new light meter

[Steve Barber]

Like many others, I suppose, I have a collection of working light meters that I have acquired over the years. One, a Minolta IVF, has quit giving an accurate reading. I have kept it as a back up to a Pentax spot meter, because it gave flash as well as ambient light readings. Today, however, when the battery died in the Pentax, I got the Minolta out and found that it is, now, two stops off.

I am curious if someone can recommend a meter that would replace both the Minolta and the Pentax? What I would like to have is a current production 1 degree digital spot meter that would give incident and reflected ambient readings and flash, as well. I want the 1 degree capability of the Pentax, but I dislike its bulk and the fiddly process of getting it in and out of its case along with the fact that it does not directly give readings in EV equivalents for any film speed other than 100. As to the Minolta, I liked it fine, but it only gave 5 degree spot readings and having to use all of the adapters to convert it from incident to reflected to spot and to flash and having separate cases for the meter and the attachments made it less convenient than it might have been.

So; is there a meter that has 1 degree spot reflected readings, as well as incident and flash capability that would allow culling my collection down to just one and getting rid of the rest? Or, if not, is there a meter you would recommend that would perform all of the functions of the Minolta IVF without having to have a lot of attachments to keep track of and fiddle with?

[Daniel Stone]

Sekonic L-758DR.

still the current model, IIRC, has 1deg spot function(or at least 3-5), and has the white dome for taking flash readings. IDK if it can read flash in spot mode though.

I have a L-778 meter(out of production), but its a dedicated spot, and can take flash readings, either via the built-in hotshoe, or via a pc-sync. Super accurate meter. PM me if you'd like more info and some pictures.

-Dan

[Steve Barber]

Dan,

Thank you, I did not expect spot reading in the flash mode. I will see what I can find on it and take you up on your offer of more details if I still have questions.

Steve

[John Kasaian]

Why not get it re-calibrated?

[Jeff Conrad]

Like John, I think there's much to be said for getting new batteries for the Pentax and getting the Autometer IV-F (and perhaps the Pentax) recalibrated.

The L-758DR is a nice meter. It would be nice to have one meter for everything, and the L-758DR's large, illuminated displays would be very helpful with low lighting levels. But I've never found the L-758DR as easy to use with the Zone System as my Zone IV Pentax Digital, so I've stuck with the latter. I also carry an AutoMeter IV-F; it's obviously more to fool around with, and the spectral responses of the two meters are slightly different as well. And I don't care for exchanging hemispherical, flat, and spot inserts (which I don't really do all that often). But in addition to (for me) the greater ease of use with the Pentax, my current meters are paid for ...

[Ari]

How old is your IVf?
I ask because mine has been SOLID for the past twelve years; even the batteries have only been changed once.
If it's really off, I'd get it re-calibrated, as others have suggested. It's a worthy meter.

[Louis Pacilla]

Did you know?

Open the battery compartment of your Minolta IV F. You will see a yellow dial that can be used to adjust your meter up to 6 stops + or - . Use your known accurate meter & make the adjustment. Now it should be good to go :)

BTW- The Sekonic L778 is a terrific meter & It is my main meter. That said I have (for a good 12 years) & still use the IV F which has a simplicity of use . A nice array of supplemental attachments for the IV . It must be good because Kenko bought the design & still makes it.

[Tony Lakin]

Have you considered the Gossen Starlight? great meter, extremely versatile.

[Steve Barber]

Thank you, all, for the comments that you have made in response to my inquiry, you have been very helpful.

I have had the Minolta IV F, since new, for more than 15 years and it, definitely, is not working correctly using the proper adapters necessary for the type of reading taken, even with a new battery with plenty of voltage and the connections cleaned. The error is inconsistent between the reflected and incident readings and, when taking incident readings, is beyond the range of the internal adjustment.

As of now, I have pretty well decided that I will spend the money on a new meter and not replace or repair the Minolta IV F. I have always been satisfied with its results, but I have never liked having to change adapters for the type of reading being taken. If I can find another meter that will replace the Minolta and the Pentax spot meter, then part of the cost of the new one will be offset by not spending it on the Minolta and a bit more of the cost can be offset by sale of the Pentax.

Two of the meters mentioned seem to satisfy the requirement to be able to perform all the functions, including 1 degree spot readings. New, they cost about the same, but the top of the line Sekonic seems to be more than I need and to require purchasing an expensive calibration target that is necessary to use all of its capabilities. The lesser meters in the Sekonic line appear to require separate adapters for changing the type of readings being taken. On the other hand, the Gossen Starlight 2 appears to have the features I want and to be organized in a way that is compatible with my way of determining exposures without requiring any adapters.

