The Film Friend
A complete companion for film photography.
Free on iOS, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro. Built by a working film photographer.
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.