15 Best Light Meter Apps To Measure The Perfect Shot

A device used to measure the amount of light on a person, the surrounding scenery, or an object is called a Light Meter.

A small device reads the shutter speed and the f-number (focal number) to determine the proper light exposure for perfect photography.

This Light Meter is now made compact in the form of Light Meter Apps for your mobile devices. 

These Applications are designed to measure light and find the perfect proportion for a perfectly set scene for photography.

These Apps do Physics and Mathematics for you and measure the right light and perfect exposure for your professional photography.

Are you tired of not finding the right settings for taking a good picture of your friend? Are natural scenes not looking the same on your camera?

Don’t worry; download one of these 15 Light Meter Apps and find the accurate light measurement for the world around you. 

Best Light Meter Apps – Our Top Pick👌👌

1. Lux Light meter by Doggo Apps

This App seems to have the highest rating compared to all the Light Meter apps on Android. It simply measures the intensity of light.

It has a +-5% calibration to a professional lux meter.

Since the app uses the light intensity sensor of your phone, the sensor is placed in the front panel of the mobile phone; the front camera has a better lower light setting. The app is free on Android and ad-free, making it easy to use.

The features present in this application are:-

• It uses smart algorithms to get high-accuracy light measurements. 
• It measures minimum, average, and maximum brightness.  
• The measuring units are Foot-candle and Lux. 
• With minimalistic and smart features, it provides an intuitive user interface. 
• It makes a perfect everyday companion with improved light evaluation proximity for people who love to capture nature in a still image.  
• It can compare the brightness level of the two rooms. 
• It has a battery protection feature, which does not drain the battery on your phone. 
• You can calibrate the measurements with the easy controls, and the app lets you store your measurements with title, date, and time, making it easier to recall your old measurements. 

Download the App from Google Play Store

2. Light Meter LM – 3000

Instead of wasting money on a handheld light meter, you can download Light Meter LM – 3000 from the Apple store for free and carry it anywhere in your pocket.

This app is proven accurate on all iOS devices of the most available apps. This app is calibrated and tested for light measurement using professional class-A equipment for all iPhones and iPads.

This application uses the camera to measure the units; therefore, no additional light sensors are required.

A few features of the app:-

• It measures light in Lux or Foot-candle. 
• It has a simple and easy-to-use interface for less consumption time. 
• The measurements can be translated into five languages: English, Spanish, German, French, and Italian. 
• Supports all the iPhones, including 13 and the new iPad models. 
• It has proper stability and helps you measure different sides of the same object. 

• The application description on the Apple store has included a video on how to use the application and its works. 

Download the App from Apple App Store

3. Photone – Grow Light Meter

Want an app to determine the right light for you to grow plants? The perfect light space to build a greenhouse? Download Photone and measure away.

In general, light meter apps are used to find the light measurements for photography, the perfect light tone, the amount of exposure, etc.

Still, this Photone Light meter application is useful for measuring the optimal lighting for growing plants.

The app measures photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) as PPFD, LUX, Foot Candles, and Kelvin, which can help you determine an environment to grow suitable flowering or fruiting plants or even for vegetable growth.  

A few features of the app:-

• The app allows you to measure indoor gardens’ daily light integral (DLI). 
• There are options to choose the right settings to get an accurate PAR and DLI. 
• The app saves you hundreds and thousands of dollars and gives industrial-grade accuracy. 
• Available on both Android and iOS, there is a pro mode on iOS.  
• A page containing content about achieving maximum accuracy is found in the application description.  

Download the App from Google Play Store

Download the App from Apple App Store

4. Light Meter by WBPhoto

It measures light using your mobile phone’s camera or the light sensor. In contrast, Light Meter by WBPhoto uses light reflection and spot and incident light metering.

This means the app uses the device’s camera and the light sensor. You can use it with any camera, from a pinhole to an SLR.  

Features of this App:-

• The device has additional meters like the Color temperature meter, a Reciprocity calculator,  a Manual calculator, an Exposure converter, a Depth of Field calculator, and an EXIF Reader. 
• Tested accurately against Sekonic and Gossen meters on most of the devices. 
• There is a feature that can calculate film reciprocity. 
• There are features for exposure, like saving, sharing, and converting. 
• There is language support that helps in translating the measurements.   

