with data
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An exposure meter for film and manual cameras, focused on the shooting data you need in the field. Key Features: * Aperture-priority and shutter-priority metering. * Average, center-weighted, and spot metering. * Zone metering in spot mode for local exposure control. * 18% gray card calibration for spot readings. * Histogram display for highlights and shadows. * EV display, film ISO presets, and ND filter compensation. * Shooting log with scene photos and metering data.
Optaxis
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Optaxis - Master the Axis, Connect the Like-minded This is not another filter camera app. Optaxis is a pro toolbox and community for 35mm full-frame, medium & large format, Leica, Sony, Fuji, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Hasselblad, Phase One, ALPA technical cameras, and film. 23 engineer-grade toolsets (40+ sub-tools), a 1500+ lens spec database, a global community, and an AI assistant - all in one app. 23 PROFESSIONAL TOOLSETS [PRE - PLANNING] - Weather & Light - live weather, golden / blue hour, moonrise & set, clouds - Aurora - regional visibility, cloud + moon factors, 3-day forecast - Burn Sky - multi-day burning-cloud index, probability model, share poster - Tide - tide forecast, photo / surf / fishing presets, multi-day charts - Specialty Weather - sea-of-clouds / rime / alpenglow probability, 28 locations - Field of View & Focal - 7 bodies x 19 backs, 35mm equiv, shift-stitch, image circle, DOF / hyperfocal - Scout - map sun / moon / Milky Way planner, azimuth, rise / set, spot check-in - Plan - pre-shoot planning, gear checklist, WeatherKit, linked log, cloud sync [SHOOT - IN THE FIELD] - Compose - multi-focal overlay, 9 grids, 6 live B&W filters, RGB histogram - AR Viewfinder - live overlay, level, light meter, sun / moon / Milky Way AR, AI Vision - Exposure - exposure triangle, EV, ND, bellows, film reciprocity - Scheimpflug Tilt / Swing - tilt / swing angle, focus distance (to f/64), linked DOF - Live Shift - real-time architectural shift, multi-back image circle, WYSIWYG - Exposure Session - reciprocity, bellows, filter & manual compensation on one screen - Timer - long-exposure countdown, safe shutter speed, cable release - Compass - true / magnetic north, declination, precise bearing [POST - DARKROOM] - Film Dev - 5-step wizard, +/-0.5C control, batch decay compensation, 11 verified recipes - Darkroom - dodge / burn notes, 4 safelights, F-stop test strips, MG filters - EI Calibration - reversal Zone VIII algorithm, community distribution, one-tap share - Reciprocity - reciprocity-failure curves, push / pull, multi-brand reference - Print Size - DPI rating, stitched megapixels, museum-grade, wall-mount preview [LOG - RECORD & SKY] - Diary - gear / params / notes, 12-field film mode, 2 clips, auto EXIF, cloud sync - Astro - star trails (500 / NPF), Milky Way, sun & moon paths, eclipse catalog 2026-2035, meteor showers, 53 stars + 5 planets AR EQUIPMENT ARCHIVE Manage bodies, backs, lenses, filters, kits, and film. Spec library: Leica M/SL/S, Hasselblad XCD/HC, Fuji GF, ALPA HR, Schneider / Rodenstock LF. Side-by-side comparison plus cloud sync. UNCOMPROMISED QUALITY Native HEIC, 10-bit Display P3, up to 80MB originals. Full dynamic range and color for medium and large format. GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHER COMMUNITY - Multi-image posts - main + 100% detail crops, 9-image upload - Global map - discover nearby, spot check-in, meetups, community studios & dev labs - Hashtags, collections, Daily Inspiration, themed contests - Direct & group chat - text, image, file, equipment cards, params, group events - Voice & video calls - in-call photo + EXIF, equipment cards - Verification badges - ALPA, Cinema Lens, Leica, Hasselblad, Fuji, Large Format - Safety - report, block, moderation, AI pre-upload screening AI PHOTO ASSISTANT XiaoGuang AI - photo critique, captions, bio, log analysis, voice-to-text. Knowledge base across Leica, Hasselblad, Fuji GFX, ALPA, large format. Mention in group chats; CN/EN auto-translate. ARTICLES & NEWS In-depth Tips, industry News, community submissions, auto CN/EN translation. SUBSCRIPTION Free to use all calculators and community features. Pro unlocks the AI photo assistant and more. Monthly and yearly; pricing in-app. Billed through Apple ID, auto-renews, cancel anytime in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Terms of Use: https://optaxis.app/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://optaxis.app/privacy-policy.html Support: https://optaxis.app/support.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Optaxis at every 4 days against Light Meter's every 2 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Light Meter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Optaxis sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Light Meter ships an update every 2 weeks, Optaxis every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Light Meter | Optaxis |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (11 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 11 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 123 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Moegi Co., Ltd. | XIAO MIN NI |
In-app purchases
Light Meter
- Lifetime Pro Membership$7.99
Optaxis
- Monthly14 Days trial$5.991 Month
- Yearly14 Days trial$49.991 Year









