How many people use spot meters versus incident/reflected?

[Ronald M]

I use the best meter for the job. Own all kinds, incident , Digital spot, reflective,.

 

[presspass]

Both, depending on the shoot and what's in the bag. With the ltm cameras this past week, it was a Pentax digital spot meter. When it's a camera with a built-in meter like the MP, I'll also carry an incident meter. Today, in the snow, I'll use the incident meter and ignore the built-in meters. So which do I use? It depends on the need.

 

[Pentode]

I'll use any or all of the above, depending upon how I'm shooting and what I feel like carrying.

I don't own any clip-on meters, so I'd be carrying a hand-held reflective, incident or spot meter unless the camera I'm using has something built-in that I trust.

I'll sometimes compare results to a phone app. At other times I just guess.

 

[giganova]

"Sunny 16" is perfect for B&W film.

 

[back alley]

some history of this thread...it was started 8 years ago by someone who joined rff 8 years ago and only asked one question, this question here, ever...

 

[Roger Hicks]

"Sunny 16" is perfect for B&W film.

Sure, if you're not too fussed about shadow detail. Likewise any other metering system except shadow metering (for negatives).

Cheers,

R.

 

[Spanik]

Incident hand held for 90% of the cases. Spot when appropriate (indirect lighting, backlight, stained glass...), reflective only through the lens with a camera I know well.

 

[Godfrey]

Still mostly incident.

My Sekonic L-328 started to fall apart, had to tape it back together. So I felt it was time to update given I'd been using it since 1992. I found that the L-358 was discontinued and bought the L-478. Nice meter, but I haven't yet got the hang of it.. too many options!

So I did a quick look see on EBay and found an inexpensive L-358 (~$120). Love it, back to simplicity. I see there are a few new ones still available and might grab one. It's an excellent meter... 😀

G

 

[x-ray]

I use a mix of all theee depending on what I'm shooting.

My studio meters when using studio strobes are:

Sekonic incident / spot combination meter L758
Minolta IVF
Minolta IV

Continuous light source measurement:
2 Sekonic L398
Weston Ranger 9
Weston Master V
Pentax digital 1 Degree spot
Gossen Luna Pro

Favorites:
Minolta IV
Weston Ranger 9
Pentax 1 degree digital

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I use a mix of all theee depending on what I'm shooting.

My studio meters when using studio strobes are:

Sekonic incident / spot combination meter L758
Minolta IVF
Minolta IV

Continuous light source measurement:
2 Sekonic L398
Weston Ranger 9
Weston Master V
Pentax digital 1 Degree spot
Gossen Luna Pro

Favorites:
Minolta IV
Weston Ranger 9
Pentax 1 degree digital

You're almost as bad as I am with collecting light meters!

Gossen Luna Pro S
Gossen Luna Pro SBC
Gossen Ultra-Pro (three of them!)
Gossen Sixticolor
Pentax Zone VI Modified Spotmeter V
Minolta Flash Meter II
Minolta Flash Meter IV
Minolta Auto Meter IIIF
Minolta Color Meter IIIF
Sekonic L-758DR
Sekonic C500 Color Meter
Sekonic C700 Color Meter
Spectra Combi II (Two of them!)
Weston Master II
Weston Master V

Those are just the ones that work right. I have a few others that don't.

What do I actually use? For BW film, I use the Zone VI Pentax meter.

For color, which is all digital, I use the Sekonic L758DR, which I calibrated to my camera. I also use the Sekonic C700, which is an incredible color meter, when I have time to use it and set the camera's white balance settings from it.

 

[mdarnton]

At one point I did have a spot meter, but found it too large to carry around compared with just using a normal meter and taking a few steps closer. Also, I like the possibility of incident in the same meter, and use that as much as reflected. . . . When I use a meter at all, which isn't much these days.

On the hoof the meter in my phone is sufficient; in the studio I have an incident flash meter; but I don't use either one much.

 

[kiemchacsu]

...
Favorites:
Minolta IV
Weston Ranger 9
Pentax 1 degree digital

My Minolta IVf (a simplified version of IV, I guess?) is more than enough for me, shooting negative BW with Leica and Rolleiflex
I don't know If I ever need a Spot meter, may be if I go Large format?

 

[x-ray]

You're almost as bad as I am with collecting light meters!

Gossen Luna Pro S
Gossen Luna Pro SBC
Gossen Ultra-Pro (three of them!)
Gossen Sixticolor
Pentax Zone VI Modified Spotmeter V
Minolta Flash Meter II
Minolta Flash Meter IV
Minolta Auto Meter IIIF
Minolta Color Meter IIIF
Sekonic L-758DR
Sekonic C500 Color Meter
Sekonic C700 Color Meter
Spectra Combi II (Two of them!)
Weston Master II
Weston Master V

Those are just the ones that work right. I have a few others that don't.

What do I actually use? For BW film, I use the Zone VI Pentax meter.

For color, which is all digital, I use the Sekonic L758DR, which I calibrated to my camera. I also use the Sekonic C700, which is an incredible color meter, when I have time to use it and set the camera's white balance settings from it.

I have several that need calibrated but those are my primary meters. I also forgot I have three Leica MR4 meters on M bodies.

On jobs a backup meter is essential. I had the lanyard on my Minolta IV let go and the meter hit a concrete floor and flew apart. I scraped up the pieces and took it home that evening and a few days later thought I'd try and put the pieces together. Unfortunately it didn't work but a year or so later I found in in my junk box and tried it again. To my surprise it worked just fine. I used it for some time until it started getting flaky. I found another Minolta IV locally that was almost new and bought it as a replacement. Moral to the story, a backup is essential on jobs.

Your Minolt III meters are great meters.