Pocketable incident light meter

[michaelwj]

This has thrown a bit of a curveball. I was leaning towards the Gossen as it is slimmer (the dome is on the front), reads lower, and has a narrower reflected angle (25 vs 40 degrees). But it hasn't got a single vote...

I do like the look of the 358 and the 478, but I feel they're a bit big and complicated for me.
FWIW I shoot negative film, and generally take an incident reading of the light and go from there. I don't meter every shot, and only when I don't trust my instincts - such as inside somewhere unfamiliar.

 

[madNbad]

A couple of months ago there was a thread comparing the Digisix and the 308. Might be worth your time to look into it. I have a 308s but would like to try the Gossen. We're all waiting for the big which M reveal, too.

 

[michaelwj]

A couple of months ago there was a thread comparing the Digisix and the 308. Might be worth your time to look into it. I have a 308s but would like to try the Gossen. We're all waiting for the big which M reveal, too.

Thanks, I read that thread, and was part of the inspiration for this one - with the added jeans pocket constraint.

The M is on the way - I'm checking the tracking status every few minutes!

 

[Godfrey]

This has thrown a bit of a curveball. I was leaning towards the Gossen as it is slimmer (the dome is on the front), reads lower, and has a narrower reflected angle (25 vs 40 degrees). But it hasn't got a single vote...

I do like the look of the 358 and the 478, but I feel they're a bit big and complicated for me.
FWIW I shoot negative film, and generally take an incident reading of the light and go from there. I don't meter every shot, and only when I don't trust my instincts - such as inside somewhere unfamiliar.

I tried a Digisix at the store but wasn't particularly impressed with it. Just didn't appeal to me much.

The L358 has just the right mix of stuff that works for me, and not too much extra. I only had to read the manual once and it's made complete sense ever since without ever referring back to it. I mostly have it in ambient light, aperture priority mode, incident reading. When I feel a reflective reading is more apropos, I switch to the reflective light receptor. It looks bigger than it is (although the L478D is smaller), but ergonomically the L358 is near perfect.

(I do much the same as you do when it comes to shooting and metering. I do like to have at least a baseline from which to guess a little more or less exposure. 😀 )

G

 

[michaelwj]

Looking at the Gossen Sixtomat F2, I favour the location of the Sekonic dome and buttons
The Sekonic seems to be more natural to hold and adjust at the preferred incident metering angle/direction (typically from behind or side) while still monitoring the reading realtime ....just my 2p

I keep coming back to this. I think the 308 just looks easier to use compared to the Sixtomat.

 

[Ranchu]

The 308 is a good meter, but it causes batteries to corrode in it oftener than seems right, I eventually got rid of it I got so tired of not having a battery in it.

 

[ian_watts]

You can't go wrong with the 308. I bought mine 15-20 years ago and would buy another were I to lose it. It's one of those uncomplicated things that just works. Some people moan that it doesn't have an aperture-priority mode (it was designed as a flash meter) but you don't have to be Stephen Hawking to be able to handle the maths involved in transferring the meter reading to the camera.

 

[johannielscom]

Thanks for all the replies so far, some new models I'll have to take a look at too.

Re: Smartphone App; I have one, but it's not an incident meter without a bulky attachment.

My Light Meter can be set for either reflected or incident measuring. The incident setting places a virtual diffusion dome over the front-facing camera lens. No attachment required. The app has replaced both my Sekonic L-608 and my Gossen Luna Star, which I loved!!

It is available for iphone, but I don't know about Android

Look here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/incident-light-meter/id563821446?mt=8.
In the EU it's EUR 4,99 to purchase. It meters very close to my Gossen Lunasix 3, which is almost as big as my small Leica II. When I take the Leica, I leave the Lunasix 3 at home these days.

 

[rodt16s]

I keep coming back to this. I think the 308 just looks easier to use compared to the Sixtomat.

I did bust out the translucent cover of my L-308 flash attachment to give the option of a narrower angle for the reflected reading.

I do have an L608 too but it never see's the light of day as a walkaround

 

[Dan Daniel]

I've used a 308 for years now. The only thing I've had to do is put a piece of tape along the top edge of the incident to keep it from sliding away from covering the meter cell. One handed operation. I've never carried it in the pocket of jeans, but I don't carry a phone in jeans pockets either. I have carried the 308 in looser pants pockets. If you think of the 308 as a slightly thicker smart phone that should tell you if its shape will work for you.

