Your iPhone's built-in camera can do a lot, but long exposure photography isn't its strong suit. The Live Photo trick gives you 3 seconds and zero control. For anything serious, you need a dedicated long exposure app.
I've tested the main contenders on the App Store. Here's an honest breakdown of each long exposure camera app, what they're good at, where they fall short, and which one makes the most sense depending on what you're shooting.
1. Lento
Price: Free (Pro: $5.99 one-time)
Max exposure: Unlimited
RAW support: Yes (DNG)
Lento is the best long exposure app if you want maximum flexibility. It's the only app in this list that combines unlimited exposure time with RAW DNG export. You can shoot for 5 seconds or 5 minutes with the same app.
The app has multiple blend modes: Smooth (mean blending for silky water), Light Trail (lighten blending for headlights), and others. You get real-time preview as frames stack, manual controls for ISO, focus, and white balance, plus a ghost removal feature that cleans up unwanted moving objects.
The free version is fully functional for basic shots. Pro unlocks RAW export, all blend modes, and removes the watermark. At $5.99 as a one-time purchase, there's no subscription to worry about.
Best for: Serious photographers who want RAW files and full control. Best value for money in this category.
2. Slow Shutter Cam
Price: $2.99
Max exposure: 60 seconds
RAW support: No
Slow Shutter Cam has been around for years and it's a solid, straightforward slow shutter camera app. It offers three capture modes: Motion Blur, Light Trail, and Low Light. The interface is simple and easy to pick up.
The main limitations: 60-second maximum exposure and no RAW export. For quick shots where you just need a decent long exposure in JPEG, it does the job reliably. The $2.99 price point makes it an easy impulse buy.
Best for: Beginners who want something simple and cheap. Good enough for casual long exposure photos.
3. Spectre Camera
Price: Free
Max exposure: 9 seconds
RAW support: No
Spectre is made by the same team behind Halide. It uses AI to stabilize handheld long exposures and automatically process the result. The idea is that you don't need a tripod for short exposures because the AI handles the stabilization.
In practice, the 9-second cap is the biggest limitation. That's not enough for proper silky waterfalls or light trail photography. The AI stabilization is impressive for what it is, but it can't replace a tripod for longer exposures. There are also no manual controls and no RAW export.
Where Spectre works well: quick, handheld shots of moving crowds or light traffic where you just want a subtle motion blur effect.
Best for: Casual handheld shots. The AI stabilization is genuinely useful for short exposures without a tripod.
4. ReeHeld
Price: $4.99
Max exposure: 30 seconds
RAW support: No
ReeHeld focuses on AI-powered stabilization, similar to Spectre but with a higher cap. It analyzes your handheld movement and compensates for it in real time. The stabilization quality is good, and you can get usable results handheld at up to 10-15 seconds in good conditions.
The 30-second cap and lack of RAW export are the main drawbacks. If you're using a tripod anyway (which you should for anything over a few seconds), the stabilization feature becomes irrelevant, and you're left with a long exposure app that maxes out at 30 seconds with JPEG-only output.
Best for: Handheld shooting when you don't have a tripod. Good stabilization within its limits.
5. ReeXpose
Price: Free (subscription for full features)
Max exposure: Varies
RAW support: Yes
ReeXpose does support RAW export, which puts it ahead of most competitors. It has a decent set of features including different blend modes and manual controls. The app is capable and well-designed.
The catch is the pricing model. ReeXpose uses a subscription, which means you're paying monthly or yearly for access. For an app you might use a few times a month, a subscription feels heavy compared to a one-time purchase. If you're a daily shooter who needs this specific feature set and doesn't mind subscriptions, it's worth considering.
Best for: Users who already pay for a subscription bundle or shoot frequently enough to justify recurring costs.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Lento | Slow Shutter | Spectre | ReeHeld | ReeXpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Duration | Unlimited | 60s | 9s | 30s | Varies |
| RAW DNG | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Live Preview | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blend Modes | Multiple | 3 | Auto | Limited | Multiple |
| Ghost Removal | Yes | No | Yes (AI) | No | No |
| Manual Controls | Yes | Basic | No | Basic | Yes |
| AI Stabilization | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Pricing | $5.99 once | $2.99 | Free | $4.99 | Subscription |
Which Long Exposure App Should You Get?
It depends on what you need:
- Want RAW files and no limits? Lento is the clear pick. It's the only app that does unlimited duration + RAW DNG + multiple blend modes for a one-time price.
- Want something dead simple? Slow Shutter Cam at $2.99 is hard to beat for basic long exposure shots.
- Shooting handheld with no tripod? Spectre's AI stabilization is genuinely useful for short exposures. Free, too.
- Don't mind subscriptions? ReeXpose has RAW support and good features, but the recurring cost adds up.
For most people who are serious about long exposure photography on iPhone, the combination of RAW export, unlimited exposure time, and a one-time purchase makes Lento the best value. Download it free and see for yourself.