I Built an App for Film Photographers

It started, like most things in my life, with a camera I probably didn't need.

I'd been shooting film for a while, and somewhere along the way my collection quietly got out of hand. A Canon A-1 here, a Rollei there, a Yashica I picked up at a flea market for twelve dollars because how could I not. Before I knew it I had cameras on shelves, cameras in bags, cameras I'd forgotten I owned.

I needed to track them. So I did what any reasonable person does — I made a spreadsheet.

It worked, kind of. But every time I wanted to log a new body or look something up, it felt clunky. There was no good place for photos. The lens tracking was its own separate tab. And every time I'd hand my phone to someone to show them my collection, I'd have to explain why it looked like a tax document.

I wanted something that felt like it was actually made for film shooters. Something with a little personality. So I built it.

Meet Camera Vault

My Camera Vault is an iOS app for tracking your camera and lens collection. It's designed specifically for film photographers — the kind of people who know the difference between a Rollei 35S and a 35SE, and actually care.

Here's what you can do with it:

Track your cameras and lenses. Log brand, model, year, film or digital, purchase price, where you bought it, and any notes you want to add. For lenses, you also get mount type and focal length. Everything in one place, no tabs required.

See your collection at a glance. The Stats screen gives you a breakdown of your whole collection — total cameras, total value, film vs. digital split, cameras by decade, cameras by brand. It's the kind of overview that's genuinely satisfying to look at, especially when your collection is as chaotic as mine.

Grid or list view. Flip between a visual grid (great for showing off) and a detailed list view depending on what you need.

Add photos. Each camera can have its own photo — so instead of a wall of text, you get a collection that actually looks like a collection.

It's simple on purpose. I didn't want to over-engineer it. Film photography is already an exercise in slowing down and doing one thing well — the app should feel the same way.

Built by one, for many

I'm a UX designer and developer by trade, but this one was personal. I built Camera Vault because I genuinely wanted it to exist. Every decision — from the layout to the fields to the way the stats are presented — came from thinking about what I would want as a film shooter.

If you've got a collection that's outgrown your notes app or your spreadsheet, I think you'll like it.

Download My Camera Vault on the App Store →

And if you have feedback, ideas, or just want to talk cameras — I'm always around. This is very much a living project and I'm excited to keep building it out.

More soon. 🎞️