Opple Light Master III (G3) discussion thread (Cheap device for measuring Lux, CCT + CRI)

[Rayoui]

@Correllux

I don’t know if a “for the price” argument holds here, simply because we are dealing with scientific measurements where accuracy is affected by so many things (and yes, repeatability as well). There’s just no way to make these accurate in a meaningful way, but something that would help is if all the sharers/reviewers were to agree to some sort of standards in terms of distance, ambient lighting, etc, etc, etc and maybe point out the shortcomings of the device when mentioning it in reviews…an asterisk disclaimer of sorts. You can’t push a river and you can’t make this device into a scientific instrument…just can’t. I think it has very limited uses, and it’s fun for that and cheap enough at the sale prices, but I don’t think attempting to extend its value beyond that is beneficial to anyone…jmho. The more I read about this subject and the instruments/components both on BLF and elsewhere on the web, it just became instantly clear that the Opple isn’t good for a whole lot no matter how much we want it to be, even “for the price.” Even the media devices that cost a few hundred and providing what we need really. The investment for acceptable equipment and the learning curve to use and understand it is quite expensive, which is why we’ve only ever had a small handful of people that owned them and provided the data. Apparently still no good way to circumvent that but the $600-$1000 range devices now, like the Hopoocolor, seem to be the logical step…ouch.

What I’ve noticed toying with the Opple in our office is that it’s marginally useful but it does vary an awful lot in its readings even in its intended areas of use. Good enough for larger ambient areas in an office (and for what that data is useful for to begin with). The repeatability is certainly not there, though, even when scooching it back and forth to the same spot on a flat level surface with the same body orientation. But…whatever…cheap fun, sorta. I really needed the other features more. Whatever comes of my purchase, I don’t think I’ll be spending again on an Opple device unless maybe they came out with a more capable one for more money in the future, possibly.

I agree with you. The Opple just isn’t accurate enough to be used in the fine-grain way that we want to measure our lights around here. It’s fine for a general idea of light quality but on BLF we are comparing detailed CRI and TM-30 data and duv measurements to four decimal places. But that isn’t going to stop people from posting inaccurate results and duv calculations from the Opple which will then be copied and pasted around other places on the web as if they are gospel. Soon there will be a plethora of wildly inaccurate data with no context floating around which will just invalidate everything. This is compounded by the fact that people really want the Opple to be accurate and may even believe it is if they have no other basis for comparison. Saying “yes I know it’s not scientifically accurate” but then posting inaccurate duv calculations doesn’t help anyone.

I like its flicker measurement function, but that’s about all I use it for.