Revisiting the Lumu Power Color Temp & Light Meter for iPhone
Photo Moment - June 09, 2017
Marko from Lumu Power responded to the issues we had when we first tested the “Lumu Power Color Temperature and Light Meter for iPhone”, and also provided a ton of additional info. We'll try his suggestions live and see how it performs!
PRODUCTS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S PHOTO MOMENT (MANY ARE AFFILIATE LINKS… affiliate links make me a little bit of $ but cost you nothing more!):
LumuLabs website: https://lu.mu/
Lumu Power Kickstarter page (long ago ended): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lumulabs/lumu-power-a-light-meter-f…
•• Fiilex P100 LED Video Light ••
B&H - https://bhpho.to/2r3DV5P
Amazon - http://amzn.to/2smyW4o
Adorama - http://jal.bz/2sLHX4m
VIDEOS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S PHOTO MOMENT:
First Look: Lumu Power Color Temperature and Light Meter for iPhone — https://youtu.be/9G9Hm69tkd4
How can you compare a reflective average measurement by the camera to an incident spot measurement by the lumu ?
The lumu is for measuring the TC of different unique light sources comparing them, matching them etc... and when they match applying the result to the camera
you cannot measure the result of multiple different lights falling on a subject because the reading will change when changing the Lumu probe orientation.
You have also first to go to the Lumu chromaticity measurement and showing if each source color is located on the K curve, if not it will not be possible to measure an accurate K value
On my screen the camera WB seem really yellow, why not comparing the card RGB values with the Lightroom color picker ?
The lumu is for measuring the TC of different unique light sources comparing them, matching them etc... and when they match applying the result to the camera
you cannot measure the result of multiple different lights falling on a subject because the reading will change when changing the Lumu probe orientation.
You have also first to go to the Lumu chromaticity measurement and showing if each source color is located on the K curve, if not it will not be possible to measure an accurate K value
On my screen the camera WB seem really yellow, why not comparing the card RGB values with the Lightroom color picker ?
Two different reading because you are using two different devices to measure the color temperature. The Lumu is a white balance device and you are getting a correct color temperature. With your camera you are shooting an 18% gray card which is used for exposure. The 18% gray card is different from a white balance card and that's why you are getting different readings. Yes, I know many times we use an 18% gray card to get white balance but it's for exposure. Take a look on B&H photo at a white balance card and at an 18% gray card, you will see that they are different.
It doesn't matter if you use any shade of grey, or white (as long as you don't overexpose the white) for white balance. If it's neutral, it works. That's what matters. I went through NUMEROUS tests with this device, having it replaced by the company, compared with different cameras (LUMIX and Canon), and measured WB results in Lightroom . The Lumu was nearly always wrong, and usually by a lot. I stand by my evaluation. I put a LOT of time into this, giving the company way more chances than I should have to get it right, and they never did. This is now quite old, so maybe they've fixed it, but this product did not work.
I sent my Luma back because the color temp was wayyyyyyyyyy off. Me guessing was closer to the luma.
Such a shame, isn’t it? So much promise.
Excuse me for perhaps my belated comment on the lumu power color tem and light meter.
few months have passed since you posted your comments. and you were not satisfied. Have you had any new communication from Lumu about your comments of June 9, 2017....before i purchase one pls?
few months have passed since you posted your comments. and you were not satisfied. Have you had any new communication from Lumu about your comments of June 9, 2017....before i purchase one pls?
I got a second one and tested it even more thoroughly, comparing to the WB in a LUMIX and a Canon camera, and unfortunately had the same results. Sadly I can’t recommend it.
Joseph, will you be posting a follow up review with your replacement unit?
+Nick Stevens If you have a link to someone else’s successful white balance test I’d love to see it!
PhotoJoseph but that’s what makes no sense, you seem to have done the testing in the most scientific way and said it’s not accurate.
So it seems more likely that the others testing/reviewing are not being so fussy.
I’m like you, I’m fussy, and would probably feel the need to do the same tests as you......however seems like too much of a gamble to me.
So it seems more likely that the others testing/reviewing are not being so fussy.
I’m like you, I’m fussy, and would probably feel the need to do the same tests as you......however seems like too much of a gamble to me.
+Nick Stevens yep, they replaced the unit and I had the exact same problems. I’ve tests with two Lumu units, LUMIX and Canon cameras, two different white balance sources, in half a dozen environments. Daylight was closest to accurate, LED the farthest off, but none were accurate. I really wanted this to work, but I’m done. I’m glad that it’s working for others though. Guess I’m just super unlucky.
