Comparison

Shutter vs Light Box

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Film negative/positive viewer
  • Adjustable brightness
  • Rotation lock
  • Grid and line overlays
  • iPad optimized
Read full description

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

Shutter4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shutter ships an update monthly, Light Box every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and June 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Shutter versus Light Box: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShutterLight Box
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating3.5 (22 ratings)4.4 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews58.0% of reviews — better47.6% of reviews
Number of ratings22 — better11
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS13.07.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFilmomat GmbHSystemiko Inc.

Customer experience

Shutter

All ratings22 ratings
Positive59.1%
Neutral9.1%
Negative31.8%
Written reviews69 reviews
Positive58.0%
Neutral5.8%
Negative36.2%

Light Box

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive47.6%
Neutral4.8%
Negative47.6%

In-app purchases

None

Shutter

No in-app purchases

None

Light Box

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shutter free?
Shutter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Light Box free?
Light Box costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Shutter or Light Box?
Light Box is rated higher. Shutter averages 3.5 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Light Box averages 4.4 from 11 ratings.
Do Shutter or Light Box have ads?
Neither Shutter nor Light Box shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shutter or Light Box?
Shutter ships an update monthly, and Light Box every 3 months. Most recently, Shutter was updated on September 20, 2026 and Light Box on June 9, 2026.

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