Best Photographic Light Meters of 2025

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Photographic light meters are essential tools for photographers who want to achieve accurate and consistent exposure in their photographs. These devices measure the intensity of light in a scene and provide precise readings for shutter speed, aperture, and ISO settings. Whether shooting indoors or outdoors, in natural or artificial light, a light meter can help photographers capture images with the correct exposure, resulting in well-balanced and properly lit photos. From handheld models to those integrated into cameras, there are a variety of light meters available to suit different needs and budgets.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 10 Photographic Light Meters
Dr.meter LX1330B Digital Illuminance Light Meter
The Dr.meter LX1330B Digital Illuminance Light Meter is a high-quality light meter with a 4-range setting for a dynamic metering ability. It features high accuracy with auto zeroing capabilities and an EZ-Read display for easy readability. The meter also has convenient switches for better control over your readings, including Data Hold & Peak Data hold. Its portability makes it easy to bring anywhere, fitting easily into a work bag or large pocket.
Sekonic L-308X-U Flashmate Light Meter
The Sekonic L-308X-U Flashmate Light Meter is a versatile tool for photographers and videographers. With accurate exposure readings, it can measure both ambient and electronic flash light readings in full-stop mode. In addition, it has Photo Mode for still image photographers and HD Cine Mode for videographers who need to control light using shutter speeds and frame rates. The Cine Mode is designed for use with cinema grade cameras to provide one-tenth stop accuracy in exposure control.
TOPTES TS-710 Light Meter
The TOPTES TS-710 Light Meter is a versatile tool designed for precise light measurements. With its 180° rotating sensor and 2.25" backlit LCD screen, you can easily measure light from multiple angles and read the results even in low-light conditions. This light meter offers a wide range of measurement units, allowing you to optimize the lighting for your plants or diagnose and fix issues with car headlights or LED bulbs in your home. It also features a multi-functional design, with the ability to measure ambient temperature and humidity, record MAX/MIN values, and hold data. With its user-friendly features and reliable performance, the TOPTES Light Meter is a must-have for photographers, plant enthusiasts, and anyone looking to ensure consistent lighting in their environment.
Sekonic L-478D-U Lightmeter
The Sekonic Lightmeter is an easy-to-use device that provides accurate and reliable light measurements for photographers and filmmakers. With its large color LCD screen, you can quickly make settings by touching icons or sliding your finger on the screen. The meter measures ambient and flash simultaneously, allowing you to easily lighten shadows or reduce background detail when using flash. It also has two motion-capture modes, making it compatible with both HD SLR cameras and Cine cameras. Additionally, the Lightmeter allows you to create unique frame rates and shutter angles for precise exposure and lighting. With its brightness measurement capabilities, it is a valuable tool on movie sets. The Sekonic Lightmeter is a must-have for professionals looking to achieve the perfect exposure and lighting in their work.
Sekonic L-858D-U Light Meter
The Sekonic Speedmaster Pro is an advanced photographic light meter that offers several features to help photographers achieve the perfect shot. With the ability to measure flash duration, photographers can freeze fast-moving subjects with ease. The radio control modules allow for wireless triggering, making it easy to capture the perfect shot from any angle. The increased light sensitivity allows for accurate readings in low-light conditions, while the HSS flash measurements provide an accurate way to measure lighting when trying to overpower the sun or achieve a very shallow depth of field. The flash analyzing function measures ambient and flash simultaneously, providing photographers with the percentage of flash in the total exposure. With the Sekonic Speedmaster Pro, photographers can achieve their desired lighting with ease and precision.
Sekonic 401-208 Twin Mate Light Meter
The Sekonic Twin Mate Meter is a perfect choice for beginners or as a compact ambient backup meter. Its 30-seconds to 1/8000th, f/1.4 to f/32 in half-stop increments, and ISO 12 to 12500 in half-stop increments make it easy to get the correct exposure in any lighting situation. The Hold-and-Read mode locks readings for 15-seconds, allowing you to evaluate exposure for an extended period. Only Sekonic meters that are shipped by and sold by Amazon.com or other authorized Sekonic dealers can ensure that you are receiving goods that have proper FCC communication and are covered by a USA warranty. The Amazon offer may be seen to the right. Grey market Sekonic meters will not be applicable for a US warranty.
Handheld Digital Light Meter with Ambient Temperature Measurement
This handheld digital light meter measures luminosity from 0 to 200,000 Lux and ambient temperature with high accuracy. It features a 4 digit color LCD screen, MIN/Max readings, data hold, auto power off, and low battery indication. The wide range of application makes it perfect for set design, factory, office or home use. It is also lightweight and compact, which makes it easy to carry around.
