If you are a serious orchid grower and..

[orion141]

My digital SLR was pretty good at estimating light intensity (used this method initially before my light meter), however for $20 I now have the ease of being able to get instant readings anywhere I point the light meter without having to use a white piece of paper and make calculations.

[My Green Pets]

I downloaded the WhiteGoods Light Meter app and compared its readings to my digital light meter. The readings of the app were in general within 200 footcandles of the light meter. The cameras phone must be looking at a white surface to get the most accurate reading.

[Oskar]

Originally Posted by CambriaWhat

I downloaded the WhiteGoods Light Meter app and compared its readings to my digital light meter. The readings of the app were in general within 200 footcandles of the light meter. The cameras phone must be looking at a white surface to get the most accurate reading.

Thank you CambriaWhat!

[My Green Pets]

I just took a couple of readings. I will post some more readings in the daylight, but it's dark outside now

White pillow, light from overhead incandescent bulb
Light meter: 20 lux
Whitegoods light meter app: 33 lux

Directly facing the light from 1.5 meters
Light meter: 130 lux
Whitegoods light meter app: 212 lux

[sthh]

Just did this exercise this morning. Took a white piece of paper, put it near where my vandas are growing. Point the camera at it, shot it at AUTO.
Captured the EXIF information of the photo, and calculated the amount of light on this area.

6*F^2/(I*E)

6 * 11 * 11 / (200 * 1/800) = 2904 foot candles.

So my vanda is getting rather high light in the morning.

[AKNicolle]

Once you've got a light meter and can take measurements of where your orchids will sit, what reference source do people use to determine the light requirements of individual plants? Is there a certain light level that most varieties appreciate, or does it vary substantially?

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by AKNicolle

Once you've got a light meter and can take measurements of where your orchids will sit, what reference source do people use to determine the light requirements of individual plants? Is there a certain light level that most varieties appreciate, or does it vary substantially?

the AOS culture sheets give recommended light for various genera AOS Culture Sheets

Light requirements for different types of orchids can vary a good deal.