Light meter app
 

Has anyone found a light meter app for their phone that actually works? I've downloaded several that don't seem to do much of anything but take up space.

It's impossible for them to work unless the app was written specifically for the exact charge capture device ("camera chip") in your exact model phone and your exact operating system.

There is a huge range of inexpensive photography light meters available. Some older ones are tiny and don't even need batteries.

There are also a few that work if you calibrate them with a real light meter first. But if I had a real light meter, I wouldn't need an app!

I've been growing orchids for 45 years and have never used a light meter to adjust the light levels for my plants.

Instead, I start start by "eyeballing" the degree of shade or dappling, then place the plant conservatively (less light) and observe it closely, making adjustments as needed.

The issue I have with reliance on meters is that it implies you "know" what the light level should be, and that suggests you've gotten some numbers from somewhere, without knowing their veracity, or how they were obtained. Then, if you move a plant into a higher light level based upon "some numbers" without necessarily knowing the prior conditions, you can still do damage.