Comparison

Lens Pattern vs Light Meter

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

Head to head
About

Lens Pattern

Features
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Grid Professional Test Patterns for Camera Calibration Turn your iPad, iPhone, or Apple TV into a precision test pattern generator for camera and lens analysis. Lens Pattern displays pixel-accurate test charts directly on your device screen โ€” no printed charts, no extra hardware. Perfect for camera calibration, lens quality testing, color grading verification, and production monitoring. INCLUDED TEST PATTERNS: Markers & Calibration โ€ข Grid Tags โ€” AprilTag marker grid with adjustable tag size and start ID, ideal for camera calibration and spatial tracking Color & Exposure โ€ข SMPTE Bars โ€” Standard SMPTE EG-1-1990 color bars โ€ข SMPTE 303M โ€” HD color bars with PLUGE and Y-ramp zones โ€ข EBU Bars โ€” EBU Tech 3325 color bars (75% and 100%) โ€ข ColorChecker โ€” Classic 24-patch color reference chart โ€ข Color Scales โ€” R/G/B/C/M/Y/W gradient ramps with percentage markers โ€ข Clipping โ€” Shadow and highlight clipping test (1% steps) with stepped ramp โ€ข Grayscale โ€” 21-step grayscale ramp with percentage labels Geometry & Focus โ€ข Crosshatch โ€” Grid pattern for distortion analysis โ€ข Checkerboard โ€” Black/white checkerboard for resolution testing โ€ข Caro โ€” Diamond pattern (45ยฐ rotated checkerboard) โ€ข Dot Grid โ€” Uniform dot array for distortion measurement โ€ข Siemens Star โ€” Resolution target for sharpness evaluation โ€ข Focus Chart โ€” Comprehensive focus and resolution target Timing & Animation โ€ข Motion Test โ€” Moving bars for rolling shutter and motion blur analysis โ€ข Timecode โ€” Real-time HH:MM:SS:FF display at 60fps โ€ข Flicker โ€” Adjustable frequency flicker (0.5โ€“30 Hz) KEY FEATURES: โ€ข Full-screen, pixel-perfect rendering on any screen size โ€ข Physical dimensions in millimeters displayed on iOS devices

About

Light Meter

Features
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Turn your iPhone into a real photographic light meter. Point the camera at any scene and read its exposure value (EV) and illuminance in lux instantly, then dial in the exact aperture, shutter and ISO for a perfectly exposed frame. Most "light meter" apps just show a brightness bar. This one does the math a classic handheld meter does: it reads the light your camera actually sees, smooths it in real time, and solves the full exposure triangle so you walk away with real camera settings, not a guess. WHAT YOU GET - A live EV and lux readout that reacts the instant the light changes - The exact aperture, shutter and ISO to expose any scene correctly - An exposure solver: lock any setting and get the others worked out for you - ND filter and long-exposure times so moving water and clouds go silky - Scene presets from Sunny 16 to candlelight and star trails for instant reference - Saved readings that keep EV, lux and full settings so you can revisit any scene PERFECT FOR - Film and analog shooters metering by hand with no in-camera meter - DSLR and mirrorless photographers double-checking tricky light - Long-exposure and landscape shooters stacking ND filters - Students learning how aperture, shutter, ISO and the Sunny 16 rule work WHY NOT JUST USE YOUR CAMERA'S METER? Your camera meters through the lens and averages the whole frame, so it gets fooled by snow, backlight and shade. This gives you an independent EV reading you can trust, plus ND and long-exposure math your camera will never do, and it calibrates to your gear so the numbers match what you actually shoot. PRIVACY The camera is used only to measure light on your device. Nothing is recorded, uploaded or shared, no account is required, and your saved readings stay on your iPhone. FULL ACCESS The live meter and the Learn guides are free. Full Access unlocks the exposure solver, scene presets, the ND long-exposure calculator, and unlimited saved readings: - Weekly - Yearly (best value) - Lifetime (one-time purchase) Point your phone at the light and read your next perfect exposure. Terms of Use (EULA): https://web-levi.web.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://web-levi.web.app/privacy-policy Questions? tphuc.work@gmail.com

Screenshots

Lens Pattern3 screens
Light Meter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lens Pattern at none against Light Meter's 3. Lens Pattern also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Light Meter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Lens Pattern asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lens Pattern ships an update fortnightly, Light Meter every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Lens Pattern versus Light Meter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLens PatternLight Meter
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightly โ€” betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.617.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size1 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStage Precision GmbHPhuc Pham

In-app purchases

None

Lens Pattern

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Light Meter

Subscriptions2
  • Sunny 16 Rule Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Film Photography Yearly$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • ND Filter Calc, Pay Once$29.99

Questions

Is Lens Pattern free?
Lens Pattern is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Light Meter free?
Light Meter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Lens Pattern or Light Meter have ads?
Neither Lens Pattern nor Light Meter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lens Pattern or Light Meter?
Lens Pattern ships an update fortnightly, and Light Meter every 4 weeks. Most recently, Lens Pattern was updated on October 25, 2026 and Light Meter on October 8, 2026.

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