Honest comparison · Updated 2026-09-18
Umbrio vs Massive Dev Chart Timer
The Massive Dev Chart is a name most film darkroom users already know — its development-time database and companion timer app have been a community reference for years, sold as a $9.99 paid app. Umbrio is narrower and cheaper: a pure print-exposure timer, without the film-development chart. Here's the honest comparison.
Dimension-by-dimension
| Dimension | Umbrio | Massive Dev Chart Timer | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core function | Print exposure countdown timer only — tap to start, stop anywhere on screen. | Film development timer built around the Massive Dev Chart's development-time database, plus general timing. | |
| Development time database | None — Umbrio is print-timing only, not a film development reference. | Access to the Massive Dev Chart's extensive film/developer/dilution time database. | |
| Presets | Quick presets (5s/8s/10s/15s/20s/30s) always one tap away; unlimited named presets with Pro. | Custom timer presets for development steps. | |
| Price | Free core timer; Pro for unlimited named presets. | $9.99 one-time. | |
| Scope | Focused purely on print exposure, a simpler, narrower tool. | Broader darkroom tool covering film development timing and reference data. | |
| Track record | New, unproven. | A name the darkroom community has trusted for years, tied to the well-known Massive Dev Chart reference. |
Umbrio advantage · Massive Dev Chart Timer advantage · roughly equal
Where Umbrio wins
- Built purely for print exposure, not development timing — instant countdown, tap anywhere to stop, no setup.
- Free, with named preset saving available via Pro rather than a $9.99 upfront cost.
- Presets always one tap away for the handful of exposure times most printers actually reuse.
Where Massive Dev Chart Timer wins
- Tied to the Massive Dev Chart — a genuinely trusted, well-known reference database for film development times that darkroom printers already rely on.
- Broader scope covering film development timing, not just print exposure.
Pick Umbrio if…
You're at the enlarger timing prints and want a fast, free, focused exposure countdown — not a development-time database.
See UmbrioPick Massive Dev Chart Timer if…
You need the Massive Dev Chart's development-time reference data alongside your timer.
Visit Massive Dev Chart Timer siteDifferent stages of the darkroom workflow: Massive Dev Chart Timer is built around film development; Umbrio is built purely for the print-exposure step that follows it.
Frequently asked questions
What's the main difference between Umbrio and Massive Dev Chart Timer?+
The Massive Dev Chart is a name most film darkroom users already know — its development-time database and companion timer app have been a community reference for years, sold as a $9.99 paid app. Umbrio is narrower and cheaper: a pure print-exposure timer, without the film-development chart. Here's the honest comparison
Should I choose Umbrio or Massive Dev Chart Timer?+
Pick Umbrio if: You're at the enlarger timing prints and want a fast, free, focused exposure countdown — not a development-time database. Pick Massive Dev Chart Timer if: You need the Massive Dev Chart's development-time reference data alongside your timer.
What can Umbrio do that Massive Dev Chart Timer can't?+
Built purely for print exposure, not development timing — instant countdown, tap anywhere to stop, no setup. Free, with named preset saving available via Pro rather than a $9.99 upfront cost. Presets always one tap away for the handful of exposure times most printers actually reuse.
Where does Massive Dev Chart Timer win over Umbrio?+
Tied to the Massive Dev Chart — a genuinely trusted, well-known reference database for film development times that darkroom printers already rely on. Broader scope covering film development timing, not just print exposure.
How much does Umbrio cost compared to Massive Dev Chart Timer?+
Umbrio: Free core timer; Pro for unlimited named presets. Massive Dev Chart Timer: $9.99 one-time.