Comparison

Minimal Light Meter vs SlowLightMeter

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

Head to head
About

Minimal Light Meter

This app provides film photographers with precise exposure readings using their iPhone camera. It allows for locking aperture or shutter speed and supports custom ISO settings for various film types. The interface is designed for clarity and ease of use in any lighting condition.

Highlights
  • Reflective light metering
  • Aperture or shutter priority
  • Custom ISO settings
  • Dimmed camera preview
  • High-contrast text
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

A focused light meter for film photographers who want exposure details without the clutter. Point your iPhone at the scene, lock aperture or shutter, and get a clear reading you can trust on set or in the field. Dim the live preview when you need the numbers, not the viewfinder, and set any ISO, including odd ratings for old or expired stock. Features • Reflective light metering with your iPhone camera • Aperture or shutter priority. Lock one, meter for the other • Dim the camera preview to keep attention on exposure • Fully custom ISO, including non-standard film ratings • Add or hide shutter speeds and f-stops to match your kit • High-contrast text for bright outdoor shooting • Fast, minimal interface with no accounts or ads • Works offline, on device Built for analog shooters, Instant film, and anyone who still dials exposure by hand.

About

SlowLightMeter

This app provides a simple and accurate light meter for film photographers. It continuously measures light with minimal interaction and includes an ISO lock to prevent accidental changes. EV values are a core feature for ease of use.

Highlights
  • Reflective and incident light metering
  • Continuous light measurement
  • ISO lock
  • EV value display
  • Simple interface
Features
Read full description

As a film photographer, I wanted an accurate yet simple reflective and incident light meter. After trying several, I decided to build my own. This light meter continuously measures light, so it requires minimal interaction during a shoot. To avoid accidentally changing film ISO, I added an ISO lock. And since I shoot often with my Hasselblad, I made EV values a core feature of the app.

Screenshots

Minimal Light Meter4 screens
SlowLightMeter2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SlowLightMeter at Free against Minimal Light Meter's $0.99. SlowLightMeter also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (6 vs 2). On rating, review sentiment, 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

SlowLightMeter is free to download; Minimal Light Meter costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Minimal Light Meter against 5.0 for SlowLightMeter. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 6 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Minimal Light Meter ships an update every 14 months, SlowLightMeter every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Minimal Light Meter versus SlowLightMeter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMinimal Light MeterSlowLightMeter
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings26 — better
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJack KrollAri Jaaksi

Customer experience

Minimal Light Meter

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

SlowLightMeter

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Minimal Light Meter

No in-app purchases

None

SlowLightMeter

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Minimal Light Meter free?
Minimal Light Meter costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SlowLightMeter free?
SlowLightMeter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Minimal Light Meter or SlowLightMeter?
Minimal Light Meter and SlowLightMeter are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 6 ratings respectively.
Do Minimal Light Meter or SlowLightMeter have ads?
Neither Minimal Light Meter nor SlowLightMeter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Minimal Light Meter or SlowLightMeter?
Minimal Light Meter ships an update every 14 months, and SlowLightMeter every 5 days. Most recently, Minimal Light Meter was updated on November 4, 2026 and SlowLightMeter on November 2, 2026.

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