It’s just Lumu say that your problems were due to a faulty unit.........are you saying the replacement still has issues?
I’m really confused as other people seem to claim it’s spot on for both light and colour metering 🤔
I’m really confused as other people seem to claim it’s spot on for both light and colour metering 🤔
+Nick Stevens I did, of sorts. Watch the first part of this video: https://youtu.be/aGcwkoRMiD4
download the newest IOS. You can record whats on your screen! Awesome huh?
+JordanRingPhotography Yeah that’s great. I’ve already used it to show developers bugs in their apps :-)
people please save your time: This thing doesnt work in the video. has wrong white balance AND wrong exposure :( thanks for the test Joseph
You said "When using a light meter, you face the receiver in the direction of the light source". That especcially goes for a color meter. You did not point the Lumu to the lightsource.
Not sure exactly when you're referring to, but the lights in my recording studio are above and in front of me. Anyway we're redoing tests with a new unit. Soon, I hope!
Hi everybody,
it's Marko here from Lumulabs.
We recalled PhotoJoseph's unit and sent him a new one. His unit displayed some small error. We will check it extensively to find the reason and make sure it doesn't happen again.
I'm sure Joseph will make another review with his new Lumu Power.
However, we tried to replicate the accuracy test and documented it on our side as well. CHECK IT OUT https://support.lu.mu/hc/en-us/articles/115004257809
It's our standard practice to immediately replace the unit if the user reports
- bad accuracy
,- physical damage happened to device or
- is getting some other strange behaviours.
With the new Lumu Power we had approx. 0.6% of cases like that.
We also always refund the money to any user
- not satisfied with device,
- doesn't find it useful in his/her workflow and even
- not specifying any particular reason.
This happened in approx. 0.5% of cases with the new Lumu Power.
Both statistics are well below industry standard.
Thanks for your attention and
With Lumulove,
Marko.
it's Marko here from Lumulabs.
We recalled PhotoJoseph's unit and sent him a new one. His unit displayed some small error. We will check it extensively to find the reason and make sure it doesn't happen again.
I'm sure Joseph will make another review with his new Lumu Power.
However, we tried to replicate the accuracy test and documented it on our side as well. CHECK IT OUT https://support.lu.mu/hc/en-us/articles/115004257809
It's our standard practice to immediately replace the unit if the user reports
- bad accuracy
,- physical damage happened to device or
- is getting some other strange behaviours.
With the new Lumu Power we had approx. 0.6% of cases like that.
We also always refund the money to any user
- not satisfied with device,
- doesn't find it useful in his/her workflow and even
- not specifying any particular reason.
This happened in approx. 0.5% of cases with the new Lumu Power.
Both statistics are well below industry standard.
Thanks for your attention and
With Lumulove,
Marko.
+Juan Dela Cruz You mean like this? https://youtu.be/4Ckih3dtdsQ 😁
please make tutorial on how to use the hss let's say i want the background to be -2 and expose the subject correctly.
Lumu Light Meter apparently the second one he received was faulty.
For one person to receive to faulty units 🤔
I really want to like this product and buy one, but I can only do that if it’s accurate.
For one person to receive to faulty units 🤔
I really want to like this product and buy one, but I can only do that if it’s accurate.
Lumu Light Meter I’m seeing some quite mixed reviews, I’m interested but only if it’s 100% accurate.
So are you saying that Joseph’s tests failed because of a faulty unit, and the replacement will solve the issues?
So are you saying that Joseph’s tests failed because of a faulty unit, and the replacement will solve the issues?
Hey Joseph. Marko responded to my Facebook post and said he would be sending you a replacement. Will you be doing another test? Thanks!
+BPope Video Productions - Hickory, NC Mine is still en-route back to them. They haven't sent a replacement.
Did you by chance get a replacement yet? I'm having some of the same problems with mine, I wish they had tutorials up.
+BPope Video Productions - Hickory, NC When I get my replacement unit, I certainly will.
your making the assumption the camera's color temp reading is accurate based on an image recorded in the same camera only. Ive tested the Lumu against a dedicated Sekonic color meter and get nearly identical readings. Why aren't you sharing the color temp that the camera measures rather than comparing images?
You got to try it and compare it with a dedicated light meter. I have a Lumu Power and the readings exactly the same when I compare them to my Sekonic L-758DR. The Lumu Power is spot on. I'm very impressed with it.
