Comparison

Massive Dev Chart Timer vs Lumu Light Meter

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

Head to head
About

Massive Dev Chart Timer

This app provides an offline film development chart and a multi-step timer for photographers. It includes customizable agitation, darkroom themes, and support for various developing and fixing steps. It also offers automated compensation for development time and temperature.

Highlights
  • Offline film development chart
  • Multi-step timer with sound notifications
  • Customizable agitation schemes
  • Darkroom themes
  • Dilution mixer
  • Automated time/temperature compensation
Features
Read full description

The Massive Dev Chart is the world's largest film development chart with easy to use multi step timer and darkroom support for iPhone and iPad. Watch the instructional video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P915z6THiY8. *** Features *** • Offline copy of The Massive Dev Chart in your pocket • Multi Step Timer with sound notifications • Customizable agitation scheme • Darkroom themes • Dilution Mixer • Support for two-step development and two-step fixing • Support for optional hypoclear and photo flo steps • Automated development time/temperature compensation

About

Lumu Light Meter

This app functions as a standalone reflective light meter or pairs with hardware for professional flash and color temperature measurements. It offers various modes for photography and videography, storing measurements with notes and location.

Highlights
  • Standalone reflective light meter
  • Flash and color temperature metering
  • Photo and cine/video modes
  • Spot metering
  • Color temperature in Kelvin
  • Store measurements with notes
Read full description

The light metering tool for every great image maker. Use the standalone app as a reflective light meter or use it in combination with Lumu Power hardware for professional Flash and Color Temperature measurements. Lumu Power is an easy-to-use digital incident color and light meter that works seamlessly with the free Lumu app to deliver Color Temperature, Illuminance, Spot, Ambient, and Flash Exposure metering functionality on your iPhone. A new expression of what a light meter can be, Lumu meets the needs of enthusiasts, professionals, and students who find existing light metering solutions too bulky, expensive, and complicated. “The Lumu Power is without any doubt the most full featured light meter I have ever owned. It’s tiny, it weighs hardly anything, it manages to offer a feature set that expands way beyond what most will ever need from such a device.” - www.35mmc.com Key features: - SPOT METERING: Use your phone’s camera as a reflective light meter. With Lumu Power: - PHOTO SINGLE mode: Giving you exact parameters: exposure time, f-number, ISO, EV, lux. - PHOTO MULTI mode: Calculating average value or contrast between multiple measurements. - PHOTO PINHOLE mode: Measuring exposure time for custom pinhole camera settings. - CINE/VIDEO mode: Set FPS, F-number, exposure time and ISO. Get the values for the ambiental light. - FLASH EXPOSURE: See the graph of flash duration, measure its intensity. - COLOR TEMPERATURE: Read light Color temperature in Kelvin and Green/Magenta shift. - CHROMATICITY: See light colour in CIE1931 diagram and get X,Y,Z coordinates. - ILLUMINANCE mode: showing incident light level in lux / foot-candle values. - NOTES: Store all your measurements together with geo-location, custom notes and your photo in one place. + ND FILTERS, EXPOSURE COMPENSATION and more… Visit http://lu.mu/ to learn more.

Screenshots

Massive Dev Chart Timer4 screens
Lumu Light Meter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Lumu Light Meter at Free against Massive Dev Chart Timer's $9.99. Lumu Light Meter also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). Massive Dev Chart Timer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (3.7 vs 3.4). On ratings volume, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Lumu Light Meter is free to download; Massive Dev Chart Timer costs $9.99 up front. Lumu Light Meter sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Massive Dev Chart Timer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Massive Dev Chart Timer holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 54 and 99 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Massive Dev Chart Timer's written reviews are positive against 53% of Lumu Light Meter's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Massive Dev Chart Timer ships an update every 5 months, Lumu Light Meter monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Massive Dev Chart Timer versus Lumu Light Meter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMassive Dev Chart TimerLumu Light Meter
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating3.7 (54 ratings) — better3.4 (99 ratings)
Positive reviews70.8% of reviews — better52.8% of reviews
Number of ratings5499 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#22 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFreestyle Photo & ImagingLumu d.o.o.

