Comparison

Lightme vs Light Meter

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

Head to head
About

Lightme

This app helps analog photographers meticulously track their film rolls, shots, and development processes. It allows for detailed logging of gear and consumables, with features for data visualization and export. Users can also manage film holders and add post-development notes with photos of final results.

Highlights
  • Log film rolls, shots, and development
  • Track gear and consumables
  • Data visualization with graphs/histograms
  • Data export in JSON/CSV formats
  • Manage large format film holders
  • Post-development notes with photos
Features
Read full description

Lightme - Logbook is a clean and powerful tool to record and keep track of your rolls, shots, developments, and all the gear that revolves around shooting film — from 35mm to medium and large format. The idea behind it is simple: logging a shot should take seconds, not steal time from actually shooting. Lightme pairs a beautiful, immediate interface with enough depth and flexibility to fit any workflow, whether you shoot a couple of rolls a year or fill several large format holders in an afternoon. LOGGING, EFFORTLESSLY • Log a shot in seconds: aperture, shutter speed, focal length, filters, bellows correction, measured EV, notes and more • Log straight from your wrist with the companion Apple Watch app, with Siri and Shortcuts, or from the home screen and lock screen widgets • Together with the Lightme Lightmeter app, your meter readings can prefill a new shot automatically • Every shot can carry a location and address, a preview photo, and later its final scan, plus a star rating ROLLS, SHEETS AND DEVELOPMENTS • Track rolls from loading to unloading, with film stocks from a growing database and a processing pipeline: waiting for development, off to the lab, back from the lab, to be scanned, scanned • Keep detailed development notes — developer, dilution, time, temperature, agitation — for rolls and single sheets alike, including push/pull (N+ / N-) development • Add post-development notes and a photo of the final result to rolls, sheets and individual shots YOUR GEAR, ORGANIZED • Cameras and lenses with nicknames, formats (including custom formats you define), pinhole and bellows flags, custom shutter speeds and selectable shutter step sizes • Roll film backs and lens filters with their exposure compensation • Film holders and backs can be marked as compatible with specific cameras, and everything is searchable from a single bar LARGE FORMAT, COVERED • Keep track of your film holders with three states — unloaded, loaded and exposed — always knowing which film is inside each one • Group holders together and follow every sheet from exposure through development INSIGHTS FROM YOUR DATA • Build and save custom queries, filtering by date (fixed or rolling windows), camera, lens, film stock, format, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, focal length and notes • Visualize results with histograms — by camera, lens, film stock, shutter speed, aperture, focal length, ISO, format, rating or hour of the day — alongside aggregate stats like mean aperture and average exposure • Save the queries you use most and re-run them anytime YOUR DATA, YOURS • Everything syncs privately through iCloud across your iPhone and iPad • Export any selection of data as CSV or JSON, or as a beautifully formatted PDF with customizable columns and a contact-sheet mode, bundled with your images in a single ZIP • Batch-write shooting metadata (EXIF) onto your scans — for a whole roll at once, or by matching files from the Files app • Viewing and exporting your data is free, forever; adding and editing is unlocked with a one-time purchase or a subscription AND MORE • Full-text search, favourites and an archive to keep things tidy • Available in English, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Simplified Chinese • A roadmap of what's coming next lives right in the app — new very cool features are on the way :) If you have any suggestion or issue, write me at lightme.apps@gmail.com Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Light Meter

This app helps film photographers precisely measure light, distance, and depth of field before taking a shot. It offers tools for exposure evaluation, flash calculation, and reciprocity failure compensation, with advanced features available via a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • Light metering
  • Zone metering
  • Flash calculator
  • Reciprocity failure compensation
  • Distance meter (LiDAR)
  • Depth of field calculator
  • Gear library
Features
Read full description

