The Photo Times: Gadgets: Simple attachment turns iPhone into a light meter

Accessories and gadgets make me consternation infrequently — what can’t a smartphone do?

At initial we was doubtful that a Luxi clip-on tie from BiteMyApple would work on my iPhone 5 to spin it into an occurrence light meter. Professional photographers mostly use light meters to get a many accurate settings in many any situation. Often hand-held light meters are some-more accurate than those built into cameras.

The Luxi and other hand-held light meters magnitude a tangible light descending on your subject. While meters built into digital SLR cameras are mostly accurate, they magnitude light reflected off your theme and can mostly be fooled when measuring something that is really splendid or dark.

After perplexing a Luxi freeing architecture tie side by side with my Minolta meter, we contingency contend a ambient light comparisons were roughly right on. This includes discerning tests in illumination as good as low indoor lighting conditions.

As a veteran photographer, I’ll still hang to my high-end rigging options, though a Luxi has tender me with a accuracy, that has warranted it a mark in my camera case.

Installation is simple; only insert a architecture over a iPhone’s front-facing camera. Obviously we can’t have a box on a phone though we do have a front and behind shade protector, that it fit over fine.

You’ll also need to download a light scale app, that is giveaway in a iTunes store.

Details: $29.95; esdevices.com

iHome Lightning Dock Clock

I always demeanour brazen to new products from iHome and generally a new Apple Lightning dock-equipped iDL45 Dual Charging Stereo FM Clock Radio.

Features are everlasting in iHome products though a many critical underline in my mind on this section is a top-loading eight-pin Lightning dock. This enables your iPhone or iPad (full and mini) with a newer Apple tie to assign and play.

It is complicated looking with a dull rectilinear figure and a black matte finish. The speakers are front confronting with a fabric covering and yield glorious sound from a multifunctional device.

The Lighting tie is on a hinge, that enables it to focus front and behind to support a different-sized devices. In many cases you’ll have to insert your device case-free.

Other devices, including a Apple 30-pin connector, that need adult to a 1 amp assign can bond with your possess USB wire into a back-sided USB port.

iHome has giveaway apps accessible in a iTunes store to offer clocks, alarms, radio presets, nap song profiles and other facilities for iHome products along with your device though don’t forget there is also a built-in FM radio.

Details: $99.99; ihomeaudio.com

Groove Pal Jr. speakers

The Accessory Power GOgroove Groove Pal Jr. is an easy-to-use speaker, designed in animal themes, including some that are involved or highly-threatened.

Models embody a bear, koala, owl, panda, penguin, frigid bear and a tiger.

It has a built in 3.5mm wrap-around cable, that enables many any smartphone, inscription or media to be connected.

The audio from a 40-millimeter high-excursion motorist and pacifist subwoofer is transparent and crisp.

A built-in rechargeable battery (850 mAh) is good for adult to 6 hours, depending on your volume levels. It recharges in a few hours with a enclosed microUSB cable.

Power can also be granted with 3 AAA batteries and when powered adult a animals have a intense LED base.

Accessory Power donates a apportionment of a net deduction of certain speakers to nonprofit organizations, that teach a open on a struggles of these animals.

Details: $16.99; accessorypower.com

Article source: http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/02/07/Canon_SX260HS_SX240HS