Best Photographic Light Meters of 2026
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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.
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.
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.
Cheffort Digital Lux Meter
The Cheffort Lux Meter is a reliable tool designed to measure light intensity with precision. It uses advanced silicon diode sensors to ensure accurate readings, helping you get consistent and trustworthy data. With a quick 1-second response time, you can capture measurements fast, saving you time during your tasks. The device also features a handy MAX/MIN data hold function, allowing you to easily track and save the highest and lowest light levels without hassle. Its large LED backlit screen makes it simple to read measurements even in low-light conditions, so you can work comfortably anytime and anywhere.
Mcbazel Digital Illuminance Light Meter
The Mcbazel Light Meter offers precise light measurements with an accuracy of ±3% plus 10 digits, helping you get reliable results whether you're working in photography, gardening, or indoor lighting. Its wide range can measure brightness up to 200,000 LUX, so you can handle very bright environments easily. The meter is designed for your convenience, allowing you to switch between LUX and foot-candle units quickly, and its clear LCD with backlight ensures you can read measurements even in dark spaces. Additionally, it shows you the highest and lowest light levels recorded and lets you freeze readings on the display, making it easier to track and record your results accurately.
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).
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.
BTMETER BT-881E Digital Illuminance/Light Meter
The BTMETER BT-881E Digital Illuminance/Light Meter is a highly accurate device that can instantly measure the amount of light you are getting with a 0.4 second response time. With a wide measuring range of 0.01300,000 Lux (0.0130,000 FC) and a resolution of 0.01, you can use this device for home, garden, aquarium, plants, school, office, state, LED lights, indoor and outdoor purposes. The light sensor can be rotated 270º for easy measuring from different angles, and it can memorize up to 33 sets of readings.
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.
Soonkoda S8608 Digital Illuminance Light Meter
The Soonkoda S8608 Light Meter is a versatile tool designed to measure visible brightness easily and accurately. With a wide measuring range reaching up to 200,000 LUX, it allows you to check light levels in various settings, from homes to schools or factories. You can switch between different units like LUX and foot-candles to get the measurement that suits your needs best. The large screen display makes it simple to read the results quickly, helping you monitor lighting conditions efficiently whether you’re growing plants, shooting photos, or managing indoor lighting.
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 42,213 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 $28.27.
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, TOPTES, URCERI, Cheffort, Mcbazel. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 1,442 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.