LightMeter Express vs SlowLightMeter
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LightMeter Express
This tool transforms your iPhone into a professional light meter for photography. It offers accurate exposure readings with real-time calculations for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, supporting various camera settings and providing exposure compensation.
- Real-time light metering
- Precise exposure calculations
- Support for standard camera settings
- Exposure value (EV) display
- Spot metering (Pro feature)
- Live histogram (Pro feature)
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LightMeter Express - Professional Camera Tool Transform your iPhone into a precision light meter for film and digital photography. Get accurate exposure readings with an intuitive interface designed for photographers who demand professional-grade metering capabilities. CORE FEATURES (FREE): • Real-time light metering using your device's camera • Precise aperture, shutter speed, and ISO calculations • Support for all standard camera settings • Clean, professional interface optimized for quick readings • Exposure value (EV) display with compensation controls • Camera settings reference for popular film and digital cameras • Works in any lighting condition your camera can see • Intuitive haptic feedback with "full-stop" detents for exposure drag gestures PERFECT FOR: • Film photographers seeking accurate meter readings • Digital photographers wanting precise exposure control • Studio and outdoor photography • Learning proper exposure techniques • Backup metering when your camera's meter fails PRO FEATURES (One-time $0.99 purchase): • **Spot Metering** - Professional spot metering with zoomed preview for precise exposure readings from specific areas of your scene. Drag to reposition, tap to meter. Works best on iPhones with telephoto lenses for maximum precision • Custom Step Increments - Choose between 1/3, 1/2, or full stop increments for all exposure parameters to match your camera and shooting style • Live Histogram - Real-time histogram display with RGB channel analysis for precise exposure evaluation and highlight/shadow monitoring • Preview Compensation - See exposure compensation effects directly in the camera preview to visualize over/under exposure before shooting • Custom Limits - Set personalized aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation limits to match your specific camera gear and preferences • Black & White Preview - Turn the camera preview into a grayscale image for helping with B&W photography The free version provides full light metering functionality suitable for most photography needs. Pro features add advanced customization and analysis tools for professional and enthusiast photographers. TECHNICAL NOTES: • Requires camera access to function as a light meter • All processing happens locally on your device • No internet connection required • Compatible with iPhone • Spot metering optimized for devices with multiple camera lenses PRIVACY: Light Meter respects your privacy. Camera data is processed locally and never stored or transmitted. No personal information is collected.
SlowLightMeter
This app provides a simple and accurate light meter for film photographers. It continuously measures light with minimal interaction and includes an ISO lock to prevent accidental changes. EV values are a core feature for ease of use.
- Reflective and incident light metering
- Continuous light measurement
- ISO lock
- EV value display
- Simple interface
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As a film photographer, I wanted an accurate yet simple reflective and incident light meter. After trying several, I decided to build my own. This light meter continuously measures light, so it requires minimal interaction during a shoot. To avoid accidentally changing film ISO, I added an ISO lock. And since I shoot often with my Hasselblad, I made EV values a core feature of the app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SlowLightMeter at none against LightMeter Express's 1. SlowLightMeter also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 88%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). LightMeter Express's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 4 days) and ratings volume (8 vs 2). On price, rating, ads 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
Both are free to download. LightMeter Express sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SlowLightMeter asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for LightMeter Express against 5.0 for SlowLightMeter. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of LightMeter Express's written reviews are positive against 100% of SlowLightMeter's.
LightMeter Express ships an update daily, SlowLightMeter every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LightMeter Express | SlowLightMeter |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (8 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Daily — better | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Digitaino LLC | Ari Jaaksi |
Customer experience
LightMeter Express
SlowLightMeter
In-app purchases
LightMeter Express
- Light Meter Pro$2.99
SlowLightMeter
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is LightMeter Express free?
Is SlowLightMeter free?
Which has better reviews, LightMeter Express or SlowLightMeter?
Do LightMeter Express or SlowLightMeter have ads?
Which is updated more often, LightMeter Express or SlowLightMeter?
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