Comparison

FilmMeter vs FrameLab

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

Head to head
About

FilmMeter

This app transforms your iPhone into a professional light meter for film photography. It offers real-time metering, LiDAR ranging for accurate focus, and comprehensive film roll management. Features include reciprocity calculation, ND filter compensation, and an exposure log to streamline your shooting workflow.

Highlights
  • Real-time light metering
  • LiDAR ranging and depth of field
  • Film roll and camera management
  • Reciprocity and ND filter compensation
  • Long exposure timer
  • Exposure logging
Features
Read full description

FilmMeter turns your iPhone into a professional light meter for film cameras. Real-time metering, LiDAR ranging, reciprocity calculation, and exposure logging — one app covers your entire shooting workflow from loading film to the final frame. Metering Measure exposure in real-time using your iPhone camera. Spot metering reads any point precisely, while average metering balances the whole scene. Full control over aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. iPhone 16 users can meter and adjust EV directly with the Camera Control button. Ranging & Depth of Field Get accurate focus distance with LiDAR-enabled devices. The depth of field scale shows your sharp range and hyperfocal distance, supporting 35mm (full frame) and medium format calculations. Camera Management Create profiles for your cameras and lenses. Set focal length and aperture range for each lens, then link a camera when loading film — aperture selection is automatically constrained to your lens's actual range. Manage your digital film bag the way you manage your real gear. Film Roll Management Create a roll, select your film stock, start shooting. Push/pull processing support lets you set development stops and automatically converts to effective ISO. Each metering links to your current roll automatically. The frame counter tracks remaining shots. Mark rolls as in progress, finished, or developed. ND Filters Built-in support for ND2 through ND10000. Select a filter and exposure is compensated automatically — no manual stop conversion needed. Pair with the long exposure timer to master daytime slow shutter work. Reciprocity Compensation Film loses sensitivity during long exposures. FilmMeter includes reciprocity data for popular film stocks and calculates the corrected shutter time automatically. Long Exposure Timer Long-press the metering button to start a countdown. The timer integrates with Dynamic Island — visible even when locked. Get notified when your exposure completes. No more counting seconds for star trails or light painting. Smart Exposure Suggestions Built-in scene recognition analyzes your frame. In tricky lighting like snow, backlight, or night scenes, it tells you "add one stop" instead of leaving you to figure it out. Exposure Log Every metering saves full parameters and location. Export to CSV. Review your decisions, build your film notes. More Features • ND filter auto exposure compensation • Film LUT live preview • Aspect ratio overlays (135/120 formats) • Focal length frame lines (28-200mm) • Darkroom-friendly red-on-black interface • Metric and imperial units Free to Use • No subscription, no account required • Fully offline, no ads • English and Chinese Designed for film photography. Professional enough for experienced shooters, simple enough for beginners.

About

FrameLab

Features
Read full description

FrameLab makes your photos look like stills from a movie. Apply cinematic filters, add frames and stickers, and use on-device AI tools - all in a few taps, all on your phone. CINEMATIC FILTERS (NEW) Six film-inspired looks, each with its own mood: - Teal Shadow - blockbuster teal shadows against golden highlights - Amber Fable - rich amber and gold with a soft, fantastical glow - Pastel Symmetry - muted pastels with a gentle vignette - Cold Contrast - cool cyan-green with crushed shadows - Grindhouse Pulp - punchy contrast and heavy film grain - Noir Frame - stark, high-contrast black and white POWERFUL FILTERS From warm golden hour to crisp retro film, every filter is crafted to look natural, not overdone. BEAUTIFUL FRAMES A growing collection of frames that finish the shot - sleek and modern, bold and colourful, or vintage and textured. STICKERS, TEXT & DRAWING Add stickers, text and hand-drawn touches to make every edit yours. ON-DEVICE AI TOOLS Remove backgrounds and more with smart tools that run entirely on your iPhone. Professional results without the learning curve. PRIVACY FIRST - All photo editing happens on your device - No account required - No photos uploaded anywhere - No tracking of personal information Your photos are yours. Full stop. CREATOR CLUB Unlock every premium filter, frame and AI tool with a Creator Club subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel any time in your App Store account settings. TERMS OF USE This app is licensed under the Standard Apple End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://littleloop.co.uk/privacy.html

Screenshots

FilmMeter4 screens
FrameLab4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: FilmMeter at every 2 days against FrameLab's every 6 months. 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. FilmMeter sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and FrameLab sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FilmMeter ships an update every 2 days, FrameLab every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
FilmMeter versus FrameLab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFilmMeterFrameLab
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (64 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews96.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings64 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size143 MB54 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer宗 侯TIMOTHY DALTON

In-app purchases

4 purchases

FilmMeter

One-time4
  • Buy me a coffee$0.99
  • Buy me lunch$2.99
  • 请我吃块蛋糕$9.99
Show 1 more
  • 赞助开发$19.99
2 purchases

FrameLab

Subscriptions2
  • Creator Club Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Creator Club Annual$12.991 Year

Questions

Is FilmMeter free?
FilmMeter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FrameLab free?
FrameLab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do FilmMeter or FrameLab have ads?
Neither FilmMeter nor FrameLab shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FilmMeter or FrameLab?
FilmMeter ships an update every 2 days, and FrameLab every 6 months. Most recently, FilmMeter was updated on October 25, 2026 and FrameLab on October 25, 2026.

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