Light meter app kaput

ignatiu5 · Jan 11, 2015

paulbarden said:
Have considered the Sekonic L-308s as a modern alternative. Anyone used one of those? A combination flash + ambient meter would be nice....

I used the L-308s for a few years up until a couple of months ago when I dropped and broke it. I liked it a lot since it did both ambient and flash, which I needed, but also in a large part because it was easily pocketable. I often have a camera with me as I wander around the city, but rarely take a full camera bag. The 308s fits easily in the back pocket of my pants. I replaced it with the L-408 which is less pocketable, but will fit in a pinch.

removedacct1 · Jan 11, 2015

ignatiu5 said:
I used the L-308s for a few years up until a couple of months ago when I dropped and broke it. I liked it a lot since it did both ambient and flash, which I needed, but also in a large part because it was easily pocketable. I often have a camera with me as I wander around the city, but rarely take a full camera bag. The 308s fits easily in the back pocket of my pants. I replaced it with the L-408 which is less pocketable, but will fit in a pinch.

Pocketable is definitely an asset. Thanks for that feedback

sly · Jan 12, 2015

Deleting and reloading was the first thing I tried. The hard reset hasn't worked either. Can't synch it to my computer - it died 2 days ago. I've deleted the app, and will try reloading again in a couple of days. Time to go on a long holiday and leave all the electronics behind. (But can't holiday without a light meter!)

Roger Cole · Jan 12, 2015

paulbarden said:
Possibly. Have you contacted the developer? (And I don't mean D76) Most app developers are happy to reach out when their customers have a problem with something they created.

Nah. I may, but frankly I just don't care that much right now. I'm not photographing much and not likely to be doing so until spring, or at least late winter if I ever set up those hot lights I bought for a song. And this is a spare for a spare but, what the heck, it works well (or did) and it's free and I always have it. I'd bet they fix it before I actually need it again.

bdial · Jan 12, 2015

I found I didn't like lightmeter app so much so I got a copy of "MyLightMeter", it goes down to some pretty small f numbers, though in goofing around with it just now it seems to be intent on keeping things in a limited range.

FWIW I discovered I really don't like the process of dragging out the phone, finding the app, verifying all it's settings then actually making a reading when I can just point a meter and push a button.
But it is nice to have when you've realized the meter is back at home.
Hope this is helpful.

Peter Simpson · Jan 12, 2015

Just updated it, now mine does the same thing.

DWThomas · Jan 12, 2015

Peter Simpson said:
Just updated it, now mine does the same thing.

All very strange -- assuming we are talking about Pocket Light Meter from Nuwaste. When this thread popped up, I was looking to see what I had and got a flag saying an update was available. So I updated, the rev shows as 9.3, and it appears to be OK. I'm running iOS 8.1.2 ("the latest") on an iPhone 5C. It's got 32 GB of memory and I don't do the music stuff, so there's no shortage of memory -- any chance that's a problem?

And I gotta say, I'm running iTunes on Windoze 7x64 and I find it the most illogical and frustrating excuse for a program I've ever run -- maybe because I really don't want tunes but just a way to manage and update the damn phone!

DWThomas · Jan 12, 2015

bdial said:
[...]
FWIW I discovered I really don't like the process of dragging out the phone, finding the app, verifying all it's settings then actually making a reading when I can just point a meter and push a button. [...]

My main interest was to use it for pinhole work where the alternative is to make a chart to convert readings at f/22 or something within the range of more conventional meters. (And besides, I may want to take a "selfie" of me with my camera anyway! )

MrBrowning · Jan 12, 2015

I use Pocket Light Meter which goes to f/512 app is great until you start getting into low light situations. I've never had any issues with it. Then again I still have an iPhone 4s and am using some version of iOS 7 since I haven't updated recently.

For pinhole work I'd second Pinhole Assist as it is one the best light meters since it has reciprocity built in.

Roger Cole · Jan 12, 2015

Yep that's it, and the review page for the current version is full of complaints that it crashes as soon as it opens. They have to know about it by now.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk and 100% recycled electrons - because I care.

sly · Jan 12, 2015

Glad to know it's not just me.

MrBrowning · Jan 12, 2015

Roger Cole said:
Yep that's it, and the review page for the current version is full of complaints that it crashes as soon as it opens. They have to know about it by now.

