Comparison

f vs Chronodev

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

Head to head
About

f

This app helps darkroom printers adjust exposure times by f-stop increments. It calculates precise exposure values for printing, offering easier test strip creation by working with equal exposure differences.

Highlights
  • Calculate exposure by f-stop increments
  • Modify exposure times for printing
  • Generate new exposure times
  • Calculate f-stop increments for burning in
  • Easier test strip creation
Features
Read full description

The f-Stop Printing Calculator allows darkroom printers to modify times by stops when calculating exposure values. The calculator will establish 1/4 stop increments (+ or – up to 3/4) of the base time you have entered and, either generate a new time, or an increment of an f-stop if you are burning in. By working with f-stops rather than linear units of time, you can produce an easier to read test strip as the exposure differences are exactly equal. This app has been designed by Digitaltruth Photo Ltd and Bruce Tanner.

About

Chronodev

This app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a darkroom enlarger timer. It uses HomeKit-enabled devices to control your enlarger and safelights, offering features like manual control, metronome for dodging/burning, and automatic test strip creation.

Highlights
  • iPhone/iPad enlarger timer
  • HomeKit device control
  • Manual enlarger focusing
  • Metronome for dodging/burning
  • EV stop time adjustments
  • Automatic test strip creation
  • Voice control support
Read full description

Transform your iPhone into an enlarger timer using Chronodev. Chronodev uses HomeKit-enabled wall plugs and lightbulbs to control your enlarger and safelights. Secondhand enlarger timers can be expensive and hard to find. This one costs the price of a wi-fi wall plug. - Control your enlarger and safelight with your iPhone or iPad - Expose prints accurately using the HomeKit-enabled timer - Manual enlarger control for focusing - Use the metronome for dodging and burning - Adjust times using EV stops - Automatically create test strips with incremental exposures, and keep track of exposure times using a handy graph - Automatically turn your safelight off when exposing/focusing - Voice control support for hands-free development - Safe to use in black and white darkrooms when using iOS's built-in red color filter A HomeKit-enabled wall plug and/or lightbulb is required to use all features of this app. Some features (like a basic timer and EV stop calculations) are available without a HomeKit-enabled device.

Screenshots

f4 screens
Chronodev3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Chronodev at 4.5 against f's 3.8. Chronodev also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 29 months). f's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chronodev holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of f's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chronodev's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

f ships an update every 29 months, Chronodev monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and June 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
f versus Chronodev: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterfChronodev
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (5 ratings)4.5 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings5 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 29 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFreestyle Photo & ImagingKevin Olmats

Customer experience

f

All ratings5 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative0.0%

Chronodev

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

f

No in-app purchases

None

Chronodev

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is f free?
f is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chronodev free?
Chronodev is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, f or Chronodev?
Chronodev is rated higher. f averages 3.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Chronodev averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.
Do f or Chronodev have ads?
Neither f nor Chronodev shows ads.
Which is updated more often, f or Chronodev?
f ships an update every 29 months, and Chronodev monthly. Most recently, f was updated on September 21, 2026 and Chronodev on June 7, 2026.

Other comparisons