Comparison

ARRI ECS vs Ant CineKit

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

Head to head
About

ARRI ECS

Features
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The “ECS Sync” iPhone app functions as a direct communication platform between ARRI and users of ARRI’s Electronic Control System (ECS). Adaptable to any camera and any lens, ARRI ECS tools include wireless hand units and digital controllers, intelligent lens motors, and distance measurers. With the ECS Sync app, users can receive up-to-the-minute software updates, news, and answers to frequently asked questions relevant to these products. In addition, the ECS Sync app enables Bluetooth file sharing between ECS devices and the app via the new Hi-5 hand unit, without the need of a bulky laptop on set. Software versions can be synchronized, and transferred from the app to the connected devices. Lens files and user settings can be archived in the app, or forwarded on, including to the user’s Google Drive or Drop Box. Lens files can also be displayed graphically, contributing to the app’s usefulness as a portable and intuitive filmmaking tool. Features: • Save and load lens tables and user setup files to/from the Hi-5 hand unit via Bluetooth • Create a personalized lens data archive in the ECS Sync app • Update the Hi-5 hand unit and connected LBUS devices via the app • Get the latest news about ARRI ECS products • Distribute lens tables and user setup files from the app via email, WhatsApp, Dropbox, Google Drive and more

About

Ant CineKit

Features
Read full description

Ant CineKit is a 14-in-1 toolkit built for film crews. >>>Camera & Lens Database, Director's viewfinder with AR Sun trail, Sensor & Lens coverage, Data calculator, Depth of field calculator, Dynamic range, Angle of view, Digital slate, Film calculator, Underwater focus, Flicker free, Shutter angle converter, Data Transfer ++ Try Ant CineKit free for 7 days - full access to every tool, no limitations. After your trial, unlock lifetime access with a one-time purchase. ++ Created from more than 10+ year of professional DIT experience. Available in 7 Languages: English, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai >>> CAMERA DATABASE 130 cinema camera bodies from ARRI, RED, Sony, Canon, Blackmagic, Panasonic, Nikon, Panavision, Phantom, DJI, Freefly, Kinefinity, Z CAM, Sigma and more. Full recording modes, codecs, resolutions, sensor areas, frame-rate limits and media options for each body. >>> LENS DATABASE 273 lens series across 32 brands — ARRI Signature, ARRI Rental (ALFA, Prime DNA, DNA LF, Moviecam), ZEISS, Cooke, Angénieux, Hawk, Leitz, FUJINON, Canon, Sigma, DZOFilm, SIRUI, Laowa, LOMO, Atlas, Gecko-Cam, NiSi, Vazen and more. Focal lengths, T-stops, close focus, front diameter, weight, coverage and image circle. >>> DIRECTOR'S VIEWFINDER Turn your phone into any camera in the database. Pick a body, recording mode and lens, and the live viewfinder matches that exact field of view. >>> SUN FINDER & AR SUN TRAIL Scout light for any location and any date. Get sun altitude, azimuth, sunrise and sunset, plus golden hour. >>> SENSOR & LENS COVERAGE Compare up to four camera-and-lens combinations side by side. See exactly how sensor formats stack up, whether a lens covers your recording mode, and where vignetting will bite. >>> DEPTH OF FIELD Calculate near focus, far focus, total depth of field, hyperfocal distance, and estimated background blur. Choose strict, normal, soft, or custom circle-of-confusion settings. The visual preview supports frame lines, anamorphic desqueeze, diopters, and metric or imperial distances. >>> ANGLE OF VIEW Horizontal, vertical and diagonal angles, field of view at any distance, and the longest focal length that still fits a known object in frame. >>> DATA CALCULATOR Work out exactly how much storage a shoot needs. Pick camera, codec, resolution and frame rate, then get data rate, storage per hour, total storage and how many cards or drives to bring. Scales across multiple cameras and shoot days. >>> DATA TRANSFER CALCULATOR Estimate transfer time using file sizes in MB, GB, or TB and transfer speeds in MB/s, GB/s, Mbps, or Gbps. Compare drives, card readers, networks, and backup workflows. >>> Dynamic range How many stops of light a camera's sensor can capture from the darkest shadow detail to the brightest highlight detail. >>> ADDITIONAL ON-SET TOOLS • Flicker-free shutter recommendations for 50 Hz and 60 Hz lighting • Shutter-speed to shutter-angle conversion • Flat-port underwater-focus calculation • Film length, frame-count, and runtime calculations • Digital Slate >>> BUILT FOR SET • Full anamorphic support with desqueeze across every tool • Favorites and recent gear for fast recall • Share and export your calculations • iPhone and iPad, with a layout tuned for each • Works entirely offline

Screenshots

ARRI ECS3 screens
Ant CineKit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ARRI ECS at none against Ant CineKit's 1. ARRI ECS also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.6). Ant CineKit's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 14 months). On price, ads 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

Both are free to download. Ant CineKit sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ARRI ECS asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ARRI ECS ships an update every 14 months, Ant CineKit every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
ARRI ECS versus Ant CineKit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterARRI ECSAnt CineKit
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperARRI GroupPiyapong Mahnmark

In-app purchases

None

ARRI ECS

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Ant CineKit

One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime Unlock$19.99

Questions

Is ARRI ECS free?
ARRI ECS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ant CineKit free?
Ant CineKit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ARRI ECS or Ant CineKit have ads?
Neither ARRI ECS nor Ant CineKit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ARRI ECS or Ant CineKit?
ARRI ECS ships an update every 14 months, and Ant CineKit every 4 days. Most recently, ARRI ECS was updated on November 3, 2026 and Ant CineKit on October 31, 2026.

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