light meters

[tenter10]

hello to you all, could anyone tell me where to buy a cheap light meter for the times that sunny 16 does not apply I thank you one and all

 

[Roger Hicks]

How cheap?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Good light meters aren't cheap, they cost more than a camera with a built in meter! They're also the most important piece of equipment you will own.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Good light meters aren't cheap, they cost more than a camera with a built in meter! They're also the most important piece of equipment you will own.

Oh, I dunno. Even mediocre light meters are pretty good, and they're worth very little second-hand. the trick lies in finding one.

My own view is that a modest Gossen -- a Sixtomat F, say -- at around 200-250€ new, half or less used -- is a good buy. Where is the OP?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Oh, I dunno. Even mediocre light meters are pretty good, and they're worth very little second-hand. the trick lies in finding one.

My own view is that a modest Gossen -- a Sixtomat F, say -- at around 200-250€ new, half or less used -- is a good buy. Where is the OP?

Cheers,

R.

The Gossen you mentioned is a good one. I can't imagine working with anything that hasn't got a spotmeter for black and white, but I use Incident a lot for color transparency work, so for me a fairly costly meter was needed. I have a Minolta Flash Meter VI, which I got a good deal on from a photographer selling it on eBay. I think I paid $200 for it used, but working perfectly, so even costly meters (The FM VI is about $500 new!) can be gotten cheap if you shop around. I had a Sekonic L508 before that for a decade, but never liked the spotmeter because it didn't show readings in the finder. It was a good, very accurate meter, but a pain to use.

The OP posted just an hour ago, so I think we can give him some more time to come back

 

[Frontman]

I like Sekonic meters. I bought a newer studio meter (used) for about $80. I found an old Sekonic Leader for $5 which works just as well.

At the moment there is a VC meter for sale in the classifieds for a good price.

 

[oftheherd]

My two favorite hand held meters are the Sekonic L28c2, and the Gossen Luna Pro SBC. I bought the Sekonic over 35 years ago. It is a great incident meter, that works in lower light than would be expected. The Gossen I bought off ebay, at something like $130, several years ago, after having bought a Luna Pro off ebay before that. I wanted it because I fell in love with the SBC cell from my Fujica ST 901 use. It also uses some accessories the prior Luna Pro does not. I wouldn't give up either. That said, my first light meter was a Sekonic Auto something or other, that worked just fine.

The Sekonic Studio Deluxe models still sell for a lot of money for their age, but are really good incident meters. Either the Gossen Luna Pro, or Luna Pro SBC can be had at reasonable prices on ebay if you are patient. If you don't do a lot of low light, the SBC is less needed unless you want to purchase accessories later. The Luna Pro is also good in low light, but the SBC is better.

With any used meter, especially off ebay, you need to be sure it is a good working meter that hasn't been abused. Spending a little more to get one from a camera store or a place like KEH, which will allow returns, might be worth it. I have been lucky with my acquisitions.

 

[Roger Hicks]

The Gossen you mentioned is a good one. I can't imagine working with anything that hasn't got a spotmeter for black and white, but I use Incident a lot for color transparency work, so for me a fairly costly meter was needed. I have a Minolta Flash Meter VI, which I got a good deal on from a photographer selling it on eBay. I think I paid $200 for it used, but working perfectly, so even costly meters (The FM VI is about $500 new!) can be gotten cheap if you shop around. I had a Sekonic L508 before that for a decade, but never liked the spotmeter because it didn't show readings in the finder. It was a good, very accurate meter, but a pain to use.

The OP posted just an hour ago, so I think we can give him some more time to come back

No, I meant where, physically? I've a spare (original) LunaPro/LunaSix, which of course needs a battery adapter, but if shipping isn't too much and if I can find it, he could have that for a contribution to a breast cancer charity. I bought it new in about ´78.

I share your views about the general superiority of spot meters: Frances and I have, between us, both late Pentaxes (digi and analogue), a Gossen Spotmaster II, an SEI, and both true and semi-spot adapters for the Gossen system meters. On the other hand, I also feel that just about any meter is perfectly adequate when used with a modicum of understanding. I'm not sure how many working meters we have, never mind the ones that don't. I think I bought my first separate hand-held CdS meter in the 60s.

Cheers,

R.

 

[kiemchacsu]

Hi all,

I got a Gossen Sixtar light meter, it's pretty good for out door metering but for in door I am quite frustrated, I read the instruction but still couldnt manage how to do in because the term "until you feel resistance" is quite vague because the needle movement is depended on how hard I push the button. Can you guys show me how you handle to use it in indoor sitution.

