Today, we are showing you the best long-exposure app for your smartphone! Long-exposure photography is a technique that can produce stunning results. You can get smooth, misty waterfalls or even see the earth’s rotation through star trails!
We are lucky enough to have brilliant cameras in our smartphones. To get full control over these cameras, we may need an application. By exploring the best long-exposure apps, we will tell you which is best for smartphone photography.
9 Best Long-Exposure Camera Apps
Here are the nine best long-exposure apps for you to try. We have a mix of iOS and Android options.
But before starting with long-exposure photography, don’t forget to get a mount and tripod for your phone! They are just as essential for phones as for cameras.
Not sure where to start? If you shoot on an iPhone and want a good long exposure with nothing to learn, begin with ReeHeld or Spectre Camera. If you want one app that covers long exposures and everything else, ProCamera, ProShot and Camera+ are full manual cameras. On Android, ProShot and Manual Camera DSLR are the two with real manual control. And if star trails are the goal, Easy Long Exposure Camera runs to 180 seconds.
1. ReeHeld
| Smartphone Store |
Smartphone Store
iOS
|
| Other Manual Photo Options |
Other Manual Photo Options
No
|
| Paid |
Paid
No (in-app purchase to unlock)
|
| Watch Integration? |
Watch Integration?
No
|
| Key Services |
Key Services
Simple application to make long exposures with ease
|
| Best For |
Best For
Photographers who want to make long exposures in the simplest way possible
|
Our favorite long-exposure app is ReeHeld. Thanks to its easy-to-use interface and simplistic design, it allows you to create long-exposure photographs with ease.
This app allows you to shoot up to 30-second exposures. It also claims that you do not need a tripod as it has AI stabilization. However, a tripod does make the results much better.
ReeHeld is free to download, and an in-app purchase unlocks it in full. So, if you are unsure about this application, try it out for yourself!
This long-exposure app is dedicated to producing long exposures, and that is also its limit. It has no manual controls and no editing tools, so it suits photographers who do not want an extensive camera app. If you want one app for everything, read on.
2. Spectre Camera
| Smartphone Store |
Smartphone Store
iOS
|
| Other Manual Photo Options |
Other Manual Photo Options
No
|
| Paid |
Paid
No (in-app purchases available)
|
| Watch Integration? |
Watch Integration?
No
|
| Key Services |
Key Services
AI-guided long exposures that save the whole capture as a Live Photo
|
| Best For |
Best For
iPhone photographers who want a hands-off long exposure with nothing to set up
|
Spectre Camera comes from Lux, the studio behind the Halide camera app. Apple named it iPhone App of the Year in 2019, and it is free to download today.
Spectre does the thinking for you. You pick one of three exposure lengths, and the app’s scene detection decides whether to draw light trails, smooth out moving water, or thin a crowd out of a tourist spot. Its computer-vision stabilization keeps a hand-held frame sharp, and it spots a tripod on its own and stops compensating once it finds one.
The clever part is what it saves. Spectre stores the whole capture as a Live Photo. You can replay the exposure as it happened, pull a different frame out as your still, or share the lot as a short video. Nothing else on this list does that.
The trade-off is control. You get three fixed durations rather than a shutter speed you dial in yourself, and it is iOS only. Lux has been busy with Halide and Kino, and Spectre’s last update landed in September 2025. It still works well, but if you want an exposure you can time to the second, ReeHeld or Slow Shutter Cam will suit you better.
3. ProCamera
| Smartphone Store |
Smartphone Store
iOS
|
| Other Manual Photo Options |
Other Manual Photo Options
Yes
|
| Paid |
Paid
No (free trial, then subscription)
|
| Watch Integration? |
Watch Integration?
Yes
|
| Key Services |
Key Services
Complete control over your smartphone camera
|
| Best For |
Best For
Photographers who want to use their smartphone to its full capability
|
ProCamera is a camera app with advanced manual settings. It’s designed to give you a DSLR-like photography experience.
Besides other settings, like ISO and exposure compensation, it lets you adjust the shutter speed. This feature makes this app suitable for taking long exposures with an iPhone.
You can set it to shutter priority or manual mode for complete control. After you have a shot with a slow shutter speed, you can edit it within the app.
ProCamera has changed how it sells. It is now free to download with a seven-day trial, and after that you pay monthly to keep it. That works out well if you shoot with your phone most weeks. If you only reach for a long exposure a few times a year, one of the one-time purchases here will cost you less.
4. Slow Shutter Cam
| Smartphone Store |
Smartphone Store
iOS
|
| Other Manual Photo Options |
Other Manual Photo Options
Yes
|
| Paid |
Paid
Yes (one-time purchase)
|
| Watch Integration? |
Watch Integration?
