{"id":350907,"date":"2021-10-10T17:00:29","date_gmt":"2021-10-10T14:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/"},"modified":"2021-10-10T17:00:29","modified_gmt":"2021-10-10T14:00:29","slug":"how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/","title":{"rendered":"#How to Use a Light Meter App to Shoot Film"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a25b5b2b7c07\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a25b5b2b7c07\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/#Why_Do_You_Need_a_Light_Meter\" >Why Do You Need a Light Meter?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/#How_Do_Light_Meter_Apps_Work\" >How Do Light Meter Apps Work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/#Smartphone_Light_Meter_Apps_to_Help_You_Shoot_Film\" >Smartphone Light Meter Apps to Help You Shoot Film<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/#myLightMeter_Pro_iPhoneLight_Meter_Android\" >myLightMeter Pro (iPhone)\/Light Meter (Android)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/#Light_Meter_Free_Android\" >Light Meter Free (Android)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/#Pocket_Light_Meter_iPhone\" >Pocket Light Meter (iPhone)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/#Choose_Your_Meter_and_Go_Shoot\" >Choose Your Meter and Go Shoot<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#How to Use a Light Meter <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a> to Shoot Film&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-754654\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/photographer-light-meter.jpg?width=398&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 400w, https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/photographer-light-meter.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/photographer-light-meter.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Photographer using a light meter in photo studio\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/cropped-view-professional-male-photographer-digital-718657273\">LightField Studios\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Learning to use a 35mm film camera can be intimidating. There\u2019s no screen to check, so you need some way to gauge exposure without burning through frames the way you would with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/reviews\/the-best-digital-slr-cameras-for-photographers\/\">a digital SLR<\/a>. A light meter app can save the day.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_You_Need_a_Light_Meter\"><\/span>Why Do You Need a Light Meter?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If the film camera you picked up was well-maintained, its internal light meter might be working fine. But many of them degrade over time and give you an exposure reading that\u2019s at least a little off. If you have the cash, you could spring for a dedicated light meter.<\/p>\n<p>Or you could just use your smartphone.<\/p>\n<p>Here we\u2019ll cover how to use a couple of popular light meter apps with your 35mm film camera (or 120mm film if you\u2019re fancy). But first, a primer on how they work.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Light_Meter_Apps_Work\"><\/span>How Do Light Meter Apps Work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Light meter apps use your phone\u2019s internal light meter to measure exposure, much like it does automatically when you use your phone\u2019s camera to take a photo or video. That means that how well the app works will depend on your phone\u2019s capabilities. If the camera doesn\u2019t perform well in low light, the app won\u2019t be able to accurately meter in lower light because the sensor doesn\u2019t work as well as the one in a newer phone might.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that, depending on your phone\u2019s light sensor and camera capabilities, some functions might not work at all. Some apps might work better with your particular phone than others. We recommend that you download and test multiple apps to find which ones work best for you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>The Best Android Camera Phones for 2021: Take the Best Pics<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Smartphone_Light_Meter_Apps_to_Help_You_Shoot_Film\"><\/span>Smartphone Light Meter Apps to Help You Shoot Film<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re an iPhone or Android user, there\u2019s a light meter app for you. Some may be a bit confusing to read at first, but they\u2019re pretty easy to get the hang of.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a couple you can download and try today. This isn\u2019t an exhaustive list, just a few of the more popular apps available now.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"myLightMeter_Pro_iPhoneLight_Meter_Android\"><\/span><b>m<\/b>yLightMeter Pro (iPhone)\/Light Meter (Android)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You can find this app developed by David Quiles on <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/mylightmeter-pro\/id583922375\">iPhone<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.dq.fotometroNa\">Android<\/a> with a slightly different name but the same look. You\u2019ll know it by the old-school interface designed to look like a vintage film light meter.<\/p>\n<p>The app\u2019s look is super stylish but might intimidate you if you\u2019ve never used a light meter before. You set the ISO of whatever film you\u2019re using, say 400. Then, the app will measure exposure according to that film speed and present you with shutter speed and aperture settings by turning the central dial.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-754474 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Screen-Shot-2021-09-10-at-3.51.47-PM-1.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"App display mimics older light meters and includes shutter speed, aperture, and ISO settings.