LuMu light meter - just bought it

Got my light meter last Friday and have been using it quite a bit. At first I paired it with my Seconic meter and it was within 10% of accuracy. Having said this, I am not sure how accurate my Sekonic really is as I haven't tested it against a modern meter yet. Why you may ask? Wish I had an answer but I am motivated now so will do!

The finish of LuMu is superb, they definitely are iProduct lovers, the whole packaging and PR resembles the maker of everything i.

The leather bag fits just fine on the strap of my camera and that's who I was taking it about this past weekend. I had shot a roll and a half on this meter and everything was spot on. I do shoot mainly BnW mind you which is very forgiving.

I'll post back as I gather the miles.

Ben
 
What f stops does the LuMu have? That's one thing I definitely like about the FotometerPro app: it includes the old f stop series of my uncoated Elmar, 3.5, 4.5, 6.3, 9, 12.5, 18. I use the incident function of this app and it seems to work OK.
 
Hi Richard,

Trying to find out for you so I've inserted the LuMu and my phone says it can't find the hardware. Uh Oh! I am sending an email to support to see what I might be doing wrong.

Having said that I went into the settings and I can switch between full stops, 1/2 stops or 1/3 stops so I believe your settings would be covered.

As I am sure this sounds concerning (the fact that my Lumu is sick already), I'll be sure to post back.

Thanks,
Ben
 
Hi there,

I've got it working. My volume was not all the way up on the phone. Never thought that would matter. I'll post back once I hear from the developers as I am asking them what's best to do here.

1/3rd stops is what you need (and I with my Konica IIIa). I tested it and it works like a charm.
You can lock a setting and have the other two change as the light requires it. With film it of course means we lock ISO and move the other two but you can still select your "odd" F values and the speed will accommodate.

I can also log my shots with GPS etc. Still experimenting if I wanted to do this as I use filmtrackr.com which does this and much more! Wish there was a sync between the two.

Any questions, shoot away!

Cheers,
Ben

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
Never heard of the Lumu before, if it works, then it's quite an interesting product. However, I don't own an iPhone, and if I did, I'm still not sure I'd actually buy one.

Curious idea though, and I wish them luck with it.
 
So contacted Lumu and they said just in case they'll ship me another unit. Wow, that's customer service! Already have the tracking details...

I'll ship the current one back and they'll do their research.

Cheers,
Ben

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
Godfrey said:
After considering for a bit yesterday, I placed an order for one. It fills the need of having an incident meter with me when I might not have thought I needed one, sort of the same goal as the Lumi, but it's got more range and likely better accuracy. It's small enough and cheap enough that I can stick it in the pocket of my shooting bag and not worry about it, just use it when appropriate.



Huh? Have you ever broken off a headphone jack before? You don't leave the meter in the phone jack all the time ... and you handle it with the respect you would any other meter. Do you normally whack your incident meter against things and break off the incident dome? I've been using rotating head incident meters for forty years and I've never done that.

I just don't get comments like this.

G
Click to expand...

I think the comment is reasonable enough, headphones have the little flexible rubber bit which makes snapping it off pretty much impossible. This light meter does not seem to have that. Obviously, one needs to be careful, but I once snapped off a cable release in my camera, leaving the thread in the shutter button. I was careless, yes, but these things happen.
 
mfogiel said:
I find the price to be about 10 times too high for what it is, given that you need an Iphone to use it on anyway,
BTW, what would be the best light meter app recommended for iphone guys?
Click to expand...

I use Pocket Light Meter for iOS and I think it does the job okay. Very simple UI and for the most part the exposures are spot on. All light meter apps only do reflective metering which is the problem.

If anyone has suggestions for something that Pocket Light Meter please let me know.
 
I also used Pocket Light meter and it was brilliant. Just like a light meter in your digital camera. But then again, digital cameras also measure only reflected light which is why they aren't cutting it for people who'd like to measure incident light.

If you are happy with your digital camera's built in metering, you'll perhaps be okay with the Pocket Light meter, or any other app.
If you aren't, you'll perhaps want to use something like the Lumu or a dedicated meter.
The reason why I continue to stand by Lumu is the fact that I already have an iphone and I am already bringing my iphone with me everywhere, if I take pictures or not. So, for me to get a really good light meter is only a matter of removing the Lumu from the string that's sitting around my neck and plugging it in to the phone.

Ben
 
bence8810 said:
I also used Pocket Light meter and it was brilliant. Just like a light meter in your digital camera. But then again, digital cameras also measure only reflected light which is why they aren't cutting it for people who'd like to measure incident light.

If you are happy with your digital camera's built in metering, you'll perhaps be okay with the Pocket Light meter, or any other app.
If you aren't, you'll perhaps want to use something like the Lumu or a dedicated meter.
The reason why I continue to stand by Lumu is the fact that I already have an iphone and I am already bringing my iphone with me everywhere, if I take pictures or not. So, for me to get a really good light meter is only a matter of removing the Lumu from the string that's sitting around my neck and plugging it in to the phone.

Ben
Click to expand...

Could some one do some short review on this and its accuracy? I am always using a Gussen Lunalite for metering both reflected and incident light, but since I am always carrying my iphone with me I would give it a go as long as for the price it could compete my Gossen. Does the app that accompanies it have any other features than just metering? For example, does it do any averaging, contrast calculations, a simple zone system compensation?

Cameron said:
...
If anyone has suggestions for something that Pocket Light Meter please let me know.
Click to expand...

