Pocket Log Camera vs Honesmith Optics
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Pocket Log Camera
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Pocket Log Camera is a small iPhone camera that takes the processed look out of your photos ā built from Apple's Log video pipeline. How it works Most camera apps save a photo with sharpening, HDR, and noise reduction baked in. Pocket Log does something different: it takes the current frame from Apple's Log video pipeline and develops it with PocketLog Natural ā a rendering that adds no sharpening, no HDR, and no noise reduction, with skin-friendly color. The finished photo saves straight to Photos as 10-bit HEIC (or JPEG in compatibility mode). For users who grade in post-production, Pocket Log Pro can also save the negative ā the original from the same moment (ProRes RAW open gate on iPhone 17 Pro, 4K Apple Log MOV on other models). Point. Shoot. Keep the natural photo, or re-develop the negative. The camera ⢠Fixed 24mm-equivalent back wide camera ā always the same lens ⢠3:2 still frame (portrait and landscape); ProRes RAW captures keep the full 1.40:1 open-gate frame ⢠Tap-to-focus with manual exposure bias slider (ā2 to +2 stops) ⢠Flash control Ā· Adjustable shutter sound ⢠Optional burned-in date stamp on the photo (never on the negative) ⢠Capture confirmation via haptic + brief blackout flash Your archive ⢠Finished photos save to Photos (10-bit HEIC, optional JPEG) ⢠Recent captures can be reviewed in the app ⢠Pro negatives (ProRes RAW or Log MOV) save locally in the app's Documents/Originals folder ⢠The Originals browser lets you review, share, and clean up negatives ā or move them to your Mac for grading ProRes RAW capture (iPhone 17 Pro) On iPhone 17 Pro, Pocket Log Pro can capture a single-frame ProRes RAW original ā the full 4224Ć3024 open-gate sensor readout, saved on your iPhone with no external SSD. It opens directly in DaVinci Resolve's Camera Raw panel for full RAW development. On other supported models the app automatically uses the 4K Apple Log pipeline instead. Privacy first No analytics. No ads. No network calls during camera use. Your photos stay on your device. Requirements Pocket Log Camera uses Apple's Log video pipeline. It is designed for iPhone Pro models that support Apple Log ā iPhone 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max or later on iOS 17 or later. ProRes RAW capture requires iPhone 17 Pro. Pocket Log Pro ā $2.99 one-time purchase in the U.S. ⢠Unlocks "Save the Negative (Original)": ProRes RAW open gate on iPhone 17 Pro, 4K Log MOV on other devices ⢠Photo capture remains free ⢠Purchase and restore are handled by Apple
Honesmith Optics
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Some photos are better when you make the decisions yourself. Honesmith Optics is an iPhone camera built for RAW and manual photography. Focus and exposure metering can be controlled independently, while manual focus, P/S/M exposure modes, RAW and ProRAW give you direct control when shooting close-up subjects, backlit scenes, or with external lenses. Focus here. Meter there. Tap the preview to set focus. Press and hold to place exposure metering independently. Your subject can stay in focus without forcing you to meter from the same part of the frame. EV compensation gives you a quick final adjustment when you want the image brighter or darker. Shoot RAW. Keep more room to edit. On supported iPhones and camera configurations, Honesmith Optics can capture Bayer RAW or Apple ProRAW and save the original image as DNG, giving you more flexibility for exposure, color, and post-processing. Take more control when you need it. Manual focus, magnified viewing, and Focus Assist make precise focusing easier for macro photography, external lenses, and shallow depth of field. You can control: ⢠ISO ⢠Shutter speed ⢠White balance ⢠Auto and manual focus ⢠Independent exposure metering ⢠EV compensation ⢠RAW / ProRAW ⢠JPEG / PNG ⢠Aspect ratio and filters ⢠Timer ⢠Volume-button shutter ⢠High-resolution photos and 4K video on supported devices No account. No subscription. Your photos stay yours. Honesmith Optics does not require a Honesmith account and does not use Honesmith cloud processing for your photos. Core photo, video, and RAW processing stays on your device. There are no ads or usage analytics. Advanced features are available through one-time in-app purchases. There is no subscription. Whether you are learning manual photography, shooting RAW, working with macro or external lenses, or simply want more control than the built-in camera gives you, Honesmith Optics gives you a more deliberate way to shoot with iPhone. Availability of RAW, ProRAW, high-resolution capture, video formats, and certain camera controls depends on your iPhone, physical lens, iOS version, and current capture configuration.
Screenshots
Verdict
Pocket Log Camera and Honesmith Optics are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters ā price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them ā neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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
Both are free to download. Pocket Log Camera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Honesmith Optics sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Pocket Log Camera ships an update every 2 weeks, Honesmith Optics weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pocket Log Camera | Honesmith Optics |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 23 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kumo, Inc. | Shih-Chen Yang |
In-app purchases
Pocket Log Camera
- Pocket Log Pro$2.99
Honesmith Optics
- Honesmith Optics Pro$11.99





