illumeter vs LightMeter Express
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
illumeter
This app functions as a portable light meter, allowing users to measure exposure values like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. It offers features for logging shots with location and settings, and provides customization options for a personalized user experience.
- Exposure measurement (Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO)
- Tap-to-focus exposure lock
- Exposure compensation
- Frame logging with location and settings
- List and map view of logged frames
- Customizable settings and appearance
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illumeter, The Simplest Light Meter in Your Pocket. Exposure Meter • Choose the value you want to measure from Aperture, Shutter Speed, or ISO. • The selected value automatically adjusts based on changes in the other two settings. • Tap a specific point on the screen to lock the exposure to that area. • An exposure compensation feature is provided to help you handle various challenging lighting conditions. Frame Logging • Log your frames by composing your shot and pressing the shutter button. • Location, date and time, EV value, and settings are recorded with each frame. • Review your recorded frames in a list and on a map. • Easily delete or edit incorrect frames. Settings & Personalization • Easily toggle various features on or off. • Deactivate or remove unused values. • Customize the app's appearance and feedback to your preference.
LightMeter Express
This tool transforms your iPhone into a professional light meter for photography. It offers accurate exposure readings with real-time calculations for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, supporting various camera settings and providing exposure compensation.
- Real-time light metering
- Precise exposure calculations
- Support for standard camera settings
- Exposure value (EV) display
- Spot metering (Pro feature)
- Live histogram (Pro feature)
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LightMeter Express - Professional Camera Tool Transform your iPhone into a precision light meter for film and digital photography. Get accurate exposure readings with an intuitive interface designed for photographers who demand professional-grade metering capabilities. CORE FEATURES (FREE): • Real-time light metering using your device's camera • Precise aperture, shutter speed, and ISO calculations • Support for all standard camera settings • Clean, professional interface optimized for quick readings • Exposure value (EV) display with compensation controls • Camera settings reference for popular film and digital cameras • Works in any lighting condition your camera can see • Intuitive haptic feedback with "full-stop" detents for exposure drag gestures PERFECT FOR: • Film photographers seeking accurate meter readings • Digital photographers wanting precise exposure control • Studio and outdoor photography • Learning proper exposure techniques • Backup metering when your camera's meter fails PRO FEATURES (One-time $0.99 purchase): • **Spot Metering** - Professional spot metering with zoomed preview for precise exposure readings from specific areas of your scene. Drag to reposition, tap to meter. Works best on iPhones with telephoto lenses for maximum precision • Custom Step Increments - Choose between 1/3, 1/2, or full stop increments for all exposure parameters to match your camera and shooting style • Live Histogram - Real-time histogram display with RGB channel analysis for precise exposure evaluation and highlight/shadow monitoring • Preview Compensation - See exposure compensation effects directly in the camera preview to visualize over/under exposure before shooting • Custom Limits - Set personalized aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation limits to match your specific camera gear and preferences • Black & White Preview - Turn the camera preview into a grayscale image for helping with B&W photography The free version provides full light metering functionality suitable for most photography needs. Pro features add advanced customization and analysis tools for professional and enthusiast photographers. TECHNICAL NOTES: • Requires camera access to function as a light meter • All processing happens locally on your device • No internet connection required • Compatible with iPhone • Spot metering optimized for devices with multiple camera lenses PRIVACY: Light Meter respects your privacy. Camera data is processed locally and never stored or transmitted. No personal information is collected.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: illumeter at none against LightMeter Express's 1. illumeter also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 88%). LightMeter Express's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 2 weeks) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, 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
Both are free to download. LightMeter Express sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. illumeter asks for nothing beyond the download.
LightMeter Express holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 8 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of illumeter's written reviews are positive against 88% of LightMeter Express's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
illumeter ships an update every 2 weeks, LightMeter Express daily. The most recent releases landed on July 18, 2026 and July 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | illumeter | LightMeter Express |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (11 ratings) | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 87.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 11 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Seunghun Yang | Digitaino LLC |
Customer experience
illumeter
LightMeter Express
In-app purchases
illumeter
No in-app purchases
LightMeter Express
- Light Meter Pro$2.99
Questions
Is illumeter free?
Is LightMeter Express free?
Which has better reviews, illumeter or LightMeter Express?
Do illumeter or LightMeter Express have ads?
Which is updated more often, illumeter or LightMeter Express?
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