Comparison

Long Exposure Timer vs LFTools

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

Head to head
About

Long Exposure Timer

Features
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If you shoot long exposures, you've been there. You are wading in a stream (or the snow, dark, or any of other adverse conditions we routinely face). Trying to do the mental math to add ten stops to your exposure, fumbling with your phone, trying not to drop it in the water. Then more math to convert the seconds you came up with into the minutes the timer needs. Wait, how long did I say that was? Start over... Or is that just me? Long Exposure Timer makes it easy to calculate long exposures based on adding stops for filters or other adjustments and then just hit start to time your shot. All from your wrist, with no risk of dropping anything. New in version 1.1, film shooters can add reciprocity failure for popular film stocks from Agfa, Ilford, Kentmere, Kodak, and Foma. Long press on the interface to display the settings page, switch on film mode, and select your film stock. Note: Reciprocity failure adjustments are based on formulas provided by the manufactures or worked out from existing tables. We recommend running test exposures before doing any critical work, including at the exposure times you anticipate. Very long exposures may require additional adjustments.

About

LFTools

Read full description

LFTools is an app for Large Format and Film Photographers. In version 1.5.0 LFTools contains 2 Tabs. The first one is the 'LF Tools' tab, with several sub sections. Each section has a tool to calculate certain properties which are used in large format photography. Like extended exposure times with regard to bellows extension or the magnification from a bellows draw for a given focal length. The second tab, 'Film Reciprocity', contains the Film Reciprocity Calculator. This calculator is of interest for all film photographers who are interested in long time exposure. With the Film Reciprocity Calculator one can overcome the so called reciprocity failure, which is inherent to almost all films. It is quite simple to use, one just has to select a film, shutter speed and aperture an the tool automatically creates a table with extended exposure times. The app comes with a pre-populated list of films from Ilford. Ilford was the only manufacture who publishes the p factor for their films. Al be it, the user can add its own films for calculation.

Screenshots

LFTools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: LFTools at Free against Long Exposure Timer's $1.99. LFTools also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 23 months). Long Exposure Timer's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

LFTools is free to download; Long Exposure Timer costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Long Exposure Timer ships an update every 23 months, LFTools every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences ยท 2 level
Long Exposure Timer versus LFTools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLong Exposure TimerLFTools
Price$1.99Free โ€” better
Update frequencyEvery 23 monthsEvery 3 months โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 โ€” better18
Further details โ€” not scored
Size2 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPeter HoldmannRuediger Merz

In-app purchases

None

Long Exposure Timer

No in-app purchases

None

LFTools

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Long Exposure Timer free?
Long Exposure Timer costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is LFTools free?
LFTools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Long Exposure Timer or LFTools have ads?
Neither Long Exposure Timer nor LFTools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Long Exposure Timer or LFTools?
Long Exposure Timer ships an update every 23 months, and LFTools every 3 months. Most recently, Long Exposure Timer was updated on October 4, 2026 and LFTools on September 11, 2026.

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