# This App is a Light Meter — Pinhole photography perfected

> Pinhole camera light meter with exposure timer and negative inverter. (iPhone/iPad app by Oak Studios, LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/this-app-is-a-light-meter/id1449194398 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Oak Studios, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/554314612)
- Category: Photo & Video, Utilities
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.10/5 from 13 App Store ratings · 9 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.1 · 10 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2019-01-20
- Data updated: 2026-08-23
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/this-app-is-a-light-meter/id1449194398/reviews.md

## What is This App is a Light Meter?

Take the guesswork out of calculating your pinhole camera’s exposure time by using your phone or tablet as a light meter.

The meter is designed to work with any pinhole camera, and its particularly well suited for Kelli Anderson’s ‘This Book is a Camera.’

Includes a timer to count down every second to your ideal exposure, and an inverter to reveal the final image of your pinhole negative.

## Key features

- Light meter for pinhole cameras
- Calculates exposure time
- Integrated timer
- Negative inverter
- Works with any pinhole camera

## Recent user reviews (9 of 9)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/this-app-is-a-light-meter/id1449194398/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Simples

*2025-12-30, version 1.0.4*

Exposure accuracy for photographic paper is very good and the inverter is useful however the timer pauses when my phone screen goes off leading to over exposures so not trusted.

### 5/5 — Just what I need

*2025-01-10*

Great little app for calculating long pinhole photo exposures

### 4/5 — Elegant, Simple App I Wish Was Slightly Expanded

*2024-06-05*

I love how simple this app is, and it's helpful under bright to cloudy daylight for shooting with a pinhole camera. The app won't calculate longer exposures, however, insisting that certain scenarios (incandescent, lighting, for instance) are "too dark". I've used a paper dial to calculate appropriate exposure times for those scenarios, but would really love to see this app be able to handle that. That being said, I really appreciate the simplicity and clean interface. It's perfect for students or beginners, and the inverter feature is a great teaching tool. Thank you so much for developing this! 🙏🏼

### 4/5 — Good app with some flaw’s

*2022-11-30*

I think this app needs adjustable f/stops and adjustable iso

**Developer response:** The Light Meter team agrees! We created a ticket, and will let you know as soon as we implement these features. 

* Update: These features are now available! Please let us know if you have any more feedback.

### 5/5 — Perfect complement to This Book is a Camera

*2021-03-31*

Leveled up the user experience of pinhole photography 1000%

### 3/5 — Great, but...

*2021-01-21*

This is the best app for calculating exposure times for a pinhole camera. However, it needs a feature where we can change our ISO and f-stop. A lot of people use Ilford RC paper which is around ISO 5. Sometimes our pinholes will be bigger or smaller as well as our focal length. Being able to change these variables would be fantastic.

**Developer response:** These features are now available! Please let us know if you have any more feedback.

### 2/5 — What about other film speeds?

*2019-09-21, version 1.0.3*

The ISO setting is at 10 and there is no apparent way of changing this. The inverter is useful, though.

### 5/5 — Works really well, easy to understand!

*2019-02-13*

This is a really well-made app, and is very self-explanatory. I went to the class to make one of these cameras, and it works!

### 5/5 — Just what I needed!

*2019-01-18*

I love my Camera Book but light metering has until now been a pain point. None of the other light meter apps available were made with pinhole photography in mind. They are also mostly ugly, harder to use AND cost money.

Enter This App is a Light Meter! It solves ALL of the aforementioned problems. Not only does it work perfectly, it is super easy to use, and even has a most helpful bonus feature: An inverter. Now in one FREE app I can get the right exposure time instantly without having to fiddle with settings, set a timer, and even invert my negative after development. So great! Thanks for making this.

## Frequently asked questions about This App is a Light Meter

### What is This App is a Light Meter used for?

This App is a Light Meter is used to accurately measure light and calculate the correct exposure times for pinhole cameras, removing the guesswork involved in analog photography.

### Does This App is a Light Meter work with any pinhole camera?

Yes, the meter is designed to work with any pinhole camera. It is particularly well-suited for use with Kelli Anderson’s ‘This Book is a Camera.’

### What additional features does This App is a Light Meter offer?

In addition to acting as a light meter, it includes a timer to count down to your ideal exposure and an inverter to help reveal the final image of your pinhole negative.

### Is This App is a Light Meter free to use?

Yes, This App is a Light Meter is available for free, with no in-app purchases or advertisements.

### What devices is This App is a Light Meter compatible with?

This App is a Light Meter is compatible with iPhones, iPads, and iPods, and has an age rating of 4+.

### How often is This App is a Light Meter updated?

The latest version of This App is a Light Meter is 1.0.4, which was last updated on January 11, 2023. It was originally released on January 20, 2019.

### What is the user rating for This App is a Light Meter?

This App is a Light Meter has a rating of 4.1 stars based on 13 ratings, indicating generally positive user sentiment.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.0.4 — 2023-01-11

Adjustable aperture (f-stop) and ISO film values enable you to use This App is a Light Meter with any pinhole camera setup! Just tap on the 'Aperture' or 'ISO' buttons to select your camera's settings.

### 1.0.3 — 2019-07-12

Reduced app size

### 1.0.2 — 2019-05-31

• Improved inverter

### 1.0.1 — 2019-01-22

• Adjusted the metering algorithm to perform more consistently across devices
• Auto-adjust the viewfinder for low light conditions
• Fixed fonts in the navigation bar

### 1.0.0 — 2019-01-18

No release notes.

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## More apps by Oak Studios, LLC

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All apps by Oak Studios, LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/554314612

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*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 2026-08-23.*