Comparison

f/ Tools vs Darkroom Lab Timer

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

Head to head
About

f/ Tools

This photography tool offers a suite of calculators for concepts like depth of field, print resolution, and flash exposure. It helps users visually grasp complex photographic principles with integrated help and a glossary. The app also includes a camera bag feature with lens limits.

Highlights
  • Graphic depth of field calculator
  • Graphic Airy disc calculator
  • Graphic format calculator
  • Motion freeze calculator
  • Graphic blur size calculator
  • Graphic flash exposure calculator
  • Camera bag with lens limits
Features
Read full description

f/Tools is a toolkit for digital and film photography. Explore depth of field, compare defocus across lenses, and try different shutter speeds before you shoot. Plan your prints and calculate flash exposure, with interactive diagrams that make photographic concepts easier to understand. Features: • Depth of field and hyperfocal distance See near and far focus limits and how they change with aperture, focal length, and focus distance. • Defocus comparison Explore how focal length, aperture, and subject distance affect blur, with a magnifier for a closer look. • Freeze motion Calculate the shutter speed needed to limit motion blur based on subject speed, distance, and focal length. • Motion blur Try different shutter speeds and visualize the resulting motion trail. • Diffraction and resolution Explore Airy disc size and estimated effective resolution as you change the aperture. • Framing and prints Calculate scene dimensions, adjust cropping, and find the circle of confusion and minimum resolution needed for your print size and viewing distance. • Flash exposure Calculate exposure at different distances using guide number, flash power, aperture, and ISO. • Your cameras and lenses Save your equipment and set lens limits for aperture, focal length, and focus distance. Get started quickly with built-in camera presets. Built-in help explains the controls, calculations, and photographic terms within each tool.

About

Darkroom Lab Timer

This advanced timer app is designed for photographic processes like C-41, E-6, and B&W. It offers customizable steps, separate agitation sequences, and helpful tools like a volume mixer and safelight simulation.

Highlights
  • Customizable steps
  • Separate agitation sequences
  • Process templates
  • Volume and dilution mixer
  • Safelight simulation
Features
Read full description

The Darkroom Lab Timer App is an advanced multi-phase timer designed for use with C-41, E-6, ECN-2, RA-4 and B&W photographic processes. Key Features: Up to 25 customizable steps Separate agitation sequences for each step Templates for easy configuration Volume and Dilution Mixer Safelight simulation modes

Screenshots

f/ Tools4 screens
Darkroom Lab Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: f/ Tools at 3.7 against Darkroom Lab Timer's 3.0. f/ Tools also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 11 months) and review sentiment (93% vs 70%). Darkroom Lab Timer's advantage is chart position (#176 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

f/ Tools costs $3.99 and Darkroom Lab Timer $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

f/ Tools holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of f/ Tools's written reviews are positive against 70% of Darkroom Lab Timer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

f/ Tools ships an update every 2 weeks, Darkroom Lab Timer every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
f/ Tools versus Darkroom Lab Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterf/ ToolsDarkroom Lab Timer
Price$3.99 — better$8.99
Rating3.7 (6 ratings) — better3.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews93.3% of reviews — better70.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#176 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid QuilesFreestyle Photo & Imaging

Customer experience

f/ Tools

All ratings6 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral33.3%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive93.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.7%

Darkroom Lab Timer

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

None

f/ Tools

No in-app purchases

None

Darkroom Lab Timer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is f/ Tools free?
f/ Tools costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Darkroom Lab Timer free?
Darkroom Lab Timer costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, f/ Tools or Darkroom Lab Timer?
f/ Tools is rated higher. f/ Tools averages 3.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Darkroom Lab Timer averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.
Do f/ Tools or Darkroom Lab Timer have ads?
Neither f/ Tools nor Darkroom Lab Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, f/ Tools or Darkroom Lab Timer?
f/ Tools ships an update every 2 weeks, and Darkroom Lab Timer every 11 months. Most recently, f/ Tools was updated on November 1, 2026 and Darkroom Lab Timer on October 29, 2026.

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