Lumu Power Kickstarter – The iPhone Light Meter Just Got a Lot Better

News

by Tim FokDecember 2^nd, 2015

Last year we reviewed the Lumu Labs Light Meter for iPhone, a device combining a simple easy-to-use app & light sensor that connects straight into the 3.5mm input of you phone, the result is a fuss free and affordable light meter. Lumu Labs are back with the Lumu Power Kickstarter, their next generation product that now also accurately measures color temperature.

If you haven’t already, please check out our review on the Lumu iPhone Light Meter. We liked its simple, elegant design & accurate light metering. Also a Kickstarter campaign, the Lumu Light Meter reached nearly $250,000 in backing and is now an off the shelf product. I feel this is an important aspect when considering backing a Kickstarter; raising the money is only half the journey.

Back to the new product, the Lumu Power iPhone Light Meter takes the goodness of the original light meter and adds another sensor on the reverse side to measure colour temperature.

Gone is the more universal 3.5mm connector. The Lighting port offers a more successful and accurate colour analysis. How accurate? Insanely, according to this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfJrDA26uIo

The app recognizes which sensor you have faced forward and automatically changes the menu whether you are looking to measure light or temperature.

The app looks very sleek and easy-to-use, swiping between menus allows you to analyze exposure, color temperature and luminance values. The previous version featured ND exposure adjustment, calibration adjustment, continuous metering and a zero lag interface; the same can only be assumed for the Lumu Power.

As the Lumu Power utilizes a Certified Apple Lighting connector it will only natively work with iPhones 5 and newer.

Why a light meter? Yes all modern cameras have ways of measuring light and temperature as well as displaying them in numerical and graphical form. A light meter (particularly an iPhone light meter) is more mobile; you can measure aspects of your scene (a window, the side of a subject faces) and compare readings quickly and efficiently. Not only on set but they’re great in pre-production for judging predicted lighting and camera setups for a particular location judged on ambience light levels.

The Original Lumu Light Meter costs $149, the same early bird price offered up for the Lumu Power that will apparently cost $299 full retail. The half price is only valid for the first 250 backers, then it jumps to $199.

For more info and rewards check out the Lumu Power Kickstarter page.