Out to Lunch
Veteran
Before dishing out a few hundred dollars, download and try the light meter apps on your phone. Many of them are for free. Cheers, OtL
What is the most reliable, easiest to use, hand-held light meter?
- Thread starter wrs1145
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 90
- Views 14K
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
Anyone know what metering device Adams is using here? Extinction Meter of some sort?
Perhaps this?
www.earlyphotography.co.uk
Perhaps this?
Exposure Meters - Antique and Vintage Cameras
Last edited:
wlewisiii
Veteran
IIRC. that was a type of extinction meter from before the Wesson Meter. From the Camera Wiki "Another early meter, the extinction meter, depends on eyesight: the user looks through the meter at a row of numbers, each behind a celluloid window of different opacity, the highest or lowest visible number determining which light situation is given. Other extinction meters have a pattern visible through the eyepiece, and a control varies the amount of light allowed into the device until the pattern can only just be seen; the position on the control then indicates the exposure." This would be the latter kind if my memory isn't wonky.
Richard G
Veteran
My camera since 1977 by Richard, on Flickr
This light meter is my easiest to use. I have been using a Sekonic 308 a bit lately but the on-off switch alone slows me down sometimes. It's small and dense and can be lost in the bottom of a pocket. This Gossen is light and great for the inside pocket of a jacket, as it sits high in the pocket and can be quickly lifted out. Same with the outer pocket of a coat. The controls on the face of the meter are so intuitive. The read out is big, but no backlight. If there are two meters on the table I'll grab this one every time.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
That is an SEI Photometer. Probably the best spotmeter ever made. It has a 1/2 degree angle of view and works in far lower light level than modern spotmeters. Our sadly departed friend Roger Hicks had one and wrote an article about it:
The SEI PhotometerA Legend Among Spot Meters
Few people realize that photographic spot meters date back some 2/3 of a century. The very first was built
www.shutterbug.com
The book "Exposure Manual" by Dunn and Wakefield has a long chapter devoted to the SEI. The book was published in the UK in four editions from the 1950s to 1981; if you're an exposure meter geek, it is a fascinating read. Weston meters are also talked about a lot in the book. The authors actually designed the last version of the Weston Invercone for Sangamo Weston!
The 3rd and 4th editions of the book are the most useful, and the third seems to be a little more common than the 4th. They're somewhat hard to find in the USA.
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
Thanks @Chriscrawfordphoto, I do remember that article but could I not find it. I was searching on the wrong term - extinction meter - and found a different article Roger wrote.That is an SEI Photometer. Probably the best spotmeter ever made. It has a 1/2 degree angle of view and works in far lower light level than modern spotmeters. Our sadly departed friend Roger Hicks had one and wrote an article about it:
The SEI PhotometerA Legend Among Spot Meters
Few people realize that photographic spot meters date back some 2/3 of a century. The very first was built
The book "Exposure Manual" by Dunn and Wakefield has a long chapter devoted to the SEI. The book was published in the UK in four editions from the 1950s to 1981; if you're an exposure meter geek, it is a fascinating read. Weston meters are also talked about a lot in the book. The authors actually designed the last version of the Weston Invercone for Sangamo Weston!
The 3rd and 4th editions of the book are the most useful, and the third seems to be a little more common than the 4th. They're somewhat hard to find in the USA.
Classic AccessoriesPractos Exposure MeterAn Accessory As A History Lesson
www.shutterbug.com
Thanks for the background info also.
wlewisiii
Veteran
That's what I get for trusting my memory with a cold coming on 🤣 Thanks for the correct info, sir!
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
I like my cheap and cheerful Sekonic L-188.
Don't pay more than about $30 for one.
Chris
Don't pay more than about $30 for one.
Chris
Dguebey
Amateur
My Quantum Instruments Calcu-Light XP is as simple as a lightmeter can be, bought 36 years ago. I use it from time to time, mainly when I bring the Leica iiiF outdoor. My Sekonic Flashmate L-308 is only 28 years old, works fine, but since 2000's I never use it. Before, I had some studio activity mainly as amateur, occasionnaly for money. In these old times I had a Linhof 4x5, used outdoor the old classic spotmeter by Pentax. Exposure Meter is like tripod, every photographer must have one and keep it, it will last whole life.
santino
FSU gear head
My camera since 1977 by Richard, on Flickr
This light meter is my easiest to use. I have been using a Sekonic 308 a bit lately but the on-off switch alone slows me down sometimes. It's small and dense and can be lost in the bottom of a pocket. This Gossen is light and great for the inside pocket of a jacket, as it sits high in the pocket and can be quickly lifted out. Same with the outer pocket of a coat. The controls on the face of the meter are so intuitive. The read out is big, but no backlight. If there are two meters on the table I'll grab this one every time.
I totally agree! Only the metering head/sphere feels a bit wobbly. Other that that, it has aperture and shutter speed priority and is really easy to use.
D
Deleted member 65559
Guest
I had a Variosix with the rotating head and it got damaged far to easily. For my money I'll take the Gossen 308.
Retro-Grouch
Veteran
Well, my Minolta Spotmeter F has been slowly giving up the ghost (flickering LCD display) and begging for replacement. The discussion here turned me on to the Sekonic L408; after checking out specs, I purchased one. Incident and spot in one package, without any attachments, compact and capable. Dead accurate against my Gossen Digi-Pro F, and not much bigger. Bingo, a winner! The later Sekonic incident/spot meters are expensive, complex monsters, not at all to my taste. The L408 is the best and most useful equipment purchase I've made in some time!
pixie79
Established
wlewisiii
Veteran
It probably has to do with my phone but I have never gotten a reading from an app anywhere near that of an in camera meter except by accident.
philslizzy
Member
Vintage light meters are a lottery. Some will work, some wont, some will be completely off some will be super accurate, no matter what make it is, no matter if its recommended or not.
