Frames vs Filter Simulation
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Frames
This app helps film photographers meticulously log every detail of their analog shots. It allows you to record frame settings, attach reference images, and organize your entire film library. The companion Mac app can embed this logged data directly into your scanned negatives as EXIF metadata.
- Log shot settings and EXIF data
- Attach reference images to frames
- Organize film rolls, cameras, and lenses
- Interactive map of shot locations
- Export records in multiple formats
- Embed metadata into scanned negatives
- Supports 35mm, medium, and large format film
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Frames is a film photography logbook that connects every shot to its final scan. Record your frames as you shoot, then embed your shooting data into scanned images as EXIF once your negatives are developed. • Manage film rolls, cameras, lenses, and filters in one place • Log every frame: aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation, metering, ISO, location, and more • Controls that adapt to your camera and lens setup • Autofill film stock, camera, lens, and ISO for faster logging • Attach reference images for visual context per frame • Organize with folders and search • View shoots on an interactive map and revisit locations • Sync across iPhone and iPad with iCloud • Export to Frames, PDF (print-ready), CSV, TXT, GPX, and XMP • Includes 200+ film stocks: Kodak, Fujifilm, Ilford, CineStill, Lomography, and more • Supports 35mm, 120 medium format, and large format cameras • Privacy-focused: no ads, no tracking, no account required Embed Your Metadata with the Frames Mac App After developing and scanning your negatives, the Frames Mac app writes your shooting data directly into image files as EXIF metadata. Compatible with JPEG, JXL, TIFF, and DNG files from any scanner. Every scan then carries the full context of how it was shot: camera, lens, film stock, shutter speed, aperture, flash, focus distance, exposure program, metering mode, location, and more. Adobe Lightroom, Apple Photos, and any EXIF-aware software read your film settings the same way they read a digital camera’s. No spreadsheets. No scattered notes. One consistent record attached to every image. Includes up to 5 film rolls for free. Upgrade for unlimited rolls, subfolders, data export, and metadata embedding with the Frames Mac app. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Filter Simulation at none against Frames's 3. Frames's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Frames sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Filter Simulation asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Frames against 5.0 for Filter Simulation. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Frames ships an update weekly, Filter Simulation monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Frames | Filter Simulation |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (6 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Vincent Tantardini | Ari Jaaksi |
Customer experience
Frames
Filter Simulation
In-app purchases
Frames
- Monthly Plan$1.991 Month
- Annual Plan$17.991 Year
- Lifetime Access$59.99
Filter Simulation
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Frames free?
Is Filter Simulation free?
Which has better reviews, Frames or Filter Simulation?
Do Frames or Filter Simulation have ads?
Which is updated more often, Frames or Filter Simulation?
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