Download the App from Google Play Store

Download the App from Apple App Store

5. Lux Meter (Light meter)

This is an ideal application for Android. Of the available apps, this app measures the sensitivity of light using the light sensor of the Android phone.

This app measures the illuminances using LUX and FC. This app is useful for measuring the intensity of indirect light and calibrating LED lights such as light bulbs, aquarium fish lights, and many more.

It is also useful for growing indoor plants. 

Features of this app:-

• This free app includes a few ads that do not interfere with the measuring. 
•  You can calibrate your device with the multiplier. 
• The app shows the maximum, minimum, and average values. 
• It shows you accurate data using the sensor data. 
• You can use the app to light the room while you arrange your furniture. 
• This is a great app if you own a light store or a light meter in your pocket. 

Download the App from Google Play Store

6. Lightmate: The friendly lightmeter

In the apps, Lightmate is one of the apps that have the feature of capturing the reading using both cameras.

Lightmate is a tool designed and created to be functional and can be used quickly. The app shows only the essential scene, so you can focus only on it.  

Features of this app:-

• The three main features of Lightmate are Aperture priority, Shutter Priority, and Multiple EV Scales to choose from and compare. 
• There is an improved pinhole exposure experimental feature, which helps determine the correct exposure time. 
• It has a “touch” sensor to prioritize the preview screen to measure and update values. 
• The app allows you to increment in full, ½, and ⅓.  
• The app is available for free and ad-free.  
• You can use the app to grab an exposure reading when shooting with film. 

Download the App from Apple App Store

7. Lux Light Meter & Tools – Photometer PRO

This app measures light in LUX; the pro tools can be used for Greenhouse, plants, Photography, and Photovoltaics.

This is one of the many Light meter apps that provide multiple calculators to measure light.

It is a free application with many professional and accurate tools to measure the amount of light in Lux.

The app’s core is free, but there are a few modes you have to pay a small amount for. 

Features:-

• The app supports many languages. 
• It gives you the highest accuracy possible and lets you export all measurements to a CSV file. 
• Record and measure the maximum, minimum, and average brightness and have a piece of full light sensor information and calibration. 
• You can share and export measurements. 
• LUX to Lumen and Candela calculators, and vice versa. 
• The app helps you to set up a projector screen. 
• It is a smart, minimalist, simple, and user-friendly interface with a dark mode option. 

Download the App from Google Play Store

8. Lux –  Professional Light Meter for Film Photography

This is one of the light meter apps created by Cole Imhoff. Lux turns your iOS device into a professional and camera-ready light meter for film and photography.

This app directly takes the metric data from the camera sensor. Lux is designed for using it separately with a camera. However, it doesn’t let you take professional digital photos.  

Features:-

• The app gives you a live preview with a tap-to-focus sensor. 
• It has accurate, fast-metering data directly from the camera sensor. 
• The on-screen controls provide instant feedback along with the preview. 
• It provides full stops, half stops, and third stops. 
• It is simple and free of cost.  
• You can point your phone towards the subject or the scene, adjust your aperture, and the app will provide you with the correct shutter speed. 
• This app parallels a standard camera exposure for resolving shadows and highlights.

Download the App from Apple App Store

9. Light Meter – EV for Photography

Light Meter lets you use your smartphone like a photography light meter.

Light meter apps generally use the light device sensor on the camera, which functions as a light meter in your hands, whereas Light Meter – EV uses both modes and lets you choose the preference of the mode.

It also offers a wide collection of functions for photography in the digital and film areas. It is set up as a functional ambient meter with a rear camera. It works as both hand-helds as well as a spot meter. 

Features:-

• The app contains three modes: incident mode, aperture mode, and shutter speed. EV Compensation, for which you get the aperture and the shutter value.  
• The ISO value, which is set on auto, lets you calculate the ISO value of the given shutter speed and aperture combination with almost a perfect value. 
• In the additional features section, you have the ND Filter that reads. 
• The calibration slider ranges from -2EV to +2EV; the app even lets you input your calibration value. 