So, I am leaning toward the Gossen Starlight 2 and trying to learn more about it. In that regard, if anyone having experience with it and, especially, anyone having experience with it and the Sekonic L-758DR would share their knowledge, I would greatly appreciate their doing so.

[Professional]

In fact i still look for a NEW light meter to use with my film cameras, i said NEW because i am not planning to buy used and not sure about the condition and have that bug for long time, so is there any light meter "New" that can serve me very well for film zone systems? I have Sekonic L-758DR but i use this for my digital studio work and it is big, i used it few times for outdoor for film and worked fine on most [i think it failed once with my Velvia 50 + circular polarizer shots], so i hope to find another one for film and a bit lightweight over my L-758.

[Professional]

I use my DSLR camera to do metering for me for film, i do that because i do two things, first i take snapshots to see how the exposure will be, and second to have the settings there, many times i forget the settings i used with film, so when i check some shots on DSLR i know what settings i did, but i think i should have a light meter better than a DSLR, for me i feel most of the time i am on locations or situations where i don't need an accurate readings to set the camera, but when is the best time to use light meter for sure with film?
For example, as i said above, i used the light meter readings for Velvia 50 and i was using polarizer, i took reading for non polarizer shots then added that stops of cir.pol, all the shots came out underexposed and not so nice [i was shooting MF not LF], but i used same light meter [L-758DR] with another films and that cir.pol was still on and i've got very nice results [films including 3 neg colors and 1 B&W all MF], so i don't know if it was that i didn't understand how to expose for Velvia 50 or i forgot about the polarizer or my light meter failed on one condition/situation?!!!!!

[Steve Barber]

Another choice, that I think I like even better, is the KENKO KFM-2100. I only saw "Kenko Flash Meter" and did not realize that it was a full function meter that has a 1 degree spot meter built in, in addition to another receptor with the usual Minolta style adapters for both incident and reflected readings, as well as flash metering. From their instructions, that would allow both incident and reflective spot metering without having to change adapters.

[dave_whatever]

I would second the above Kenko suggestion. Its a remake of the Minolta VI, so if you've already got a minolta then it might feel familiar.

[Jeff Conrad]

The KFM-2100 isn't a bad meter (I've actually only played with a Minolta VI), but I find the lack of a backlighted display disappointing. Of course, if you only use it in daylight, this isn't an issue. One possible advantage, as with the AutoMeter IV-F, over most others: it's possible to take a wide-angle reflected-light reading by attaching the appropriate adapter. To be honest, I've hardly found a need for this with my IV-F.

Given the two choices, I'd pay the difference to get an L-758DR. As for the calibration target: there's no need to get it until you're convinced you really need it.

I've never looked at a Starlite 2, so I can't really comment. It apparently does have display illumination, and the Zone feature looks interesting, though without actually playing with it I again can't really comment (I don't average measurements, so that feature doesn't help me). If you don't use the Zone System, this obviously isn't of much use.

One advantage for the L-758DR and Starlite 2: the hemispherical dome is retractable, so if you even need to meter for a flat subject (or measure illuminance), you don't need to change inserts.

[JON BUTLER]

I've had most of the spot meters that have been available over the years including both the Pentax ones but lost them all.
The meter I'm using now is the Starlight 2 and although I didn't like it a first I now find very accurate and easy to use.

I wouldn't change it now let's hope I don't lose it.

J.

[Steve Barber]

Well, I have ordered the Sekonic L-758D. I saved a little by buying it instead of the L-758DR version, since I do not currently have a need for remotely triggering strobes using Pocket Wizards. There is a module that can be purchased to add the capability of the “DR” version, if I or some subsequent purchaser ever needs it. Also, acquiring the module separately gives more flexibility as to the appropriate frequencies that would be required for the jurisdiction where the meter is to be used.

I did not find anything in reviewing the seller’s overviews or the features or specifications listed by the manufacturers of the Kenko KFM 2100 or the Gossen Starlite 2 that put me off of either meter. I found a lot to like about both of them and both appear to meet all of my requirements. The Kenko is the closest in operation to the meter it would replace, so it would have the easiest learning curve and it appears to use the same adapters as the IV F that I have. I also liked what I found on the Starlite 2, particularly the Zone System features and that it was the least bulky of the three. Unfortunately, the dealer I wished to purchase from, and would have paid extra to do so, did not have the Kenko or the Gossen meters in stock, but did have the Sekonic available at an attractive price.

