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LightMeter (noAds)?
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Popularity Score: 30
This app was mentioned in 35 comments, with an average of 1.57 upvotes
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I'm guessing that if you had an incident light meter, you would use that. But this is definitely a situation where that would be the best tool for the job. The light meter application I use on Android has an incident mode. It might be worth experimenting with that as well.
If you have an iPhone, I’d recommend the Lightmate film exposure meter app on the App Store. I’ve used it and really like the simple user interface, accurate, free has the ability to set one of the big three (aperture, shutter speed, iso) as priority, and how you can choose around the image to check for highlights and shadows with the exposure. You can also use it with one hand pretty easily which helps you juggle the phone and the camera when metering. For android phones, I’d recommend the LightMeter app because it is easy to use, has a cool vintage interface, accurate, and can be calibrated but is $2. Hope this helps!
I personally use this app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa&hl=en&gl=US (on ios https://apps.apple.com/es/app/mylightmeter-gratis/id578970826) but there's many that do the same thing and don't cost money.
This is the best one i can find it might cost somthing but it works great! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa&hl=en
I use this one. Results turned out alright, I was using it on reflective and just checking it right in front of my camera. All shots were taken in pretty ideal conditions though, so no idea how it reacts in more contrast heavy scenes.
Pretty sure any well reviewed lightroom app will do you good though, regardless of iOS versus android.
Prolonged exposure to light causes the selenium to degrade faster so once it's fully degraded then it will stop working, but that will take a very very long time to happen completely. The degradation means that it doesn't produce the same current when receiving light hence the readings being inaccurate. If it's been covered up then it will still have come some ways away but not as much as if completely exposed.
There's really great apps now for smartphones that work through their camera. I swear by this one, the paid version is worth it for the ability to carry over settings and calibrate the meter yourself (my phone tended to over expose by 2 stops at default calibration).
I've used a digital camera, cell phone app, and a Sekonic L308. All worked fine though the Sekonic wins for ease of use. I still use my digital camera for test shots if I'm shooting with strobes. The Sekonic can do flash metering if you do some mental math but I like seeing a preview before I commit it to film.
Since you have a digital camera already, go with that.
Large format is a lot less scary once you get those first few shots under your belt.
Try the "Light Meter" app (Android and iOS) by David Quiles --in Android Playstore will come up with the search phrase "Light Meter, guess in App Store it will be the same. In my Samsung it does reflected and incident readings and the reflected mode zooms in, perhaps not to 5º but narrow enough to get selective readings. THe interface is just like a traditional meter.
PS, A copy of the Android one (same interface) can be found here.
Only benefit that occurs to me is the incident readings that are preferred in very contrasty scenes. The internal meter will either average the scene, give the center a bias or --like the case of more recent cameras- use a smart matrix. The incident meter will read the light reaching the scene, not the scene per se.
Did you know you can use your phone camera/s as a very advanced light meter? In my Android phone I use one that, while not being free it's the best I've found.Just $2 and the name (roll drum) is LightMeter, surprise!
There are two that I tried, Light Meter - Lite (free) and LightMeter by David Quiles. Trust me when I say that the David Quiles one is miles better.
You can see all the matching f stops to shutter speeds without adjusting values, doesn't freeze every minute, and is very accurate in reflected light mode according to my Sony. If you used analog light meters before, the UI will be very intuitive.
Link is here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa
A warning I have though is make sure your phone can output exposure data to exif. If it can't, then any android lightmeters won't be that accurate on your phone.
Another vote here. It doesn't do histograms or multi spot metering, but it's mighty accurate and it's a fun little package to use!
Im using LightMeter and have been very happy. Compared it against my 80D, AE-1 program, and my olleiflex T light meters and it came out spot on.
It lets you measure reflected-light and incident-light and is pretty simple to use with a nice retro look. Think it cost a couple bucks but it's absolutely worth it.
Yes, smartphones have pretty good light meters, since they all have built-in digital cameras.
I use this one on my Android phone. There's a guy on /r/analogcommunity who made one for iOS that looks pretty cool.
I've been using this paid one for the past year. It does the job and lets you calibrate the camera and finetune the reading based on your phone.
This being said imo there is a compatibility issue with most of the android phones. Thing is that the app (whatever it is) needs to collect the data from the lightmeter sensor (that determines the auto luminosity of the screen) or the camera without something in between changeing those values, or even more a sensor that is not perfectly calibrated, and if you think about how many android phones and companies and different hardware is around you start to see why the one on iPhones work a little bit better.
Speaking from experience, the app is good enough provided you calibrate it to a known-to-be-good meter.
For example, I use this light meter app and calibrated it to read the same as my XE's in-camera meter for the same scene. Works like a charm.
Not to jump in on OP's product. But I found this to be the best for android. You can zoom and IS0 goes in thirds.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa
for Android I use Lightmeter by David Quiles.
Good on well lighted scenes. Not so good on very dark scenes.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa
I use the app named LightMeter. It's perfect, everything I've metered with it has been spot on.
It's an android app called Lightmeter but I downloaded it when it was still free, it's since gone up to $2 which would be well worth spending if you're on an android phone.
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You can also always meter from your phone's camera in "pro" mode by selecting your ISO and aperature/shutter speed and seeing what your phone is metering at which is all that app is doing anyway.
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I don't really bother putting a metering battery in my Canonet because it's almost never going to be correct. There's adapters but for me it's easier to just run an eternal meter.
>The exposure meter uses a PX625 mercury battery, which is now discontinued. The alkaline equivalent can be used, but the different voltage, different discharge curve, and absence of voltage regulation circuit cause incorrect metering that results in between 1.5-f-stop underexposure at the beginning of the life of the alkaline battery and 1.5-f-stop overexposure at the end.
I'm an Android user. It's literally just called Lightmeter lol. I think I paid like a buck for it? But idr, if I'm honest.
I recommend this one, as I have not had any troubles with it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa&hl=en
You can download an app on your phone. I personally use this one. You have to pay for it but it's worth it.
You can use your phone as a meter.
Here is the android app I use.
The phone has a camera so it has to meter light 😎
Got it! I'll leave the link in case anyone needs it
So I use an android app when metering. This one
Are you saying to point my phone at the lights for metering?
I use: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa Maybe you can find an older version somewhere, it was for free two years ago.
Have you tried a Smartphone App? Worked fine for me so far. E.g. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa
I use a free one for android aptly named "light meter"
also, apparently it is no longer free but $2
On Android, I use "Light Meter". I also have a small analog Sekonic L208 that works great. Those can be had for about $100.
I think this is the same app. I use it too, particularly useful because you can use it as a spotmeter too.
Edit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa
You can also find light meter apps for iOS.
I use Android, the app is simply called LightMeter https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa
Works fine but if I have difficult light I overexpose. If it's really tough, I stand develop.
I use this one and it's been great. Has both reflective and incident metering, though incident might not work on lower-end phones.