RED Tools vs Hidden msg
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
RED Tools
This app assists filmmakers and camera operators with camera setup by providing tools for crop factor, recording time, flicker-free video, depth of field, panning speed, and exposure. It offers customizable settings for various shooting situations and RED camera systems.
- Crop factor preview
- R3D recording time evaluation
- Flicker-free video calculation
- Depth of field estimation
- Panning speed guidance
- Exposure assistance
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RED Tools is a convenient reference tool designed for use by filmmakers and camera operators to outline best practices in camera set-up for a variety of shooting situations. Each tool is customizable based on a selected RED camera and sensor type. Standard film formats are also included for comparison. RED Tools is also included in the RED Control app, which also provides free, full-featured camera control and video streaming for RED’s latest DSMC3 products. TOOLS INCLUDED: CROP FACTOR Preview how a given focal length will appear depending on resolution setting and sensor type. Illustration depicts viewable area relative to a traditional 35 mm stills photography sensor by default, but other reference sensors are selectable within the drop-down menu. R3D RECORDING TIME Evaluate the video data rate and available recording time based on your RED camera settings. This can help you understand media requirements and production costs in advance of a shoot. FLICKER FREE VIDEO Find a flicker-free shutter speed and frame rate combination when shooting under artificial lighting. DEPTH OF FIELD Understand how various camera settings influence depth of field. PANNING SPEED Estimate the panning speed where judder will likely become too pronounced. The goal is to provide a more accessible tool than the charts and tables commonly referenced in cinematography manuals. It uses the standard rule of thumb that camera panning should not cause objects to transit the entire horizontal extent of an image in any less than seven seconds. EXPOSURE Assist with exposure when one camera setting has to change. Example usage scenarios include when a higher frame rate needs to be used for slow motion, when the T-stop has to change for depth of field, or when the shutter angle has to change to minimize flickering in artificial light. NIKKOR Z Lens Coverage Use this tool to understand how NIKKOR Z lenses will look on your RED Z Mount camera bodies. The tool shows the extent the light will fall off at different sensor formats, and if any hard vignetting occurs.
Hidden msg
Securely send and receive hidden files within iMessage. Protect your sensitive data with Touch ID/Face ID authentication. Customize the visible placeholder image for unauthorized viewers.
- Send and receive hidden files in iMessage
- Touch ID/Face ID protection
- Customizable placeholder image
- Secure storage on Apple servers
- iCloud account required
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Don't be afraid anymore that someone sees your exchanged files in iMessage. Hidden msg for iMessage allows you to send and receive hidden files. It is also protected by Touch ID / face ID ;) • You choose the picture that will appear for all unconcerned/unauthorized persons. • You choose the file that will be visible only for the concerned/authorized person. • If Touch ID / Face ID is configured, no one can see the hidden file except the concerned/ authorized person. PS : Because of the importance of your privacy, all your files are stored on Apple's servers in order to ensure security and reliability. Therefore, it is necessary to have an iCloud account.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: RED Tools at 3.3 against Hidden msg's 2.3. RED Tools also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 14%). Hidden msg's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 21 months) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.6). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
RED Tools holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of RED Tools's written reviews are positive against 14% of Hidden msg's.
RED Tools ships an update every 21 months, Hidden msg every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RED Tools | Hidden msg |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (15 ratings) — better | 2.3 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 14.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 15 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RED Digital Cinema | Malek Radhouani |
Customer experience
RED Tools
Hidden msg
In-app purchases
RED Tools
No in-app purchases
Hidden msg
No in-app purchases









