Comparison

Sepia vs Lucent

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

Head to head
About

Sepia

Features
Read full description

Sepia, a Shared Disposable Camera for Events Capture your day through everyone’s eyes. Sepia turns any gathering into a shared roll of film. Create an event, invite your guests with a single QR code, and let everyone capture the moment from their own point of view. Then, just like a real disposable camera, the whole album reveals together when the day is done. No more chasing friends for photos. No more scattered camera rolls. One event, one shared film, every angle. HOW IT WORKS Create a film for your wedding, birthday, baby shower, trip, or party in under a minute. Share the QR code or invite link. Guests join instantly with no account hassle. Everyone shoots with a limited roll, so every photo counts. The album unlocks at reveal time, and everyone sees it together. A REAL DISPOSABLE CAMERA, REIMAGINED • Limited shots per person, bringing back the magic of making every frame count • Three film styles: Original, Vintage, and Black & White • Full-screen camera with flash, zoom, and front and rear flip • A live shot counter and film-roll odometer that feel like the real thing THE REVEAL MOMENT Choose how your photos appear: • During the event, see shots as they happen • After the event, the album unlocks when the day ends • Add a delay to build anticipation with a reveal hours later A live countdown on every film builds the excitement until the big unlock. TRULY SHARED • Every guest contributes to one collective album • Each photo is signed with the photographer’s name • Browse the full gallery in a beautiful grid and full-screen viewer • Finished events become Albums you can keep forever PRIVATE BY DESIGN No ads. No tracking. No noise. Sepia is built to keep your memories yours. SIMPLE PRICING, NO SUBSCRIPTIONS Free for gatherings up to 5 people. Hosting more? Pay once per event based on your guest count, with no recurring fees, ever. Want unlimited photos for everyone? Add unlimited shots to any event. Weddings. Birthdays. Reunions. Road trips. Every shared moment deserves a shared roll. Start your first film today.

About

Lucent

Features
Read full description

Lucent is a manual cinema camera for iPhone and iPad. It pairs a reliable capture core with the controls, live scopes, and looks serious shooters expect, and your photos and videos never leave your device. No account. No tracking. LIVE LOOKS & LUTS • See your grade live in the viewfinder while Lucent records a clean, untouched master • 22 built-in looks across Film, Cinematic, Mono, and Creative styles, including Teal & Orange, Bleach Bypass, Noir, Golden Portrait, and Cool Chrome • Import your own .cube 3D LUTs and switch between them in one tap • Adjustable intensity, before/after comparison, and the look rendered on export when you share MANUAL CONTROL • Real ISO, shutter speed, white balance with tint, manual focus, and exposure compensation • Variable aperture control on supported iPhone models • Tap to focus and expose, long-press to lock, smooth cinematic zoom ramps • 24, 25, 30, 50, and 60 fps, with lens switching across ultra-wide, wide, telephoto, and front cameras • A horizon level that turns gold when your shot is straight LIVE MONITORING • Histogram, luma waveform, zebras, focus peaking, and false color • Real-time dBFS audio meters • Frame lines for 2.39:1, 2:1, 1.85:1, 4:3, 1:1, 4:5, and 9:16 vertical video • Anamorphic desqueeze preview from 1.33x to 2x PRO FORMATS • ProRes, HEVC (10-bit), and H.264 video in 4K up to 60 fps with codec-aware bitrates • Apple Log with Log View Assist: monitor in Rec.709 while you record Log • HDR HLG capture with native 10-bit color • HEIF, RAW (DNG), and Apple ProRAW photos where supported CREATOR TOOLS • A teleprompter that scrolls your script while you record • Slow motion at your iPhone's highest frame rate, and time-lapse from 0.5 to 5 second intervals • One-tap 9:16 export for Reels and TikTok • Apple Watch remote: take photos, start and stop recording, and switch modes from your wrist FASTER ON SET • Save your own camera presets: lens, format, codec, color, look, and manual settings in one tap • Capture with Camera Control or the volume buttons • Open Lucent in photo or video mode from Control Center, the Lock Screen, or Shortcuts • The Lucent Assistant watches clipping, focus, audio, storage, battery, and heat, and suggests fixes as you shoot BUILT-IN MEDIA LIBRARY • App-local library with filters, sorting, and metadata inspection • Import from Files, Quick Look, batch sharing, and Save to Photos • Crash and interruption recovery for finished recordings PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Capture, processing, and your media stay on your device • No account and no analytics SDK. The only network traffic is App Store purchase validation and Apple's privacy-preserving ad attribution LUCENT PRO The free version records up to 1080p at 30 fps with automatic exposure, white balance, and focus, and includes three looks plus Neutral. Lucent Pro unlocks 4K and frame rates above 30 fps, manual controls, every look and LUT import, false color and advanced monitoring, ProRes, RAW, Apple Log, anamorphic desqueeze, saved presets, the teleprompter, slow motion, time-lapse, 9:16 export, the Apple Watch remote, and the full Lucent Assistant. Choose a weekly or monthly subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Lucent requires a physical iPhone or iPad camera. Privacy Policy: https://fluff-mice-37a.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-39e94ad0981280ec9756f9a2fdaa04ec?pvs=73 Terms of Use (EULA): https://fluff-mice-37a.notion.site/Terms-of-Use-39e94ad09812808d8c9be72cb11ab7df?pvs=73

Screenshots

Sepia4 screens
Lucent4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Lucent at 3 against Sepia's 1. On price, update cadence, 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. Sepia sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Lucent sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sepia ships an update weekly, Lucent every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Sepia versus Lucent: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSepiaLucent
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB19 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperNandha KumarFirat Onurcan Polat

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Sepia

One-time8
  • Up to 10 guests$1.99
  • Up to 25 Guests$4.99
  • Unlimited Shots$9.99
Show 5 more
  • Up to 50 Guests$14.99
  • Up to 100 Guests$29.99
  • Up to 150 Guests$49.99
  • Up to 200 Guests$69.99
  • Unlimited Guests$99.99
4 purchases

Lucent

Subscriptions3
  • Lucent Pro Weekly7 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • Lucent Pro Monthly1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Lucent Pro Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lucent Pro Lifetime$79.99

Questions

Is Sepia free?
Sepia is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lucent free?
Lucent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Sepia or Lucent have ads?
Neither Sepia nor Lucent shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sepia or Lucent?
Sepia ships an update weekly, and Lucent every 10 days. Most recently, Sepia was updated on October 25, 2026 and Lucent on October 25, 2026.

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