If I had the time, I would defer the purchase long enough to make a decision as to the Kenko vs. the Gossen and I doubt that I would purchase the Sekonic. For me, I think the Sekonic represents a case of expensive overkill with more capability than I need or want. In short, it seems to be too much, too complex, too many buttons, too bulky and too expensive; nevertheless, immediate availability, larger resale market and obtaining the added capability at a lower price trumps too bulky and too many buttons. In addition, I have to admit that the many favorable comments I saw from those who use it impressed me in that they were overwhelmingly positive regarding use of the spot meter function, accuracy and ease of use.

I do not know how many times I have purchased something because I needed it now, not later, and what I bought was the closest thing they had to what I needed. Usually, I am happy if I can just make it work to do what I want and, then, I am stuck with something that is adequate, but not outstanding. Hopefully, this time, I will end up with something that is outstanding at what I want to do and has the capability to do a great deal more; a meter that I can grow in to rather than one I have, long since, grown out of. Either way, I hope to update this with something positive to say after having had the opportunity to use the meter and become aware of its advantages and disadvantages.

[Jeff Conrad]

Steve, I’d be surprised if you're unhappy with the L-758D. It’s not really that hard to learn—read the relevant parts of the manual and play with it for an hour and you should be set. One accessory that’s worth considering is the lens hood; it may help a bit with flare, but the real benefit is protection of the lens, which is a bit vulnerable as it stands. I use a hood on my Pentax Digital, and as a result, can put it in a case without the lens cap—this makes it a lot faster and easier to use.

[Steve Barber]

Jeff,

Thanks, the meter is on its way, but I have another order to come and I will have the lens hood added to that.

Steve

[Professional]

Jeff,

Thanks, the meter is on its way, but I have another order to come and I will have the lens hood added to that.

Steve

Tell us your impressions about this light meter when you will get it soon.

[Steve Barber]

I have intended to come back to this thread with a more complete review regarding the Sekonic, but I have not even begun to scratch the surface as to its capabilities. Since becoming familiar with all of its features is going to take a much longer time than I thought, I am posting this as a sort of interim comment on using the Sekonic 758 as a replacement for two other meters, a Minolta IV-F and a digital Pentax Spotmeter.

Whether used as a 1 degree spot meter, as a meter for incident readings or for use as a flash meter, for accuracy and ease of determining exposure values, I have absolutely no complaints about the Sekonic. It easily performs all of these functions and it does not take a lot of time to get to where you can do the basics for any of these functions. It does combine all of the capabilities of the two meters I wanted it to replace.

In using the Sekonic, I have found that I was needlessly concerned about its added buttons and apparent complexity and did not appreciate how easy it would be to use as a replacement for the other meters. On the other hand, I was unaware of how much more I could do with it when I began to learn what all those other buttons do. Since it will be awhile before I will learn enough to do it justice, I suggest that, for now, those wanting to know more should look on the Sekonic website; it is easy to navigate and they have a lot of good information presented there.

Again, I would like to thank all those who posted comments in response to my inquiry. I appreciate you taking the time to make them because they were of great help in making a decision that has turned out well for me.

[akfreak]

Thank you, all, for the comments that you have made in response to my inquiry, you have been very helpful.

I have had the Minolta IV F, since new, for more than 15 years and it, definitely, is not working correctly using the proper adapters necessary for the type of reading taken, even with a new battery with plenty of voltage and the connections cleaned. The error is inconsistent between the reflected and incident readings and, when taking incident readings, is beyond the range of the internal adjustment.

As of now, I have pretty well decided that I will spend the money on a new meter and not replace or repair the Minolta IV F. I have always been satisfied with its results, but I have never liked having to change adapters for the type of reading being taken. If I can find another meter that will replace the Minolta and the Pentax spot meter, then part of the cost of the new one will be offset by not spending it on the Minolta and a bit more of the cost can be offset by sale of the Pentax.

Two of the meters mentioned seem to satisfy the requirement to be able to perform all the functions, including 1 degree spot readings. New, they cost about the same, but the top of the line Sekonic seems to be more than I need and to require purchasing an expensive calibration target that is necessary to use all of its capabilities. The lesser meters in the Sekonic line appear to require separate adapters for changing the type of readings being taken. On the other hand, the Gossen Starlight 2 appears to have the features I want and to be organized in a way that is compatible with my way of determining exposures without requiring any adapters.

So, I am leaning toward the Gossen Starlight 2 and trying to learn more about it. In that regard, if anyone having experience with it and, especially, anyone having experience with it and the Sekonic L-758DR would share their knowledge, I would greatly appreciate their doing so.


Well since the Minolta is in your turd collection now. Please sell it to me cheap. I would love to have it. That and the Pentax 1 deg spot are my favs. This way an assistant wont have to use mine anymore. Also I can dedicate a pocketwizard to it for RF testing of my ratios. I am serious How much for the broken Minolta IV-F