myLightMeter PRO vs The Darkroom Lab
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
myLightMeter PRO
This app provides precise exposure metering for photographers, supporting both digital and analog workflows. It offers a comprehensive set of manual controls and advanced tools like a hyperfocal distance calculator.
- Extended low-light sensitivity
- Incident and reflected metering
- Manual exposure control
- Hyperfocal distance calculator
- Save and review exposure data
- Extract exposure data from photos
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Designed by a photographer, for photographers. Built for reliable, precise exposure measurement across film and digital workflows. myLightMeter PRO gives you full control over exposure through a clean, professional set of tools. Key Features • Incident and reflected-light metering • Classic and Pro interface styles • Full manual control over aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments • Exposure range from 4 hours in Long Exposure mode to 1/8000 s, f/1.0 to f/512, and ISO 0.8 to 409,600 • Aperture-priority (Av) and shutter-priority (Tv) modes • Automatic ISO adjustment or ISO lock • Reciprocity correction for long film exposures • Sensitivity down to −2.5 EV, ideal for low-light scenes • Average multiple readings • Import shutter speed, aperture, and ISO from photos in your library • Organize readings into Sessions with photos, exposure data, camera and lens details, and notes • Keep your Sessions synced through iCloud, so they remain available when you switch phones or use another device • Export Sessions as PDFs or print them Advanced Tools • Hyperfocal-distance calculator • Five configurable presets, each storing camera, lens, ISO, filter, and film settings • EV display with an analog scale or numerical reading • mySPOTMETER and f/Tools integration About This app is built and maintained by an independent photographer and developer. It is the tool I personally use and continuously refine. If you have suggestions or need support, contact me at: davidquiles@me.com
The Darkroom Lab
View your developed film photos as soon as they are scanned. This app connects you to a professional film developing service with decades of experience.
- View scanned film photos
- Professional film developing
- Experienced lab professionals
- Access photos as soon as scanned
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Since 1976 The Darkroom has developed literally millions of rolls of film with experienced lab professionals and film enthusiasts This free app enables you to view your photos as soon as they've been scanned in the lab.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: myLightMeter PRO at 90% against The Darkroom Lab's 45%. myLightMeter PRO also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.7) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). The Darkroom Lab's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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
The Darkroom Lab is free to download; myLightMeter PRO costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
myLightMeter PRO holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: myLightMeter PRO has 1.2K ratings behind it against 89, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of myLightMeter PRO's written reviews are positive against 45% of The Darkroom Lab's.
myLightMeter PRO ships an update every 5 days, The Darkroom Lab every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.
| Parameter | myLightMeter PRO | The Darkroom Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.2K ratings) — better | 3.7 (89 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 90.3% of reviews — better | 44.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.2K — better | 89 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #16 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 93 MB | 52 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | David Quiles | The Darkroom |
Customer experience
myLightMeter PRO
The Darkroom Lab
Bugs and requests
myLightMeter PRO
Reported bugs
3 issues- Crashes on startup
- Inconsistent behavior between free and pro versions
- Incorrect shutter speed and aperture options for some cameras
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to lock shutter speed and aperture
- Smaller spot metering area
- Support for more film/sensor formats
- Improved incident metering with diffuser
The Darkroom Lab
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
myLightMeter PRO
No in-app purchases
The Darkroom Lab
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is myLightMeter PRO free?
Is The Darkroom Lab free?
Which has better reviews, myLightMeter PRO or The Darkroom Lab?
Do myLightMeter PRO or The Darkroom Lab have ads?
Which is updated more often, myLightMeter PRO or The Darkroom Lab?
Other comparisons