Yes
|
| Key Services |
Key Services
Provides a small screen inside your screen for a 'live' view of image as it is being made
|
| Best For |
Best For
Photographers who are looking for a dedicated slow shutter speed application
|
The Slow Shutter Cam app is the most popular for long exposures on an iPhone. It even has a hashtag on Instagram you can follow if you want to see pictures taken with this app.
After opening the app, you must click on the Settings icon to adjust them manually. You can also choose from several built-in presets for specific scenarios.
These include Light Trail, Motion Blur, and Low-Light presets. With this app, you can achieve long-exposure effects with your phone that wouldn’t have been possible before.
Slow Shutter Cam will help you bring the most out of your long-exposure photos, and it is a one-time purchase rather than a subscription. It also pairs with an Apple Watch, so you can start a capture without nudging the phone on your tripod. What it will not do is replace your everyday camera app. It shoots long exposures and nothing else.
5. ProShot
| Smartphone Store |
Smartphone Store
iOS, Android
|
| Other Manual Photo Options |
Other Manual Photo Options
Yes
|
| Paid |
Paid
Yes (one-time purchase)
|
| Watch Integration? |
Watch Integration?
No
|
| Key Services |
Key Services
Simple interface with great control
|
| Best For |
Best For
People who want advanced shutter control with simplicity
|
ProShot is a full-featured photography app, and it is the only pick here that runs on iPhone and Android alike. The app is jam-packed with tools to help you develop your smartphone photography skills.
You have automatic, semi-automatic, and fully manual controls. That means anyone from beginner to experienced users can use this app with great success.
You have control over ISO, white balance, and, of course, shutter speed. A phone has no adjustable aperture, so those are the dials that matter. You can select a long shutter speed, or switch to Bulb mode and hold the shutter open for as long as you keep your finger down. That is the setting you want for light painting and traffic trails.
But it’s not just the basic exposure controls. You can shoot time-lapse videos with the built-in intervalometer, capture ProRAW files, and use Portrait mode for a blurred background. You pay for ProShot once and it is yours, which is easy to justify if your phone is your main camera and harder if it is not.
6. Easy Long Exposure Camera
| Smartphone Store |
Smartphone Store
iOS
|
| Other Manual Photo Options |
Other Manual Photo Options
No
|
| Paid |
Paid
No (Pro version available)
|
| Watch Integration? |
Watch Integration?
No
|
| Key Services |
Key Services
Long exposure app strictly for photographing in dark spaces
|
| Best For |
Best For
Astrophotographers or night time photographers
|
Another great long-exposure app is Easy Long Exposure Camera. This application is dedicated to low-light and night photography. This makes it perfect for astrophotographers and those who want to take star trail photographs.
This application lets you take exposures up to 180 seconds long! This is an incredible amount of time.
One of the best features of this app is that it is free! The free version does carry ads and limits hand-held stabilization to three seconds. A one-time Pro purchase clears the ads and adds manual ISO, noise reduction, and unlimited stabilization with a Bulb mode.
Easy Long Exposure Camera is another application that simplifies long exposures. There are no distracting features, and everything is controlled through sliders. Its two blending modes cover the two jobs people actually want. Light Trails stacks the light from each frame for fireworks and star trails, and Motion Blur averages the frames for silky water. We highly recommend it as one of the best long-exposure apps for astrophotography.
7. Camera+: Pro Camera & Editor
| Smartphone Store |
Smartphone Store
iOS
|
| Other Manual Photo Options |
Other Manual Photo Options
Yes
|
| Paid |
Paid
No (in-app purchases available)
|
| Watch Integration? |
Watch Integration?
No
|
| Key Services |
Key Services
Allows you to use presets for added style
|
| Best For |
Best For
Photographers who want one app for shooting and editing
|
Camera+ is one of the most popular camera apps for phones. It gives manual control over shutter speed and ISO. It also offers image stabilization, RAW file shooting, and editing to enhance images.
With this app’s built-in presets, you can edit your images for specific purposes. These include macro or action photography.
The Slow Shutter preset makes it possible to take long-exposure photos even in daylight!
To access manual mode at all times, go to Advanced Controls and choose “always show.” You can choose either full manual or shutter priority mode.
Camera+ is free to download, and its manual controls and editing tools unlock through in-app purchases. That makes it an easy one to try. But it is a general camera app first and a long-exposure app second. If the Slow Shutter preset is all you are after, one of the dedicated apps higher up this list will get you there faster.
8. Manual Camera DSLR
| Smartphone Store |
Smartphone Store
Android
|
| Other Manual Photo Options |
Other Manual Photo Options
Yes
|
| Paid |
Paid
No (ad-supported, paid upgrade available)
|
| Watch Integration? |
Watch Integration?
