Which data logging light meter to buy?

I’m thinking about setting up a data logging light meter, and maybe PVC tubes.

Does anyone have suggestions?

They’re pretty expensive for a decent one that has good logging software and PC interface. I use a Digi Sense, but Extech also makes them. Plan on spending around $200 and up unless you can find one secondhand. If you’re good with computers and software like Arduino you can build a logging setup also like the one bmenginee or chart on this forum dod did.

I built one based upon BLF member GChart’s info and i’m pretty happy with it.

Link

This thread is also very useful

I’m using this one since a couple of years:

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32931645767.html

Needs a legacy driver for its fake prolific chip, but that hasn’t been a problem from Win7 to Win10 for me.

And here’s a more recent model which I don’t own:

https://de.aliexpress.com/item/33009823381.html

Thanks everyone for the info!

I might just use a digicam and timer to record the values, but I’d rather not key all that data into a spreadsheet! :slight_smile:

The ones that require legacy drivers are less hassle than having to manually input all the values even if you set the interval to 10 seconds which is the longest I would go. But if you decide to go this route I would use a video player like VLC and set the skip time to whatever internal you wish to input, for most lights you’d only have to input the first 15 minutes then after that it would flat until the battery dies

For years I used a UNI-T usb data logging lux meter and installed the driver in windows XP in a virtual machine inside windows 10. It would export the values in a .text file which then I had an excel file that automatically converted the values into a runtime graph. Not sure if they have updated the drivers by now…

Be careful with your camera! Very high intensity light can and will damage the sensor. I would never hit one directly with a laser, LEP or even high output XHP or Osram leds or any high output LED. I have an arc welding lens that I use to inspect and once in a while photograph LEDs directly. An 8 stop ND filter might be enough and would have to be figured into your calculations.

I used to do them with a camera as well.. before I had a lux logger.

It looked like this:

I don't recommend doing that since it takes a lot of time to add them to a spreadsheet.

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Instead, use Gchart's device, or the ceiling bounce app.

Or get a higher end lux logger like the Extech SDL400, or something like the Reed / Luxtron / Voltcraft

Seriously consider the ceiling bounce app

You should be able to get it to run on a $40-50 smartphone and it works very well once calibrated