spotmeter for night photography

[sergiofigliolia]

Hi guys,
I have a Sekonic L-508 which I find very good but when the night time comes....it does not get to measure low values as I'd wish.
By reading the specs:
Measuring range: Reflected light EV 3 to EV 19.9

As alternatives I found

1. Minolta spot meter F
Measuring range: EV -4.3 to EV 28.5
Pro: amazingly low measuring range
Con: less intuitive; time priority only?

2. Pentax Digital Spot meter
Measuring range: EV 1 to EV 20
Pro: easier
Con: hard to find the batteries? Older design?

First of all can anyone explain why do we have a negative value on the Minolta?
I would expect only positive values...

Please tell me your thoughts and also if you have alternatives to those 2.
Maybe is there a way to keep using mine?

[vinny]

Get the minolta F.
#1 and #2 have been the movie standard for decades. I don't own the F any longer because I prefer the intuitive design of the pentax. I do a fair amount of night work.

[Jody_S]

Ditto on the Minolta spotmeter 'F' (or 'M', which might be cheaper). Very easy to use, mine was stolen years ago and I've wanted to replace it ever since, but the prices remain stubbornly high because it has a huge following.

[steveo]

My spot meter only goes to 2 and tbh I don't exactly trust it at that. So I've been getting buy with practice and latitude.

found a range of reference scenes and photographed them with Provia on roll film with a bit of bracketing. After they were developed I examined them to find the optimum ev for that scene. Using that I made up a table of scenes and EV values along with corresponding shutter and apertures I've printed that onto card and use that when I'm out at night.

[toyotadesigner]

Get a used Gossen ProfiSix with a 1° spot add-on (ProfiSpot). Good ones are hard to find, but the Profi Tele add-on (7.5°, 15°, 30°) for the Lunasix works as well, just dial in the correction value. I'm using my ProfiSix in most cases without any attachment, sometimes with the Tele adapter for night photography. BTW, the ProfiSix features EV -8 to EV 24.

[sergiofigliolia]

I am actually seriously wondering what those EV values mean.

Please read this extracted from the Minolta SpotMeter F:
Measuring Range at ISO 100:
Ambient: EV 1.0 to 22.5
Digital Readouts/displays:
EV numbers: -4.3 to +28.5 in 0.1 stop increments

What is the difference?
Does this spotmeter then only go down to EV1 ?!?
what is -4.3 for?

[towolf]

EV is always tied to film sensitivity. So EV_100, EV_400, and so on.

EV_100 1.0 is EV_12 -2.0

-4.3 is probably the lower value that can be displayed when factoring in EV± compensation or EVΔ.

[sergiofigliolia]

EV is always tied to film sensitivity. So EV_100, EV_400, and so on.

EV_100 1.0 is EV_12 -2.0

-4.3 is probably the lower value that can be displayed when factoring in EV± compensation or EVΔ.

thanks!
It is clear now. I hadn't thought of it.