Those that take the old PX625 mercury battery may be inaccurate with an alkaline battery
They all do the same job, they take a reading of the scene and average it out to give you a readout. Sure, spot meters select a smaller part of the scene and it recommends an exposure for that. The rest has of the scene has to take care of itself. Incident meter readings are more accurate but, in my experience, the reading is within half a stop of the reflected light. I.e. much the same.
Using a meter correctly is the best way to get the most accurate readings. Read up metering techniques, its not rocket science.
Anyway back to meters. Just find one that works and use it.
Personally I dont like meters as big as my cameras, so I use either my compact digital camera with the iso set to the film speed or an app.
With the digital camera it helps to have one with Sv and Av otherwise you get odd readings like 1/320 f6.3. Set your digital camera to the shutter speed that you're using on your film camera and select the necessary aperture or vice versa but digital compacts rarely go below f9. So I select F8 on AV and choose the nearest shutter speed.
If you're using reflective metering, perhaps get a grey card and meter off it. I attach a link to a print it yourself grey card. This consists of black and white bands giving 18% reflection and its pretty accurate. Printing actual grey won't work, there are enough shades of grey to make E L James blush.
Those that take the old PX625 mercury battery may be inaccurate with an alkaline battery
They all do the same job, they take a reading of the scene and average it out to give you a readout. Sure, spot meters select a smaller part of the scene and it recommends an exposure for that. The rest has of the scene has to take care of itself. Incident meter readings are more accurate but, in my experience, the reading is within half a stop of the reflected light. I.e. much the same.
Using a meter correctly is the best way to get the most accurate readings. Read up metering techniques, its not rocket science.
Anyway back to meters. Just find one that works and use it.
Personally I dont like meters as big as my cameras, so I use either my compact digital camera with the iso set to the film speed or an app.
With the digital camera it helps to have one with Sv and Av otherwise you get odd readings like 1/320 f6.3. Set your digital camera to the shutter speed that you're using on your film camera and select the necessary aperture or vice versa but digital compacts rarely go below f9. So I select F8 on AV and choose the nearest shutter speed.
If you're using reflective metering, perhaps get a grey card and meter off it. I attach a link to a print it yourself grey card. This consists of black and white bands giving 18% reflection and its pretty accurate. Printing actual grey won't work, there are enough shades of grey to make E L James blush.
Richard G
Veteran
Just received another near perfect condition device from the auction site, a Gossen Luna-Pro SBC. It is pretty big. The heavily stitched pleats of the leather case look designed to have it bump against rocks climbing in the Dolomites, or dangling from a cleat on a mast in a storm.
The metering is unique. Point in reflected mode or hold appropriately for an incident reading and the measurement is locked in there for later rotation of the scales to put indicator needle at the central null point of the scale. You then read off the exposure setting from the concentric shutter speed and aperture scales.
For studio or still life or working at one location for a time it is easy to meter quickly and get instantly a desirable match of aperture and speed without the need to scroll through the options on a more modern digital meter like my newer Gossen above.
I don’t think I’ll be taking it to family dinners out.
The metering is unique. Point in reflected mode or hold appropriately for an incident reading and the measurement is locked in there for later rotation of the scales to put indicator needle at the central null point of the scale. You then read off the exposure setting from the concentric shutter speed and aperture scales.
For studio or still life or working at one location for a time it is easy to meter quickly and get instantly a desirable match of aperture and speed without the need to scroll through the options on a more modern digital meter like my newer Gossen above.
I don’t think I’ll be taking it to family dinners out.
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
This thread reminded me to pick up another Sekonic L-188.
The Sekonic L-188 is the one on the left ; the current L-208 is on the right.
The above photo is from a youtube video that compares the two models.
Link: camera-wiki: Sekonic L-188
L-188 uses a CdS cell and is powered by a common 44/76/357 1.5V battery.
Slightly larger size and simple well-placed controls make it very ergonomic.
I bought another so I can keep one in each camera bag instead of switching.
I paid $20.00 plus postage on eBay for my recently purchased Sekonic L-188.
Chris
The Sekonic L-188 is the one on the left ; the current L-208 is on the right.
The above photo is from a youtube video that compares the two models.
Link: camera-wiki: Sekonic L-188
L-188 uses a CdS cell and is powered by a common 44/76/357 1.5V battery.
Slightly larger size and simple well-placed controls make it very ergonomic.
I bought another so I can keep one in each camera bag instead of switching.
I paid $20.00 plus postage on eBay for my recently purchased Sekonic L-188.
Chris
wlewisiii
Veteran
Just ordered this:
From Roberts Camera. Should have it by Tuesday. I have a L-208 and it's ok but I wanted something a bit more advanced.
From Roberts Camera. Should have it by Tuesday. I have a L-208 and it's ok but I wanted something a bit more advanced.
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
Nice! Looks like a Walkman 🤣!
stephen_lumsden
Well-known
I have an older L-28 A2, but the lumisphere can drop out occasionally. I read somewhere that from the L-28C2 model onwards the lumisphere changed and is threaded. Does that mean its more secure? I really like my L-28 A2, and would consider an L-28C2 or 398A but only if the lumisphere is fixed on more securely. Anyone know about that?
