# Light Meter vs Second View

The clearest difference is ads: Light Meter at none against Second View's shown. Light Meter also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 56%). Second View's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 3.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Light Meter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year and Second View sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Second View holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 5 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of Light Meter's written reviews are positive against 56% of Second View's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Light Meter ships an update every 9 days, Second View weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Light Meter | Second View |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-meter-filmbox/id6757200856/reviews) | **[4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-view-viewfinder/id6761623499/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **85.2% of reviews** | 55.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 47 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [卓 朱](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864726195) | [Benoit Linard](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890500952) |

## What reviewers say

### Light Meter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-meter-filmbox/id6757200856)

This app helps film photographers precisely measure light, distance, and depth of field before taking a shot. It offers tools for exposure evaluation, flash calculation, and reciprocity failure compensation, with advanced features available via a one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Light metering, Zone metering, Flash calculator, Reciprocity failure compensation, Distance meter (LiDAR), Depth of field calculator, Gear library

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FilmBox Toolkit Pro Subscription | $7.99 | per year |
| FilmBox Toolkit Pro | $17.99 | one-time |


### Second View

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-view-viewfinder/id6761623499)

This tool assists photographers in planning shots by simulating their actual camera's field of view and aspect ratio. It includes a light meter, filter logging, and reciprocity correction for film stocks. Features like LiDAR distance measurement and composition guides help refine framing and exposure before taking the shot.

**Highlights:** Precise field-of-view matching, Real-time light meter with spot metering, ND, polarizer, and color filter logging, Reciprocity failure correction for 60 film stocks, LiDAR distance measurement, Composition and grid tools, Panorama simulation

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Second View Basic Yearly | $7.99 | per year |
| Second View Pro Yearly | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Light Meter free?

Light Meter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Second View free?

Second View is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Light Meter or Second View?

Second View is rated higher. Light Meter averages 3.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Second View averages 4.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Light Meter or Second View have ads?

Second View shows ads; Light Meter does not.

### Which is updated more often, Light Meter or Second View?

Light Meter ships an update every 9 days, and Second View weekly. Most recently, Light Meter was updated on October 25, 2026 and Second View on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*