 

[davhill]

The MyLightMeter app does NOT "place a virtual dome" for incident light readings. The screen image *shows* a dome to suggest you should use one!! You need a Luxi or similar dome to get a correctly diffused reading. (No, its not clearly stated. Yes, I asked the developer about this.) Granted, if you point the cam straight up to a blue sky, you'll get a pretty even reading, but there's no way for the camera to diffuse the light coming into it.

My Light Meter can be set for either reflected or incident measuring. The incident setting places a virtual diffusion dome over the front-facing camera lens. No attachment required. The app has replaced both my Sekonic L-608 and my Gossen Luna Star, which I loved!!

 

[Marcuza]

Oops!

Oops!

The MyLightMeter app does NOT "place a virtual dome" for incident light readings. The screen image *shows* a dome to suggest you should use one!! You need a Luxi or similar dome to get a correctly diffused reading. (No, its not clearly stated. Yes, I asked the developer about this.) Granted, if you point the cam straight up to a blue sky, you'll get a pretty even reading, but there's no way for the camera to diffuse the light coming into it.

You are correct: a diffusion cup is mandatory for placing over the front facing camera for incident readings. My apologies for posting inaccurate information and any misconceptions it may have generated.

 

[michaelwj]

Thanks all,
I ended up picking up a 308B, it's on the way...

 

[sebastel]

Thanks all,
I ended up picking up a 308B, it's on the way...

thanks for telling.
once you used it, will you report to us whether you're happy?

;-)
cheers,
sebastian

 

[rfaspen]

Ah the 308B is nearly identical to the 308s (outwardly they are).

I never knew about the battery corrosion tendency in these meters, but just looking at mine...corrosion again! Twice I've had it in about a year?

My Super Pilot SBC still has the same 2 mercury batteries (PX625) in it after 25 years! Still works the same. Battery check indicates all is well. No corrosion. I wouldn't put it in a jeans pocket. The dial is just too fragile.

 

[michaelwj]

thanks for telling.
once you used it, will you report to us whether you're happy?

;-)
cheers,
sebastian

Of course!

Ah the 308B is nearly identical to the 308s (outwardly they are).

I never knew about the battery corrosion tendency in these meters, but just looking at mine...corrosion again! Twice I've had it in about a year?

My Super Pilot SBC still has the same 2 mercury batteries (PX625) in it after 25 years! Still works the same. Battery check indicates all is well. No corrosion. I wouldn't put it in a jeans pocket. The dial is just too fragile.

I think there are a few small differences compared to the -s, no 1/2 stop shutter speeds (I only own a film M so no worries), and it doesn't include the lumidisc (never used it on my 398). Both go to 0 EV I believe. 1/2 the cost makes it okay!

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I went with the Gossen Sixtomat, it is easy to use, but for old cameras I have to round everything up or down.
The shutter speeds are pre-programmed for a modern speed set, so it is missing 20, 30, 40, 1/100 & 1/200.
Also the ASA values are preset, you cant select asa 125 or any other nonstandard speed.
I can't find anything in the manual that allows putting in custom values.

 

[Dan Daniel]

The 308S has a different display than the 308B. It shows ISO setting at all times; on the B ISO is displayed only when you press the ISO button. The S has a battery display at all times; the B has it on startup for a couple of seconds. The S gives aperture in numbers plus decimal- 8/.6, 4/.3, 5.6/.9. The B shows an aperture plus a semi-circular dial showing the progress to the next aperture.

For most of us these differences will mean nothing after you get used to it.

 

[michaelwj]

The 308S has a different display than the 308B. It shows ISO setting at all times; on the B ISO is displayed only when you press the ISO button. The S has a battery display at all times; the B has it on startup for a couple of seconds. The S gives aperture in numbers plus decimal- 8/.6, 4/.3, 5.6/.9. The B shows an aperture plus a semi-circular dial showing the progress to the next aperture.

For most of us these differences will mean nothing after you get used to it.

Thanks for the extra info, there are quite a few differences! I think most of them won't matter much when I'm taking an occasional incident reading as I see the light change.

I have no idea what the decimal for the aperture is, is it fraction of a stop on top of the aperture reading in 1/3 of a stop increments?

 

[madNbad]

I have no idea what the decimal for the aperture is, is it fraction of a stop on top of the aperture reading in 1/3 of a stop increments?

The 308s to change from full, half or third stops, hold down the mode button on start up to make changes.