Comparison

Lens vs Luminar

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

Head to head
About

Lens

This app simulates camera lens behavior, visually demonstrating depth of field and field of view. It allows photographers of all levels to explore how aperture, focal length, and distance affect focus in real-time.

Highlights
  • Real-time depth of field visualization
  • Interactive background scaling
  • Adjustable aperture, focal length, and focal distance
  • Configurable information overlays
  • Multiple sensor size options
  • Metric/imperial unit support
Features
Read full description

Lens•Lab is a virtual lens simulation tool for photographers of all skill levels. It graphically illustrates how depth of field and field of view relate to your SLR camera and lenses. Professionals will like how quick and easy it is to get depth of field calculations. Semi-pro photographers will enjoy configuring "what-if?" scenarios for various lenses. Photography beginners will find it to be a great learning tool by exploring the interplay of aperture, focal length, and focal distance in real time. Lens•Lab is more than a great depth of field calculator, it's a lens simulator that can help you explore, see, and intuitively understand how depth of field works with your camera and lenses. Lens•Lab Features: Advanced visual depiction of depth of field with real-time controls: • The background scales from 10 centimeters to 100 meters interactively • Out-of-focus areas are represented as blurred in real-time • Distance labels, angle of view, and other information updates as you touch Easily control aperture, focal length, and focal distance with sliders or touch: • Aperture (from ƒ/0.95 to ƒ/64 in continuous increments) • Focal Length (configurable from 1mm to "very large number") • Focal Distance (from 10cm to 100m) Information overlays are independently configurable: • Hyperfocal Distance • Far Depth of Field • Focal Distance • Near Depth of Field • Total Depth of Field • Vertical Angle of View • Distance Scale • Simulated Blur Sensor size is configurable for: • Full Frame (35mm) • APS-H (1.3x crop factor) • DX (1.5x crop factor) • APS-C (1.6x crop factor) • Four Thirds (2.0x crop factor) Additionally, there are controls for distance units (metric or imperial) and display of Full Frame Equivalent focal length (for cameras with sensors smaller than full frame.) Included is a usage guide that explains all features of the application as well as depth of field in photography. Lens•Lab works with all iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad models running iOS 8 or newer.

About

Luminar

This app offers powerful AI-driven photo editing tools for mobile devices. It features intuitive controls, smart enhancements for skies, lighting, and skin, and a range of editing options for composition and style. Supports RAW files and integrates with Apple devices.

Highlights
  • AI Sky Replacement
  • AI Photo Enhancement
  • AI Skin Retouching
  • AI Body Shaping
  • RAW File Editing
  • Intuitive Gesture Controls
  • Photo Filters
Features
Read full description

