Need a truly accurate simple light meter

[TTureman]

I need advise,

I use a Sekonic L-758. Nice meter but overly complicated with tons of features I could care less about and that get in the way. Any suggestion on a small simple meter that is quick and easy to use with accurate readings. I am going to Italy and I hope to take my hassy 501c. I want to go as light as possible and not fell frustrated with taking readings. I might also take my digital camera and use it as a meter as well.

Tom

 

[terrydent]

I like the Sekonic L-308. It is small, light and accurate without all the gizmo's. I take one when I want to travel light.

Terry

 

[john_r_smith]

In my opinion, there is nothing to beat the good old Weston meter. And it looks so well with a classic V-system kit. The problem is finding a good one now.

 

[f22photographie]

Exposure meters.

I concur with john_r_smith - the Weston's looks the part. However, I have downgraded my Weston V to back up status having purchased a Gossen Digisix . Nicely styled, logical functioning, easy and comfortable to operate and not heavy using the supplied lanyard........

Dimensions - 75 x 50x 23mm
Weight - 40g incl. battery
Battery - 1x 3v lithium CR 2032

Best wishes,
Mike.

 

[TTureman]

Many thanks - How about evening shots

Thanks so much for your recommendations. Is this a good meter for those dusk shots when you want a nice sunset. Usually I have been told you need spot meters for best result.

Tom

 

[michaelhcothran]

What you don't mention is what "kind" of meter you want. Three basic kinds come to mind - incident, reflected, and spot meters. Then you might factor in ambient as well as flash metering. To a novice photographer, it's no wonder that some meters are complicated to use.

First choice is to decide "what" you want your meter to do. In many instances, an incident meter is ideal outdoors, and provides a quick and normally accurate reading. Reflected metering (which is what all camera meters are) is also quick and easy to use, but can often yield erroneous readings depending on where you aim it. Spot meters are great for landscape shooting, Zone system metering, or when you have the time to read of several selected areas of the scene, but they are also reflected meters, only with a very narrow angle of measurement. Then, do you want the meter to read manual flash exposures, or is ambient light all you need.

For general ambient metering, I would strongly recommend an incident meter. Many incident meters also have reflected meter capabilities. Any meter from Sekonic is good, as well as Gossen, but I prefer the ergonomics of the Sekonics. And if you want a simple meter, look to the low end of their price list. All will be accurate. And there's no need to pay for things you don't need or won't use. Many of these less expensive meters are also smaller and lighter, which makes carrying them around easier.
Michael H. Cothran

 

[ulrik]

The Gossen Digisix is a very nice, easy, small meter. If I want to meter in moonlight I use a Gossen Lunasix 3S of course.

Ulrik

 

[wbulte]

The Gossen Digisix is a very nice, easy, small meter. If I want to meter in moonlight I use a Gossen Lunasix 3S of course.

Ulrik

Lunar-six?

 

[TTureman]

Thanks

Thanks for all your help.

Tom

 

[stever]

Thanks so much for your recommendations. Is this a good meter for those dusk shots when you want a nice sunset. Usually I have been told you need spot meters for best result.

Tom

I have a PME so I do not need a separate meter, but when I need a spot meter, I use my Nikon F-100.

Steve

 

[TTureman]

Thanks

YOur suggestion of using a Nikon F100 is interesting because I was thinking of taking my canon digital and using it as a meter, but I was not sure.
Thanks again for the suggestions. This is most helpful.

 

[john_r_smith]

Well, I know a lot of you will laugh, but . . .

There is always the Hasselblad meter knob for the 500 series cameras. This is actually a very high-quality item, made by Gossen, and for general photography in good light it actually works perfectly well. I have often taken it on holiday with me when I just wanted to carry the minimum of kit - camera, 80mm lens, one magazine and a few rolls of film. Certainly the meter knob will not be much use for tricky backlit subjects and will not read in low light, but otherwise it is fine. And it reads out directly in EV.

John

 

[polypal]

Metering knob

These Gossen made light meters are now at least 25 years old.
They use a selenium cel as active element, no batteries the power for the reading comes from the cel.
This type of instrument is known to loose its accuracy through the years because the cel loses its active properties.
Well kept instruments, preferably in the dark are still around and function well.

Back lit scenes can be metered provided the light metering method is used:
Close the difussor for the element and measure light coming towards the subject.

 

[wbulte]

Back lit scenes can be metered provided the light metering method is used:
Close the difussor for the element and measure light coming towards the subject.

s/the light metering/the incident light metering/

 

[1000F]

I like the Sekonic L-308. It is small, light and accurate without all the gizmo's. I take one when I want to travel light.

Terry

I'd even recommend the L-208. I've been using one for a couple of months now and I've found it to be just fine for the experimentation that I am doing.

 

[bensonga]

There are two relatively simple light meters from Seconic that I would recommend. The analog L-398 or the digital L-358. I have the L-398 and it works very well. It uses a Selenium photocell.....no battery required.

Gary

 

[MarkF_48]

Gary,
I like the idea of no batteries in that L-398. On the L-398 how do you change from incident to reflective reading. I have an L-358 I use in a studio type of setting, but I'm looking for a compact ans sturdy ambient meter to use in the field that I don't need to swap the dome for the reflective head for each kind of measurement. I've been looking at the Sekonic L-208 or the Gossen Digisix that have the sliding window for incident/reflective readings.

I had dug my old Gossen Super Pilot out of the closet and realized it's time for a meter upgrade. I liked the meter years ago, but playing games to make it work with non-mercury batteries and the slow CdS response just aren't as much fun anymore.

 

[bensonga]

Hi Mark,

On the L-398, you have to replace the white incident dome with a separate reflected light grid. So it's not as simple as sliding the dome aside (as it was on a Gossen Luna Pro I once owned), but it takes less than 10-15 seconds to swap the dome/grid.

For me, this is not an issue since I only use this meter for incident light meter readings when I'm out with my Mamiya TLR (I have a long personal history with the Mamiya twin lens reflex camera and this type of Sekonic meter).

The L-398 is a sweet little meter...it's an update of the original Sekonic Studio Deluxe. I used one of those for 25+ years before finally replacing it with the L-398 a few years ago. My original Studio Deluxe now occupies a special place on my desk.....a reminder of the many years we spent together in far away places. There's just something about an analog meter that still clicks with me. On a purely aesthetic basis, it's well suited for use with a fully manual, mechanical camera.

I have a Sekonic L-758DR and Minolta Autometer IV that I use with my Hasselbalds. Yes, yes, I know....the Hassies are fully manual, mechanical cameras as well, but in my warped sense of priorities....they deserve the best and most accurate meters in my possession. So the 503CWD gets the Seconic L-758DR and the 501CM and 553ELX have to make do with the Minolta Autometer IV (each meter in separate camera cases, so I don't have to worry about whether I forgot to bring a meter along with me).

In reality, all of these meters work very well for incident light meter readings.

Still thinking I should get a Pentax Digital spot meter one of these days to use with my 4x5 cameras....if I ever get serious about shooting film again and re-learn the Zone system.

Gary