Comparison

PhotoPills vs SetMyCamera

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

Head to head
About

PhotoPills

Plan and capture stunning photos of the sun, moon, and Milky Way. This app helps you visualize celestial events and landscape compositions with advanced planning tools and augmented reality.

Highlights
  • 2D Map-Centric Planner (Sun, Moon, Milky Way)
  • 3D Augmented Reality Views
  • Celestial Event Finder
  • Photo Plans Manager
  • Location Scouting Tool
  • Calculators (Long Exposure, Timelapse, etc.)
Features
Read full description

Unlock your creative potential! Discover how to easily turn any Sun, Moon and Milky Way scene you imagine into a real picture… and start shooting truly legendary photos every time you pick up the camera! Whether your passion is to capture beautiful landscapes, immortalize the infinite night sky, surprise the bride and the groom in their happiest day... or to travel the world, PhotoPills will make you love exploring new artistic possibilities to tell visual stories in a way it wasn’t possible before. * All in one app PhotoPills is your iPhone and iPad personal assistant in all photographic matters. It provides tasty remedies to answer most of the questions when planning and shooting your creative ideas: - The First 2D Map-Centric Planner: Sun, Moon, Milky Way - Sun, Moon Alignments Fast Finder - 3D Augmented Reality: Sun, Moon, Milky Way, Celestial Equator, Polaris, DoF, FoV - Photo Plans Manager - Location Scouting Tool - Key information: Sunrise/set, Twilights, Golden Hour, Blue Hour, Moonrise/set, Supermoon dates, Moon Calendar - Calculators: Long Exposure, Timelapse, Spot Stars, Star Trails, Hyperfocal Table, DoF, FoV - Widgets: Sun, Moon, Milky Way - PhotoPills Awards… and much more! * Endorsed by Masters “PhotoPills is an invaluable tool which I use every time I plan a shoot.” – Mark Gee, Astronomy Photographer of the Year. “A tool every photographer should have.” – Kevin Raber, Luminous-landscape.com. “It pays off! Using such a tool ensures that we are repeatedly capable of quickly planning powerful shots; leaving maximum opportunity for more creative ruminations.” – José B. Ruiz, Innovation Award, Wildlife Photographer of the Year. * How it works Have you ever walked around a place and thought: "What a pity the Moon isn't EXACTLY right there... I would have captured a great photo!"? What about the Sun? And the Milky Way? Well, now you can let your imagination fly and calculate when this specific magic moment happens in just a few seconds: - IMAGINE: the Milky Way arching over a powerful landscape, a giant full Moon appearing from behind a nearby hill or a sunset between two rocks on a magic beach... The only limit is your imagination! - PLAN: easily calculate the exact date and time the scene you’ve imagined happens. Work smarter, not harder! - SHOOT: just get out there, immerse yourself in the great outdoors, and enjoy living and capturing unique moments. * Become a Legend Because we know the huge amount of time, energy and love you put in your photos. We want to HONOR them, SHOW them to the World, and REWARD you with up to $6,600 in cash prizes. It's easy and FREE! Just submit your creative photos from PhotoPills and join the Legacy! * Never waste an unmissable scene again Create a To-Do list of planned photos and get to the location on time. * Get it right Adjust your frame for the best composition before you shoot. Use the 3D Augmented Reality Views to see whether Sun, Moon and Milky Way will be at the desired position when pressing the shutter. * Explore, discover great places and create your own database of locations If you come across a location you’d like to remember, save it as a Point of Interest. * Enjoy all daily information in just one swipe with the Widgets Just swipe down from the top of the screen to get all the Sun, Moon and Milky Way events for your current location and date, in addition to your upcoming photo plans. * Get more than an app Our goal is not only to help you plan your shots, but also to help you nail them. Whenever you need help, take a look at our How-To articles and videos, join our free online courses or just contact us! “This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take PhotoPills – you stay in Wonderland and we show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. Remember: all we’re offering are Legendary Photos and Goosebumps in your skin, nothing more.”

About

SetMyCamera

This app provides advanced tools to help photographers of all levels master camera settings and create stunning images. It offers features like depth of field calculators, light metering, and composition assistance, supporting both digital and film cameras.

Highlights
  • Depth of field calculation
  • Light metering
  • Composition assistance
  • Print size calculator
  • Field of view visualizer
  • Flash configuration
Features
Read full description