BTMETER BT-881D Digital Illuminance Light Meter
The BTMETER Light Meter is a high-accuracy device that instantly measures the luminosity intensity you're getting. With a response time of 0.4 seconds, it samples 2-3 times per second, so you no longer have to guess. Its wide measuring range of 0.01-400,000 Lumens and resolution of 0.01 makes it ideal for measuring light intensity for LED grow lights, gardens, plants, schools, offices, states, LED lights, indoor and outdoor. The light sensor can be rotated 270º, allowing you to measure luminosity intensity from different angles without the need to turn around the light meter. Finally, the BTMETER Light Meter can record 33 sets of readings and has a relative measuring mode that shows you the difference between current and recorded data.
Extech LT300 Light Meter
The Extech Light Meter is designed to provide accurate light measurements even in dim environments, thanks to its backlit display. You will appreciate the large LCD screen paired with an analog bargraph, making it easy to read your results at a glance. The device uses a precision photo diode along with a color correction filter, ensuring that your readings are reliable and accurate. Additionally, the remote light sensor comes with a 12-inch coiled cable, which can be extended to 24 inches, allowing you to measure light in hard-to-reach areas without hassle.
UNI-T UT383 Digital Illuminance Meter
The UNI-T UT383 Digital Illuminance Meter is a professional and compact device that accurately measures light intensity in units of Lux or FC with a range of 0199,900Lux / 018,500Fc and high accuracy of ±(4%+8). Its large 4 digital LCD screen with backlight, 0.5s sampling time, overload indication, Max/Min, data hold, low battery indicator, and auto shutdown features make it easy to use and power-saving. Widely used in various scenarios, it comes with a gift box, a paper manual, and an e-Manual (free download).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do professional photographers use light meters?
Yes, professional photographers have been using light meters for a long time. Light meters help them measure the amount of light in a given environment, allowing for precise exposure control and better image quality.
2. Should I use a light meter for photography?
Using a light meter is highly recommended in photography because it helps the camera determine the correct exposure settings based on the available light. Without proper light metering, you may end up with underexposed or overexposed images, even in well-lit conditions.
3. What is the difference between a light meter and a camera light meter?
A light meter measures the incident light falling on the subject, while a camera's built-in metering system measures the light reflected by the subject and other elements in the scene. Using a light meter allows for more accurate and precise exposure control.
4. Do digital photographers use light meters?
While modern digital cameras have built-in light metering systems, some digital photographers still prefer using external light meters for more precise exposure control and to have greater creative control over their images.
5. What is the Sunny 16 rule?
The Sunny 16 rule is a guideline for achieving proper exposure in bright, sunny conditions. It suggests setting the aperture to f/16 and using a shutter speed that is the inverse of the film speed or ISO. This rule can be a helpful starting point when manual metering is required.
6. Are phones good light meters?
Yes, there are light meter apps available for smartphones that can accurately measure light levels. These apps can be a convenient alternative to dedicated light meters, providing reliable light measurements for photography purposes.
7. What is the best metering mode for photography?
The best metering mode depends on various factors such as the subject, its position in the frame, and the lighting conditions. For general purposes, matrix/multi-zone metering is often considered the most versatile and reliable metering mode.
8. What are the disadvantages of a light meter?
Some disadvantages of light meters include the need for additional information such as lamp orientation, distance, and task plane area to make accurate comparisons. It can also be challenging to compare illuminance products based solely on illuminance measurements.
9. What are the two types of light meters?
There are two types of light meters - incident and reflective. An incident light meter measures all the light falling onto a subject, while a reflective light meter measures the light reflected by the subject and the surrounding background. Incident light meters are helpful in achieving accurate exposure regardless of the brightness of the background.
10. Can you use a DSLR as a light meter?
Some photographers use their DSLR cameras as light meters by adjusting the manual settings and checking the histogram to ensure proper exposure. However, dedicated light meters offer more precise and reliable measurements for accurate exposure control.
During our photographic light meter research, we found 16 photographic light meter products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 35,924 customer reviews through our big data system to write the photographic light meters list. We found that most customers choose photographic light meters with an average price of $118.96.
The photographic light meters are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of photographic light meters, including Dr.meter, Sekonic, TOPTES, URCERI, BTMETER. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 2,805 consumers with an average rating of 4.9.

Alan Eaton is a seasoned writer whose expertise is in anything related to electronics, such as headphones, monitoring equipment, computer, and so on, built over a 15-year career in the technology industry. Working in the trade during his youth, he accumulated a great deal of knowledge about machinery.