Comparison

Manual Camera Pro vs Lucent

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

Head to head
About

Manual Camera Pro

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Manual Camera Pro gives you true DSLR-style control over your iPhone and iPad camera — without the clutter of feature-maximalist apps. The viewfinder is always full-screen. Tap a control and its adjustment slider rises from the bottom, keyboard-style; tap away and it collapses to a clean chip. Everything is one tap away, nothing is ever in your way. MANUAL CONTROL • Shutter speed, ISO, focus, and white balance — lock any axis, leave the rest on auto. • See every change live in the viewfinder. PRO PHOTO • RAW and Apple ProRAW capture (on supported devices), plus standard HEIF. PRO VIDEO • ProRes and Apple Log (on supported devices), plus HEVC/H.264. • Choose resolution and frame rate; dedicated Slo-mo and Timelapse modes. BUILT FOR FOCUS • Basic mode keeps everything calm and automatic. Advanced mode reveals the format controls — and keeps risky settings safe until you choose them. • Composition aids: grid (thirds / square / golden), gyro level, focus peaking. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Fully on-device. No accounts, no ads, no tracking. Your photos and videos save straight to your Photos library and never leave your device. ONE PRICE, EVERYTHING UNLOCKED • Pay once. Every feature is included. No in-app purchases, ever.

About

Lucent

Features
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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

Manual Camera Pro4 screens
Lucent4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Lucent at Free against Manual Camera Pro's $9.99. Manual Camera Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 10 days). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Lucent is free to download; Manual Camera Pro costs $9.99 up front. Lucent sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Manual Camera Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Manual Camera Pro ships an update every 2 days, Lucent every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Ā· 3 level
Manual Camera Pro versus Lucent: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterManual Camera ProLucent
Price$9.99Free — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMurat KulFirat Onurcan Polat

In-app purchases

None

Manual Camera Pro

No in-app purchases

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 Manual Camera Pro free?
Manual Camera Pro costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lucent free?
Lucent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Manual Camera Pro or Lucent have ads?
Neither Manual Camera Pro nor Lucent shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Manual Camera Pro or Lucent?
Manual Camera Pro ships an update every 2 days, and Lucent every 10 days. Most recently, Manual Camera Pro was updated on October 28, 2026 and Lucent on October 25, 2026.

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