4 new luxmeters compared (sept 2018)

I got message from two more sellers. Both with the same content. Here one of the answeres i got:

Hi,my friend
we check with the factory ,now the factory supply the black top instead of the red one .

There’s one last straw. My “black top” (and other visible clues on the outside) corresponded with downgraded sensor-internals and miserable performance, but that was just one unit. Perhaps there’s black tops with the good internals?

Or else wait for new cheap luxmeters to check. At least we know that ok and usable luxmeters can in principle be made for little money.

Lucky me I’ve got good one from this store on Sept 2017: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/TASI-TA8133-200-000Lux-Digital-LCD-backlight-Pocket-Light-Meter-tachometer-luxmeter-Lux-FC-Measure-Tester/2797144_32791412464.html

Thanks for sharing findings. I wouldn’t know my meter could be so bad.

To other people looking for an 8132 or 8133 meter:
If you ask for a picture before buying then you might be able to see if there are other signs of low quality, such as the crappy cable and pale red housing, instead of just what colour the top is.

I am trying exactly that Enderman.
A good tipp for everyone that is also trying this. Check the pictures twice. I got pictures from two sellers. Both looked good. red top. . . but when downloading and viewing enlarged i noticed that the picture was showing a TA8130 not the 32 or 33. There are a few sellers that claim to have the right one (some say its their last one!!). But untill now nowbody managed to deliver a picture from a 8132/33. But i have time and will try to get one.
And maybe like djozz said, only the samples he got had bad internals. I doubt it, but it is possible.

Or else find other luxmeters out there that have that same measuring unit. I saw a few teardowns on youtube of other meters that looked exactly the same inside. Not that this luxmeter is so great but it is at least better than the LX1330B that so many people use.

I have not done detailed comparison but the "black top" TA8133 i got does the same weird things djozz's one does like displaying 0lm when T-10 says 70ish lm, 100lm when t-10 is like 160lm, that plus the difference seem to depend on the lamp type and color wich is a sign that the filter doesn't follow the right curve.

One meter doing weird things might be an error but two meters with the same kind of behaviour sounds like the start of a trend

From a designer point of view its feels like Tasi changed the sensor type without changing the calibration parameters (plus the new sensor+new filter doesn't fit the expected response curve as well as the previous couple did)

Its interesting to see how it is working on Aliexpress.
I think it is save to say that most of the sellers do not have their own stock. They use dropshipping.
How do i come to this conclusion. I asked the sellers only which one they have (I send a picture with a red and a balck one). And i got the same picture from 6 sellers. It showed the black one.
So they asked the warehouse and all got the same picture from there.
So i think i have to search for something else. To bad. The meter was relative precise and that for a very good price.

You mean that picture ? ;-)

Exactly. I got it from 6 different shops. And all had to check their warehouse before sending the pic.

It seems that I was lucky to get 2 out of three good versions :person_facepalming:

Interested in selling one of the good meters?

No, sorry. The good TA8132 was actually financed by Enderman and I promised him to have it if it was any good, I will send it along to him with the bigger Tasi meter. The “good” TA8133 I would like to keep for reference.

No problem! I did not belive that a seller would answere this late. And i was not expecting to get the right picture :smiley:

Its their last one. And they told me the new ones are the ones with black top :cry:
So i put it in my cart bought it and . . . . payment failed! Thats right. I love AE! Customer Support competent and capable as it gets, told me to wait 24H and then try again.
:person_facepalming: :frowning: :frowning: :frowning: :person_facepalming:

I hope you will be luckier than i was : Aliespress payment failed

I asked a relative if he could try his Card. The payment went through. Now i hope to get the right Meter. The picture is ok. But i better say nothing untill i hold it in my hands.
At least the seller is having no chance in case of a dispute. With the picture he can not say sorry i did understand you wrong . . .

But i am curious if my next payment will work or if i have to ask someone else everytime i want to order something from AE.

Today a really well wrapped package arrived. When i first saw the cardboard box i was not very happy but the right meter was inside.
Two eneloops are in the charger so i can test the meter.
Next step is to get a styrofoam ball to build a simple integrating sphere (Integrating sphere #4 (the fast and cheap one)).
I know a local shop is selling them but i will have to check the wall thickness. I want to use a 20 or 30cm sphere to be able to measure light up to 70-75mm.


Lucky you! :slight_smile:
I’d be happy to check the calibration at some point.

Good to see you eventually got one ! :-)

Summary on how things went for my TA8133 bought from BZG Electronics Co,.Ltd on AE :

  • Received the new "black top" one and after testing it showed the same weird behaviour than the one djozz had tested like displaying 0 up to about 80-90lux then started to increase but was still very bad (bad calibration) + behaviour was not exactly the same depending on light source (poor filter)
  • Had to send several set of pictures to seller who pretended that it was supposed to work "only with tungsten light" (i bet they don't really understand the specification)
  • Was offered to receive a new one with the same "black top" picture that TheOnlyDocc received
  • When i refused i was asked to send a video because my pictures where "not showing the default"
  • Opened a dispute with AE because i was bored of arguing with seller and that was the only way to send a video
  • Then the seller insisted that Tasi recognised there was a problem with a batch of luxmeter but that the new ones would be fine
  • I answered that i was ok to receive one if they were really sure than it will be good, explaining my thought about lake of calibration AND poor filter/sensor matching.
  • Got no answer from the seller until AE decided for a full refund

It's a pity that Tasi changed the way a good product was made but even if they say that things should be ok again now i would not suggest to buy one until someone has a way to verify calibration and frequency response and are ready to waste time arguing with sellers ;-)

I would love to do that! I asked my uncle but he no longer workes in Uithoorn half the month. Maybe it is possible to compare results when i get the sphere ready. A known led running on a fixed current.
Which sphere size should i aim for if i want be able to measure lights up to a headsize of 70-75mm? Or would it be better (better readings) to get a small 15cm sphere for small lights and a ~30cm for bigger ones?
The styrofoam balls are not that expensive.