\" width=\"407\" height=\"535\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Shutter speeds are listed on the dial, which rotates to line up with different apertures at the top of the UI. Available apertures range from f1.4 to f22, and shutter speeds go to 1\/8000th of a second. You\u2019ll also get an exposure value (EV) reading in the bottom right area of the display, which you won\u2019t really need to worry about as you can simply plug in the settings the meter gives you.<\/p>\n<p>This app will not simply spit out a list of settings. You need to have the aperture in mind you want to shoot at, find it on the meter, and see which shutter speed the meter shows you to expose properly. Once you get used to doing that, Light Meter is pretty simple to use.<\/p>\n<p>You can switch between two metering modes: incidental and reflective. Incidental metering uses the light hitting your phone camera to gauge an exposure setting. Reflective metering uses light reflected off an object to determine an exposure setting. A little black button in the top right lets you toggle between the two, but the developer recommends using reflective metering.<\/p>\n<p>To take a reflective exposure reading, make sure the app is set to reflective. You\u2019ll see a dot next to the little \u201cr\u201d in the upper right area of the meter, and the white circle in the middle of the display will show whatever your phone\u2019s back camera is aimed at. Press the \u201cmeasure\u201d button right below that to take an image and meter exposure.<\/p>\n<p>This app has a few more features than a typical light meter app, including multiple ISO settings, low light alert, and more. It\u2019s paid, but very affordable at around $4 for iPhone and about $2 for the Android version.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Light_Meter_Free_Android\"><\/span>Light Meter Free (Android)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.willblaschko.android.lightmeterv2.free\">Light Meter Free<\/a>\u00a0takes a more straightforward approach to its display, telling you exposure readings in simple boxes. This app also has both reflected and incident metering capabilities, as long as you\u2019re using a phone with a front and back camera.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-754475 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Screen-Shot-2021-09-10-at-3.52.48-PM-1-e1631550722994.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"App displays image and settings in large readable boxes.\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>When tested against stand-alone light meters by the photography site Photo Workout, this app <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.photoworkout.com\/best-light-meter-apps\/#h-6-light-meter-free-android\">held its own<\/a>. If you\u2019re a fan of the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.slrlounge.com\/photography-essentials-the-sunny-16-rule\/\">sunny 16 rule<\/a>, Light Meter Free lets you calculate those settings, or you can just use the manual calculator feature by entering your film speed (ISO).<\/p>\n<p>This app is a good option if you\u2019re looking for something simple, easy to read, and feature-rich to take out with your film SLR. As the name implies, this app is free to download and use, though it does contain ads.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pocket_Light_Meter_iPhone\"><\/span>Pocket Light Meter (iPhone)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/pocket-light-meter\/id381698089\">Pocket Light Meter<\/a> uses reflected light to meter exposure settings. At $10.99, it\u2019s a bit pricey, so you may want to opt for myLightMeter instead. But if you choose to go with this app, it\u2019s easy to use and has several cool features.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-754476\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Screen-Shot-2021-09-10-at-3.53.59-PM-1.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"App display is the simplest of the three, allows for note taking.\" width=\"546\" height=\"375\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>One thing that sets this app apart is a feature that lets you save notes about the image you\u2019re taking. Light values are displayed in Kelvin, which can help you calculate your white balance if you decide to use this app while shooting manually on a digital SLR.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Choose_Your_Meter_and_Go_Shoot\"><\/span>Choose Your Meter and Go Shoot<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>These apps prove it is possible to use your phone as a light meter and get good results without spending hundreds on a stand-alone light meter. Download one (or more) to figure out what you like and what gets you excited to shoot. Whichever app you decide to go with, the important thing is to choose one and get started.<\/p>\n<p>As you go along, you\u2019ll get more experienced at determining how your photo will look based on the exposure values you set. Despite the common joke \u201cstay broke, shoot film,\u201d it is possible to build a foundation in film photography without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>How to Get Started With Film Photography<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/754461\/how-to-use-a-light-meter-app-to-shoot-film\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#How to Use a Light Meter App to Shoot Film&#8221; LightField Studios\/Shutterstock.com Learning to use a 35mm film camera can be intimidating. There\u2019s no screen to check, so you need some way to gauge exposure without burning through frames the way you would with a digital SLR. A light meter app can save the day&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":350908,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/photographer-light-meter.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-350907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=350907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/350908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=350907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=350907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=350907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}