Small Meter for Low Light?

ChrisP

ChrisP

Grain Lover
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Any recommendations for a small, pocketable light meter? I want something to carry to bars and things with me, just for a quick check of incident light in the area. I was looking at the digisix, looks nice and small but is it accurate in the dark (usually around 3200 f1.4 I think, but I'm not positive because I don't have the meter!). Any other suggestions? I'd prefer something I can get new and that isn't outrageously expensive (but under $250 is probably fine).
 
Of those I have, the Gossen Luna Pro SBC is the best. Although it is "pocketable," it isn't exactly small either. The Gossen Luna Pro, the previous model, is smaller, and still good in low light, but I have always preferred the SBC, and am willing to put up with the larger size.

Hopefully others can give you smaller solutions. I don't think any will be more accurate, but there likely are some smaller.
 
The Luna Pro SBC or the Gossen Ultra Pro are the two BEST low-light meters. Both read to EV -4. Most modern digital meters go only down to -2 or -2.5. The original Luna Pro also goes down to -4, but uses Cds cells. Silicon Cells are more accurate in low light and the SBC and Ultra Pro use modern batteries. The Ultra Pro was Gossen's top-line meter for many years. Its a digital meter that does flash too.
 
The Digisix is usable down to + 2 ~ 3 EV, the Twin-Mate (L-208) only bis + 4 EV. From my experience, + 3 EV is the for me lowest possible EV still allowing hand-held operation and requires 400ISO with either 35/1.4 or 60/1.0.

My Gossen Lunasix PRO goes down to -6 EV but not very reliable due to the old CdS cell in the meter.

Leica M6TTL, M7, and MP all have -1 EV as lower limit and the meter of the cameras work very exact under the conditions you mentioned.
 
For what you want the Digisix might be the thing. Its range goes to EV 0, which might be OK. The other meters mentioned above have a certain unaccommodating bulk about them, pocketable more in a coat than any other clothing. I have the Digipro F which is big in a sense, but less dense, and it's thin. I almost always have to wear a jacket to carry all the paraphernalia I hate to have in trouser pockets, so the height and thinness of the DigiPro F meter in my inside breast pocket is ideal for quick retrieval. It records to EV -2.5. I wouldn't want even the tiny Digisix in a trouser pocket, and lost in the depths of a jacket pocket is no good either. The Digipro F fits easily in my various bags and it doesn't look like anything anyone recognizes. It's very quick: whip it out, press one button, easy large read out and it's back in the pocket. I've looked at other meters but can't think of a reason to get anything else. The new Gossen Digisky is even thinner (15mm as opposed to 19mm) but a bit taller and I can't justify the expense. I got my Digipro online for around $250. There's a Korean seller that looks reputable who has one for $240. The Digisix is considerably cheaper.
 
My little Luna Pro Digital is about the size of a deck of playing cards, and reads down to EV -2.5. There are tricks to extend the range of any meter a little. You can read the palm of your hand and open up one stop, or read a sheet of white paper and open up two stops.
 
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Sekonic L-208 Twin Mate... That's the one I have... and the same one I dropped yesterday and will go today to Mr Milton's meter spa. I want now a backup meter and this thread has proved to be quite useful... but still, I want to put in a word for the Twin Mate. It's a cutie... and it's reliable!

EDIT: I see now that Maddoc referred to this meter in his post above... I take that back: there has been mention of this meter, but just the name didn't appear. Now... I'm looking for a backup for my backup... Will return to this thread as soon as it comes.
 
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3200 f1.4 is very dark (EV 1 at 1/30 sec?). May I suggest:

- don't worry about metering. Shoot as fast as you think you can hand hold. Seriously, a stop over or under doesn't matter much in bars.

- it's so dark, you won't be able to read a normal analog meter, or digital without lit screen. Get a meter with an LED, the Quantum XP, for example, if you can find a working one. Even a CV shoe meter with its LEDs might still work better than a analog more sensitive meter that you won't be able to read.

Roland.
 
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ferider said:
- don't worry about metering. Shoot as fast as you think you can hand hold. Seriously, a stop over or under doesn't matter much in bars.
Roland.
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I'm with Roland on this one -- shoot at 1/30th or 1/15th with your lens wide open and develop out as normal. Most bar / low-light scenes hard to accurately meter.

I use a Sekonic L-358 for most everything, and while it's not small it is generally accurate.
 
SolaresLarrave said:
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Sekonic L-208 Twin Mate... That's the one I have... and the same one I dropped yesterday and will go today to Mr Milton's meter spa. I want now a backup meter and this thread has proved to be quite useful... but still, I want to put in a word for the Twin Mate. It's a cutie... and it's reliable!

EDIT: I see now that Maddoc referred to this meter in his post above... I take that back: there has been mention of this meter, but just the name didn't appear. Now... I'm looking for a backup for my backup... Will return to this thread as soon as it comes.
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Wow Francisco, I feel your pain. Several years ago I dropped my L28c2 on a carpeted concrete floor. It worked, but only when held sideways. I lived with that for a long time. About 8 months ago, I must have bumped or giggled it again, and put things back in order (something I hadn't been able to do before),and it works as well as new. Go figure. But I am happy.

Good luck with yours.
 
oftheherd said:
Wow Francisco, I feel your pain. Several years ago I dropped my L28c2 on a carpeted concrete floor. It worked, but only when held sideways. I lived with that for a long time. About 8 months ago, I must have bumped or giggled it again, and put things back in order (something I hadn't been able to do before),and it works as well as new. Go figure. But I am happy.

Good luck with yours.
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Thanks for the good wishes! Not until I saw the little thing unresponsive (when in the past the needle was quite the perky thing) I felt pretty bad, like a pet had died... Or something like that.

I got another meter, another Sekonic (it's on its way here). I think it's an L-86. Must be a selenium one... but I want my L-208 back in business again! Should I give it a bit of a whack and see if that fixes it? :)

Take care!
 
Yet another vote for winging it. There's not much that you can't record at 1/15 (or even 1/30 or 1/60 in a well-lit bar), even at EI 1000. With Delta 3200 at (say) 2000 you'll rarely need even 1/15.

Always err on the side of overexposure (the penalties for overexposure are far lower than the penalties for underexposure) and keep an eye on your negatives: it won't take much experience to learn to judge exposures more than accurately enough.

Cheers,

R.
 
I am using sekonic L-208 too and I am very happy with it during day light. For low light conditions just forget it.
 
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