Reminds me a little of the ExpoDisc. Still have mine squirreled away somewhere. That would take longer to use since you have to take an image and store it in the camera or whatever, however it did compel you to take a reading directly on whatever you were concerned about, such as your subject. And you could be pretty precise, since your lens could just zoom into whatever you want. What I don't understand about either method is that you arrive at a custom 4-digit Kelvin number, but it's not as if your gels are going to be dialed in to the same degree ever.
Have you looked at the OPPLE? Cost around 40$ for the basic version that is often on sale under 20$ (lux, CCT) and around 80$ for the advanced which is often under 50$ (lux, CCT, CRI, Flickr, other stuff). I bought the basic at 18€, worked good, then I found a super offer some months after for the advanced at 31€ and I bought it immediately, so I have a backup. Only downside, they use two different versions of the same app, so you gotta have both on phone. It's very good to mix led from different manufacturers, where if you set all of them at the same Color T, actually they may differ from one to another. So you match them, and if there's also environment, you match them to natural light, too. I don't know about overall precision, but what I wanted, and I'm happy with it, is it being consistent, which is more important; so even if its reading is say 6500°k, but the actual real T is 7000°K, I don't care as long as everything that I match at 6500°K is consistent and neutral.
Interesting tool. Trying to imagine a use-case scenario for it. In a controlled studio environment, using high-end powerpacks that produce consistent kelvin output...maybe. But mixed lighting, on location? Gelling your strobes to match windowlight, for an event like a wedding? Nope. Too many changing variables. I used to shoot commercial transparency film to 1/10th of a stop accuracy...back in the day. And I'm all about getting it "on film" not fixing it in post, but we're living in a digital age now.
When I shoot events, the reception areas usually are pretty consistent in light, so it does come in very handy. But if your venues constantly change throughout the event, no it’s not much help for you.
I use gels to match the ambient light at weddings all the time… it’s nearly impossible to fix the mixed lighting in post especially across hundreds of images.
For $150 that’s amazing. I do video and I’m always trying to guess a rooms kelvin to match in camera and on my light. Video is much less forgiving if you get mixed lighting and it ruins skin tones.
The color temp for my purposes is all I need for ambient. No, it is not a technical perfect light meter for the exact science of measuring LED - it wasn’t made to be.
When you introduce a mixture of flash and ambient light, the flash has to be gelled with a correction filter to match. Using a grey card is always good, but it won’t give you the correct white balance in mixed lighting.
Thanks for the information. Could you post a video on how you would use it, in various scenarios (ie: studio, on location etc) ? Thank You!
I will do that. It’s such a help in the studio and at venues.
Reminds me a little of the ExpoDisc. Still have mine squirreled away somewhere. That would take longer to use since you have to take an image and store it in the camera or whatever, however it did compel you to take a reading directly on whatever you were concerned about, such as your subject. And you could be pretty precise, since your lens could just zoom into whatever you want.
What I don't understand about either method is that you arrive at a custom 4-digit Kelvin number, but it's not as if your gels are going to be dialed in to the same degree ever.
Have you looked at the OPPLE? Cost around 40$ for the basic version that is often on sale under 20$ (lux, CCT) and around 80$ for the advanced which is often under 50$ (lux, CCT, CRI, Flickr, other stuff).
I bought the basic at 18€, worked good, then I found a super offer some months after for the advanced at 31€ and I bought it immediately, so I have a backup. Only downside, they use two different versions of the same app, so you gotta have both on phone.
It's very good to mix led from different manufacturers, where if you set all of them at the same Color T, actually they may differ from one to another. So you match them, and if there's also environment, you match them to natural light, too.
I don't know about overall precision, but what I wanted, and I'm happy with it, is it being consistent, which is more important; so even if its reading is say 6500°k, but the actual real T is 7000°K, I don't care as long as everything that I match at 6500°K is consistent and neutral.
I haven’t. I do like the form factor and very decent accuracy of this one.
Interesting tool. Trying to imagine a use-case scenario for it. In a controlled studio environment, using high-end powerpacks that produce consistent kelvin output...maybe. But mixed lighting, on location? Gelling your strobes to match windowlight, for an event like a wedding? Nope. Too many changing variables. I used to shoot commercial transparency film to 1/10th of a stop accuracy...back in the day. And I'm all about getting it "on film" not fixing it in post, but we're living in a digital age now.
When I shoot events, the reception areas usually are pretty consistent in light, so it does come in very handy. But if your venues constantly change throughout the event, no it’s not much help for you.
I use gels to match the ambient light at weddings all the time… it’s nearly impossible to fix the mixed lighting in post especially across hundreds of images.
For $150 that’s amazing. I do video and I’m always trying to guess a rooms kelvin to match in camera and on my light. Video is much less forgiving if you get mixed lighting and it ruins skin tones.
very neat and the price seems okay. thanks for showing
It was self-serving - I really love color meters and always wanted one. This is one that I can afford and will use constantly.
So it doesn't show the green / magenta balance? Color temp (blue /orange) is only half the necessary info.
The color temp for my purposes is all I need for ambient. No, it is not a technical perfect light meter for the exact science of measuring LED - it wasn’t made to be.
I got the Gossen Color meter back then and a Sekonic at the beginning of the DSLR era.
I wanted those so bad back then! 😂 But this little thing works for what I need now.
at $140 on Amazon it is a worthwhile investment as I use LED light more and more.
Why not use custom white balance using a PortaBrace White Balance Card at $5.72 ?
When you introduce a mixture of flash and ambient light, the flash has to be gelled with a correction filter to match. Using a grey card is always good, but it won’t give you the correct white balance in mixed lighting.