Adafruit TSL2561 Digital Luminosity/Lux/Light Sensor Breakout
The Adafruit TSL2561 is a precision digital light sensor with both infrared and full-spectrum photodiodes. This allows you to separately measure infrared, full-spectrum, or human-visible light — providing more accurate lux readings than basic photoresistors, which can't distinguish between IR and visible light.
With configurable gain and timing ranges, the TSL2561 detects light levels from 0.1 to over 40,000 lux. It communicates over I2C with selectable addresses (up to 3 sensors on one bus) and draws extremely low power — about 0.5mA when sensing and less than 15µA in power-down mode. The breakout board includes a 3.3V regulator and level shifting for use with 3V or 5V microcontrollers.
Key Features
- Dual Photodiodes – Separate infrared and full-spectrum diodes for accurate human-visible light measurement
- 0.1 to 40,000+ Lux Range – Configurable gain and timing for a wide range of lighting conditions
- I2C Interface – Digital output with built-in ADC, no analog pins needed
- Selectable I2C Address – Three address options for up to 3 sensors on one bus
- Ultra-Low Power – ~0.5mA active, <15µA in power-down mode
- 3.3V and 5V Compatible – Onboard voltage regulator and level shifting
- Precise Lux Calculation – Library-supported conversion from raw readings to calibrated lux values
Ideal For
- Ambient light measurement and lux monitoring
- Low-power environmental data logging
- Display brightness auto-adjustment
- Plant growth and greenhouse monitoring
- Light-sensitive automation and triggering
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit TSL2561 Digital Light Sensor Breakout
Resources
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