Are you ready to take your photography to the next level? Look no further than SetMyCamera! With SetMyCamera’s advanced tools, you will be able to create visually stunning images with exceptional technical expertise. Imagine capturing award-winning photos in no time! SetMyCamera is your secret weapon for taking control of camera settings. SetMyCamera offers various base versions, each of which can be upgraded to the full feature set. For a complete list of features, head over to SetMyCamera.com. This basic version has all the essentials to start exploring camera settings. What is SetMyCamera? SetMyCamera is the ultimate photography app for all your photography needs. Whether you are a pro or a beginner, use digital or film cameras, capturing videos or photos, SetMyCamera has you covered. SetMyCamera offers a range of features, including depth of field, composition assistance, light metering, print resolutions, flash settings, and more. You can even learn about reciprocity, field of view, angle of view, depth of field, f/stop, shutter speed, ISO, and hyperfocal distances. SetMyCamera also supports accessories like filters, diopters, bellows, speed boosters, extension tubes, and teleconverters. SetMyCamera has an in-app tutorial to help you get started. Settings are easily adjusted using a thumbwheel or slider, and animated graphics make learning a breeze. Here are some SetMyCamera features: Traditional depth of field: This feature helps you find the perfect depth of field by entering aperture (f/stop) and subject distance. An animated graphic shows what you are setting. Reverse depth of field: This unique feature lets you set the perfect aperture (f/stop) or lens focal length by entering the near and far in-focus distances. An animated graphic helps you visualize the settings. Light meter: This handy tool measures the available ambient light, whether it’s the light the camera sees or the light that falls on the subject. It even includes a sunny 16 light guide. Photo shoot notes: The built-in notes database is perfect for your photo shoots to make your photography experience easier and more organized. Print size calculator: This tool helps you convert your photos into high-quality prints based on your camera. Field of view visualizer: This feature enables you to preview your photo capture. It utilizes your iPhone or iPad’s camera and offers various options, including histograms, the rule of thirds, hot spot detection, and adjustable exposure settings. Angle of view calculator: This tool helps you position your camera according to the lens and subject, considering the camera distance. Flash configuration: This tool eliminates the guesswork when setting up flash photos. Exposure value, neutral density filter, and reciprocity calculations: SetMyCamera can also calculate these values for you. Shutter speed recommendations: This tool helps you choose the right shutter speed to avoid blurry photos. Standard conversion information: SetMyCamera includes standard conversion information for cameras and field information. A wide range of cameras and settings: SetMyCamera has an extensive list of pre-defined cameras or you can define your own. Included is support for both Imperial and Metric units. User-Friendly: Customizable interface with selectable themes including dark mode, and support for over 30 languages. SetMyCamera is compatible with iPhone and iPad. On iPhone, an Apple Watch app is included. A MacOS version is available for your desktop or laptop. Some features may require in-app purchases. For a comparison chart of included features, visit https://setmycamera.com/products/compare/. What others say: “SetMyCamera assists depth of field calculations and serves as a great teaching tool” – MacWorld SetMyCamera respects your privacy and doesn’t collect user data. For more information, visit SetMyCamera.com. https://setmycamera.com/SMC_PP/SMC_PrivacyPolicy.html https://setmycamera.com/SMC_PP/SMC_TermsOfUse.html

Screenshots

PhotoPills4 screens
SetMyCamera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SetMyCamera at Free against PhotoPills's $10.99. SetMyCamera also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). PhotoPills's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 44%) and in-app purchases (none vs 14). On ads, monetization model and device support 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

SetMyCamera is free to download; PhotoPills costs $10.99 up front. SetMyCamera sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $3.29 per 3 months. PhotoPills asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PhotoPills holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PhotoPills has 1.5K ratings behind it against 141, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of PhotoPills's written reviews are positive against 44% of SetMyCamera's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PhotoPills ships an update every 2 months, SetMyCamera every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
PhotoPills versus SetMyCamera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhotoPillsSetMyCamera
Price$10.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (1.5K ratings) — better4.4 (141 ratings)
Positive reviews84.9% of reviews — better43.7% of reviews
Number of ratings1.5K — better141
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#7 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB30 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperPhotoPills S.L.Bluestone Pond

Customer experience

PhotoPills

All ratings1,525 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral1.5%
Negative6.0%
Written reviews482 reviews
Positive84.9%
Neutral4.1%
Negative11.0%

SetMyCamera

All ratings141 ratings
Positive85.8%
Neutral2.1%
Negative12.1%
Written reviews238 reviews
Positive43.7%
Neutral5.0%
Negative51.3%

Bugs and requests

PhotoPills

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when using depth of field calculator
  • Location settings not persisting between sessions
  • Milky Way position not aligning correctly

Requested features

5 requests
  • User guide in multiple languages
  • Improved integration with other apps
  • More customization options
  • Weather forecast integration
  • Apple Watch companion app

SetMyCamera

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

PhotoPills

No in-app purchases

14 purchases

SetMyCamera

Subscriptions6
  • SetMyCamera to ProPlus3 Days trial$3.293 Months
  • SetMyCamera to ProPlus3 Days trial$4.493 Months
  • SMC.t2 Pro to ProPlus 1 year7 Days trial$7.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • SetMyCamera to ProPlus 1 year7 Days trial$9.991 Year
  • SMC.t2 ProPlus 1 year7 Days trial$12.991 Year
  • SetMyCamera to ProPlus 1 year7 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time8
  • Upgrade to SetMyCameraPro$2.99
  • upgrade to SetMyCamera$2.99
  • Upgrade to SetMyCameraDF$4.99
Show 5 more
  • Upgrade to SetMyCameraMx$6.99
  • upgrade to SetMyCamera$8.99
  • Upgrade to SetMyCameraPro$9.99
  • Upgrade SMC.Pro to Pro Plus$29.99
  • SetMyCamera to ProPlus NE$39.99

Questions

Is PhotoPills free?
PhotoPills costs $10.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SetMyCamera free?
SetMyCamera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PhotoPills or SetMyCamera?
PhotoPills is rated higher. PhotoPills averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while SetMyCamera averages 4.4 from 141 ratings.
Do PhotoPills or SetMyCamera have ads?
Neither PhotoPills nor SetMyCamera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PhotoPills or SetMyCamera?
PhotoPills ships an update every 2 months, and SetMyCamera every 3 weeks. Most recently, PhotoPills was updated on October 24, 2026 and SetMyCamera on October 23, 2026.

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