Comparison

PhotonCam vs MistLens

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

Head to head
About

PhotonCam

This app provides advanced camera controls and editing tools for professional-quality photos. Capture in ProRaw and 48MP, apply custom filters, and edit with ACR-level adjustments. Create unique looks with custom frames and LUTs.

Highlights
  • ProRaw and 48MP capture
  • Manual camera controls
  • HDR photo capture and editing
  • Customizable frames and filters
  • ACR-level photo editing
  • LUT import for unique styles
  • Live Photo editing
Features
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PhotonCam offers a professional-level camera experience with the following features: - Capture photos using ProRaw and 48MP on your high-end iPhone. You can also use manual camera controls to capture the perfect shot. - Capture and edit photos while preserving HDR effect. - Capture and edit Live Photo to relive the moment you love. - Enhance your captured or edited photos by adding Frames, giving each image a personalized and distinctive touch. You can also design your unique Frames by setting various styles. Explore the Frame Workshop to start designing your Frames. - Want some bokeh blur? Portrait mode is right there for you. - Choose from a variety of built-in filters for use during capture or photo editing. - Create your own filters using the provided tools, in addition to the built-in options. - Utilize ACR-level tools to edit photos or filters, including control over lighting, color grading, color mixing, and various other effects. - As a professional photographer, you can edit your photos and create a Lookup Table Cube using desktop software like Photoshop. You can then import it as a filter, allowing you to shoot in your unique style. - Import photos from your camera to edit and export using the aforementioned built-in tools. - Add a date stamp to your photos to create a film-look effect. You can try the app in Trial mode without any subscription. However, photos saved in Trial mode will have watermarks on them. To access the app's full features, a subscription or lifetime purchase is required. Privacy policy: https://juniperphoton.dev/photoncam/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

MistLens

Capture photos and videos with a real-time cinematic black mist effect. Adjust intensity, highlights, and brightness for a warm, film-inspired look. Offers ARRI-style color filters and tactile camera controls.

Highlights
  • Real-time Black Mist rendering
  • ARRI-style cinematic color filters
  • Adjustable mist intensity and highlights
  • Preview mist on existing photos
  • Tactile camera controls
  • Modern skeuomorphic design
Features
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I have always loved the Black Mist look, especially the way it softens highlights while keeping texture in the image. It can make skin feel naturally luminous and gives photos and videos a warm cinematic atmosphere. Most Black Mist apps apply the effect only after capture. MistLens was built so you can see the atmosphere in real time before pressing the shutter. MistLens is a camera app for photography lovers and cinematic image makers who want real-time Black Mist, film color, and tactile camera controls. Key features: - Real-time Black Mist rendering for photos and videos - Preview Black Mist on existing photos from the in-app album, then save a separate edited copy - New ARRI-style cinematic color filter for a film-inspired look - Dedicated controls for Black Mist intensity, highlight threshold, and brightness - Rear multi-lens switching support - Modern skeuomorphic design with black and white themes Support:https://donuts-sneeze-ph2.craft.me/43osHqSqva1Y7W Privacy Policy: https://donuts-sneeze-ph2.craft.me/o7fMGXyTpMIR5w Terms of Use: https://donuts-sneeze-ph2.craft.me/ygG5ztrtY5FRex

Screenshots

PhotonCam4 screens
MistLens4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PhotonCam at 94% against MistLens's 25%. PhotonCam also leads on price (Free vs $2.99) and rating (4.7 vs 4.0). MistLens's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (15 vs 18.1). On update cadence, ads 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

PhotonCam is free to download; MistLens costs $2.99 up front. PhotonCam sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. MistLens asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PhotonCam holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PhotonCam has 59 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of PhotonCam's written reviews are positive against 25% of MistLens's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PhotonCam ships an update weekly, MistLens every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
PhotonCam versus MistLens: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhotonCamMistLens
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating4.7 (59 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews93.6% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings59 — better1
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.115 — better
Further details — not scored
Size100 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer伟超 邓Dongguan Tuesday Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

PhotonCam

All ratings59 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.8%
Written reviews47 reviews
Positive93.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.4%

MistLens

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral15.0%
Negative60.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

PhotonCam

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly payment7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Yearly payment7 Days trial$12.991 Year
One-time2
  • Thank You Coffee$3.99
  • One-time purchase$14.99
None

MistLens

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PhotonCam free?
PhotonCam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MistLens free?
MistLens costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PhotonCam or MistLens?
PhotonCam is rated higher. PhotonCam averages 4.7 out of 5 from 59 ratings, while MistLens averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do PhotonCam or MistLens have ads?
Neither PhotonCam nor MistLens shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PhotonCam or MistLens?
PhotonCam ships an update weekly, and MistLens every 5 days. Most recently, PhotonCam was updated on November 4, 2026 and MistLens on November 5, 2026.

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