Comparison

GATE CAM vs FilmDirector

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

Head to head
About

GATE CAM

Features
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GATE CAM is a cinema camera app that takes you from Open Gate capture to color grading, frame finishing, and social-ready export — all on iPhone. Requires iPhone 15 Pro or later Pro models (Apple Log capable). Not available on other iPhone models or iPad. Don't stop at just recording and saving. Shape the color, texture, and space of a single shot or a whole set of clips, and finish them into complete films right on your iPhone. Record in 4:3 Open Gate, using more of the sensor. Keep a wider view and more room than regular video, and capture the whole feel of the moment. Record in ProRes with Apple Log to keep the tonal range, so you can build your own look after the shoot. SLOW capture is built in. Match a 24 / 25 / 30 fps playback base and shoot SLOW at up to 60 fps. Everyday motion becomes cinematic and dramatic in slow motion. ■ FEATURES ▶ Shoot wide with Open Gate Record in 4:3 Open Gate. Use more of the sensor and fill the frame edge to edge. Keep people, light, background, and the sense of space in a single shot. ProRes and Apple Log keep the tonal range, so you can shape the color afterward. ▶ SLOW capture Supports 24 / 25 / 30 fps playback bases. Shoot SLOW at up to 60 fps, matched to the base you choose. Clips play back in slow motion automatically inside GATE CAM. Turn small everyday moments into cinematic, dramatic shots. (Free: up to 10 takes. Unlimited with GATE CAM+.) ▶ From capture to finish in CLIPS Your footage is saved to CLIPS inside GATE CAM. Spot SLOW and graded clips at a glance, then review, pick, and finish right after shooting. Rotate footage inside CLIPS. Export only the finished pieces to your Camera Roll. Raw footage and finished work stay separate, so your Camera Roll doesn't fill up while you work. ▶ Turn Log into your look Choose a Base LUT and a Creative LUT, then adjust exposure, highlights, shadows, contrast, temperature, tint, and saturation. Add Mist, Grain, Fade, and vignette to take plain footage to the color you want to show. ▶ Keep your go-to look Save the grade for each clip. Store the settings you use most as presets and get the same mood every time. ▶ One look across many clips Pick two or more clips and match their color and frames to finish them together. Give the cuts from a trip or a vlog the same tone in one pass. (Exporting them together requires GATE CAM+.) ▶ Finish like a piece of work Frames with metadata, rounded corners, still capture, and video export — all inside GATE CAM. Turn your footage from a plain file into a still or a clip you want to share. ■ SUPPORTED FEATURES ・4:3 Open Gate capture ・ProRes recording (LT / 422 / HQ) ・Apple Log capture ・SLOW capture (1.5x / 2x / 2.5x) ・LUT preview ・Histogram ・EV / WB / SS / ISO controls ・Lens switching ・Base LUT / Creative LUT ・Mist / Grain / Fade / Vignette ・Grade saving / Preset saving ・Rotate footage in CLIPS ・Finish multiple clips together ・Frames / Metadata display ・Video export / Still capture ・Standard HEVC 8-bit export ■ GATE CAM+ (ONE-TIME PURCHASE, NO SUBSCRIPTION) Capture, grading, and frame finishing are free. GATE CAM+ adds: ・Unlimited SLOW capture (free: up to 10 takes) ・ProRes 422 / HQ recording (free: ProRes LT) ・Recording to an external SSD ・Saving directly to your Camera Roll ・Exporting multiple clips together ・Unlimited presets ・Frame export without the logo ・High-quality export (HEVC 10-bit, 50 Mbps) - Available features vary by device, lens, resolution, and selected format. - For iPhone 15 Pro or later Pro models (Apple Log capable) only. - On iPhone 18 Pro (iOS 27), recording ProRes to the iPhone requires reserving Pro Video Storage in iPhone Settings (GATE CAM guides you). Not needed when recording to an external SSD.

About

FilmDirector

Features
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FilmDirector turns your iPhone into a professional cine camera. Built for filmmakers, content creators and photographers who want full manual control with zero compromises. FULL MANUAL CONTROLS • ISO across the sensor's full supported range • Logarithmic shutter slider for exact exposure time • Exposure compensation (EV) ± • Manual focus with tap-to-focus and precise lens position • White balance with Kelvin temperature and tint • Continuous zoom with shortcuts to real optical focal lengths (0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3x...) CINEMATIC VIDEO • Frame rate up to 60 fps • HDR where the device supports it • Selectable cinematic stabilization • Smooth front/back camera switch • High-res photo with flash and adjustable torch CUSTOM PRESETS Save any configuration (ISO, shutter, WB, fps, focus, zoom) as a one-tap preset. 3 presets free, unlimited with Pro. APPLE WATCH COMPANION Drive recording right from your wrist: • Start/stop REC without touching the phone • Switch presets on the fly • Live readout of capture parameters • Perfect for solo shoots, vlogs, gimbal work PROFESSIONAL INTERFACE Compact HUD keeps every parameter visible. Dedicated panels for Zoom, Exposure, Focus, WB, Stabilization, Flash and Format. No clutter, full focus on the frame. PRO UNLOCK One-time purchase: unlimited presets. No subscription, no ads. Privacy: no data sent to external servers. Your clips stay in the Photo Library.

Screenshots

GATE CAM4 screens
FilmDirector4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: FilmDirector at 3 against GATE CAM's 1. GATE CAM's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. GATE CAM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and FilmDirector sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
GATE CAM versus FilmDirector: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGATE CAMFilmDirector
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTakayuki Aokigianluca auriemma

In-app purchases

1 purchases

GATE CAM

One-time1
  • Gate Cam+$9.99
1 purchases

FilmDirector

One-time1
  • Get Unlimited Presets$1.99

Questions

Is GATE CAM free?
GATE CAM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FilmDirector free?
FilmDirector is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do GATE CAM or FilmDirector have ads?
Neither GATE CAM nor FilmDirector shows ads.

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