Comparison

Knurl Camera vs Filmera

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

Filmera

This app emulates the look and feel of analog instant cameras, offering realistic film effects like grain, bloom, and halation. It provides a deliberate shooting experience with limited exposures per roll and authentic development animations.

Highlights
  • Real-time film preview
  • Authentic analog film effects
  • Limited 24-exposure rolls
  • Natural Tone processing
  • Tap-to-focus with exposure adjustment
  • Instant print ejection animation
Features
Read full description

Analog color. Instant ritual. Filmera- Instant Camera brings the character, color, and rhythm of analog photography to your iPhone. Preview each film look in real time, choose your lens, set focus and exposure, and capture a finished instant print—complete with authentic color response, natural grain, bloom, halation, and an elegant white border. Choose from Original, Classic 200, and a K64-inspired film profile. Film texture can be controlled independently, while Natural Tone reduces part of the iPhone’s built-in HDR processing for a softer, more restrained image. Every roll contains 24 exposures. When the roll is finished, load a new one and begin again. Features - Real-time film preview - Great results with flash: Use flash confidently in low light. - Natural Tone for reduced computational HDR processing - Classic 200 and K64-inspired film profiles - Independently controlled grain, bloom, and halation - Tap to focus with exposure adjustment - Automatic focus tracking - Multiple rear-lens and front-camera support - Volume-button shutter control - Instant print ejection and full development animations - 24-exposure film roll with a reload sequence - Optional device and capture-time watermarks - Original EXIF and location metadata preservation - In-app photo browser with swipe navigation - Double-tap and pinch-to-zoom photo viewing - Direct photo deletion from the system library Filmera - Instant Camera is designed for photographers who want fewer distractions, more intentional shooting, and images with a distinct analog character. Load a roll. Frame the moment. Let it develop.

Screenshots

Knurl Camera4 screens
Filmera4 screens

Verdict

The call

Knurl Camera and Filmera are too close to call on the numbers: across 8 compared parameters — price, rating, ratings volume and ads among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Knurl Camera against 5.0 for Filmera. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Knurl Camera versus Filmera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKnurl CameraFilmera
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
Update frequency—Weekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDimitrios Zarkadas伟 孟

In-app purchases

None

Knurl Camera

No in-app purchases

None

Filmera

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Knurl Camera free?
Knurl Camera is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Filmera free?
Filmera is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Knurl Camera or Filmera?
Knurl Camera and Filmera are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Knurl Camera or Filmera have ads?
Neither Knurl Camera nor Filmera shows ads.

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