Thanks for all help.
Cheers,
Trung

 

[sevo]

My two favorite hand held meters are the Sekonic L28c2, and the Gossen Luna Pro SBC.

There also was a somewhat rare hybrid between these two types, the Sekonic Auto Studio L-448 - a battery driven Studio Deluxe style meter with a motorized scale, which had the same SBC cell (and hence low light range) as the Luna Pro SBC.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Trung,

Sounds like an elderly and poor electrical contact -- possibly caused by oxidation, possibly by an earlier owner not being too sure what 'resistance' meant, and pushing too hard... Unless you want the meter repaired, I'd just push a little harder.

Cheers,

R.

 

[bigeye]

If you don't by new, I'd get the old luna SBC. It's kind of a plastic brick, but it is very accurate and the dial is great.

 

[Livesteamer]

I would humbly argue that my most important piece of equipment is my brain. That said, about a year ago I got a simple little Sekonic 158 after reading about it by another member here. It is small, repeatable, inexpensive and just right to carry with my IIIc. After some practice it works quite well for me. I also have the Luna Pro and a wonderful Sekonic 398 (?) modern incident meter. Both are quite good but bigger. Whatever you get just get to know it and have fun. Joe

 

[cambolt]

Do you have an iphone or ipod touch with a camera? The light meter app is all I've ever used and is free, or $1 without adds. Otherwise if you want new, a sekonic l-208 or l-308 are good, for about $100 and $200 respectively. If you want a hotshoe meter I would suggest a voigtlander VCII for around $150

 

[oftheherd]

There also was a somewhat rare hybrid between these two types, the Sekonic Auto Studio L-448 - a battery driven Studio Deluxe style meter with a motorized scale, which had the same SBC cell (and hence low light range) as the Luna Pro SBC.

Thanks. I don't remember reading about it. I will have to look it up just for the knowledge. I wouldn't expect to buy it since I have enough for myself. Sounds rather intrigueing though. For low light the SBC cells are great.

 

[Paul T.]

My vote (and let's face it, all anyone is saying here is that the one they own is the best) is for the Sekonic 208.

I've owned the VC II meter, various Westons and various vintage meters & the 208 is far quicker to use, has incident metering, and is handily compact.

 

[Timestep]

Probably a Seconic L398 incident meter would be best. I used them from the days of the original Norwood Director, and only in the past few years have switched to a Gossen Digipro. ( My wife still swears by the Seconic and owns two of them.)

The great advantage of the Seconic is its selenium cell, which needs no batteries. lso, you will get into far less trouble with an incident meter than one which reads reflectance.

 

[Steve M.]

Might be best to determine what you need a meter for. Are you basically looking for a meter to use in good light? Then a cheap selenium meter ($10 to $20) will be fine. Need one for lower light levels? Get a meter w/ a CDS cell ($20-$40). Need one for even lower light? Get a SBC meter ($50 and up).

I once had a Sekonic L 308B digital meter, and man, I hated that thing. It was expensive, and I occasionally drop or bump things. It also was a lot slower to read than an analog meter w/ a dial, and you had to point it face first like some sort of Star Trek device, not aim it from the front like every other meter I've ever used. People looked at you because they thought you were taking their picture w/ a cell phone. Not everything newer is better.

 

[Richard G]

Trung, i have e Gossen Sixtar bought in 1977 and still working. You push the button until you feel a resistance and suddenly the needle moves from the left to take up a new position in the low range read-out. Pushing further locks the measurement if it's too dark to see. I think this meter is called the Super Pilot in the US. I now use the Gossen DigiPro F with the swivel incident cone. Great for carrying in a jacket pocket where it is tall enough to be retrieved quickly. I like to get a reading before moving the camera from under my arm. I tried an iPhone app but it's no good for quick surreptitious readings. What you use the meter for exactly really does determine what meter to get.

 

[Roger Hicks]

My vote (and let's face it, all anyone is saying here is that the one they own is the best) is for the Sekonic 208.

I've owned the VC II meter, various Westons and various vintage meters & the 208 is far quicker to use, has incident metering, and is handily compact.

Dear Paul,

Not really. I've at least five different Gossens, four different Weston Masters, a couple of Pentaxes, a Sekonic, a VC, a couple of Russian meters, an SEI... And I've owened (or reviewed for magazines) many more.

Cheers,

R.