Comparison

f/ Tools vs Filter Simulation

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

Filter Simulation

Simulate the effects of real optical filters for black and white photography. This app accurately mimics the luminance modulation of red, yellow, green, blue, and orange filters. It also includes an automatic shutter speed calculator for ND filters and a pinhole photography simulator.

Highlights
  • Simulate optical filters for B&W
  • Mimics red, yellow, green, blue, orange filters
  • Custom CIColorKernel shaders
  • Automatic shutter speed calculator for ND filters
  • Pinhole photograph simulation
Features
Read full description

Simulate real optical filters in black & white. This app uses custom CIColorKernel shaders to modulate grayscale luminance based on color vector similarity—accurately mimicking red, yellow, green, blue, and orange filters as used in film photography. Then, if needed, save the filtered image with filter information. Then, swipe left and find an automatic shutter speed calculator for applying various ND filters And that's not all; keep on swiping and you can simulate pinhole photographs before shooting!

Screenshots

f/ Tools4 screens
Filter Simulation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Filter Simulation at Free against f/ Tools's $3.99. Filter Simulation also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.7). f/ Tools's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and chart position (#59 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ratings volume, 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

Filter Simulation is free to download; f/ Tools costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Filter Simulation holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. 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 100% of Filter Simulation's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

f/ Tools ships an update every 2 weeks, Filter Simulation monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
f/ Tools versus Filter Simulation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterf/ ToolsFilter Simulation
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating3.7 (6 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews93.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#59 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid QuilesAri Jaaksi

Customer experience

f/ Tools

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

Filter Simulation

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

f/ Tools

No in-app purchases

None

Filter Simulation

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is f/ Tools free?
f/ Tools costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Filter Simulation free?
Filter Simulation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, f/ Tools or Filter Simulation?
Filter Simulation is rated higher. f/ Tools averages 3.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Filter Simulation averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do f/ Tools or Filter Simulation have ads?
Neither f/ Tools nor Filter Simulation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, f/ Tools or Filter Simulation?
f/ Tools ships an update every 2 weeks, and Filter Simulation monthly. Most recently, f/ Tools was updated on October 24, 2026 and Filter Simulation on October 24, 2026.

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