Comparison

f/oss vs Light Meter

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

Head to head
About

f/oss

Features
Read full description

f/oss is a free light meter for film photography, rebuilt from the ground up as a fully native app. Point the spot-metering circle at your subject and read the exposure instantly. f/oss measures true photometric luminance through your iPhone's camera and is calibrated against professional reference meters. FIVE METERING MODES • Aperture Priority: set f-stop and ISO, get your shutter speed • Shutter Priority: set shutter and ISO, get your f-stop • Exposure Value: read the scene's EV directly • Cine: shutter angle and frame rate for filmmakers • Manual: check your chosen settings against the metered scene BUILT FOR REAL CAMERAS • Camera profiles: save your bodies with their actual shutter and bias limits • Full, half or third stop increments • Configurable shutter, aperture, ISO and exposure bias ranges • Reference lock: freeze a reading and measure scene contrast in stops • Exposure lock for recompose workflows ACCURATE • True spot metering of exactly the circle you see • Full-color light analysis: reads saturated LED and neon light correctly • Verified against professional meters from daylight to low light FREE, NO SUBSCRIPTION Every feature is free, forever. If f/oss saves your shots, there is an optional tip jar.

About

Light Meter

Features
Read full description

Light Meter helps you measure exposure in real time and find the right camera settings faster. Designed for photographers and filmmakers, the app turns your iPhone into a practical exposure meter for everyday shoots, studio work, portraits, landscapes, and low-light scenes. Quickly read the light in front of you, lock the settings you want to keep fixed, and let the app calculate the missing exposure value automatically. Whether you are shooting with a digital camera, film camera, cinema camera, or manual lens, Light Meter helps you work with more confidence before you press the shutter. • Live Exposure Reading Measure light in real time and instantly calculate camera-ready exposure settings. • Lock Any Two Controls Choose which two settings stay fixed - ISO, shutter speed, or aperture - and let the meter calculate the third automatically. • Shutter Priority Freeze motion or create blur while the app calculates the right aperture. • Aperture Priority Set your depth of field and let the meter solve the matching shutter speed. • Auto ISO Keep shutter speed and aperture fixed while the meter adjusts ISO automatically. • Spot Metering Tap the preview to meter a specific part of the scene with more precision. • Built for Real Shoots Use it for portraits, landscapes, studio lighting, street photography, film photography, and video exposure planning. Light Meter gives you a fast, visual way to understand exposure before shooting. It is especially useful when working with manual cameras, adapting to changing light, checking mixed scenes, or planning a consistent exposure setup. Simple enough for beginners, precise enough for advanced photographers. Terms of Use: https://www.optionalchaining.com/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://www.optionalchaining.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

f/oss3 screens
Light Meter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Light Meter at none against f/oss's 3. Light Meter also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. f/oss sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Light Meter asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
f/oss versus Light Meter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterf/ossLight Meter
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.018.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLuca TescariPatrick Battisti Forsthofer

In-app purchases

3 purchases

f/oss

One-time3
  • Nice Tip$1.99
  • Generous Tip$5.99
  • Amazing Tip$9.99
None

Light Meter

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is f/oss free?
f/oss is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Light Meter free?
Light Meter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do f/oss or Light Meter have ads?
Neither f/oss nor Light Meter shows ads.

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