Comparison

ShotBOT vs HDRI Prep

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

Head to head
About

ShotBOT

This app helps visual effects supervisors meticulously track production notes for film, TV, and commercials. It allows for detailed scene and take logging, image annotation, and report generation for VFX teams. Advanced features are available via in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Track general scenes or individual takes
  • Print or email comprehensive shooting reports
  • Built-in drawing and annotation feature
  • Supports multi-camera shoots
  • User-defined presets for fast data entry
  • Tag scenes for organization
  • Take pictures or import images for reference
Features
Read full description

ShotBOT is designed for professional visual effects supervisors, to use during production, to take all the necessary production notes when shooting visual effects scenes. It tracks all the VFX needs for film, TV, documentaries, music videos and commercial production. This app is designed by someone who has spent 20 years shooting visual effects. All advanced features are sold via in-app purchases so you only need to buy what you need. For more detailed information on ShotBOT, please check out our web site for demo screencasts and a comprehensive FAQ page. FEATURES -ShotBOT has all the fields you would expect. A full list of fields is at the bottom of this page. -Track general scenes or individual takes. -Print or email a comprehensive shooting report to your VFX artists after the shoot. -Built in drawing feature to create diagrams or annotate pictures. -App-wide built in help screens to explain every feature. -Supports multi-camera shoots. -Full support for user defined presets for all commonly used fields. Includes default set of presets for professional production. Entering the data for a scene is very fast! -Scenes can be tagged to group sets of scenes together for complete organization of the scenes. -Take pictures or import existing images for scene reference. -View and grab frames from a wireless, live video feed from the camera. (Requires Teradek wireless encoder and in-app purchase) -Print a variety of different style tracking marks in a variety of sizes. (Requires in-app purchase) -Two different interface styles. Dark for indoor, Light for outdoor. You will always be able to view screen content without blinding your eyes. -Export your data so you can import it into your own post production tracking software. (Require in-app purchase) -Optional ShotBOT Cloud option to backup your data in realtime and sync between multiple devices. (Require in-app purchase) JOB FIELDS -Job Number -Episode Name and Number -Working Title -Agency and Client Name -Product Description -Production Company Name -Default FPS -Job Description SCENE FIELDS -Scene Number -Scene Description -Slate -Shot Date, Day Number, Time of day. -Unit (First unit, second unit, plate unit) -MOS or Sync sound. -Interior/Exterior -Day, Night, or Day For Night -Shoot Location -Scene Notes -Flags for: HDR, Mirror Ball, 18% Gray Ball, Cube, Clean Plate, Tiles, Ref Plates, Dig Stills Ref, Dig Stills Texture, Set Survey, Lidar Scan, 3D Scan, Lighting Diagram, Rushed Enviroment. CAMERA FIELDS -Camera ID -Camera Type -Camera Rig -Card/Clip Info -Filters -ISO -Shutter -Color Temp -FPS -T Stop -Lens -MM Start & End -Camera Height Start & End -Camera Tilt Start & End -Camera Focus Start & End -Camera Notes TAKE FIELDS -Take Number -Hero or Circled Take Flag -Take Notes

About

HDRI Prep

This utility helps visual effects professionals create HDRI bracketing sets for RICOH THETA 360 cameras. It allows for quick definition, organization, and reuse of bracket settings, streamlining on-set workflows for HDR photography.

Highlights
  • Define custom bracket sets (3-19 photos, 1-3 stops apart)
  • Set Aperture, ISO, and Color Temperature for all photos at once
  • Define Center Shutter Speed to extend exposures
  • Name, organize, and reorder brackets by show
  • Duplicate and move bracket sets between shows
  • View photos read directly from the camera
  • Quickly adjust camera speaker volume and auto-sleep time
Features
Read full description

Build a library of HDRI exposure brackets for your RICOH THETA V, Z1 or X, and fire them off on set in seconds. The THETA can shoot multi-exposure brackets, but setting them up in the official app is slow, and you can't save them to reuse later. HDRI Prep fixes that. Set up a bracket once, name it, file it under your show, and call it up whenever the lighting calls for it. BUILD BRACKETS THE WAY YOU THINK • Choose 3 to 19 photos, 1 to 3 stops apart. No need to set each exposure by hand. • Pick a center shutter speed, and the bracket spreads evenly above and below it. • Set aperture, ISO and color temperature for the whole bracket at once. Choices are limited to what your camera can actually do. ORGANIZED FOR PRODUCTION • Name brackets, group them by show, drag to reorder, and copy or move them between shows. • Each bracket is tinted by its color temperature, so tungsten and daylight setups stand out at a glance. ON SET • Live View, flat or as a 360° view you can drag around, to check the frame before you shoot. • A shot counter and timer while the bracket runs, and Cancel if you need to stop. • View the photos from that bracket the moment it finishes. • Browse the camera's photos, inspect them full screen or in 360°, share them to Photos, Files or AirDrop, or delete them from the camera. • Find nearby THETAs and join their Wi-Fi from the app. Cameras you've used are remembered. • Adjust the camera's shutter volume and sleep delay. TRY IT WITHOUT A CAMERA Demo Mode loads sample 360° brackets so you can explore every feature before you plug in a THETA. Works on iPhone, iPad and iPhone Duo, and includes a built-in Manual. GOOD TO KNOW • HDRI Prep connects over the camera's own Wi-Fi (the camera's access-point mode). • Shutter volume and sleep delay are saved to the camera itself, so they stay set even when HDRI Prep isn't running. • HDRI Prep focuses on bracketing. It isn't a replacement for the official THETA app, which works well alongside it. Built by a VFX artist for VFX artists. If "HDRI" and "THETA" mean something to you, this was made for you. HDRI Prep is not affiliated with or endorsed by RICOH. RICOH THETA is a trademark of Ricoh Company, Ltd. Site and Privacy Policy: https://squirrelfx.llc/hdri-prep.html

Screenshots

HDRI Prep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: HDRI Prep at $9.99 against ShotBOT's $29.99. HDRI Prep also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6). ShotBOT's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 9 months). On review sentiment, ads, monetization model 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

ShotBOT costs $29.99 and HDRI Prep $9.99 up front. ShotBOT sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. HDRI Prep asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ShotBOT ships an update every 11 days, HDRI Prep every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
ShotBOT versus HDRI Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShotBOTHDRI Prep
Price$29.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTodd FreeseSquirrel FX LLC

Customer experience

ShotBOT

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

HDRI Prep

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

ShotBOT

One-time6
  • ShotBOT Tracking Marks$4.99
  • ShotBOT Cloud - 30 Day Subscription$4.99
  • ShotBOT JSON Export$9.99
Show 3 more
  • ShotBOT TSV Text Export$9.99
  • ShotBOT Teradek Live Video$49.99
  • ShotBOT VES Export$74.99
None

HDRI Prep

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ShotBOT free?
ShotBOT costs $29.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is HDRI Prep free?
HDRI Prep costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do ShotBOT or HDRI Prep have ads?
Neither ShotBOT nor HDRI Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ShotBOT or HDRI Prep?
ShotBOT ships an update every 11 days, and HDRI Prep every 9 months. Most recently, ShotBOT was updated on October 20, 2026 and HDRI Prep on October 24, 2026.

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