Luminar — Your all-in-one, on-the-go photo editor and creative companion for iPhone, iPad and Vision Pro. Explore powerful AI-driven tools and an interactive interface that responds to your touch, delivering a uniquely engaging photo editing experience. Streamlined design with unparalleled control Luminar's user-friendly design allows you to edit your photos with intuitive gestures, featuring smoothly gliding sliders and spinning dials that respond realistically to your touch with motion and sound. With Luminar, there are no complicated functions or processes. Less fuss, more creativity. Smart AI enhancements Powered by cutting-edge technology, Luminar is the revolutionary smart AI photo enhancer for your every need: - SkyAI: Seamlessly replace dull skies with brilliant ones for impressive backdrops - EnhanceAI: Effortlessly enhance photo quality with a single slide, adjusting color, tone and clarity for professional results in seconds - StructureAI: Unlock hidden details and clarity in your images, enhancing contrast and texture for striking visual impact - Light Depth: Add natural depth and dimension with AI-powered, depth-aware lighting - FaceAI: Automatically enhance face features, brighten the face and subtly refine proportions - SkinAI: Automatically retouch the skin and remove imperfections for a clean and smooth result - BodyAI: Shape a subject’s midsection in a realistic way by adding or removing volume - BokehAI: Blur backgrounds, adjust focus, customize bokeh shapes All-in-one powerhouse - Curves: Edit photos with precise color and tone adjustments, achieving the perfect balance and mood - Details: Enhance every detail with just a tap, bringing your images to life with clarity and sharpness - Crop: Easily trim, align, flip and rotate for the perfect composition, ensuring your images stand out - Landscape: Transform your landscapes with ease and enhance golden hour lighting, brighten foliage, or remove haze for breathtaking results - Monochrome: Convert your color photos to stunning black and white masterpieces, adding depth and mood to your images - Erase: Effortlessly remove distracting elements from your photos to place focus on your subjects - Photo Filters: Enjoy a diverse collection of photo effects that add a unique style to your shots - RAW File Support: Edit your RAW photos directly on your mobile, preserving maximum image quality Seamless integration with Apple devices Designed for the Apple ecosystem, Luminar makes it easy to edit photos taken on your iPhone or iPad, enhancing your editing workflow. On the iPad, you can add personal touches using the Apple Pencil for sharper details and convenient edits. Plus, discover a new immersive editing experience with Vision Pro, optimized for iPadOS and VisionOS. Luminar — Envision more Whether you're a beginner or a pro, the Luminar AI photo editor offers a range of features to suit your needs, including detail enhancement, photo retouching, color adjustment, and more. Try Luminar now and experience next-level photo editing at your fingertips. Compatibility Note: The Luminar picture editor is optimized for devices running iOS/iPadOS 17 and newer. Please note that on iPad 6-gen, certain advanced features such as Erase, Sky AI and Relight AI are not available. To access all features, you need to purchase one of the plans below: 1 Week subscription 12 Months subscription (+7 days free trial. Once the trial is over, you will be charged a yearly subscription) Lifetime license Subscriptions auto-renew at the cost of the chosen package, unless canceled 24-hours in advance prior to the end of the current period. The subscription fee is charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. You may manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://skylum.com/legal Terms of use: https://skylum.com/legal-eula

Screenshots

Lens3 screens
Luminar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Luminar at Free against Lens's $2.99. Luminar also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 18 months) and ratings volume (4.5K vs 8). Lens's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and review sentiment (69% vs 42%). On ads, chart position 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

Luminar is free to download; Lens costs $2.99 up front. Luminar sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Lens asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Luminar holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Luminar has 4.5K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of Lens's written reviews are positive against 42% of Luminar's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lens ships an update every 18 months, Luminar every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Lens versus Luminar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLensLuminar
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (8 ratings)4.8 (4.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.0% of reviews — better41.8% of reviews
Number of ratings84.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 18 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#187#156 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB642 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJeff MenterSkylum

Customer experience

Lens

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive69.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative14.3%

Luminar

All ratings4,534 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral1.4%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews795 reviews
Positive41.8%
Neutral13.5%
Negative44.8%

Bugs and requests

Lens

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Luminar

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes and freezes
  • Issues with saving and exporting
  • Inaccurate AI-powered tools

Requested features

4 requests
  • Batch editing and presets
  • Raw file support
  • Masking and local adjustments
  • Export options (PNG, TIFF)

In-app purchases

None

Lens

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

Luminar

Subscriptions6
  • 1 Week2 variants$4.997 Days
  • 1 Month$14.991 Month
  • 6 Months$25.996 Months
Show 3 more
  • 12Months with monthly payment$39.991 Year
  • 12 Months7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • 1 Year7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time3
  • Lifetime2 variants$69.99
  • Lifetime Desktop$99.99
  • Lifetime Access: Mobile + Desktop$179.99

Questions

Is Lens free?
Lens costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Luminar free?
Luminar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lens or Luminar?
Luminar is rated higher. Lens averages 4.6 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Luminar averages 4.8 from 4.5K ratings.
Do Lens or Luminar have ads?
Neither Lens nor Luminar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lens or Luminar?
Lens ships an update every 18 months, and Luminar every 2 weeks. Most recently, Lens was updated on September 19, 2026 and Luminar on September 27, 2026.
Which is more popular, Lens or Luminar?
Lens currently peaks at #187 in the App Store charts, and Luminar at #156. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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