# Lightme - Lightmeter — A clean, powerful lightmeter

> Versatile smartphone light meter with advanced features for photographers. (iPhone/iPad app by Giuseppe Bertolini.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightme-lightmeter/id1509033790 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Giuseppe Bertolini](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509033789)
- Category: Photo & Video
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 865 App Store ratings · 186 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.6 · 8 MB
- Languages: American English, Italian, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish
- Released: 2020-05-16
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightme-lightmeter/id1509033790/reviews.md

## What is Lightme?

Lightme - Lightmeter is a clean, simple to use yet very powerful lightmeter.

It is optimised for an easy one-handed use, both for left-handed and right-handed users, with the main controls within your thumb's reach, without the fatiguing juggling of your precious smartphone.

A core distinguishing feature of Lightme - Lightmeter is that - differently from most of the other apps - it can show multiple combinations of valid settings for aperture and shutterspeed at the same time by working like a - stretched out - old needle and wheel lightmeter. This allows the user to quickly pick the desired settings without having to scroll on a tiny wheel picker. 

The app is designed to be welcoming to people who are just starting out, with a simple one-button use. But it offers many useful and advanced features for the more experienced shooters/users:
Continuous metering (by pressing and holding or double tapping the measure button)
Spot metering with a variable zoom (for more precision) which also supports average metering, and a very intuitive implementation of the zone system
Automatic reciprocity failure compensation (for 25+ films, if you see exposure times in red, they are being compensated)
A dedicated pinhole mode with precise exposure times for user defined apertures (multiple apertures at a time), with the possibility of setting a timer (through a shortcut)
Incident light metering with calibration when using the front facing camera
And more ...
It also includes some other features that are enjoyable by any kind of user:
Black and white preview
The ability to use any of the cameras on your smartphone (swipe left/right on the preview)
Multiple presets for your different camera/film/lens setups
Framelines for previewing your shot, before setting up your tripod etc.
A searchable list of useful tips to make better use of the application's potential
A searchable list of more than 70 films to choose from with the possibility of selecting a few favourites
Dark mode support and a useful level of customisation
You can find even more info in the tips inside the app or you can have a look at full user manual by tapping on manual (in the settings)

The app is free in all its many functionalities, but it offers In-App-Purchases in order to support the project.

The only minor perk you can enable only via certain IAPs is the replacement of the Ad button with a label containing the name of your current preset, check under settings -> coffee for more info.

Don't panic though, even if there's an Ad button it doesn't mean I'm going to show you ads. In fact unless you decide to tap on that button I'm never going to show you any. But if you have a few minutes to spare, watching a few of them sure helps keeping this project alive :) 

Try it, and, if you like it, share it with your friends and consider writing a (mini) review ;)

Have a nice day, and good light!

## Key features

- Multiple exposure settings display
- One-handed operation
- Spot metering with zoom
- Reciprocity failure compensation
- Pinhole mode
- Incident light metering
- Film database

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Guanciale | $9.99 | one-time |
| Parmigiano | $16.99 | one-time |
| Pizza for two | $29.99 | one-time |
| Espresso ristretto | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pecorino Romano | $4.99 | one-time |
| Do this full-time | $59.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Lightme?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Accurate metering
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 💡 Comprehensive features (spot metering, zone system, film stock selection, etc.)
- 🚀 Consistently accurate exposures
- 👍 Thoughtful design with user's needs in mind
- 👍 Helpful reminders (e.g. checking ISO)
- 💡 Offline functionality
- 👍 No ads, optional support via coffee donations

**Cons**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 👎 Confusing or cluttered interface for some users
- 👎 Tedious film selection process
- 🐛 Inaccurate metering in certain lighting conditions

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 16
- Metering issues with certain camera/lens combinations

**Most requested features**

- Add shutter angle adjustment for cinematography
- Implement ISO lock feature
- Add more film stock profiles
- Improve film selection process (e.g. search, categories)
- Provide more customization options (e.g. interface themes)

## Recent user reviews (10 of 186)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightme-lightmeter/id1509033790/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Absolutely essential!

*2026-07-14, version 3.0.17*

I have been using Lightme for about a month now and it is the best phone-based light meter I have used. Very flexible and intuitive.

### 4/5 — Very good, but missing features

*2026-06-21, version 3.0.17*

I love this app, but why don’t you give options above f16? My camera goes to f32 and maxes at 400SS, so I’m having to guess iris stops past 16, which I often am past 16 in very bright scenes.

### 1/5 — Useless

*2026-06-13, version 3.0.17*

I need a simple normal photography light meter. Not sure what usage this is for.

### 5/5 — The best lightmeter

*2026-05-17, version 3.0.15*

I’ve tried several lightmeter apps, and this is my fav so far.

See the description to know all what offers, but this is the only one that I’ve added to my lock screen.

Besides, you don’t have to subscribe, you can pay once and support the project.

### 5/5 — Great for reversal printing

*2026-05-12, version 3.0.15*

Actually goes down to .8 iso and has a built in timer. Really great for doing reversal print pictures on the paper in camera. Well thought out and intuitive to use.

