The Film Friend

A complete companion for film photography.

Free on iOS, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro. Built by a working film photographer.

Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play

Why I built it

I shoot 8x10 large format alongside a digital workflow, and I got tired of juggling four apps, a notebook, and a phone calculator every time I set up a shot. Reciprocity in one place, bellows compensation in another, a development timer that did not understand C-41, a film-holder log on paper that I always forgot to update.

The Film Friend is the app I wished existed. Everything in one place, clean enough to use in the field, dark enough to use in the darkroom, and accurate enough to trust for a sheet of film I will only get one shot at.

Exposure and calculation

  • A built-in light meter, always one tap away

  • Reciprocity compensation for long exposures, with film-specific curves

  • Bellows extension compensation for large-format work

  • Focal length equivalency across formats, 35mm, medium, 4x5, 8x10

  • Timers with audible alerts for long exposures and multi-step processes

Development tools and history

  • Black and white development timers

  • C-41 color negative kits, including Kodak rotatory and agitation processes

  • E-6 color reversal kits

  • RA-4 color printing kits

  • ECN-2 motion picture film kits

  • Custom development processes you can create, import, export, and share

  • Development history tracking, keep a detailed record of every roll and sheet

  • Temperature unit control, with seamless switching between Celsius and Fahrenheit

Made for large format

If you shoot sheet film, you already know most apps were not built with you in mind. The Film Friend includes:

  • Film holder management, track sheets, holders, and exposures

  • Drag-and-drop reordering for the way you actually load your case

  • Per-holder notes, photos, and metadata

  • Export your film logs to PDF or CSV for archival

Designed for the darkroom

  • Dedicated darkroom themes designed for film safety

  • Spectral color selection, choose wavelengths that minimize fogging risk

  • Clean, low-distraction interface optimized for low-light environments

Flexible, modern interface

  • Customizable layout, reorder tools and sections to match your workflow

  • Multiple themes for daylight, studio, and darkroom use

  • Import and export your data, keeping full ownership and portability

  • Available in 34 languages

Free, with an optional unlock

The Film Friend is free to download and use. An optional one-time Pro unlock removes ads. No subscription, no data collection, no account required.

Built for film. Designed for photographers.

The Film Friend is shaped by what I actually need on a shoot. New features get added when I run into a problem I cannot solve elsewhere. If you shoot film and have a suggestion, I genuinely want to hear it.

Get it on Google Play
Download on the App Store
A living room with a cat sitting on the wooden floor near a bookshelf and a window with blinds. There is a television on a wooden cabinet displaying a checkered pattern with a green block in the corner. The room has a light-colored wood interior, and a dark-colored rug partially covers the floor.
A mobile phone screen showing a list of film sheets with various labels and statuses, like 'With Film' and 'Develop', under the 'All Sheets' section, with navigation icons at the bottom for 'Film' and 'Settings.'
Mobile app interface for film photography settings including options for Development Chart, Exposure Timer, Film Holders, Light Meter, Reciprocity, and Bellows Extension, with navigation icons for film and settings at the bottom.
Mobile app screenshot of 'Film Photography' settings menu, including options for development chart, exposure timer, film holders, light meter, reciprocity, bellows extension, and focal length equivalency. Bottom menu has 'Film' and 'Settings' icons.
Mobile app screen showing film holders with options for developing and with film, including three different film holder items labeled Fidelity 4x5 - 1, Toyo 8x10 - 1, and Toyo 8x10 - 2. There are icons for film, settings, and a plus sign for adding new items.
Mobile app screen displaying a development chart with options for Process Types, Custom Processes, Development History, Mixing Calculator, and Darkroom Theme, with navigation icons for Film and Settings at the bottom.
Mobile app screen showing darkroom theme options with built-in themes like red on black, green on black, blue on black, white on black, and a custom theme in orange, along with settings and film icons.
Mobile app timer screen with a countdown of 4 minutes and 56 seconds, showing controls for pause, skip, and shaking the device, with temperature at 20°C. The top indicates step 1 of 5, titled 'Developer.'