Gossen Starlite

[Ed Richards]

I am looking for a combination spot/incident meter to replace my incident only meter. The Gossen and Sekonics both seem to have more features than I need, but the Gossen is smaller. Any pros and cons from Gossen Starlite users?

[Graeme Hird]

I have nothing but praise for my Starlite. I've owned it for more than three years and it has performed flawlessly in that time. I would buy another one at the drop of a hat if mine was lost.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Janko Belaj]

I own it for 3 or 4 years now, and the only "drawback" is that you have to have a battery for it. Really, it won't work without that electric power supply. I had that "luck" to test it in such circumstances once... of course - hour of walk away from anything ;-) (should be a "sad smiley" for that occasion, but as this is one very fine lightmeter, I have to give a happy one. two: )

[Rory_5244]

Hi. My thoughts on this meter can be found in this thread:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ossen+starlite

The lack of an LCD readout in the viewfinder still bugs me, although Hird disagrees. I guess 15 years of internal medicine have shrunken my brain after all.

[Helen Bach]

I've never used a Starlite, so can't make any specific comments about it. I have a Sekonic L-508C and find the absence of a readout in the viewfinder a disadvantage - I have had a Minolta Spotmeter F for a long time, and that has the viewfinder readout so that's what my benchmark was. I got a Sekonic L-758DR recently, and my first impressions on its functionality are here. It is very similar to the L-558, with the addition of the rudimentary 'curves' feature.

Best,
Helen

[Ed Richards]

No read-out in the viewfinder? Hmm. How do you scan the scene looking for high and low values?

[C. D. Keth]

No read-out in the viewfinder? Hmm. How do you scan the scene looking for high and low values?

Repeatedly take it down from your eye to look at the readout.

I actually find I prefer separate spot and incident meters. I seem to be the odd man out in my thinking, but I would rather have them separate in case a battery goes out at an inopportune time. Then you still have a meter. The alternative is to alwaye carry a spare battery, but I find that since my meters take a double-a, I'm always pirating my spares for other things that go out.

[Helen Bach]

I just think that it is downright immorral to use one meter for both incident and spot readings. If that was what we were meant to do, the Minolta Spotmeter and the Spectra incident meter, or the Sekonic Studio Deluxe, would not exist and our waists wouldn't be big enough to carry three meters (don't forget the colour meter). Next thing you know, Sekonic and Gossen will integrate a colour meter into their incident/spot meters, and the decline in morals will be complete. It is not too late to stop this slide into the abyss, but we must act now.

Best,
Helen

[C. D. Keth]

I just think that it is downright immorral to use one meter for both incident and spot readings. If that was what we were meant to do, the Minolta Spotmeter and the Spectra incident meter, or the Sekonic Studio Deluxe, would not exist and our waists wouldn't be big enough to carry three meters (don't forget the colour meter). Next thing you know, Sekonic and Gossen will integrate a colour meter into their incident/spot meters, and the decline in morals will be complete. It is not too late to stop this slide into the abyss, but we must act now.

Best,
Helen

:P

I always get that from people but my preference for two separate meters is more to combat my own goofy habits (pirating spare batteries is chief among those) than anything.

[Ed Richards]

> I seem to be the odd man out in my thinking, but I would rather have them separate in case a battery goes out at an inopportune time.

I have an ancient Sekonic CDS meter I keep in the bag for those really bad battery days. That and the sunny 16 rule.:-)