Gray cards are not good for white balance, they are good for exposure. Digital sensors are calibrated to 13% gray or so. It's better to use a WhiteBal to set color temperature.
Gray cards are not good for white balance, they are good for exposure. Digital sensors are calibrated to 13% gray or so. It's better to use a WhiteBal to set color temperature.
+Daniel Rois Thanks for your comment. I don't have a reliable light meter (mine is ancient) so I can't make that comparison, but comparing to the camera's light meter certainly seems fair. Regarding white vs grey for white balance; I respectfully disagree. With white you risk clipping a channel if its very bright out and as far as the camera is concerned, all that matters to it is that it's measuring from a neutral source (no color tint). And even if that weren't right, my comparison here pretty clearly shows a color shift on the Lumu measured white balance. Look at the histogram; it's far from balanced.
If the flat side is the color temperature mode, why don't you put the flat side facing the grey card?
+chocokrispisconleche Great question. When using a light meter, you face the receiver in the direction of the light source. If you point it at the grey card, that would measure light reflecting off the card. That means your subject was a bright green shirt and you did this, the light reflecting off the shirt would have a green cast and that would severely change the color reading.
@PhotoJoseph Has there been another response by them yet?
+BPope Video Productions - Hickory, NC Only that they would watch it.
@Photojoseph What a nuisance colour (color) temperature measurements are.
When I went over to digital camera's, I lusted after a colour temperature meter...for soooo long. Some serious ooo'ing went on while regularly browsing Sekonic's colour temperature meter(s) on line. Then ouch'ing when looking at the purchase price(s).
In the end I bought one of Sekonic's colour temperature meters (I can't remember which one), but shortly after testing it, it went back. Long story short it couldn't readout the values required for digital camera's only film camera's.
I didn't give up though and convinced myself I could justify paying for and moving to the new (at the time) Sekonic C-500R colour meter. This had an additional sensor for compensating for the requirements of digital camera systems.
Pleasingly this was significantly better...but, after testing the meter using flash and comparing the readings shown against my camera's (Nikon D3) colour assessment, the Kelvin values didn't match.
I have an X-Rite iOne Pro Calibration system, so I checked the C-500R meter against the colour reading with the iOne Pro (ambient cap on)...the C-500R didn't match.
I ended up quite disillusioned with the whole measuring colour temperature thing, but I contacted the UK importer for Sekonic, about getting the meter re-calibrated. Yes, that could be done and the firmware updated, but the unit had to go back to the manufacturer and would cost £180 and be several weeks. Due to disillusioned state, I never sent the unit away (it's now some years later). So currently my C-500R can be used for colour matching of different light sources, but just not able to give the definitive Kelvin value.
At some point I'll either send the unit away or be completely reckless and buy the new Sekonic C-700R SpectroMaster (considerable ooo'ing) (£1382.70, considerable ouch'ing), which has been sat on my Amazon wishlist since 02/Jan/2016...completely haunting me.
I use either a large or passport sized colour checker now.
Joseph, did you try the colour temperature reading capability in daylight as a comparison away from artificial light...as I think I've read that some (or all) LED light sources can cause issues for some colour meters.
It's maybe another excuse to get the Mevo outside again...
Apologies (to all) for rambling, just such a frustrating subject.
Take care.
Regards, Stewart.
(if i've written with any unintentional tone, no disrespect intended)
When I went over to digital camera's, I lusted after a colour temperature meter...for soooo long. Some serious ooo'ing went on while regularly browsing Sekonic's colour temperature meter(s) on line. Then ouch'ing when looking at the purchase price(s).
In the end I bought one of Sekonic's colour temperature meters (I can't remember which one), but shortly after testing it, it went back. Long story short it couldn't readout the values required for digital camera's only film camera's.
I didn't give up though and convinced myself I could justify paying for and moving to the new (at the time) Sekonic C-500R colour meter. This had an additional sensor for compensating for the requirements of digital camera systems.
Pleasingly this was significantly better...but, after testing the meter using flash and comparing the readings shown against my camera's (Nikon D3) colour assessment, the Kelvin values didn't match.
I have an X-Rite iOne Pro Calibration system, so I checked the C-500R meter against the colour reading with the iOne Pro (ambient cap on)...the C-500R didn't match.
I ended up quite disillusioned with the whole measuring colour temperature thing, but I contacted the UK importer for Sekonic, about getting the meter re-calibrated. Yes, that could be done and the firmware updated, but the unit had to go back to the manufacturer and would cost £180 and be several weeks. Due to disillusioned state, I never sent the unit away (it's now some years later). So currently my C-500R can be used for colour matching of different light sources, but just not able to give the definitive Kelvin value.