No
|
| Key Services |
Key Services
Packed with options for manual controls
|
| Best For |
Best For
Android users who want a fully customizable camera app
|
Manual Camera DSLR allows you to have manual control over your phone’s camera. The interface reminds the user of DSLR cameras.
It also lets you control the shutter speed for long-exposure shots. You can even record videos using the manual settings this app provides you.
This manual camera DSLR app is Android only. The free build is ad-supported and holds back the app’s full capabilities, which a one-off purchase unlocks. Be aware that its last Play Store update landed in 2024. If you want an Android camera app under active development, ProShot is the safer bet.
9. Long Exposure: Motion ProCam
| Smartphone Store |
Smartphone Store
Android
|
| Other Manual Photo Options |
Other Manual Photo Options
No
|
| Paid |
Paid
Yes
|
| Watch Integration? |
Watch Integration?
No
|
| Key Services |
Key Services
Easy interface to work through for custom controls
|
| Best For |
Best For
Android users who want a simple long exposure application
|
As the name suggests, Long Exposure is an app dedicated to long-exposure photography. And anyone can produce stunning images with this app.
It doesn’t have a wide range of photography features like other apps. But it makes long-exposure photography easy and accessible. The controls couldn’t be simpler.
You select the exposure time and shoot. If you’re shooting day or night, the camera sorts out the other exposure settings. All you need to do is keep the camera in position. The app does have stabilization. But it only works for exposures up to five seconds.
A smartphone or mini tripod is the best solution for longer exposure times. And the Long Exposure app allows you to shoot for up to 20 minutes!
If you feel limited by the basic app, you can upgrade to the premium account. It gives you more manual controls. And you can shoot in RAW file formats. That’s perfect for fine-tuning your images using photo editing apps or software.
This is the simplest app on the list, and its Google Play reviews are the weakest of anything here. Pick it if you want a one-tap long exposure and nothing else. Pick ProShot or Manual Camera DSLR if you want to control the shot.
When Should You Use a Long-Exposure App?
We use a slower shutter speed than usual when taking long-exposure photos. By leaving the shutter open for a longer time, we can achieve certain effects that give a unique look to our photos.
Generally, we talk about long-exposure photography when the shutter speed is slow enough to blur motion. This usually means setting it to seconds instead of fractions of seconds.
Fireworks with long-exposure settings. Ⓒ Nick Dale
Photographers usually use this technique when they are aiming to blur motion:
- Landscape photographers take long exposures to make moving water smooth and silky.
- During night photography, it is used to create light trails of traffic.
- Astrophotographers use it to let more light hit the sensor, thus capturing the stars.
You can also think of using a long exposure creatively. You can blur people in the street or capture motion during sports. You can even use it to draw with light in the dark.
You might think you are missing out on these opportunities if you don’t have a camera. Luckily, all this becomes possible with long-exposure apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Tripod for Long-Exposure Phone Photos?
For anything past a few seconds, yes. ReeHeld and Spectre Camera both stabilize a hand-held shot with AI, and Easy Long Exposure Camera holds a hand-held frame for up to three seconds on its free version. Past that, a small phone tripod or any flat, solid surface is what separates a sharp result from a smeared one.
What Is the Best Free Long-Exposure App?
Spectre Camera, if you shoot on an iPhone. It is free, there is nothing to set up, and Apple named it iPhone App of the Year. Easy Long Exposure Camera is the better free pick when star trails are the goal, because it runs to 180 seconds rather than 30.
Can Android Phones Shoot Long Exposures?
Yes. ProShot and Manual Camera DSLR both give you a manual shutter on Android, and Long Exposure: Motion ProCam does it in one tap. Android has far fewer dedicated long-exposure apps than iOS, so a full manual camera app is usually the better route there.
How Long Can a Long Exposure on a Phone Be?
That depends on the app, not the phone. ReeHeld and Spectre Camera stop at around 30 seconds. Easy Long Exposure Camera runs to 180 seconds, and ProShot’s Bulb mode holds the shutter open for as long as you keep your finger on the button.
Conclusion: Best Long-Exposure Apps
Long-exposure photography is an experimental technique you should try in your photography. It comes in handy in several niches of photography.
It gives your pictures a unique look. And with these apps, you don’t need a DSLR camera to take long exposures!
If you only download one, make it ReeHeld. It is free to start, and its AI stabilization gets you a 30-second exposure without carrying a tripod. Spectre Camera is the free alternative if you would rather have Apple’s App of the Year behind you, and Slow Shutter Cam is the one-time purchase worth making once you know the technique suits you.
We hope you find the best long-exposure camera app to help you explore this technique more. If you want to explore another technique more, try our Total Time-Lapse video course to capture beautiful moments with motion.
