The basic purpose of a photometer is to measure light . Since light comes in many forms, there are different types of photometers.
Photometry has been around for many years, although photometers have come a long way from its humble beginnings.
The first type of photometer was not an instrument at all. In fact, before light-measuring photometers were invented, it was only possible through the human eye. As time passed, photometers were invented, and today it can be used to measure all kinds of light.
If you want to know more about the history of Photometers you can see any of these articles:
- Our old photometers
- Brief History of Exposure Meters
The most common use of photometers today is in the field of digital photography.
When used in photography, the primary task of a photometer is to determine the proper amount of exposure . Since the light is not uniform, obtaining an ideal photograph means taking light into account.
Photometers that are built into digital cameras measure the amount of light within an area in order to produce the best possible picture. While photometers are widely used in the field of photography, there are also other uses for them.
Types Of Photometers
– Integrated Photometer:
In the early days of light reading, the photometer was always a separate piece of camera equipment. However, almost all cameras today come equipped with an interior light meter .
In most cases, such as taking a casual family photo or an overview, the built-in photometer, which comes standard with cameras made in the last 50 years or so, is sufficient for reading the intensity of the light and luminescence.
While many of the older SLR cameras required the photographer to use the built-in photometer to set an aperture for exposure, digital cameras often have photometer readings and set apertures automatically.
– Handheld Photometer:
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The handheld photometer is a standard accessory for most professionals.
The handheld meter can be used just as much as the camera’s built-in photometer, but it can also be used to focus on light readings from certain areas of the photo.
– Spot Light Meter:
The photographer can take a variety of light readings from different areas (“spots” or “spots”) of the photographic subject and use these readings to adjust the exposure of the camera to illuminate the chosen areas.
Some spot photometers are sophisticated in that they offer multi-segment measurement systems that can take multiple simultaneous readings from very specific areas.
– Incident Light Photometer:
Another common type of measurement for photographers is the incident light meter.
“Incident light is that which reaches the surface of a subject. The one that the object returns is the reflected light. » – www.fotonostra.com
This meter can often give more accurate light measurements by calculating, not the amount of reflected light, but rather the amount of light falling on the subject or object, therefore it uses “incident” light measurements.
Incident light measurements can avoid potentially incorrect exposures based on subjects with unusual reflected light readings. These photometers can also be configured to take light readings only when the flash lights are turned on, allowing the photographer to collect correct light readings for flash photography, and not just ambient light.
Some interesting links :
- Incident light vs. Reflected light
- The photometer
- Lumu, a new incident light photometer for the iPhone
- Your first photometer; Incident light or reflected light?
– Color Photometer:
Color photometers measure not only the amount of light reflected or falling on the object, but also the intensity of color radiating from the object.
These meters can be useful for photographers looking to balance color saturation and hue in their images by adjusting the exposure based on color readings.
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Learn more about the importance of color in photography.
Regardless of the type used, photometers have proven to be a valuable and long-range resource for photographers.
