Comparison

MetaLog vs 36 Exposures

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

Head to head
About

MetaLog

This app helps film photographers meticulously record and log photo settings, locations, and equipment details. It offers a simple interface for tracking film rolls, individual shots, and managing your camera gear for cataloging or post-processing.

Highlights
  • Log film roll details (load/unload dates, frames)
  • Record photo settings (lens, aperture, shutter speed, location)
  • Intelligent pre-fill and filtering for quick logging
  • Manage multiple film rolls and cameras
  • Pinpoint photo locations on a map
  • Export logged data as CSV
  • Create a gear inventory with camera/lens details
Read full description

Are you a meticulous film photographer that prefers to record settings/locations for the film photos that you take? Are you looking for a simple and easy to use app for tracking and logging that information? Are you tired of the buggy, crash-prone, or convoluted photo logging apps currently available? I happen to be all of those things. Which is why I developed MetaLog. MetaLog is a simple yet powerful data logging utility for photographers who want to quickly record photo metadata for photo cataloging or EXIF tagging during post-processing. In addition to keeping track of the settings for each photo, MetaLog can also act as an equipment inventory for your gear. Feature Highlights: • See all of your added film rolls at a glance, including the number of frames added to each roll, as well as load/unload dates to show which rolls are still in use. • Quickly log settings for each photo including date, lens, aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation, as well as location coordinates, accessories, and notes about the shot. • Intelligent pre-fill and filtering for dates, locations, and equipment, making adding new frames a snap. • Easily manage multiple rolls loaded into multiple cameras simultaneously. • Pinpoint photo locations with a simple and familiar pinch-and-zoom map interface. • Export all logged data as convenient CSV files. • Gear pages can record camera and lens models as well as serial numbers, allowing for a complete gear inventory that's handy for tracking and insurance.

About

36 Exposures

This app helps 35mm film photographers log shots, manage gear, and track film data digitally. It features a built-in light meter, location tagging, and metadata export for preserving your photographic information.

Highlights
  • Camera & Lens Library
  • Film Roll Tracking
  • Shot Logging
  • Built-in Light Meter
  • Location Capture
  • Metadata Export
  • iCloud Sync
Features
Read full description

36 Exposures is the ultimate companion for 35mm film photographers. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned shooter, it helps you log your shots, learn from your exposures, and preserve your film data digitally. Key Features • Camera & Lens Library – Manage your gear with full specs • Film Roll Tracking – Log stocks, ISO, and custom roll names • Shot Logging – Record aperture, shutter, ISO, notes, and a reference photo • Built-in Light Meter – Real-time exposure calculation with multiple modes • Location Capture – Automatic GPS tagging with city/country details • Developed Scan Import – Match your digital scans to logged shots • Metadata Export – Embed complete EXIF (camera, lens, film, exposure, GPS, notes) • iCloud Sync – Your data stays safe and accessible across devices • Apple Watch App – Quick shot logging from your wrist

Screenshots

MetaLog4 screens
36 Exposures4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: 36 Exposures at 5.0 against MetaLog's 3.8. 36 Exposures also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). MetaLog's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $7.99) and ratings volume (12 vs 2). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

MetaLog costs $0.99 and 36 Exposures $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

36 Exposures holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MetaLog has 12 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of MetaLog's written reviews are positive against 100% of 36 Exposures's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MetaLog ships an update every 3 weeks, 36 Exposures weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
MetaLog versus 36 Exposures: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMetaLog36 Exposures
Price$0.99 — better$7.99
Rating3.8 (12 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings12 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristopher Curzio3sparks Labs LLC

Customer experience

MetaLog

All ratings12 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative26.7%

36 Exposures

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

MetaLog

No in-app purchases

None

36 Exposures

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MetaLog free?
MetaLog costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is 36 Exposures free?
36 Exposures costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MetaLog or 36 Exposures?
36 Exposures is rated higher. MetaLog averages 3.8 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while 36 Exposures averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do MetaLog or 36 Exposures have ads?
Neither MetaLog nor 36 Exposures shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MetaLog or 36 Exposures?
MetaLog ships an update every 3 weeks, and 36 Exposures weekly. Most recently, MetaLog was updated on October 24, 2026 and 36 Exposures on October 7, 2026.

Other comparisons