Comparison

Focus Alpha vs Deneb Astro Tool

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

Head to head
About

Focus Alpha

This app revolutionizes photography by offering remote focus bracketing and timelapse sequences for Sony cameras. Achieve stunning depth of field and gain unmatched control over your focus bracketing process directly from your smartphone.

Highlights
  • Remote focus bracketing
  • Timelapse sequences
  • Depth of field control
  • Customizable focus steps
  • Focus rewind and test modes
  • DoF calculator
  • Low power Bluetooth LE
Features
Read full description

Struggling with blurry macro or landscape photos? Revolutionize your photography with Focus Alpha. This innovative app offers remote focus bracketing and stunning timelapse sequences, unlocking the full potential of your Sony camera. Unleash the hidden potential of your Sony camera and achieve breathtaking depth of field in every shot. Unmatched Focus Control: • Remote Bracketing: Capture a series of images with precise focus shifts, all from your smartphone. • Depth of Field Magic: Achieve stunning depth of field in every frame of your timelapse, no matter the subject. • Highly Customizable: Fine-tune focus steps, number of images, and timelapse settings for ultimate creative freedom. Professional Features: • Focus Rewind, Pre-Bracketing, Focus Test Mode, Bulb Time, Clapper Board with Auto Review, DoF Calculator, Reverse Direction: Take full control over your focus bracketing process. • Low Power Consumption: Bluetooth LE ensures long battery life for extended shooting. • Flash Compatibility: Internal or external flash with adjustable delay for perfect lighting. Compatible Cameras: ILCE-6100 (A6100), ILCE-6400 (A6400), ILCE-6600 (A6600), ILCE-6700 (A6700), ILCE-7M3 (A7 III), ILCE-7M4 (A7 IV), ILCE-7RM4A (A7R IV), ILCE-7C (A7C), ILCE-7CM2 (A7C II), ILCE-7CR (A7CR), ILCE-7RM3 (A7R III), ILCE-7RM4 (A7R IV), ILCE-7RM5 (A7R V), ILCE-7SM3 (A7S III), ILCE-9 (A9), ILCE-9M2 (A9 II), ILCE-9M3 (A9 III), ILCE-1 (A1), ILCE-1M2 (A1 II), ZV-E10, ZV-E10M2 (ZV-E10 II), ZV-E1, DSX-RX0M2 (RX0 II), DSC-RX100M7 (RX100 VII), DSC-RX1RM3 (RX1R III), ZV-1, ZV-1F, ZV-1A, ZV-1M2 (ZV-1 II), ILX-LR1, ILME-FX30 (FX30), ILME-FX2 (FX2), ILME-FX3 (FX3), ILME-FX3A (FX3A) Download Focus Alpha today and elevate your photography with stunning depth of field in every shot! This app is not endorsed by Sony. SONY is a trademark of Sony Corporation. Captured images can be merged with any stacking software.

About

Deneb Astro Tool

Features
Read full description

Deneb is your co-pilot for night and landscape photography. Plan where and when to shoot the Milky Way, the Moon, the Sun, Orion, an eclipse or a meteor shower, always on the real terrain. FREE TO PLAN • Tonight: the astronomical night window, the Moon phase and the hours of true darkness, with a verdict on whether it's worth going out. • Clouds tonight: the hour-by-hour forecast, with cloud types and dew and wind warnings. • The Milky Way and the Galactic Center on a terrain map, step by step. • The Moon or the Sun behind a landmark: pick a church, a tower or a castle and Deneb tells you the dates, the time and where to shoot from. • Orion with a landmark, eclipses and meteor showers. • Composition viewer with your camera's focal length and sensor: check whether a mountain blocks the sky before you drive there. • Split screen 2D/3D and a joystick to fine-tune your shooting spot. • Augmented reality: point your phone and see where the Milky Way will rise. • NPF and hyperfocal calculators (150+ cameras), lunar calendar and packing list. • Home screen widgets for the night and the clouds. • Chat assistant to answer your questions about the app. DENEB PRO Pro adds what costs money to keep running: • The real landscape in 3D: the viewer and the map show Google's photorealistic mesh —terrain, buildings, trees— behind your framing. • 3D landmarks: places we modeled ourselves where Google doesn't reach, such as castles, windmills, telescopes, lighthouses and churches, with their real outline in the viewer. • Automatic search for the best spots and dates for the Moon, the Sun or the Milky Way over your landmark, also inside an area you draw on the map. • Timelapse and star trails: watch the sky move over your landscape and record it as a video. • Panorama: the shot grid with its overlap, the maximum exposure and the final photo already stitched. • Unlimited saved plans (Deneb Free saves 15). Deneb Pro is a monthly or yearly subscription; the yearly plan starts with a one-week free trial. It renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and you can manage or cancel it in your App Store account settings. Made by Josep Guasch, photographer and astrophotography instructor. You'll also find his landscape and astrophotography workshops in the app. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://deneb.photo/privacidad.html

Screenshots

Focus Alpha4 screens
Deneb Astro Tool4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Deneb Astro Tool at every 8 days against Focus Alpha's every 3 weeks. Focus Alpha's advantage is iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Focus Alpha sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Deneb Astro Tool sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focus Alpha ships an update every 3 weeks, Deneb Astro Tool every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Focus Alpha versus Deneb Astro Tool: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocus AlphaDeneb Astro Tool
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.2 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB97 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLEONARDO TAZZINIJosep Guasch Sanchez

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Focus Alpha

One-time3
  • Focus Alpha Pro Upgrade$9.99
  • Focus Alpha Standard$19.99
  • Focus Alpha Pro$29.99
2 purchases

Deneb Astro Tool

Subscriptions2
  • Deneb Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Deneb Pro Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Focus Alpha free?
Focus Alpha is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Deneb Astro Tool free?
Deneb Astro Tool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Focus Alpha or Deneb Astro Tool have ads?
Neither Focus Alpha nor Deneb Astro Tool shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Focus Alpha or Deneb Astro Tool?
Focus Alpha ships an update every 3 weeks, and Deneb Astro Tool every 8 days. Most recently, Focus Alpha was updated on October 30, 2026 and Deneb Astro Tool on October 31, 2026.

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