Customer experience

Massive Dev Chart Timer

All ratings54 ratings
Positive63.0%
Neutral7.4%
Negative29.6%
Written reviews216 reviews
Positive70.8%
Neutral8.3%
Negative20.8%

Lumu Light Meter

All ratings99 ratings
Positive56.6%
Neutral6.1%
Negative37.4%
Written reviews106 reviews
Positive52.8%
Neutral4.7%
Negative42.5%

User reviews

Massive Dev Chart Timer

From 54 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📚 Comprehensive film and developer database
  • ⏱️ Reliable timer with agitation reminders
  • 🎯 Easy-to-use interface for darkroom work
  • 🌙 Darkroom mode with red/black display
  • ✏️ Customizable development times and profiles

Room to improve

  • 🚫 Black and white film only (no color film support)
  • 🐛 Recent update broke HC110 dilution display
  • 🐛 App crashes on certain devices/iOS versions
  • 💰 Price point ($8.99-$11.99) for limited functionality
  • 🔍 Poor search functionality for films

Lumu Light Meter

From 99 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Accurate light metering
  • ✨ Precise color meter readings
  • 👍 Intuitive and clean UI
  • 👍 Great for film photography
  • 👍 Convenient pocket-sized tool

Room to improve

  • 😞 Terrible customer service
  • 😞 Unresponsive support
  • 😞 Expensive hardware
  • 😞 Misleading advertising
  • 😞 Inconsistent accuracy

Bugs and requests

Massive Dev Chart Timer

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • HC110 dilution section displays only letters, not ratios
  • Dilution ratios not calculating when solution amount adjusted
  • App crashes after selecting film speed
  • Crashes on iPad with new update
  • Timer display shows three dots instead of seconds
Show 7 more
  • UI elements overlap on older iPhone models
  • Safelight mode white banner blocks display on iPad
  • Crashes during development process
  • Home screen line emits bright light in darkroom mode
  • App incompatible with newer iOS versions on older devices
  • Notes don't word wrap properly
  • Inconsistent film/developer availability between iPhone and iPad

Requested features

15 requests
  • Color film support (C-41, E-6, ECN-2 processes)
  • Search functionality by film brand/name
  • Ability to add custom process steps (presoak, toning)
  • Individual agitation control per development stage
  • Continuous agitation option
Show 10 more
  • Volume calculator for stop bath and fixer
  • Background timer functionality
  • Custom step name editing
  • Pull/push development times
  • Stand development support with hour-based timing
  • Apple Watch app
  • Syncing between iPhone and iPad
  • Fahrenheit temperature option
  • Additional common film stocks (Portra, Fuji 400H, Ektar)
  • Ability to add films not in database to custom times

Lumu Light Meter

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • 🐛 LUX value shown as FootCandle
  • 🐛 ISO keeps changing when metering
  • 🐛 Color temp readout option disappeared
  • 🐛 Error when factory resetting module
  • 🐛 Cannot read CCT
Show 9 more
  • 🐛 App no longer recognizes original Lumu
  • 🐛 Photo Ambient mode turns off
  • 🐛 Device not recognized after app update
  • 🐛 High-pitched squeal on app open
  • 🐛 Loud painful high frequency noise with earphones
  • 🐛 Saved files not found
  • 🐛 App not working with older iPhones
  • 🐛 Exposure compensation backwards
  • 🐛 Extremely high pitched squeal

Requested features

11 requests
  • 💡 Aperture priority mode
  • 💡 Ability to lock aperture
  • 💡 Analog style shutter speed/aperture display
  • 💡 Option to see all equivalent exposure settings at a glance
  • 💡 Ability to take two readings and see difference in stops
Show 6 more
  • 💡 Use phone's volume button to take reading
  • 💡 Add lower ISO options (below 50)
  • 💡 Half-stop increments for ISO/aperture
  • 💡 Video mode
  • 💡 Location tracking for readings
  • 💡 Sync only on Wi-Fi setting

In-app purchases

None

Massive Dev Chart Timer

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Lumu Light Meter

One-time3
  • Lite to Power Upgrade$69.99
  • Power to Pro Upgrade$229.99
  • Lite to Pro Upgrade$249.99

Questions

Is Massive Dev Chart Timer free?
Massive Dev Chart Timer costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lumu Light Meter free?
Lumu Light Meter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Massive Dev Chart Timer or Lumu Light Meter?
Massive Dev Chart Timer is rated higher. Massive Dev Chart Timer averages 3.7 out of 5 from 54 ratings, while Lumu Light Meter averages 3.4 from 99 ratings.
Do Massive Dev Chart Timer or Lumu Light Meter have ads?
Neither Massive Dev Chart Timer nor Lumu Light Meter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Massive Dev Chart Timer or Lumu Light Meter?
Massive Dev Chart Timer ships an update every 5 months, and Lumu Light Meter monthly. Most recently, Massive Dev Chart Timer was updated on September 23, 2026 and Lumu Light Meter on September 19, 2026.

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