I love the Pocket Light Meter too. It is as simple it can be and does the job pretty well.
I'd love to see some other features in it. For example, I would like to have the ability to take three or four readings and average them, have some sort of zone system ruler on screen for a quick reference to pushing or pulling the shadows and highlights. It would make it a killer app.
 
Nikos72 said:
Could some one do some short review on this and its accuracy? I am always using a Gussen Lunalite for metering both reflected and incident light, but since I am always carrying my iphone with me I would give it a go as long as for the price it could compete my Gossen. Does the app that accompanies it have any other features than just metering? For example, does it do any averaging, contrast calculations, a simple zone system compensation?
Click to expand...

Hi there. Not sure on it's accuracy, I will be getting mine early next week and will try to test. I have an old Sekonic L-28C2 which was measuring about 10% away from the Lumu at all times. Having said that, I don't know which is right and which is wrong as the Sekonic meter is about 20 years old and the Lumu is something so new that no one has done a proper review on. The creators assure us of it's accuracy, yet some folks earlier on this threat have questioned the possibility of that knowing that it's transferring data over the audio jack.

I'll be happy to do this next week but I can only test againts my Sekonic. What I did was to take the Sekonic for granted and adjusted the Lumu's app for compensation. I could have compensated on the Sekonic too but I used that as the golden standard for now not knowing any better. I used the Sekonic for months now and had pretty good results, but I shoot BnW which is rather forgiving.

App is being developed as we speak, there are about monthly updates for now. It can already do the average, you meter, save and meter again, then it calculates. I haven't used it yet though. It can track your shots with GPS locations and all the measurements the app gave you. It can also just measure light if that's what you want. That's all that I've used so far, it seems like a pretty good app and I am sure there will be more to come. For my needs, I just need to lock my ISO and then set either the F or Speed and want it to give me the other value, so I am already very happy 🙂

By the way you can download the Lumu app already for free and check it out! It will not give you any reading but you can see the settings etc... It'll also tell you when there's an update so you know if the feature you were waiting for is ready...

Ben
 
Mine arrived today. Very fast shipment!

I tested it against my Sekonic L328. It's right on the money, and the Sekonic L328 has been my reference meter for almost two decades now. The app is very nice, very slick.

This is a good device, I'll take it on my next walk with the Hasselblad. 🙂

G
 
Godfrey said:
Mine arrived today. Very fast shipment!

I tested it against my Sekonic L328. It's right on the money, and the Sekonic L328 has been my reference meter for almost two decades now. The app is very nice, very slick.

This is a good device, I'll take it on my next walk with the Hasselblad. 🙂

G
Click to expand...

Happy you got yours! Indeed fast shipping, I couldn't believe how quick it got to me. I might be without my Lumu this coming weekend as I added my office address as default shipping address. I'll have to wait until Monday.

The interface is indeed slick. How did you compare the two? Went to "Measure light" and then moved the scale from LUX to Footcandles? On my old Sekonic, I dont have Lux mentioned only the other measure.

Do you have an ipad and an iphone? Could you test it on both?
I am paranoid about the ear plug thingy the guys mentioned above since mine gave in after just 3 days of usage. I do believe it's a one off problem, but just to be sure....

Cheers,
Ben
 
I have both iPad mini and iPhone 4S. Haven't tested on the iPad mini yet. To test, I used the Sekonic to measure some exposures and measured them the same way with the Lumu. Results were the same.

It seems sturdy enough. But obviously, just like a rotating head incident meter, you don't want to beat it up: it's a precision instrument.

G

--
Works the same on the iPad mini, but my case gets in the way of fitting it properly. It's clumsy on such a large device, better to use the iPhone.
 
Godfrey said:
I have both iPad mini and iPhone 4S. Haven't tested on the iPad mini yet. To test, I used the Sekonic to measure some exposures and measured them the same way with the Lumu. Results were the same.

It seems sturdy enough. But obviously, just like a rotating head incident meter, you don't want to beat it up: it's a precision instrument.

G
Click to expand...

I totally agree, it seems sturdy. And mine was not dropped or anything, I babied it like I was carrying an egg on a necklace. I hope something just shorted out inside etc. The Lumu guys will find out, I'll ship it back to them as soon as the new one's here.

I see, so you didn't actually compare the raw output. Should be the same anyways, I'll do this when I get mine too! The problem is that I don't have anything modern to test my old Sekonic which I bought 2nd or 3rd of god knows how many hand(s).

I'll do something about it, have a friend with a fancy Minolta digital meter...
Good luck to the Hasselblad walks, post your pictures on Flickr adding it to the Lumu lovers group. I've been adding mine...


Ben
 
Hey guys,

Got my replacement Lumu in the mail yesterday, those guys are quick and honest. I sent my old unit back so they can test and hopefully make sure it won't happen in the future

My new meter works just fine so far, will continue to test in the following weeks!
Ben

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
Just posting back in case anyone is wondering how the Lumu handled the first weekend. I ended up shooting 5 rolls and in between I must have removed and reinserted the Lumu 25 times. So far it works great and it was a joy using.

True, needing to unlock the phone everytime and inserting the Lumu would seem like a pain as compared to the ease of just holding up your conventional meter and pressing the button. Yet I prefer not lugging the meter along, will be especially handy summer time when I have less pockets.

I ended up leaving the Lumu in and set the phone to not lock the pin immediately. Neither of these two are things I prefer, I'll see how I get on with it in weeks / months to come. Hopefully years!

Ben

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
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