# Lighting Designer vs pCAM Pro

The clearest difference is review sentiment: pCAM Pro at 97% against Lighting Designer's 46%. pCAM Pro also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). Lighting Designer's advantage is price ($24.99 vs $34.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ratings volume, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Lighting Designer costs $24.99 and pCAM Pro $34.99 up front. pCAM Pro sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Lighting Designer asks for nothing beyond the download.

pCAM Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 144 and 221 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Lighting Designer's written reviews are positive against 97% of pCAM Pro's.

Lighting Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, pCAM Pro every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lighting Designer | pCAM Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$24.99** | $34.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (144 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighting-designer/id511366142/reviews) | **[4.9 (221 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcam-pro-camera-tools/id1308057201/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 144 | **221** |
| Positive reviews | 46.3% of reviews | **97.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#181** | #195 |
| Size | 80 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scenario Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/511366145) | [David Eubank](https://appshunter.io/developer/1645606643) |

## What reviewers say

### Lighting Designer

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

**Currently charting:** #181 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

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


### pCAM Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcam-pro-camera-tools/id1308057201)

**Currently charting:** #195 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

This app provides 27 essential tools for cinematography and photography professionals and students. It offers instant calculations for depth of field, field of view, exposure, and more, with a user-friendly interface designed for on-the-go use.

**Highlights:** Depth of Field calculations, Field of View preview, Focal Length matching, Exposure calculations, HMI Flicker-free settings, Speed Booster adapter calculations, VFX tracking markers

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Indispensable tool for cinematographers
- 👍 Great calculators and converters
- 👍 Very easy to use and intuitive
- 👍 Clear, accurate, and concise
- 👍 Useful for pre-visualization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Does not access iPhone camera for POV simulation
- 🐛 Cartoon cutouts for actors are not realistic
- 🐛 Hyperfocal 'apply' button placement on iPad is accidental
- 🐛 Users had to repurchase the app for updates

**Reported bugs**

- None explicitly mentioned, but feature requests imply areas for improvement.

**Requested features**

- Access iPhone camera for exact POV simulation
- Implement a night mode
- Relocate hyperfocal 'apply' button in Depth-of-Field calculator


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lighting Designer free?

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

### Is pCAM Pro free?

pCAM Pro costs $34.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lighting Designer or pCAM Pro?

pCAM Pro is rated higher. Lighting Designer averages 4.0 out of 5 from 144 ratings, while pCAM Pro averages 4.9 from 221 ratings.

### Do Lighting Designer or pCAM Pro have ads?

Neither Lighting Designer nor pCAM Pro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lighting Designer or pCAM Pro?

Lighting Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, and pCAM Pro every 9 days. Most recently, Lighting Designer was updated on September 22, 2026 and pCAM Pro on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Lighting Designer or pCAM Pro?

Lighting Designer currently peaks at #181 in the App Store charts, and pCAM Pro at #195. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*