jsolanzo
Established
Which would you choose? All listed meters have 6 month warranties. I'm thinking the metrastar right now.
THanks
John
THanks
John
If you were to choose which meter from a list...
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shimokita
白黒
Here is a link regarding the metrastar
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22225
Depending on the model both the Gossen and Metrastar might require the old mercury 625 batteries. I have had my Luna Pro since 1970 and it still works with the use of a MR-9 adapter and a SR43W battery.
Sekonic has a good line of products of which I use their spot meter.
Casey
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22225
Depending on the model both the Gossen and Metrastar might require the old mercury 625 batteries. I have had my Luna Pro since 1970 and it still works with the use of a MR-9 adapter and a SR43W battery.
Sekonic has a good line of products of which I use their spot meter.
Casey
Last edited:
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
You'll first of all have to sort out for which purpose.
The Master III is one of the top class incident selenium meters (along with the L-398 and Spectra Classic). A clean and working one complete with Invercone might work for decades, and in light conditions good enough for hand-held it is generally considered one of the best incident meters ever. The Luna-Pro SBC (Profisix) is one of the best analogue read-out non-flash meters ever made, the one with the widest metering range and largest number of accessories - the plain Lunasix (Luna-Pro) is not that far off, but more restricted in range and accessories, and most of them take mercury batteries ($50 for a double cell adapter). The L-328 is the current lower end of the flash meter class of Sekonic - modern enough to be dead accurate (unless damaged or abused), good enough for most purposes, and the option among your choices if you need it for flash.
The Metrastar is the odd one on the list. A design beauty with origins in the Ulm school (of Braun and Munich 1972 Olympics etc. fame), but its sensitivity range is far from impressive (the Master III does almost as well), it takes a extinct mercury battery (calculate another $25 for an adapter), and its main feature, a 15° finder, is so far from spot (spotmeters usually are 1°) that it is effectively useless. It should be in every light meter collection, but I would not buy one for use unless you only need a very occasional backup and otherwise lean towards beauty more than practical usefulness...
The Master III is one of the top class incident selenium meters (along with the L-398 and Spectra Classic). A clean and working one complete with Invercone might work for decades, and in light conditions good enough for hand-held it is generally considered one of the best incident meters ever. The Luna-Pro SBC (Profisix) is one of the best analogue read-out non-flash meters ever made, the one with the widest metering range and largest number of accessories - the plain Lunasix (Luna-Pro) is not that far off, but more restricted in range and accessories, and most of them take mercury batteries ($50 for a double cell adapter). The L-328 is the current lower end of the flash meter class of Sekonic - modern enough to be dead accurate (unless damaged or abused), good enough for most purposes, and the option among your choices if you need it for flash.
The Metrastar is the odd one on the list. A design beauty with origins in the Ulm school (of Braun and Munich 1972 Olympics etc. fame), but its sensitivity range is far from impressive (the Master III does almost as well), it takes a extinct mercury battery (calculate another $25 for an adapter), and its main feature, a 15° finder, is so far from spot (spotmeters usually are 1°) that it is effectively useless. It should be in every light meter collection, but I would not buy one for use unless you only need a very occasional backup and otherwise lean towards beauty more than practical usefulness...
39per1
Established
I've got the Weston Master III since year 2006. It was launched in 1958 so I think is not easy to find a well preserved sample.....
I was lucky and I've got it for free togheter with a Rollei Automat......unused for years was still active but the glue of the front glass expired: I fixed it by myself , opening the shell an using "locktite" glue....it's now full fuctional.....
The only issue: it weight a lot so, last christmas, I bought a Twinmate, but the old Weston Master seems sharper....
I saw a couple of working sample owned by some of my friends: some of them, ussually black paint, have the scale of film speed in "Weston degree"; my own, in silver, have a common Iso scale (lucky).....
If is a working sample, I think it's a good choise.
I was lucky and I've got it for free togheter with a Rollei Automat......unused for years was still active but the glue of the front glass expired: I fixed it by myself , opening the shell an using "locktite" glue....it's now full fuctional.....
