Optimal Windows
Overview
Rather than reading multiple environmental screens, Optimal Windows identifies the specific times today (or on a selected date) when conditions are best for shooting — combining all factors automatically.
Accessing Optimal Windows
Planning tab → Optimal Windows
What It Shows
A list of time windows throughout the day, sorted by composite score. Each window card shows:
- Start and end time
- The primary driver (golden hour, incoming tide, clear sky, etc.)
- The composite score for that window
- A brief description of what makes it good
Tap any window to see the full breakdown of how each factor scored.
How the Composite Score Is Calculated
Each window’s score (out of 10) blends up to four factors, weighted the same way for every window:
| Factor | Weight | Included when |
|---|---|---|
| Light | 35% | Always |
| Weather | 35% | A WeatherKit forecast is available for the window |
| Tides | 20% | The location is coastal |
| Wildlife | 10% | The location is a wildlife-type location with seasonal data |
If a factor doesn’t apply to a window — tides at an inland location, for example — Apex Lucis leaves it out entirely and reweights the remaining factors proportionally, rather than penalising the score for data that was never going to exist. This is why two windows can each show a perfect light score but end up with different composite totals: one might be coastal and picking up a tide contribution the other doesn’t have.
Quick Action Button
Each window has a Quick Action Button that lets you:
- Jump to the detailed Light & Sky view for that time
- Save the window to a note
- Add a reminder