# Lumen Camera vs Backdrop

The clearest difference is update cadence: Lumen Camera at every 5 days against Backdrop's fortnightly. Backdrop's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lumen Camera sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Backdrop sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lumen Camera ships an update every 5 days, Backdrop fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lumen Camera | Backdrop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lumen-camera/id6767933252/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lumenmatics LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896140555) | [Shekhar Upadhaya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896171196) |

## What reviewers say

### Lumen Camera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lumen-camera/id6767933252)

This app transforms your iPhone into a professional camera with advanced manual controls for both photos and videos. It offers features like rack focus, adjustable depth-of-field, and RAW image capture, mimicking the capabilities of high-end mirrorless cameras.

**Highlights:** Manual ISO, shutter speed, focus, and white balance, Cinematic video with rack focus and subject tracking, Adjustable depth-of-field and background blur, RAW and HEIC image formats with minimal processing, Focus peaking and loupe for precise focusing, Live histograms and zebra stripes for exposure, Private, Face ID-locked gallery

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lumen Camera Pro (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Lumen Camera Pro (Yearly) | $14.99 | per year |
| LumenCamera Pro (Lifetime) | $24.99 | one-time |


### Backdrop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backdrop-live-effects/id6770320729)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Backdrop Premium — Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Backdrop Premium — Annual | $79.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lumen Camera free?

Lumen Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Backdrop free?

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

### Do Lumen Camera or Backdrop have ads?

Neither Lumen Camera nor Backdrop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lumen Camera or Backdrop?

Lumen Camera ships an update every 5 days, and Backdrop fortnightly. Most recently, Lumen Camera was updated on October 1, 2026 and Backdrop on October 3, 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.*