Shutter vs Light Box
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Shutter
Test the shutter speeds of your analog cameras using your iPhone. For precise measurements, use with the PhotoPlug accessory. Without it, the app analyzes shutter sound for speeds below 1/30sec.
- Test analog camera shutter speeds
- Use with PhotoPlug accessory for light measurement
- Analyze shutter sound for speeds below 1/30sec
- Store measurement values in a table
- Manage multiple cameras and lenses
- Calculate correction factors for faulty shutters
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With Shutter-Speed you can test the shutter speeds of your analog cameras just with your iPhone. Please note that the full potential of this App is only reached if you use it in combination with the PhotoPlug. The PhotoPlug is an optical sensor which connects to the headphone-jack of your iPhone and enables you to measure the actual amount of light passing through the camera shutter. Please visit www.filmomat.eu for detailed information and for ordering the PhotoPlug. How-To: Point the camera towards a bright light source. Place the PhotoPlug closely behind the camera shutter. Start the measurement and release the shutter. The App automatically analyzes the signal and calculates the shutter speed. All measurement values can be stored into a handy table. Multiple different cameras/lenses can be stored. A correction factor is calculated, which you can use to compensate a faulty shutter speed. For example, if you measure the 1/60s and it turns out to be 1/50s, the App will tell you that the shutter-speed is 1/3 stops too long. This gives rise to a correction factor of -1, indicating that you have to close your aperture by 1/3 f-stop to get a correct exposure. Without PhotoPlug, the App will record the sound of the camera shutter and calculate the shutter speed from that. Please note that this procedure will only give useable results for speeds below 1/30sec. With the PhotoPlug, shutter speeds up to 1/500sec can be measured.
Light Box
Transform your iPad into a versatile film illuminator viewer. Adjust brightness, lock rotation, and add grids or lines for precise viewing. A cost-effective alternative to dedicated lightboxes.
- Film negative/positive viewer
- Adjustable brightness
- Rotation lock
- Grid and line overlays
- iPad optimized
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Turn your iPad into negative / positive film illuminator viewer. Why pay 100 dollars for LightBox when you can turn your iPad into one with selectable styles. Desensitized white screen has a small settings button at the top right, where you can lock rotation, adjust brightness, or add a grid or lines. Simple and Smart. *Important notice: We shall not be responsible or liable for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of functions or the content of this application. By using this application you are deemed to agree to this condition.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Shutter at Free against Light Box's $0.99. Shutter also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (58% vs 48%). Light Box's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 3.5) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 13.0). On ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Shutter is free to download; Light Box costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Light Box holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 11 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of Shutter's written reviews are positive against 48% of Light Box's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Shutter ships an update monthly, Light Box every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and June 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Shutter | Light Box |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $0.99 |
| Rating | 3.5 (22 ratings) | 4.4 (11 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 58.0% of reviews — better | 47.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 22 — better | 11 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 7.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Filmomat GmbH | Systemiko Inc. |
Customer experience
Shutter
Light Box
In-app purchases
Shutter
No in-app purchases
Light Box
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Shutter free?
Is Light Box free?
Which has better reviews, Shutter or Light Box?
Do Shutter or Light Box have ads?
Which is updated more often, Shutter or Light Box?
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