Comparison

Shutter Button vs Z

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

Head to head
About

Shutter Button

This app functions as a Bluetooth camera remote, offering an integrated exposure meter and a LiDAR-based rangefinder. It supports various exposure modes and metering methods, along with zoom and frameline features for precise shot composition. Additional modes include bulb and timer functions for extended shooting capabilities.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth camera remote
  • Exposure meter (AV, TV, M modes)
  • LiDAR rangefinder
  • Exposure compensation
  • Framelines for various formats
  • Bulb and timer modes
  • Instax Style Log feature
Features
Read full description

Film Oddments Bluetooth Camera Remote with Exposure Meter and Rangefinder This app serves as a Bluetooth-enabled camera remote, incorporating both an exposure meter and a rangefinder. Compatible with film cameras and all cameras equipped with a mechanical shutter release, the app allows remote shutter control via Bluetooth. Exposure Meter (AV, TV, M Modes) Supports exposure compensation in 1/3-stop increments and displays exposure values from -5 to +5 EV. LiDAR Rangefinder Accurately measures distances using your iPhone’s built-in LiDAR sensor. *Requires a device equipped with a LiDAR sensor. Key Features: - Exposure Meter: AV, TV, and M modes, exposure compensation, integrated remote shutter control - Rangefinder: Distance measurement using LiDAR sensor Selectable exposure modes and metering methods include: - iPhone AE Metering - Average Metering - Framing Area Average Metering - Spot Metering Zoom Function: - Supports focal lengths from 13mm to 550mm Framelines: - Includes framelines for 135 full-frame and selected medium-format sizes Improved dials and touch feedback: - Added haptic feedback (vibration) Frame your shot and preview composition accurately. Additional Features: Shutter Trigger: Capture photos instantly with a single button press Bulb Mode: Hold the shutter open for long-exposure photography Timer Mode: Hands-free shooting with adjustable timer settings Timed Bulb Mode: Automatic control of long exposures with preset timers Shutter Depth Adjustment: Precisely control the shutter release depth Log Feature Added - A new “Instax Style Log” toggle is available under Exposure Meter → Settings. - Press and hold the shutter button on the Exposure Meter screen for at least 1 second to save the current metadata to the native Photos app. - You can enter custom text under Exposure Meter → Settings → Value Settings, which will be recorded with each log. *Swipe up on the Exposure Meter screen to open Exposure Meter → Settings. Demo Video: https://youtu.be/dvUyKOs7xEY LiDAE Demo Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/azueoZaa90M

About

Z

Features
Read full description

Expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights. Z-Stop is an iPhone spot meter true to this Zone System principle. Shoot black-and-white film with the Zone System, no external meter needed. [ Sound familiar? ] - Your mechanical or MF camera has no meter, so you carry a separate spot meter. - You meter with a DSLR, then copy the values to your film camera. - You metered a shadow, shot at that value, and the picture came out too bright. - By the time you develop, you can't remember where you metered. Meter one shadow with your iPhone, and Z-Stop shows the shutter speed and aperture that place it on Zone 3, in ½-stop steps. With Pro, one tap on "Save" keeps the scene as a record image. [ The Zone System ] Set out by Ansel Adams and Fred Archer around 1940, it divides tones from black (Zone 0) to white (Zone 10) into 11 steps. One zone is one stop. Zone 3 is the darkest shadow with full texture: dark clothing, bark in shade. Zone 5 is middle gray: an 18% gray card. The rule: expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights. [ A meter only tells you Zone 5 ] Any reflected-light meter gives the exposure that renders the metered spot as middle gray (Zone 5). Meter a shadow and shoot at that value, and the shadow turns gray. To place it on Zone 3, give 2 stops less, measured on that one spot. That is why you need spot metering. [ What Z-Stop does ] * Spot metering on your iPhone - Measures only inside a small circle on the screen. * Checks the shadow - A green "Z3 OK" if the spot is even enough to use, a red "Re-meter" if pattern or edges are mixed in. * Finds a spot for you - "Find Zone 3" marks usable spots. With no Zone 3 it looks for Zone 4, and with neither it says "Don't shoot." * Does the math - Takes off 2 stops and converts to your body's shutter steps and your lens's aperture range. - If a step can't be set, the warning tells you what to change (e.g. Open the aperture · Remove the ND). * Five steps for half-stop differences - From the reading down to -2 stops in ½ stops. - Full-stop shutters: missing steps are grayed out, and "By aperture" splits them by aperture. * Keeps a record (Pro) - The record image keeps the scene, readings, shutter and aperture in the same layout as the metering screen. * Previews black-and-white tones [ How to use ] 1. Tap a dark spot, or tap "Find Zone 3" at the bottom left of the camera view and tap a circle. The circle becomes the reference right away. For a spot you metered yourself, tap its green "Z3 OK" box. 2. Five steps appear (+1 to -1 stop with a Zone 4 reference). 3. -2 stops is the theory; the right step shifts by about half a stop with film, EI and development. For your first roll, shoot -2 · -1.5 · -1 stops. After developing, the frame where the Zone 3 shadows show their shapes is your chosen frame. 4. With Pro, tap "Save" at the bottom left of the camera view. The record image goes to the "Z-Stop" album in Photos. [ Free and Pro ] Free: metering, Find Zone 3, the five steps, By shutter, By aperture, B&W preview and all settings. Pro (yearly subscription) unlocks saving record images. [ Also ] Setup: body, EI, aperture, lens (max and min aperture), ND, EV calibration. Find your body in "How to choose a body". Privacy: no network use except Apple's subscription check, no ads or analytics, video stays on your iPhone. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ * A reflected-light meter based on the iPhone's main camera. Development (highlights) is up to you. * Before important shoots you can't redo (weddings, trips, paid work), always test first with a roll or two to set your EI and chosen frame.

Screenshots

Shutter Button4 screens
Z4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Shutter Button at every 5 days against Z's every 2 weeks. 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. Shutter Button sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Z sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $11.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shutter Button ships an update every 5 days, Z every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Shutter Button versus Z: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShutter ButtonZ
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSEUNGHYUK CHOIsungho an

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Shutter Button

One-time2
  • Profile, Additional Features$3.99
  • Remote Release Activation$10.99
1 purchases

Z

Subscriptions1
  • Z-Stop Pro Yearly14 Days trial$11.991 Year

Questions

Is Shutter Button free?
Shutter Button is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Z free?
Z is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Shutter Button or Z have ads?
Neither Shutter Button nor Z shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shutter Button or Z?
Shutter Button ships an update every 5 days, and Z every 2 weeks. Most recently, Shutter Button was updated on October 30, 2026 and Z on November 6, 2026.

Other comparisons