Could anyone recommend a Gossen Digipro F

[eddo123]

Hello all, again more questions for you.
Im Looking for a light meter for when i get me gear, so i can get shooting straight away. I have seen what looks like a good deal on a Gossen Digipro F light and flash meter.
Does anyone use one of these and recommend one? I personally have been looking at the spot type meters but this seems like a good deal. How accurate are the readings etc. Would it be suitable for use with slide film where exposure needs to be near enough bang on. Also i wouldnt be sure at how to meter for different parts of the secne with one of these. I know with a spot one you can zoom to get a more accurate reading of a smaller area, eg shadow or highlight.
Interested in perhaps buying one of these, but i will wait for you guys opinion on this one. Or should i stick with a spot type meter.

Cheers, Edd

[Gene McCluney]

I always test with Instant film first, if I am shooting a transparency. Formerly with Polaroid and now with Fuji. This is always wise unless you are a wiz at calculating bellows factors and "know" how accurate your shutters are. All Gossen meters are good. The accuracy depends on your skill at using them.

[Preston]

I use a Pentax Digital spot meter. It is small and light, and easy to use. It doesn't have any bells and whistles, e.g. flash metering, but it suits my work with color films.

I also have a Pentax Spotmeter-V that I use as a backup. It's an excellent analog meter. it is bigger and heavier than the digital, but also less expensive.

I have also heard good things about the Minolta Spotmeter-F.

Take a look at KEH.com, they have used meters, so you may be able to save some money.

Accuracy: A meter must be calibrated to your system. In other words, you will run tests to determine the best Exposure Index (EI) for your film(s) of choice. Why? Shutter speeds may be off a bit from stated values, the meter itself may be off a bit from lab spec, you may prefer a slightly lighter or darker-flatter or contrastier print, etc. For example, I shoot Fuji 160ProS (color neg) at EI 125 rather than it's rated ISO of 160, and I shoot Astia 100f (transparency) at it's rated ISO of 100.

I do suggest that whichever meter you purchase, have it checked and calibrated to lab spec. This will iliminate at least one variable, and will give you a good starting point.

-Preston

[eddo123]

Thanks preston. How much would i be looking for a pentax digital spot meter? i only want it for my landscape work with colour film.
I take it that most places that sell them would calibrate them for you?

[Greg Lockrey]

If you aren't going to use a spot meter for Zone type photography which is a must IMHO, the Gossen Digipro F is a very accurate meter and is very light weight. I happen to like using the incident mode the most but user preference is subjective. I use mine 90% of the time for flash photography in a studio situation and I find it invaluable.

[DuncanD]

My comments related to only color transparencies, as I do not shoot B&W. Thus I am not using the true Zone System, but only its essential lessons on visualization and exposure values.

For years I used a Gossen Luna Pro. For years more I used only a Pentax spot meter, even with 35mm SLRs. Now I carry both the Pentax digital spot meter and a recently purchased Digipro F. I love them both. They are both essential for my images and their capabilities are complementary.

I generally start with an incident measurement on my Digipro. I have set its very handy compensation feature to rate my E100g at 80, leaving all normal readings appearing as if it were at 100, a time and film saver if you have a personal speed bias.

If the subject is not in the same incident light as I, or of the contrast range is large, I will supplement with numerous spot readings on the Pentax. I have found in my gray card and neutral subject tests that the two meter readings match extremely well in my usage - EV 12 on on will show EV 12 on the other, given proper usage of incident versus reflected technique.

The Gossen is a pleasure to use - intuitive, simple, very clear to read, immediate in its response. And it reads to something incredible like EV -2, whereas my Pentax goes to sleep under about EV +2. So the Gossen has been a picture-saver for me on dark, longer exposures.

Now that I have both, I can't imagine giving up either - $800 in meters! But what is photography without the proper light?