Glad I'm to lazy to keep on top of my phones updates.

DWThomas · Jan 12, 2015

I guess the best thing about phone apps is you can buy a hundred of them for the cost of an upgrade to Office Pro!

Ah well, keep looking for 9.3.1 !

Roger Cole · Jan 13, 2015

New update came out today which said "fixed error when starting in iOS 7." I just updated and it works fine again.

This sort of thing has been my experience. When an update completely breaks an ap for a large group of users the developer usually has a fix out very quickly.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk and 100% recycled electrons - because I care.

DWThomas · Jan 13, 2015

Roger Cole said:
New update came out today which said "fixed error when starting in iOS 7." I just updated and it works fine again.
[ ... ]

Aha! Mayhaps that explains why I didn't see a problem, I'm on iOS 8(.1.2).

[Artie Johnson voice] "Ve-er-r-r-r-ry eenteresting" [/A.j.voice]

I probably should learn more about the internals of these phones, I used to do embedded systems design and programming -- but I'm retired!

Roger Cole · Jan 13, 2015

I need to get a new phone and it's on my list (though I'd have preferred to stay with 7.x until they fix more of 8, as there are other issues some people are still having with 8.) Not possible with a new phone though. Heck, I've been mad ever since iOS 7 took the clean look of 6 and poured Play Skol ugly all over it.

Sirius Glass · Jan 13, 2015

What about this great idea? A cell phone that is just a telephone. No text, no camera, no OS, no worries, practically free of device costs, ... life is simple, be happy

DWThomas · Jan 13, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
What about this great idea? A cell phone that is just a telephone. No text, no camera, no OS, no worries, practically free of device costs, ... life is simple, be happy

Doooood! Ya gotta get wit da program! We're supposed to consume, consume, CONSUME -- the guys behind the curtain insist.

:munch:

Sirius Glass · Jan 13, 2015

DWThomas said:
Doooood! Ya gotta get wit da program! We're supposed to consume, consume, CONSUME -- the guys behind the curtain insist.

:munch:

Dude, I consume. But I buy film, paper and chemicals. I do not walk around starring down at a piece of plastic tapping keys while ignoring the world around me. It is called living life.

sly · Jan 13, 2015

Sirius - I just ordered 50 rolls of film - so I'm doing my bit there.
My son was shocked when I told him I use my "handy" as a light meter more often than as a phone. I'm too old to understand how anyone can walk and text at the same time - I'd fall over.
I'll try the fixed app today.

DWThomas · Jan 13, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
Dude, I consume. But I buy film, paper and chemicals. I do not walk around starring down at a piece of plastic tapping keys while ignoring the world around me. It is called living life.

I don't walk around staring at it either. But it sometimes saves bringing a laptop when traveling as I can field and reply to email with the phone. (And though retired I am entangled in some group activities where that is very useful.) I particularly like being able to maintain contact with friends and family via email or text rather than playing tag with attempted voice calls. The GPS/map functions have proven quite useful in navigating unfamiliar cities on foot, etc. In truth, I hardly ever make (or receive) ordinary phone calls with it.

The Big Deal(tm) is that it can play music so you can not only walk around staring at it, you can do so with earphones on so you don't even hear what's about to run you over. The earphones that came with mine are still in the box -- somewhere. There's no music installed on it. I do confess <sniff!> yes <sob!> that I do occasionally take a picture with it. :munch:

And note that I only got one in May 2014, I had to be sure it wasn't a passing fad.

Roger Cole · Jan 13, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
What about this great idea? A cell phone that is just a telephone. No text, no camera, no OS, no worries, practically free of device costs, ... life is simple, be happy

That's fine - for a phone. Voice calls are about the least thing I use mine for. "Phone" is kind of a misnomer. It's really my tiny, always with me, always connected portable computer which just happens to have a VoIP application that lets me make occasional calls too. I almost don't even care about the voice ability.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk and 100% recycled electrons - because I care.

Roger Cole · Jan 13, 2015

And I have 18 GB of music on mine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk and 100% recycled electrons - because I care.

sly · Jan 13, 2015

No music on mine, but some podcasts and audiobooks downloaded from library (for long car drives). And now my light meter app works.

Xmas · Jan 13, 2015

You guys are pervos I play hide and seek with mine...

Light meter app kaput

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency