Lightmeter apps

[madsox]

This topic comes up in lots of different threads about metering, but I don't see a central thread for discussion of it. So here is a place to do that, hopefully in an appropriate forum. Things change in the app world all the time, of course, so this will need to be updated over time.

What apps do you use on your phone for light metering?
Which have you tried and liked, which have not been as good?
What was it about each that was good or bad?
What phone do you use, and how accurate do you find the hardware?

etc.

To start, I have an iPhone 13, and am trying different free apps because I'm a cheap old bugger.

Right now I have Lightme and Lightmate loaded. I like them both so far,

Lightmate has a very simple interface good for a quick reading. It seems to do a weighted area average, centered on a spot you can select by tapping the screen (so you can select one spot in the field of view as the focus). I'm not sure how it's weighted or what its field of view is, but it matches my in-camera and other light meters pretty well.

Lightme is more complicated, allows you to zoom in on a view to select specific spots for metering, and can record a number of spot readings and average them for you, has a convenient Zone scale on it for reference while you use it. The paid version (which I may get) apparently lets you record preferences for a number of preset film type and other factors (camera/lens/lighting conditions), so you can get pretty precise with it.

I tried Lux Light Meter, and found it too focused on videography, with the free/sample version too limited to really check it out. Or maybe the interface just wasn't intuitive for me...

So, how bout you?

 

[Saganich]

Haven't found one I like better then my spot meter, but Lux come closest because I find it easy to hold one variable constant.

 

[madNbad]

I have used myLightmeter on three different iPhones and it works well. I have the “Pro” version which costs less than five usd but offers more adjustments. The basic version looks like a Sekonic L-208 and is easy to read. Both versions offer incident readings.

 

[Breadbutter]

Cine Meter II is pretty good.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I use ZoneView for kicks to see the SBR in EV and f/stop and shutter speed. I have never used it to taking a photograph.

 

[PicklesFrog]

galaxy z flip - "exposure"
its been very accurate (tested it with my gossen luna pro f) but has a heck ton of numbers on the dial below the screen, which makes it a bit hard for my olympus om 1 f1.8/50mm camera lens. overall would recommend it

my om-1's meter works just inaccurate as i cant find a battery that is the right voltage

 

[_T_]

I’ve been using lightme for a few years now. Very convenient. I’ve exposed about a dozen rolls of 120 and maybe 50 sheets of 4x5 using it. I’ve never seen it miss the exposure I intended. It’s pretty cool for large format too because it accounts for bellows factor. I use all the little features it offers like the nd compensation and stuff that other more minimalist apps don’t have so it’s kinda my only option. Lucky for me I’m pretty satisfied with it.

I used it so much I got tired of seeing the ads and paid to get rid of them.

 

[wiltw]

I use an app called 'Lightmeter'. I also have a Minolta Autometer Vf incident meter and a Minolta Spotmeter F one-degree spot meter, and the two meters match readings within 0.1EV (reading 18% gray card vs. incident mode).

Comparing 'Lightmeter' camera meter mode, I need to adjust the app +0.5EV to match the Minolta Spotmeter F.
Comparing 'Lightmeter' incident meter mode, I need to adjust the app -0.5EV to match the Minolta Autometer Vf.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

I use the LUXI app and little white dome attachment that goes with it, see www.luxiforall.com
It's simple and efficient, and for me it's the ideal spare when my Gossen Digipro F might abandon me (or I left it lying around somewhere)...

BTW, that Luxi dome can be used for the Cine Meter II app too, and that one has an additional colour temperature meter function...

 

[Brad Deputy]

I use Light Meter on Android (developer: WBPhoto) and liked it so much I bought it. Found metering spot on with my past HTC U11 phone. Then, I overexposed 2 rolls of film using it with my new OnePlus 10T phone before realizing it was 2.5 stops off in daylight, 2 stops in tungsten light...oops. It varies by phone apparently.

You probably won't have that issue with the iPhone versions.

 

[bjorke]

...it was 2.5 stops off in daylight, 2 stops in tungsten light...

"real" light meters can drift too. My Sekonic 508's almost a full stop off these days (easy to correct with the "+/-" but)... I thought my cameras were getting wonky, so sat down with every camera and meter, tested thoroughly and found that the one thing I had been trusting: the Sekonic -- was the only one that was wrong. Who meters the master meter?

 

[Philippe-Georges]

"...Who meters the master meter?"

A second (master-) meter...

 

[KinoGrafx]

Mylightmeter is great, accurate, and has a nice analog interface. But I also keep this one on my phone (or taped to the back of the camera )

 

[sloane]

Lightme is crazy powerful once you get it setup, not only can you make presets, you can set your viewfinder to actually help you setup a shot. It is vital with my 4x5. It helps me visualize where to setup and is a pretty decent spot(ish) meter.

Also, the built in reciprocity calculator is really nice to have

 

[madsox]

Lightme is crazy powerful once you get it setup, not only can you make presets, you can set your viewfinder to actually help you setup a shot. It is vital with my 4x5. It helps me visualize where to setup and is a pretty decent spot(ish) meter.

Also, the built in reciprocity calculator is really nice to have

I'm just starting to look into Lightme, it does have a lot of capabilities for free! I've always liked the Zone system, that integration is nice.

For quickie readings, I'm liking Lightmate, it makes the phone into an averaging reflective meter.

Those two seem pretty accurate with my iPhone, and for now they're all I need. Thanks to all with the recommendations.

 

[Helge]

Lightme is crazy powerful once you get it setup, not only can you make presets, you can set your viewfinder to actually help you setup a shot. It is vital with my 4x5. It helps me visualize where to setup and is a pretty decent spot(ish) meter.

Also, the built in reciprocity calculator is really nice to have

That is absolutely mental! How did that slip under everyone’s radar‽
It’s basically everything you ever wanted in a light meter app.

One of the various LiDAR apps also works very well for shorter distances in not too much daylight.

Now only integrate the two and make an iPhone holder that fits at an angle in a tripod socket so as to let the phone camera peep over the back of a film camera and then you will have made the best viewfinder ever for a film camera.

 

[awty]

Lightme is crazy powerful once you get it setup, not only can you make presets, you can set your viewfinder to actually help you setup a shot. It is vital with my 4x5. It helps me visualize where to setup and is a pretty decent spot(ish) meter.

Also, the built in reciprocity calculator is really nice to have

There use to be a specific "Reciprocity" app that had most popular films, a filter and bellows compensator as well as a timer. Sadly last time I tried using it, it was gone and I havent found anything near as good.

 

[Steve Goldstein]

There used to be a specific "Reciprocity" app that had most popular films, a filter and bellows compensator as well as a timer. Sadly last time I tried using it, it was gone and I havent found anything near as good.

Are you talking about “Reciprocity Timer”?

It still exists as far as I know. The developer is currently working on a bug fix but as this is very much a part-time activity he couldn’t say when it would be out. (I contacted him on another forum.)

 

[Brad Deputy]

There use to be a specific "Reciprocity" app that had most popular films, a filter and bellows compensator as well as a timer. Sadly last time I tried using it, it was gone and I havent found anything near as good.

Light Meter (Paid version) has these features too, I think. About 100 types of B&W film, as well as compensating for filters and adjustment / calibration.

 

[awty]

Are you talking about “Reciprocity Timer”?

It still exists as far as I know. The developer is currently working on a bug fix but as this is very much a part-time activity he couldn’t say when it would be out. (I contacted him on another forum.)

No, the one I was using has completely disappeared without trace.

 

[awty]

Light Meter (Paid version) has these features too, I think. About 100 types of B&W film, as well as compensating for filters and adjustment / calibration.

Thanks, I will check it out. Ive been using "exposure assistant" and adding on whats needed.