The camera sensor gives you options like spot metering, zooming of the object or scene, and matrix metering to determine the exposure of the light, but it can be tricky since it is based on the focus point; on disturbing the focal point, the measure may vary. 

You have options like adjusting the interface of the application, a basic mode containing all the basic features, high-contrast exposures, and the expanded mode with extra modes to measure light intensity. 

On this app, the sensitivity of the light meter to low light conditions and camera support may vary from individual phone models and manufacturers. 

The current phone sensors have a slow refreshing rate, limiting the light meter from capturing light-triggered reactions and the light speed on photography Strobes.  

Download the App from Google Play Store

10. HPJ Light Meter by Darry Cheng

HPJ ( house plant journal ) Light Meter is a simple light meter measuring in foot candles or lux. This is one of the few apps that record the reading and an image from the front-facing camera.

The condition for plant health is light, but when growing them indoors, the light levels vary. Without a light meter, it’s difficult to judge what’s bright and what’s low in indirect light.

Download the app and measure the brightness needed for an indoor plant. 

Features:-

• This light meter will help you put a quantity to an otherwise subjective understanding of brightness.  
• Having the camera output shown simultaneously will help you link what is in the physical environment to the brightness level. 
• You can better sense the intensity drop-off as you move away from the candle. 
• You can access the saved photos from your gallery. 
• You can measure your plants’ indirect light by pointing the front camera toward the windows. 
• Capture the image and the light meter data, data, and time. 
• Understanding light is the key to understanding plants; Darry Cheng created this app for all plant lovers. To love and grow their plants. 

Download the App from Google Play Store

11. Lumu Light Meter – Pro color and flash meter

It is an all-in-one application whose design is the essence of the app. This app puts the users’ needs and the functional transformation into appropriate use.

This uses your phone’s camera as a reflective light meter. It is an easy-to-use digital incident color and light meter.

This app can also be paired with the Lumu light metering tool. This tool is useful for a photographer, videographer, and light technician. 

Features:-

• It uses the phone’s spot metering technology. 
• The photo single-mode gives you the exposure time, f-number, IOS, EV, and LUX. 
• The photo multi-mode calculates the average value of contrast between multiple measurements.  
• The photo pinhole mode measures the exposure time for custom pinholes on camera settings. 
•  The Cine/video mode sets the FPS, F-number, exposure time, and ISO, also getting values for ambient light. 
• The flash exposure feature shows the graph of flash duration, measuring its intensity, 
• The color temperature option reads the light color temperature in Kelvin and green/magenta shift. 
• You also get the ND filters, exposure composition, chromaticity, and illuminance mode. 
• The app now supports dark mode on devices. 

Download the App from Apple App Store

12. Exposure – Light Meter for Film Photography

This is an application for exposure settings on the camera. This is one of the good Light meter apps which can be an amazing helper when shooting on film.

When using the app, you must set the ISO and point the phone at the subject.

When setting the shutter-aperture pair on the camera, you should focus on the ruler at the bottom of the screen.

The number of apertures is displayed on the first line, and the shutter speed corresponds to the current exposure in the second.

The ruler can be moved horizontally and used in exposure meter mode. The exposure value (EV) is found at the screen’s top. 

Features:-

• It has intuitive features and can calibrate the zero point and select incremental ISO values. 
• It has a sliding scale and full-screen interface. 
• Full-stop adjustments can be made. 
• You don’t have to change the settings to change shutter speed combinations. 
• There is a touch feature to enable spot-metering. 
• It has a very user-friendly interface, where the scale is in the form of a slide feature. 

Download the App from Google Play Store

13. myLightMeter Pro (iOS) [paid application]

This application was created and developed by David Quiles whose main goal was to help his fellow photographers.

The app focuses on reliability and precision for analog and digital photography.

David Quills, the creator of the app, specialized in photography, design, and development, and he created this app with the thought of the constant troubles he faced during a photoshoot.

Users have noticed that the incident light reading would work only with a diffuser, but the reading is measured even by the reflection reading given by the front camera. 

