Comparison

Light Lamb vs Aperture

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

Head to head
About

Light Lamb

This app acts as a light meter for film photographers, offering both automatic and manual control over camera settings. It helps ensure correct exposure by suggesting adjustments based on your chosen parameters and scene conditions. Features include spot metering, safe shutter speed awareness, and the ability to save settings with scene photos.

Highlights
  • Automatic exposure mode for film cameras
  • Assisted manual control of aperture, shutter, ISO
  • Histogram for exposure visualization
  • Safe shutter speed matching
  • Spot metering with 5x zoom
  • Customizable ISO, aperture, shutter speed ranges
  • Save settings with scene photos and location
Read full description

Light Lamb is a free photographers’ light meter app for iOS. You can let Light Lamb decide everything for you like getting an auto mode for your manual film camera, or you could have full manual control of the parameters, or whatever you want in between. - Now with histogram (New in 1.3.0) Use the histogram to make sure the scene is exposed just like how you envisioned. - From full auto to assisted manual control In most cameras if you pick a parameter like aperture, shutter, or ISO, the camera would stick to your chosen values even if it's too dark or too bright for the scene. The reason we made Light Lamb is to have a light meter that would suggest different settings if the chosen parameters are not suitable. For example, you can keep your settings at f/8 and 1/125 for deep depth of field and fast shutter speed, but if it's too dark, Light Lamb would suggest brighter values to make sure it's correctly exposed. Or say you want to set the aperture to f/1.4 for shallow depth of field, and if it's bright outside and the shutter is already at its fastest speed, Light Lamb would suggest a smaller aperture. Just set the parameters to what you want and Light Lamb will handle the rest. - Safe shutter-aware Pick a preferred slowest shutter speed you want and Light Lamb will match it. If the scene is too dark, Light Lamb automatically pick a slower shutter speed beyond the safe shutter to achieve the correct exposure. - Spot metering Zoom in 5x to focus the measurements to small areas in contrasting scenes. - Match your equipment Choose the range and increment of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed to match your equipment. Choose between whole-stop, half-stop, and one-third EV increments for each parameter. - Keep a memo Keep a memo of the settings used, including a photo of the scene and the location. Export it as a beautiful picture note formatted in 4:5 aspect ratio, great for posting to Instagram along with your photo.

About

Aperture

This app helps film photographers achieve perfect exposure by calculating ideal aperture and shutter speed based on ISO. It also allows users to save reference photos with detailed metadata to document their creative process and settings.

Highlights
  • Accurate light metering for film ISO
  • Minimalist and intuitive design
  • Customizable aperture and shutter speed ranges
  • Reference photo album with metadata
  • Lens presets and user settings
  • Recommendations for shooting scenarios
Features
Read full description

Aperture - Light Meter: Simplifying Film Photography with Precision Aperture - Light Meter is a minimalist, intuitive tool designed to help film photographers achieve perfect exposure and document their creative process. By calculating the ideal aperture and shutter speed based on your film’s ISO sensitivity, the app ensures every shot is perfectly balanced. Featuring integrated Zone System metering, a continuous film frame counter, and a visual shot log gallery, Aperture makes it easy to track your rolls, evaluate contrast, and log settings for future analog projects. Key Features: Accurate Light Metering & Zone System: Compute precise aperture and shutter speed settings based on your film’s ISO sensitivity. Tap to measure specific target zones and pre-visualize contrast for maximum control over highlights and shadows. Continuous Film Frame Counter: Automatically track your roll from frame 0 to 36 as you shoot. Smart continuation allows manual roll extensions (e.g., frame 37+) for bulk-loaded or longer rolls, with frame numbers stamped on gallery thumbnails and photo details. Easily adjust or clear frame values with a native wheel selector. Reference Photo Album & Visual EXIF Log: Capture digital reference photos saved with complete exposure metadata (ISO, aperture, shutter speed, frame number, and date). Access a visual gallery to compare developed lab scans against original metering data. Minimalist & Intuitive Design: A clean, distraction-free interface crafted to perfection, allowing you to evaluate light and adjust settings without breaking your shooting rhythm. Customizable Ranges & Lens Presets: Match your camera setup with customizable aperture and shutter speed bounds, or select preset profiles for fast, macro, or long-exposure shooting scenarios. ISO Sensitivity Input: Dial in exact ISO values tailored to your specific 35mm or medium format film stock. Why Choose Aperture - Light Meter? Designed for Analog Shooters: Built specifically for manual film cameras, bridging the gap between analog workflow and digital logging tools. Crafted to Perfection: Fast, reliable, and distraction-free—no ads, trackers, or hidden subscriptions. Document & Refine Your Craft: Keep accurate frame-by-frame records so you know exactly how each exposure was calculated when your lab scans come back. Who Is This App For? 35mm and medium format photographers seeking high-precision exposure metering. Analog enthusiasts who want an effortless way to log film EXIF data and track frame numbers. Photographers who want a dedicated Zone System light meter built for speed in the field. Simplify your film photography workflow with Aperture - Light Meter. Achieve perfect exposure, track your roll frame by frame, and shoot with confidence. Download now to elevate your analog process!

Screenshots

Light Lamb4 screens
Aperture4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Light Lamb at Free against Aperture's $3.99. Aperture's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Light Lamb is free to download; Aperture costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Light Lamb ships an update every 3 months, Aperture monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Light Lamb versus Aperture: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLight LambAperture
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCHUN YIN FUNGNicolae Gherasim

Customer experience

Light Lamb

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Aperture

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Light Lamb

No in-app purchases

None

Aperture

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Light Lamb free?
Light Lamb is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Aperture free?
Aperture costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Light Lamb or Aperture have ads?
Neither Light Lamb nor Aperture shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Light Lamb or Aperture?
Light Lamb ships an update every 3 months, and Aperture monthly. Most recently, Light Lamb was updated on October 6, 2026 and Aperture on October 7, 2026.

Other comparisons