light & deep vs View Camera Log
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
light & deep
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Light & Deep is a viewfinder, light meter and LiDAR rangefinder for film, cinema and custom made cameras. Choose your format and focal length, meter the light and measure your subject distance. With Pro (one purchase, no subscription), see the estimated depth of field as zebra stripes over the live scene, and watch it change as you adjust the aperture. Originally built for a handmade camera without a finder or meter, it brings the same practical tools to medium-format, large-format and panoramic photography. SEE DEPTH OF FIELD ā PRO Explore which nearby parts of your scene would be sharp for your format, focal length, aperture and focus distance. Open the aperture and the highlighted zone narrows. Stop down and it grows. METER THE LIGHT Set your film ISO, choose aperture or shutter priority, and read the corresponding exposure setting. Pro adds spot metering and calibration for each iPhone lens. FRAME YOUR SHOT Set your format and focal length to preview composition. Free offers 35mm full frame and 6x6 medium format. Pro offers 53 film, digital and cinema formats, including large format, XPan, Instax, Polaroid, Super 8, and IMAX. MEASURE THE DISTANCE On a LiDAR-equipped iPhone, tap a point to measure its distance. The free distance zebra highlights surfaces near the selected distance. Pro adds depth-of-field visualization and can keep measuring a fixed point in the scene even as you move the phone. SAVE A REFERENCE ā PRO Keep a reference photo with a settings strip and image metadata. Record aperture, shutter speed, ISO, format, focal length, distance, a film note and optional location, so you can refer back to your setup later. FREE, WITH NO TIME LIMIT ⢠Reflective light meter with aperture and shutter priority ⢠35mm full-frame and 6Ć6 frame overlays ⢠Focal-length control ⢠LiDAR distance measurement, tap-to-measure and target-distance zebras on supported hardware PRO - ONE PURCHASE, NO SUBSCRIPTION ⢠Depth-of-field visualization on supported hardware ⢠All 53 formats ⢠Spot metering and light-meter calibration ⢠Reference photos with settings and metadata ⢠Fixed-point distance tracking ⢠Ultrawide camera support on compatible devices ⢠Black-and-white view and virtual horizon ⢠Frame, zebra and crosshair customization ⢠Parallax correction for a phone mounted on a camera ⢠Cinema tools: shutter angle, project frame rate and anamorphic squeeze Pro is an optional one-time in-app purchase. The free features remain available without upgrading. REQUIREMENTS iPhone with iOS 17.6 or later. Distance measurement, distance zebras and depth-of-field visualization require a LiDAR-equipped iPhone: iPhone 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max, or a later model with LiDAR. Metering and framing work without LiDAR. LiDAR is intended for nearby subjects, with a useful range of about five metres depending on conditions. Depth coverage is limited to the central area in ultrawide view. The depth-of-field overlay estimates acceptable sharpness; it does not simulate lens bokeh or guarantee the final photograph's sharpness. PRIVACY No account, ads or analytics. Camera, depth and exposure processing happens on your device. Optional location data is used when you choose to include it in a reference photo.
View Camera Log
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View Camera Log is a field logbook designed for large format photographers. Record each sheet with exposure details, film holder information, camera and lens choices, location notes, reference photos, scan results, and front/rear standard movements including rise, fall, shift, tilt, and swing. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://qb02su.github.io/largeformatlog/privacy.html Unlike general film logbook apps, View Camera Log is built around the workflow of view cameras. It helps you keep practical shooting notes in the field and review technical movements later when developing, scanning, printing, or repeating a setup. Features: ⢠Log exposure settings, film stock, holders, and sheet side ⢠Record front and rear standard movements ⢠Visualize movements with a 3D view camera model ⢠Save camera and lens gear in a reusable library ⢠Capture or attach reference photos ⢠Add scan results and processing notes ⢠Save shooting location notes and map context ⢠Keep existing records editable even on the free plan Free users can create up to 5 exposure records. View Camera Log Pro unlocks unlimited records.
Screenshots
Verdict
light & deep and View Camera Log are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters ā price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them ā neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. light & deep sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and View Camera Log sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
light & deep ships an update every 2 weeks, View Camera Log weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | light & deep | View Camera Log |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.0 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mikhail Rybakov | HANG SU |
In-app purchases
light & deep
- Light & Deep Pro$11.99
View Camera Log
- View Camera Log Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
- View Camera Log Pro Yearly$14.991 Year
- Small Tip$1.99
- Medium Tip$4.99
- Large Tip$9.99
Questions
Is light & deep free?
Is View Camera Log free?
Do light & deep or View Camera Log have ads?
Which is updated more often, light & deep or View Camera Log?
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