Features:-

• The Extended sensitivity is perfect for dark scenes, like a candle in a room with no light. 
• Two interface design modes are available: a retro-looking light meter design and another simple modern display. These designs are easy to use and give all the functions to measure light. 
• The incident light metering mode will provide an accurate rendition of the scene’s tone, color, and contrasts regardless of its background color, brightness, or texture. 
• The reflected light metering mode does a good job of reading the light bouncing off the object or subject. 
• You have the option to save exposure data and have a f/Tools connection. 

• Both modes use Independent calibration. 
• It has an independent section for selecting aperture, ISO, speed of light, and exposure composition.  
• The app consists of a feature for automatic priority speed and aperture.  
• The app consists of a lock and an automatic option for IOS. 
• It has a zoomed camera view with a maximum aperture, which the lens can limit. 

• It can calculate the minimum number of measurements. 
• It also can measure the light in a previously captured picture. 
• The app lets you calculate the hyperfocal distance with maximum distance. 
• The app has an in-built memory for a few lenses with a maximum aperture, including focal length and sensor size. 
• Has a feature for the measurement of hyperfocal distance, the Infra Radiation measurement. 
• It contains 2 LED indicators to show whether the measurement is reliable. And it also checks if there is a lack of light in the scene. 

Download the App from Apple App Store

14. Pocket Light Meter (iOS) [paid application]

A light meter that is always in your pocket. It is amazing for film photography with all normal cameras. The app measures reflected light and allow reciprocation calculations.

It measures exposure correctly, so one can use it for the zone system.

Spot metering by tapping on the screen is a huge help for photographers. It allows you to shoot cameras with no light meter. This app can shoot medium and large-format cameras with no light meter and get accurate results.  

Features:-

• Advertising and in-app purchases are removed. 
• My film comes out well-exposed. 
• You can use the white balance feature of this app to get great color rendition under any natural lighting condition.  
• The interface is incredibly intuitive, and you can set the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture in full, half, or third stops. 
• Some light meter apps are EV meters and others that perform the F-stop/shutter speed calculation. This app combines both quite well. The log is useful for referencing your photos using your phone camera. 
• The app is accurate and inexpensive. 
• The app has a convenient logging feature. 

Download the App from Apple App Store

15. Light Meter by David Quiles

This app is for real old-school photographers or advanced learners shooting analog photography. For the price of candy, you can work hundreds of hours.

This is one of the apps that work on reflected light with devices that can save exposure to exchangeable image file format.

Incident light meters usually work on any device, but the precision and quality of all phones differ, affecting the app’s quality.

I recommend using the reflected light option, with which the precision can be solid. This application was created for Android users by David Quiles, who had also created the iOS application for the same purpose. 

Features:- 

• It has an ISO that ranges up to 6400 in value. 
• The Incident light metering needs a light sensor for the measurements. 

• The Reflected light metering needs a camera, and only a few phones are compatible. 
• It has the low light alert feature, allowing you to calculate accurately. 
• It has a feature where the camera can be muted, but it is not available in all countries. 
• Exchangeable image file format and sensor information are displayed on the screen as an option. 
• The app allows you to calibrate. 
• You have a vibration feature that goes off on measure or hold. 
• An Incident light reading can be held with an alternative ISO selector. 
• You can pause the State and ISO recall and play it when needed. 
• There is a Spot measure option if the camera has a zoom option. 
• The app supports all screens, including extra high resolution. 

Download the App from Google Play Store

📚FAQ

Conclusion 

The main needs for perfect Light meter apps would be easy-to-use, have a measurement that gives the value in LUX or Foot Candle, has a feature for calibration, and have a simple, useful, and user-friendly interface, which would be the basic features.

And the more advanced features like multiple measurement methods. 

Few pictures or films can get tricky by heavy contrast within a scene or street lights on a dark street; this can easily be resolved using one of the Light meter apps mentioned above.

Since the apps use the inbuilt mobile phone sensors, they tend to give fewer errors while calculating light density.  

These apps mentioned above are the 15 best review apps available out there; according to the use of a photographer, the apps change, but they can all be downloaded on your mobile devices.