Comparison

Knurl Camera vs Camera18

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

Head to head
About

Knurl Camera

Capture unprocessed RAW image data directly from your device's sensor. Offers granular manual controls for ISO, shutter speed, and focus, allowing for complete creative freedom in post-processing.

Highlights
  • Bayer RAW capture
  • Full manual controls (ISO, Shutter, Aperture)
  • Physical control dials
  • Relative focus ring
  • Native focal length lenses
  • Exposure compensation scale
Read full description

Knurl is a camera for people who would rather develop the photo themselves. It captures true Bayer RAW: the sensor's own mosaic, written straight to a DNG with none of the computational photography that normally happens on the way. No multi-frame fusion, no tone curve, no sharpening. What lands in your library is undeveloped data with all of its latitude intact, ready for Lightroom or Photos to interpret however you like. THE CONTROLS ARE THE POINT A mode wheel you turn, with the real designations: P for program, Tv for shutter priority, Sv for ISO priority, M for full manual. Every position clicks. ISO and shutter move in thirds of a stop along the standard photographic ladders, on a dial that detents at every rung. Whole stops click harder than thirds, so you can count them by feel without looking. The ends of each ladder are the sensor's genuine limits rather than round numbers, which means base ISO, the cleanest the sensor gets, is actually reachable. Exposure compensation on its own scale, in thirds, with a firmer detent at zero. In manual it becomes the meter, because compensation has nothing left to act on when both controls are already fixed. An AF/MF switch and a focus ring you turn like a ring: relative, so touching it never jumps focus, and marked near to far rather than in invented distances. Three lenses, each at its native focal length, read from the hardware. HONEST ABOUT ITSELF Bayer RAW is 12 MP and does not permit zoom. The 48 MP path would mean Apple ProRAW, which is demosaiced and partially processed, so Knurl does not offer it. When the exposure you have asked for is not achievable, it says so rather than pretending. Your shots go to a Knurl album you can browse in the app, pinch to zoom, and swipe through. Volume buttons fire the shutter. Add the Control to your Action Button, Lock Screen or Control Center to open it without unlocking.

About

Camera18

Features
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Camera18 turns your iPhone into a collection of cameras. Seamlessly zoom through your scene, switch cameras in an instant, and discover a different photographic character with each one. Every camera is more than a filter. Each has its own color, texture, lens feel, and aperture character — from wide-open softness to crisp depth and dramatic starbursts. ONE CAMERA. MANY CHARACTERS. • Seamless Zoom Move naturally from wide to close without interrupting the shot. • Camera Simulations Shoot with distinct camera-inspired looks, each built around its own color, texture, and optical character. • Aperture Character Aperture is part of each camera’s identity — changing how light, depth, softness, and starbursts feel. • Aperture Control On supported hardware, control the physical aperture directly. Other supported devices recreate the experience computationally. • Shoot, Don’t Filter Choose your camera and aperture before the shutter. The look is part of how you shoot, not something added afterward. One iPhone. Many cameras. A different character in every shot. Terms of Use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy https://cornpiess.github.io/camera18/privacy.html

Screenshots

Knurl Camera4 screens
Camera183 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Knurl Camera at none against Camera18's 2. Camera18's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads 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. Camera18 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Knurl Camera asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Knurl Camera versus Camera18: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKnurl CameraCamera18
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequency—Fortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDimitrios Zarkadas洪 朱

In-app purchases

None

Knurl Camera

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Camera18

Subscriptions2
  • Camera 18 Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Camera 18 Pro Yearly$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Knurl Camera free?
Knurl Camera is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Camera18 free?
Camera18 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Knurl Camera or Camera18 have ads?
Neither Knurl Camera nor Camera18 shows ads.

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