Lumu: A tiny high sensitivity digital light sensor to change your iPhone/Android into a light meter by just placing it into your headphone jack.
We have been waiting with held breathes for the announcement of this phenomenal design to be launched and finally the day is here!
Lumu is a tiny (coin sized), beautifully designed portable light meter that just simply plugs into your iPhone’s headphone jack and is able to perform incredibly accurate readings for such a small and reasonably priced device. This transforms your iPhone (through the accompanying Lumu app) into an extremely precise light meter, by measuring incident light and then displaying the appropriate settings to set your camera on your iPhone screen.
(Update: Since the beginning of July the Lumu now needs less juice and works with the newest Androids: Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note 2, HTC One.)
Not only are the settings displayed on the app but it also allows you to save the data to the iCloud so you can retain all your light-settings and location info, plus add voice records, notes, pictures, photo parameters, and more!
The way in which Lumu works is that it records incident light, or the brightness of light that reaches the subject before it’s reflected. This is a very accurate form of light metering for measuring the light coming towards an object, but might not give the most accurate representation for the exposure as a whole (as you might require certain areas to be ligher or darker than normal). The alternative is reflective light meters – those used in the camera itself, which measures the brightness of the light bouncing off the subject, which can occasionally result in misreadings.
The great thing about the Lumu is that it is durable and long lasting with a housing that is made out of a solid block of anodised aluminium with Lumu engraving. The diffuser is made out of plastic and is designed to make light reading measurements as accurate as possible. Lumu said “It’s sole purpose is to be functional, protect the heart of Lumu, the light sensor.” This is one light meter that is simple, sophisticated and a design that could potentially change the way we read light.
Here is what Lumu had to say on their Kickstarter page about their creation:
“People tend to settle in the safety of mediocrity. Not because they want to, but because they have no choice. Fortunately, every now and then, a small team of young, passionate talents who strive for excellence emerges, with a common goal explore the boundaries of their own knowledge. At Lumu Labs, we don’t believe in comfort of mediocrity. We want to explore the uncharted territories. It is not always easy, but it can be joyful, especially if you are not alone on the journey.” They go on to say: “The light meter of the 21th century should obviously make use of the iPhone. But not because of its light metering capabilities, but because of all the other things iPhone is good at: big screen, gestures, location, connectivity, mobility, apps, and more. It enables Lumu to bring you the best experience that light meters had ever had. Back us up, explore.”
To make the most accurate luminance measurements, the smartphone’s sensor isn’t good enough. We made electronics with the best sensor there is, with spectral response exactly like the human eye. There is no darkness too dark and no light too bright which Lumu can’t measure.”
The bonuses to Lumu:
– Measuring Range (Ambient Incident light, ISO 100): 0.15 – 250,000 lux (EV -4 to 20)
– Accuracy: +/- 0.1 EV
– Light Receptor: Hemispherical Diffuser, Cardioid-type
– Power Source: Audio signal (no batteries)
Unfortunately now the $79 (£50) early bird special has gone, since the campgain was launched yesterday morning there pledged amount has doubled! Yet interested buyers can still get the chance to grab a Lumu in either silver or black for $99 (£63) for the remainder of the 25-day Kickstarter campaign. Once this product hits the market, it’s expected to run somewhere around the price of $150 (£95).
This fantastic project only has 25 days left to go until they start putting this sublime creation into a production line: Click here to pledge.
Information: Lumu/ Kickstarter