### 5/5 — Great App!

*2026-05-11, version 3.0.15*

This gem has been helping me a lot with a variety of old vameras ans lenses. It has yet to let me down on the metering - it‘s always on point. The combination with Logbook is brilliant. AND customer service is quick to respond and super nice.
Great work guys!

### 5/5 — Best Lightmeter app

*2026-05-07, version 3.0.15*

Best one out there and it’s free!

### 2/5 — Not for me, might be OK for some.

*2026-04-12, version 3.0.14*

Difficult to figure out. I was looking for something more intuitive.

### 5/5 — The way apps should be made!

*2026-04-06, version 3.0.13*

This is in my opinion an essentially perfect app. No data collected. Easy, intuitive and forgiving user interface. Actually helps me understand the concept, as someone new to metering scenes.

On top of that, I have the opportunity to tip the creator. And the app size is exemplary!

Every app creator can learn something from this. Well done!

### 5/5 — Best app for film photography students!

*2026-03-24, version 3.0.11*

This app just saved my semester 😂 It really helped me have a clearer idea of the concepts and seeing them working in “real time” was a game changer. It also helped me understand reciprocity. It is a clean and very intuitive app. You have exactly what you need right there! I highly recommend it to anyone struggling to grasp some concepts in theory because once you see how everything instantly works, it all starts making sense :) Thank you for making this possible, and for free! I’ll keep donating because this is such a great tool! Keep the good work 🙌🏼

## Frequently asked questions about Lightme

### What does the Lightme app do?

This app functions as a powerful yet simple light meter for your smartphone. It helps photographers determine the correct exposure settings by measuring light and suggesting combinations of aperture and shutter speed. It's designed for ease of use, even with one hand, and offers advanced features for more experienced users.

### What are the key features of this light meter app?

Key features include displaying multiple valid aperture and shutter speed combinations simultaneously, optimized one-handed operation, continuous and spot metering with variable zoom, automatic reciprocity failure compensation for over 25 films, a dedicated pinhole mode, and incident light metering with calibration. It also offers a black and white preview, multiple camera support, and a searchable film database.

### Is this app free to use?

The app is free to use with all its core functionalities. However, it offers in-app purchases to support the project. These purchases can unlock minor perks, such as replacing the ad button with your current preset name, but do not affect the primary light metering capabilities.

### What kind of devices is this app compatible with?

The app is designed to be used on smartphones. It allows you to use any of the cameras on your smartphone for metering, and you can swipe left or right on the preview to switch between them. The app also supports dark mode.

### Who would benefit from using this light meter app?

This app is beneficial for a wide range of photographers. Beginners can appreciate its simple one-button use and welcoming interface, while experienced shooters will find value in advanced features like spot metering, zone system implementation, and reciprocity failure compensation for film photography.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.0.17 — 2026-05-26

• fixes spot metering for older devices

### 3.0.16 — 2026-05-22

• refined and more stable and reactive spot metering
• should fix live preview not starting for some devices unless a reboot is performed
• Adds Spanish tips and shutter speeds up to 16000

### 3.0.15 — 2026-04-24

minor fix, the app would keep selecting the same camera back at launch

### 3.0.14 — 2026-04-08

• refinements

### 3.0.13 — 2026-04-04

Refinements and new films!

## Apps similar to Lightme

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Manual Camera, Pro DSLR \| RAW+](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manual-camera-pro-dslr-raw-plus/id1152205153) | 4.4 (2,385) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Timer Auto Camera - Set Second](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timer-auto-camera-set-second/id415294299) | 4.7 (1,020) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Photo Timer+](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-timer-plus/id557785123) | 4.7 (8,318) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Lens Buddy - Self Timer Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lens-buddy-self-timer-camera/id1289471945) | 4.9 (33,764) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Self timer Pro Camera photo](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/self-timer-pro-camera-photo/id836710225) | 5.0 (1) | $0.99 | Photo & Video |
| [Fast Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fast-camera/id402777723) | 4.7 (687) | $4.99 | Photo & Video |

## More apps by Giuseppe Bertolini

- [Lightme - Logbook](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightme-logbook/id1544518308)
- [ShortVidsBlocker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortvidsblocker/id6758012824)
- [Padme - Custom keypad for Mac](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/padme-custom-keypad-for-mac/id6784965259)

All apps by Giuseppe Bertolini: https://appshunter.io/developer/1509033789

## Related topics

[lightme](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/lightme) · [light meter photography free](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/light-meter-photography-free) · [lightme lightmeter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/lightme-lightmeter) · [light meter for film camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/light-meter-for-film-camera) · [light meter film](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/light-meter-film) · [light meter photography](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/light-meter-photography) · [light meter ultra](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/light-meter-ultra) · [lightmeter free](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/lightmeter-free) · [film exposure calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/film-exposure-calculator) · [lightmeter express](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/lightmeter-express) · [light meter photography film](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/light-meter-photography-film) · [camera light meter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/camera-light-meter) · [light meter for film](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/light-meter-for-film) · [photo light meter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-light-meter) · [film camera light meter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/film-camera-light-meter) · [exposure meter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/exposure-meter) · [my lightmeter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/my-lightmeter) · [light exposure meter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/light-exposure-meter) · [my lightmeter pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/my-lightmeter-pro) · [light meter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/light-meter)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*