# Lighting Designer vs Artemis Director's Viewfinder

The clearest difference is price: Artemis Director's Viewfinder at Free against Lighting Designer's $24.99. Artemis Director's Viewfinder also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks) and review sentiment (63% vs 46%). Lighting Designer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). On rating, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Artemis Director's Viewfinder is free to download; Lighting Designer costs $24.99 up front. Artemis Director's Viewfinder sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Lighting Designer asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Lighting Designer against 4.1 for Artemis Director's Viewfinder. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 145 and 185 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of Lighting Designer's written reviews are positive against 63% of Artemis Director's Viewfinder's.

Lighting Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, Artemis Director's Viewfinder every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lighting Designer | Artemis Director's Viewfinder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $24.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (145 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighting-designer/id511366142/reviews) | **[4.1 (185 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artemis-directors-viewfinder/id1164523253/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 145 | **185** |
| Positive reviews | 46.3% of reviews | **63.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 80 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scenario Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/511366145) | [Chemical Wedding](https://appshunter.io/developer/311648873) |

## What reviewers say

### Lighting Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighting-designer/id511366142)

Create professional overhead lighting plots for film, TV, theater, and events. Quickly illustrate and communicate lighting setups with a vast library of equipment and intuitive tools. Sync your work across all Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Create overhead lighting plots, Extensive equipment library (2000+ items), Organize setups into Shows, Custom fixture creation with own images, Detailed light specifications, Floor plan drawing tools, Email editable Plots

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Artemis Director's Viewfinder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artemis-directors-viewfinder/id1164523253)

This app provides a comprehensive database of professional cameras and lenses, allowing filmmakers to visualize shots with custom formats. It streamlines communication between directors and cinematographers, ensuring everyone is aligned on the exact frame.

**Highlights:** Professional camera and lens database, Custom camera format support, Accurate shot visualization, Streamlined crew communication, Location scouting tool, Blocking rehearsal recording

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual | $16.99 | per year |
| External Camera Mode | $9.99 | one-time |
| Helios View | $9.99 | one-time |
| Core License | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎬 Essential tool for cinematographers and filmmakers
- 👍 Intuitive viewfinder with accurate focal length simulation
- 📸 Comprehensive camera and lens database
- 🤝 Exceptional customer support and responsive developer
- 🎯 Useful for pre-production planning and location scouting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues across iOS versions
- ⚠️ App closes immediately after opening on newer iPhones
- 📸 Missing or lost photos after updates
- 🔒 Requires full photo library access with privacy concerns
- ⏱️ Slow performance between shots and when taking photos

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch after iOS updates
- Photos disappear from library and app after taking them
- Focus issues in viewfinder - won't focus or loses focus during recording
- App freezes when viewing previously taken photos
- Performance degradation with photo albums exceeding 80 images

**Requested features**

- Add Nikon ZR camera support
- Update database with newer camera models (Canon RF mount, Fuji X-H2S, Lumix models)
- Widget for quick app launch
- Save multiple camera and lens profiles for quick switching
- Custom anamorphic squeeze ratios


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lighting Designer free?

Lighting Designer costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Artemis Director's Viewfinder free?

Artemis Director's Viewfinder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Lighting Designer or Artemis Director's Viewfinder?

Artemis Director's Viewfinder is rated higher. Lighting Designer averages 4.0 out of 5 from 145 ratings, while Artemis Director's Viewfinder averages 4.1 from 185 ratings.

### Do Lighting Designer or Artemis Director's Viewfinder have ads?

Neither Lighting Designer nor Artemis Director's Viewfinder shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lighting Designer or Artemis Director's Viewfinder?

Lighting Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Artemis Director's Viewfinder every 3 days. Most recently, Lighting Designer was updated on October 23, 2026 and Artemis Director's Viewfinder on October 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*