A film camera with a small viewfinder and no review

How does shooting work?

Load a roll, set a name, a number of frames and a develop trigger, then open the camera. An LCD counter shows how many frames are left. After each shot you swipe the wheel to wind on, with a ratchet haptic.

The camera is also used to scan roll tickets for crew rolls.

1. Tap Load a roll and set it up.
2. Shoot through the small viewfinder.
3. Swipe the thumb wheel to wind on.
4. Keep shooting until the roll is finished.

Why a limited roll?

A finite roll makes each frame count. You shoot fewer, more deliberate pictures, and you get the small surprise of seeing them later. Free rolls hold 12 or 24 frames. A 36-frame roll is part of Pro.

What happens to the photos?

Undeveloped frames stay inside Proofsheet until the roll develops. After that, developed photos, proof sheets and reels are saved to your Photos library when you allow it. The app asks only for add-only access, so it cannot see your other photos. Deleting the app before a roll develops deletes those frames.

What do I choose before shooting?

The film look, the number of frames and when the roll develops: when it ends, tomorrow at 09:00, on a day you pick or, with Pro, at any time you set. Pro also adds a date stamp, light leaks and double exposure. See film looks and the darkroom.

What is the LCD counter?

A small display that counts the frames left on the roll, in the style of a film body. When it reaches zero, the roll is finished and it will develop at the time you set. If the roll ends before you shoot all the frames, you can still develop early.

How many rolls can I have?

The free plan allows unlimited solo rolls, one active at a time. Pro allows up to five active rolls. A crew roll you join does not count toward the free limit, so you can be on a friend's roll while your own solo roll is still loaded.

What controls are on the camera screen?

The screen is a camera body, not a toolbar. Everything you need sits within thumb reach.

• A large shutter pad with a ready light under it and a red dot while a frame saves.
• An LCD counter showing the frames left.
• A flash toggle and a switch between the front and back cameras.
• A date stamp toggle, shown when the roll allows it.
• A ribbed thumb wheel on the right edge for winding on.

Why does the shutter lock after each shot?

As on a mechanical body, the shutter stays disabled until you swipe the wheel, with ratchet haptics and a click. It stops you from machine-gunning a subject and adds a beat of attention between frames. If the ritual does not suit you, turn on Auto-wind in Settings and the wheel step disappears. VoiceOver users get a Wind on button in place of the swipe.

What does the viewfinder show?

A small window with the live camera view and a line of text under it with the look and frame count, such as the look name and 14 of 24. The look is applied when the roll develops, so the viewfinder shows the plain scene. A Full viewfinder setting gives a bigger window if the small one is hard to use.

What does the first minute look like?

The app begins with a three-frame taster roll, so you shoot before you read anything. After the third frame it shows a Rewinding message, opens the darkroom, and finishes with a proof sheet. The first sheet arrives with frame 2 already circled as a demo. No account is needed at any point.

Can I shoot a second exposure on the same frame?

With Pro you can turn on double exposure. The camera then prompts you to shoot again on the same frame, and the two pictures blend. Because you cannot review, the result is a surprise, as it was on film.

How is this different from the built-in Camera app?

The built-in app lets you review each picture and take as many as you like. Proofsheet gives you a fixed roll and no review, and it handles the look and the reveal for you. Use the built-in camera for documents, video and anything you need to check at once. Use Proofsheet for moments you want to treat as a roll.

What are the limits?

The app is portrait-only and made for iPhone. It does not record video and does not show your pictures until the roll develops. If you develop early with Develop now, the unshot frames are lost. Deleting the app before developing deletes the undeveloped frames too.