Comparison

RED Tools vs ARRI ECS

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Crop factor preview
  • R3D recording time evaluation
  • Flicker-free video calculation
  • Depth of field estimation
  • Panning speed guidance
  • Exposure assistance
Features
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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.

About

ARRI ECS

Features
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The “ECS Sync” iPhone app functions as a direct communication platform between ARRI and users of ARRI’s Electronic Control System (ECS). Adaptable to any camera and any lens, ARRI ECS tools include wireless hand units and digital controllers, intelligent lens motors, and distance measurers. With the ECS Sync app, users can receive up-to-the-minute software updates, news, and answers to frequently asked questions relevant to these products. In addition, the ECS Sync app enables Bluetooth file sharing between ECS devices and the app via the new Hi-5 hand unit, without the need of a bulky laptop on set. Software versions can be synchronized, and transferred from the app to the connected devices. Lens files and user settings can be archived in the app, or forwarded on, including to the user’s Google Drive or Drop Box. Lens files can also be displayed graphically, contributing to the app’s usefulness as a portable and intuitive filmmaking tool. Features: • Save and load lens tables and user setup files to/from the Hi-5 hand unit via Bluetooth • Create a personalized lens data archive in the ECS Sync app • Update the Hi-5 hand unit and connected LBUS devices via the app • Get the latest news about ARRI ECS products • Distribute lens tables and user setup files from the app via email, WhatsApp, Dropbox, Google Drive and more

Screenshots

RED Tools4 screens
ARRI ECS3 screens

Verdict

The call

RED Tools and ARRI ECS are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RED Tools ships an update every 21 months, ARRI ECS every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
RED Tools versus ARRI ECS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRED ToolsARRI ECS
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (15 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings15 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 21 monthsEvery 14 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.6
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRED Digital CinemaARRI Group

In-app purchases

None

RED Tools

No in-app purchases

None

ARRI ECS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RED Tools free?
RED Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ARRI ECS free?
ARRI ECS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do RED Tools or ARRI ECS have ads?
Neither RED Tools nor ARRI ECS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RED Tools or ARRI ECS?
RED Tools ships an update every 21 months, and ARRI ECS every 14 months. Most recently, RED Tools was updated on October 6, 2026 and ARRI ECS on September 19, 2026.

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