The only issue: it weight a lot so, last christmas, I bought a Twinmate, but the old Weston Master seems sharper....
I saw a couple of working sample owned by some of my friends: some of them, ussually black paint, have the scale of film speed in "Weston degree"; my own, in silver, have a common Iso scale (lucky).....
If is a working sample, I think it's a good choise.
Coldkennels
Barnack-toting Brit.
I love my Weston. So much so I bought a spare in case mine ever goes bust, for whatever reason. It's a beautifully made, very elegant piece of kit. Not too heavy at all, and fits in the front pocket of my jeans. (I don't keep it on a lanyard anymore. It got much too annoying, dangling around all the time.) Not having to use on rely on a battery with it is a real plus, too.
It seems stunningly accurate for the best part, but there is the pre-mentioned caveat: once the sun goes down, it becomes effectively useless in anything other than the brightest artificial light. If you find yourself shooting in a lot of dimly-lit situations, you might want to opt for a Gossen of some kind, even if they do tend to be bulkier and a bit less pleasing to the touch. (I know they're bloody good meters, but every one I've seen has felt a bit cheap and plastic-y to me. But then, I am comparing it to the Weston...)
It seems stunningly accurate for the best part, but there is the pre-mentioned caveat: once the sun goes down, it becomes effectively useless in anything other than the brightest artificial light. If you find yourself shooting in a lot of dimly-lit situations, you might want to opt for a Gossen of some kind, even if they do tend to be bulkier and a bit less pleasing to the touch. (I know they're bloody good meters, but every one I've seen has felt a bit cheap and plastic-y to me. But then, I am comparing it to the Weston...)
39per1
Established
....here the other issue.....the front glass is "real glass"....I'm afraid it can broke if hit and at least once in my use, prossure over it create detachment of the glass from the alluminium body...there is only glue to fix it. You must use a rigid case for it: the best soultion is to use is own case, in leather, but my own sample could be over 40 years old, so I'm afraid it can broke too.....
For these reasons I carry the "metal-glass joy" alwais in my bag.....Twinmate is for the pocket....
meso
Established
Coldkennels
Barnack-toting Brit.
Oh, trust me, I learned that the hard way. I had my first one in my pocket at work (at a farm), was clearing some scrap metal and heard a sickening crunch. Even if I could have replaced the glass, it was irreparable; the needle was destroyed, too. But I kept the body for spares and bought the one I have now.
They're surprisingly solid, though. Despite that incident, I still don't use the case for mine - and it's been rattling around in pockets, bags and god knows what for a year without a single problem. You'd have to do something really stupid (as above) to smash the thing.
gliderbee
Well-known
I have several light meters, a.o. the Sekonic L-308S, and I use that one the most.
I also have the Sekonic Studio Deluxe (no batteries needed; I like that), a Gossen Lunasix 3 that I hardly use (it looks like new) and a Pentax Spotmeter. The Sekonic L-308S is used most because it's light and handy.
Stefan.
Steve M.
Veteran
None of the above. The Metrastar is CDS, so less good for low light. The Luna Pro is accurate, but larger than some cameras I've owned! A meter you can't slip in your pocket is useless in my book. The Weston can't do low light, and it and the Sekonic you mentioned (the 308 is easily the best meter of the bunch, both in low light accuracy and small size) both require pointing the meter at your victim like some sort of Startrek communicator. People will, and do, stare when you point it at them.
I use a tiny Gossen Pilot for outdoors, and a SBC Super Pilot for low light. The Super Pilot is large, though nothing like the Luna Pro, and hands down the most accurate meter I've ever used. For me, an analog readout is more intuitive than a digital meter.
I use a tiny Gossen Pilot for outdoors, and a SBC Super Pilot for low light. The Super Pilot is large, though nothing like the Luna Pro, and hands down the most accurate meter I've ever used. For me, an analog readout is more intuitive than a digital meter.
thirtyfivefifty
Well-known
I'm with the Sekonic L-308S recommendation.
