Comparison

Truly Simple RAW Camera vs Always Cam

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

Head to head
About

Truly Simple RAW Camera

Capture unedited digital negatives directly from your iPhone's sensor. This app bypasses automatic image processing to provide pure RAW DNG files for manual development. It offers DSLR-like controls and essential framing tools.

Highlights
  • Pure RAW capture (.DNG)
  • Tap to focus and exposure lock
  • Hardware back-facing lens switching
  • Optional haptic shutter feedback
  • Rule-of-thirds grid overlay
  • Quick review of recent photos
Read full description

Most modern smartphone cameras automatically process every picture you take. They apply aggressive smoothing, artificial HDR, and automatic sharpening. Sometimes, you just want the actual, unedited digital negative so you can develop it yourself. Truly Simple RAW Camera bypasses automatic processing to give you the exact, unedited light that hit your iPhone’s physical sensor. NOTE: This app only works on devices with hardware capable of capturing Bayer RAW images, which means most iPhones and iPad Pros but not other sorts of iPad, sorry! It does not work with front-facing cameras, either, for the same reason (they lack that capability). Features: • Pure RAW capture: Saves uncompressed 14-bit Bayer .DNG files directly to your camera roll with zero AI processing. • Tap to focus: Tap anywhere on the viewfinder to physically adjust the lens focal plane and lock in your exposure, just like a real DSLR. • Hardware controls: Switch between the physical back-facing lenses and toggle the hardware flash. No digital zoom allowed. • Tactile feedback: An optional haptic shutter toggle lets you physically feel exactly when a photo is captured. • Visual basics: Toggle a rule-of-thirds grid to frame your shot, and switch between light and dark color themes for comfort. • Quick review: Tap the recent photo thumbnail to instantly jump to your native iOS Photos gallery. • Free: Enjoy a completely free app with no recurring fees, intrusive advertisements, or paywalls.

About

Always Cam

Read full description

Always Cam features an always-on viewfinder, even while reviewing a photo, so you never miss a moment. Instead of pinch to zoom, one-touch anywhere on the photo for a 100% view, handy for checking blur, etc. Framing with a small viewfinder actually helps with composition, so your shots will look more professional.

Screenshots

Truly Simple RAW Camera3 screens
Always Cam2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Truly Simple RAW Camera at 17.0 against Always Cam's 26.4. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 7 level
Truly Simple RAW Camera versus Always Cam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTruly Simple RAW CameraAlways Cam
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.4
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperColin WrightSasan Sadat-Sharifi

In-app purchases

None

Truly Simple RAW Camera

No in-app purchases

None

Always Cam

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Truly Simple RAW Camera free?
Truly Simple RAW Camera is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Always Cam free?
Always Cam is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Truly Simple RAW Camera or Always Cam have ads?
Neither Truly Simple RAW Camera nor Always Cam shows ads.

Other comparisons