FilmBox Toolkit Shoot film with greater confidence. From exposure decisions and manual focusing to long-exposure compensation and photo notes, FilmBox Toolkit brings essential film photography tools together on your iPhone. Make informed choices before you press the shutter. ZONE SYSTEM METERING Visualize readings from different areas of your scene using Zone System principles. Compare highlights and shadows, decide which details to preserve, and adjust your exposure. Built for situations where careful exposure control matters. FREE TOOLS • Light Meter (basic mode): Evaluate ambient light and get exposure settings to work from. • LiDAR Rangefinder (up to 1 meter): Estimate subject distance to assist manual focusing and flash calculations. Requires compatible hardware. • Flash Calculator (GN): Calculate settings from the guide number for shooting without TTL. • Depth of Field Calculator: Estimate your focus range and hyperfocal distance. • Reciprocity Failure Compensation: Calculate long-exposure adjustments based on your selected film. • Shutter Speed Test: Help check your camera's shutter speed and assess its performance. • Negative Viewer: Use the camera to preview negatives as positive images and inspect their contents. For previewing only; not a replacement for professional scanning or post-processing. • Gear Library & Photo Log: Organize film stocks, flashes, and preferred settings, and keep shooting notes for later reference. FREE & PRO FilmBox Toolkit is free to download. All features are free except the three Pro features below. Free features include manual input for Zone System metering, basic light metering, rangefinding up to 1 meter, the Shutter Speed Test, and the Negative Viewer. FilmBox Pro unlocks: • Zone System metering: real-time light readings. • Light Meter: 1-degree spot metering mode. • Rangefinder: distance measurements beyond 1 meter. Choose either: • A one-time lifetime purchase. • An annual subscription with access during the subscription period. See the in-app purchase screen for current pricing and purchase terms. DEVICE COMPATIBILITY • Standard SDR metering: Compatible iPhones running iOS 17 or later. • Apple Log metering: Uses 10-bit Apple Log data. Supported on iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max, 16 Pro/Pro Max, and 17 Pro/Pro Max. The app selects the appropriate mode for your device. • LiDAR rangefinding: Requires a LiDAR-equipped iPhone: Pro and Pro Max models in the iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 families. Devices without Apple Log or LiDAR can still use other compatible features. Hardware support and Pro access are separate requirements. PRIVACY Metering, depth of field, and other calculations run locally on your device. We do not collect or upload your personal data. Privacy Policy: https://www.filmboxtoolkit.com/privacy.html TERMS OF USE This app is licensed under Apple's standard End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Lightme4 screens
Light Meter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Lightme at 4.8 against Light Meter's 3.6. Lightme also leads on ratings volume (104 vs 5) and device support (4 vs 1). Light Meter's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 75%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Lightme sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Light Meter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lightme holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightme has 104 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Lightme's written reviews are positive against 85% of Light Meter's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lightme ships an update every 2 weeks, Light Meter every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Lightme versus Light Meter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightmeLight Meter
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (104 ratings) — better3.6 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews85.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings104 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGiuseppe Bertolini卓 朱

Customer experience

Lightme

All ratings102 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%

Light Meter

All ratings5 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive85.2%
Neutral7.4%
Negative7.4%

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Lightme

Subscriptions4
  • 1 Cappuccino7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Focaccia Barese7 Days trial$12.991 Year
  • Spaghetti Carbonara7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Homemade Pizza party7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time3
  • Box of Prosecco$59.99
  • Fuel for my '90s camper$119.99
  • Terme for two$239.99
2 purchases

Light Meter

Subscriptions1
  • FilmBox Toolkit Pro Subscription$7.991 Year
One-time1
  • FilmBox Toolkit Pro$17.99

Questions

Is Lightme free?
Lightme is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Light Meter free?
Light Meter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lightme or Light Meter?
Lightme is rated higher. Lightme averages 4.8 out of 5 from 104 ratings, while Light Meter averages 3.6 from 5 ratings.
Do Lightme or Light Meter have ads?
Neither Lightme nor Light Meter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lightme or Light Meter?
Lightme ships an update every 2 weeks, and Light Meter every 9 days. Most recently, Lightme was updated on November 11, 2026 and Light Meter on October 31, 2026.

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