New M4 - Now I need a meter

[mh2000]

gee... that's just what you get from an analog meter! 🙂

Actually, the Gossen is supposed to be a nice little meter, but when I compared them side by side I prefered the match needle design of the L-208 twinmate (didn't like having to transfer the EV number, matching the big needle seemed faster)... lookss more retro too!

Gossen Digisix! Gives you a scale that shows all the possible aperture/shutter combinations for the correct exposure at a glance.
I've had mine for more than two years and no exposure problems shooting slide film with my M4!

 

[mh2000]

PS I don't need a meter much... I just use the Twinmate-II because I like it 🙂

 

[elshaneo]

I have both the VC Meter II and the Sekonic L208, and they are both great as small and portable lightmeters ;-)

 

[Rogrund]

Go for the VC Meter II.

 

[Erik L]

I use the Minolta Autometer II. Kinda big, but gets me in the ballpark every time.

i also use minotla meter, the flashmeter III. its fast to use.

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

My old Gossen Luna Pro has served me well. I used to rely on it heavily to determine the exposure but after a while I learned to read the light levels adequately. It only comes in handy when I shoot slides or have to meter a tricky lighting situation.

I second the Gossen Digisix meter. I'm probably going to pick one up when the old Gossen kicks the bucket.

 

[Debusti Paolo]

gossen digisix or digiflash!😉pockatable and very realiable

 

[ChrisN]

Lots of choices! The Weston is a good choice for a contemporary, batteryless meter.

 

[Paul T.]

I used the VC II for some time, it's a neat little meter and looks great. But then I bought the Sekonic 208 which I much prefer, way more intuitive and it doesn't get knocked out of adjustment like the VC, while being just as compact - and it leaves space for my VC minifinder to be left on permanently. I also found out that if you leave the VC II in your pocekt, the little button can get pressed down and the batteries get depleted.

DOn't want to dis the VC because it's an elegant design, but I eventually found i would use the 208 (which is much cheaper) all the time, - so I sold the VC.

 

[Beemermark]

Am I the only one still using the Mr-4 meter? The meter was designed to work with the M4, couples to the shutter speed dial and is very ,very accurate. The focus area of the meter corresponds to the 90mm frameline making it very easy to semi-spot meter on the area of interest.

 

[maddoc]

Am I the only one still using the Mr-4 meter? The meter was designed to work with the M4, couples to the shutter speed dial and is very ,very accurate. The focus area of the meter corresponds to the 90mm frameline making it very easy to semi-spot meter on the area of interest.

... you are not the only one ! 🙂 I also use the MR-4 meter a lot, with the M4-P and M2 for the exact same reasons as you have mentioned. I have to be a little bit more carefully when "dropping" the camera into the bag but otherwise it is a very well designed and accurate working meter.

Just yesterday:

 

[Graybeard]

Something like a Weston Master IV, V, or VI, or the Weston Euromaster. If you buy used have George at Qualtiy Light-Metric fine tune it. Make sure that you get the Invercone incident light adapter, and USE it! A few quick incident readings will tell you what the lighting is like at the scene, then put the meter away.

You might even consider buying an inoperative Weston meter and sending it off to George for a rebuild. A dead Weston meter should go for about $5.

 

[chris00nj]

Go for the VC Meter II.

Ditto that recommendation. It's small, accurate, and good in low light.

 

[dfoo]

How good is the digisix in low light? I have a sekonic L-558, which is a good meter, but pretty massive to lug around with my discrete M4-p.

 

[photogdave]

How good is the digisix in low light? I have a sekonic L-558, which is a good meter, but pretty massive to lug around with my discrete M4-p.

I used the Digisix to meter all the latest time exposure shots in my gallery. The meter only reads down to two minutes but with a bit of math I was able to do five minute exposures.

 

[dfoo]

Thats interesting... I've found that once it got dark my 558 is pretty useless.

 

[thetooth]

I used the Digisix to meter all the latest time exposure shots in my gallery. The meter only reads down to two minutes but with a bit of math I was able to do five minute exposures.

don't you find though with exposures of more than 2 minutes with reciprocity failure , that wether you expose for 5 minutes or 8 minutes the image is about the same .

this depends on the film to the failure rate might be high or lower .

i just mention this because i did 4 shots of a rotten pear on 4x5 film and i am not one to calculate exposure so i did 4 shots . 1 @ 2 minutes , 1 @ 4 minutes , and so on till i hit 8 minutes and there was very little difference in the 4 exposures . side by side 2 minutes and 8 were different but not by that much , nothing you couldn't handle in printing . bah i am babbling !!! 🙂

 

[photogdave]

don't you find though with exposures of more than 2 minutes with reciprocity failure , that wether you expose for 5 minutes or 8 minutes the image is about the same .

this depends on the film to the failure rate might be high or lower .

i just mention this because i did 4 shots of a rotten pear on 4x5 film and i am not one to calculate exposure so i did 4 shots . 1 @ 2 minutes , 1 @ 4 minutes , and so on till i hit 8 minutes and there was very little difference in the 4 exposures . side by side 2 minutes and 8 were different but not by that much , nothing you couldn't handle in printing . bah i am babbling !!! 🙂

I thought about that but I was shooting at different apertures too. So I figured I needed more exposure to stop down.

 

[KM-25]

I use Digisix as well. It is digital, but works well. I use it for my MF and old RF without meter. It's small enough to keep in my pocket, and got many features such as clock, timer, alarm clock, etc. One thing I don't like, though, is that it does not have a switch, so it is always ON.

I love this little meter so much that I have both the Digisix and the Digiflash so I can have a backup. The thing I do to prevent battery drain is to simply set it to display the clock when it is not in use.

In doing this, the batteries last a long time, even in the cold.

I own a total of 5 meters including these two, a spot, the L 358 and a dedicated IR meter and the little Gossen is by far my favorite.

I shoot 100% Kodachrome with them too so metering accuracy is very important and these little meters do it well.

 

[Svitantti]

I suggest the Twinmate or either a Digisix or Digiflash from Gossen. They all could be attached to the hot-shoe but makes no sense for me.

I wouldn't want to use a VC meter for street because it is nice to be able to meter before taking out the camera up to your eye (in case you have a nice handy and fast bag for it or even if not).

I think I will be still using my Digiflash at least occasionally, even though I went from M4 to M6.