Are Cell Phone Light Metre Apps Reliable?

[Andrew O'Neill]

Decided to try "Light Meter Light" out...

 

[mrosenlof]

I normally use an older handheld meter, but have used this (or similar looking) phone app, and found it to be reasonably close.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I normally use an older handheld meter, but have used this (or similar looking) phone app, and found it to be reasonably close.

I was quite skeptical at first, but in the end, pleasantly surprised.

 

[retina_restoration]

Been using MyLightmeter Pro for years, and it is as reliable and accurate as my Sekonic, which I leave at home more often than not.

 

[DWThomas]

I have a couple of those apps, and for reasons not understood have never really gone full OCD on checking them out. I have used Pinhole Assist the last couple of years for WPPD and it has done reasonably well for that. That seemed a good place to start as PA deftly handles teeny tiny apertures without needing translation tables. Well -- that and I tend to view pinholery as "everything is plus or minus 50%" anyway!

I am inclined to suspect there could be variations in success rates due to potential hardware differences between the huge assortment of phone models in existence. But that might mostly argue for being consistent in one's procedures. The apps are certainly better than nothing as one gets further away from typical outdoor shots on sunny days.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have a couple of those apps, and for reasons not understood have never really gone full OCD on checking them out. I have used Pinhole Assist the last couple of years for WPPD and it has done reasonably well for that. That seemed a good place to start as PA deftly handles teeny tiny apertures without needing translation tables. Well -- that and I tend to view pinholery as "everything is plus or minus 50%" anyway!

I am inclined to suspect there could be variations in success rates due to potential hardware differences between the huge assortment of phone models in existence. But that might mostly argue for being consistent in one's procedures. The apps are certainly better than nothing as one gets further away from typical outdoor shots on sunny days.

Someone actually commented about that very thing on the channel. The same app worked well on an old Samsung, but not so on an LG.

 

[MFstooges]

I use this app and pretty happy with it

 

[131802]

I use an app called Lightmeter Pro. It’s consistent with my handheld Sekonic, and with the meter in my Nikon F100.

 

[Chan Tran]

I download the app in the video and it read 2 stops too low.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I've used Pocket Light Meter (free app) and it has not been more than a couple tenths different than my Sekonic meter.

 

[BAC1967]

I have a couple of those apps, and for reasons not understood have never really gone full OCD on checking them out. I have used Pinhole Assist the last couple of years for WPPD and it has done reasonably well for that. That seemed a good place to start as PA deftly handles teeny tiny apertures without needing translation tables. Well -- that and I tend to view pinholery as "everything is plus or minus 50%" anyway!

I am inclined to suspect there could be variations in success rates due to potential hardware differences between the huge assortment of phone models in existence. But that might mostly argue for being consistent in one's procedures. The apps are certainly better than nothing as one gets further away from typical outdoor shots on sunny days.

The Pinhole Assist app is great for calculating reciprocity for long exposures, even for non-pinhole.

 

[Vaidotas]

To my experience “Viewfinder Preview” app has pretty much usable exponometry capability.
This app by Adam Fowler was discussed few years ago on LFPF.

 

[Ben 4]

Interesting results—I'll have to take a look at one of those lightmeter apps. To be fair, I'm not sure that "sunny 16" was made for such complex scenes.

 

[titrisol]

LightMe and Lightmate are useful, about 1/2 stop from a sekonic and give you the capability of spot/area metering plus color temp and other gadgets

 

[Sirius Glass]

I could not find "Light Meter Light" in the Apple Store. Do you have another name for that app?

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I found it in Google Play store. That is where I find apps.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

I have the Luxi app with the appropriate diffusor to attach over the iPhone's camera, which is, to my personal opinion, reliable (www.luxiforall.com).
Luxi needs an accessory for incident light metering (which doesn't bother me), and is not free but the profit goes to charity and this is important too.
I keep it as a spare when, on the go, an accident happens to my handheld light meter.

But, as discussed so may times in several threads over here, comparing light meters...

 

[CodeCrafters]

Decided to try "Light Meter Light" out...

hello where i can download this app..

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

hello where i can download this app..

I downloaded it from the Play Store app, on my phone.

 

[aw614]

I haven't had issues with using my phone, but I do think my phone is over exposing by 1 to 2 stops compared to other phones I've used especially at slower shutter speeds. Seem more phone related than app though.

 

[BradS]

I too have been using the my Lightmeter Pro App on iPhone for many years. Not only is it accurate and reliable, it is super convenient and flexible. I leave the Gossen Luna Pro digital meter at home.

 

[retina_restoration]

I still rely heavily on MyLightmeter Pro and use it more and more as a kind of "spot meter" (there's an option for a narrow field of view to meter) and find it totally reliable and accurate. It's nice to have it always available, since my phone is always with me. No extra bit of equipment needed.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

The light metre app will only be a back up. It will never replace my real spot metres. That app saved me on two occasions!

 

[Patrick Robert James]

If you have an IPhone give Lightmate a go. I found it nicer to use than Lightmeter, though I don't have the "pro" version. The interface of Lightmate is simple and slick. Easy to use. And the whole screen is usable instead of just a little window.

 

[GregY]

I use a number of different meters (Gossen digisix, Pentax digital spotmeter), but given the quality of images that today's cellphones are capable producing it's not too much of a stretch to believe that lightmeter apps can be accurate.