At some point I'll either send the unit away or be completely reckless and buy the new Sekonic C-700R SpectroMaster (considerable ooo'ing) (£1382.70, considerable ouch'ing), which has been sat on my Amazon wishlist since 02/Jan/2016...completely haunting me.
I use either a large or passport sized colour checker now.
Joseph, did you try the colour temperature reading capability in daylight as a comparison away from artificial light...as I think I've read that some (or all) LED light sources can cause issues for some colour meters.
It's maybe another excuse to get the Mevo outside again...
Apologies (to all) for rambling, just such a frustrating subject.
Take care.
Regards, Stewart.
(if i've written with any unintentional tone, no disrespect intended)
Is Simionic (?sp) from Lumu?
Of course not. I own four Lumix cameras - GX7, GX8, GH4, GH5, and I only bought the Lumu after watching Joseph's first video on it, so it would be more correct to ask whether I work for Panasonic. My colour measurements using a grey card are different than Joseph's so it may be that he had a bum device, and I don't have a way of telling whether mine's right. Lightroom's measurement of my grey card was only out by a few K. However, Joseph's photo was overexposed after relying on the Lumu's suggested settings, and I can confirm that a) an independent meter gives the same exposure reading as the Lumu and b) The GH5 ISO setting is actually twice that of the real ISO, as measured by DXOMark. You should show respect for scientific experiment rather than accusing me of being a shill.
Thanks for the update. That's unfortunate, I really wanted to pre-order this by Monday. I saw they have a 14 day return policy but I'm still skeptical now.
Joseph, I can confirm that the Lumu measures exposure the same as my Sekonic 308. If you read the DXOMark review of the GH5, Panasonic's reported ISO is nowhere near real ISO - it's out by a lot. If I care about exposure with ambient, reflected light, I tend to use a grey card or an Expodisc, so as long as the Panasonic's meter is happy, I'm happy. However, when I do flash photography, I always use an external meter - I can't afford to faff around afjusting lights, chimping the camera etc while my customer/subject is waiting. The fact that I can't rely on Panasonic's ISO setting is frustrating
Hmmm, whether you switch over completely is a purely personal choice on whether it fits your personal needs rather than a technical rating system. However, if Panasonic really want to stick by their claims that the GH5 is a stills as much as a video camera, they'll need to ensure that it works with basic photographic tools like a light meter.
@PhotoJoseph
OH hell!
Holly crap it's true, the ISO settings on the camera don't match real world ISO settings. I've just read these pages which comment about the differences:
https://www.dxomark.com/Reviews/Panasonic-Lumix-DC-GH5-sensor-review-Best-performer-in-the-lineup.
https://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Panasonic/Lumix-DC-GH5---Measurements
There's no wonder that some of my exposures using a handheld meter don't look right or are inconsistent from my GH3...I've just checked that camera's DxO Mark test and it's ISO doesn't match either. Although it looks like the GH3 is closer than the GH5.
The GH5 readings are just about consistently nearly a stop out (minus) what they should be.
I've also checked my main camera's DxO test (Nikon D3) and it's significantly more faithful to true readings (phew).
I'm so genuinely disappointed. You shouldn't have to do any compensation for that aspect of camera's settings. It should come calibrated and true from the factory.
Maybe I''m over reacting (am I), but I might cancel my plans to sell the Nikon system and not completely move over to Lumix after all.
OH hell!
Holly crap it's true, the ISO settings on the camera don't match real world ISO settings. I've just read these pages which comment about the differences:
https://www.dxomark.com/Reviews/Panasonic-Lumix-DC-GH5-sensor-review-Best-performer-in-the-lineup.
https://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Panasonic/Lumix-DC-GH5---Measurements
There's no wonder that some of my exposures using a handheld meter don't look right or are inconsistent from my GH3...I've just checked that camera's DxO Mark test and it's ISO doesn't match either. Although it looks like the GH3 is closer than the GH5.
The GH5 readings are just about consistently nearly a stop out (minus) what they should be.
I've also checked my main camera's DxO test (Nikon D3) and it's significantly more faithful to true readings (phew).
I'm so genuinely disappointed. You shouldn't have to do any compensation for that aspect of camera's settings. It should come calibrated and true from the factory.
Maybe I''m over reacting (am I), but I might cancel my plans to sell the Nikon system and not completely move over to Lumix after all.
+simianinc I'll have to read that. Interesting.
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