what lightmeter for VERYlowlight...

[laki_topalovic]

to get for lowlight photography? I was thinking of Sekonic l358 or my preffered one Minolta autometer IVf. But minolta is no longer on the market :-( I am shooting moslty in bars/clubs where lighting is well, all over the place, or "nowhere" over the place. WHat should I be looking for, incident? In front of the faces, towards the camera?

Thanx for any tips
Alex

P.S. It would be great if you could recommend one sheap alternative and another that can also do flash; maybe I find a use for it in the studio also

 

[yarinkel]

Hi, I have a Lunasix 3 that has a pretty low light sensitivity. I goes up to EV -4.
I bought it to replace my Sekonic exactly for that reason.

 

[Xmas]

Lunasix here to, big though.

Noel

 

[George Bonanno]

Alex,

Here's the real deal for shooting in clubs and bars. Shooting on stage acts use 1/30 second wide open. At the bar use around 1/4 second wide open. If the shot you want is in a very dimly lit area use a 1 to 5 second exposure. Just tell the subject to freeze... they'll cooperate. Light meters are bogus for low light on location photography. By the time you take a reading the image will be long gone. You must develop a feel for low light.

Flash on camera... that's a no brainer... your pics will come out looking like this...

Good luck,
George

 

[Hiyawaan]

I have an old L 398 and its work well in low light.

 

[Pherdinand]

I use a quantum calculight XP that I bought via RFF. It's an excellent incident+reflected light meter and the batteries are running since more than a year already. Maybe even two years.

George: Hmm, all of my pics? I gotta buy a flash!!

 

[JeffGreene]

Lunapro SBC is great for lowlight. It's a good meter and available on the auction site for generally anywhere from $80 to $150. Very sensitive and easy to use! Does both incident and reflected readings and has a variety of attachments available (i.e spot, flash, variable etc.)

 

[peter_n]

What Pherdi said: A Quantum Calculight XP, mine also sips on the batteries. How low do you want to go? The Calculight XP reads down to -7EV at 100ASA; they go for about $60 on eBay.

 

[JeffGreene]

I've seen the -7 figure before for the calculight. The Lunapro according to another thread can go to -8. Numbers? I'm sure it's a good meter, but I'm stuck on the Gossen. Easy to use and a classic, plus still supported by the manufacturer.