Light meters - Which of these?: Reveni Labs, Reflxlab, Keks-KM02

[Ig Nacio]

Hi,

I know this is a more formal forum when it
comes to do light readings. I know it may
feel almost as an insult not to meter light
with a spot meter. However, if you have
done it, or think it could be done, would you
please be so kind to leave a comment,
suggestion, or disagreement with the idea
of using a light meter like any of the ones
mentioned below? If for you, it doesn't
make sense to ever use one of these with
any large format camera, would you please
tell me if it makes sense to use any of these
with a rangefinder or 35mm. camera; and/or
any medium format camera, (e.g. with one of
the Hasselblad V cameras).

Have you used any of these light meters:
Reveni Labs, Reflxlab, or Keks-KM02?

Would you recommend any of these?
Would you recommend another one?

The Voigtländer one is much more expensive.

Do you think one could use any of them
with 35mm., medium, and/or large format,
to get decent readings?

Is there another light meter you may
want to recommend or suggest?

Thank you in advance, very kind regards,

Ig : )!!!

P.D. Product links:

1. https://www.reveni-labs.com/shop/p/lightmeter

2. https://reflxlab.com/products/reflx-lab-light-meter

3. https://www.kekscameras.com/kekskm02.html#/

4. https://www.35mmc.com/15/01/2015/the-voigtlander-vc-meter-ii-light-meter-review/

[Dhanner]

I used to have the Reveni Labs meter, but ended up selling it. I preferred my handheld ambient light meter over it. I know a lot of people like it and the others you mention, I was just more comfortable with my Sekonic 308 readings.

I'm sure you will get widely varying opinions about the use of spot meters for large format. Personally, for large format, I do both spot meter readings and also take an ambient reading and evaluate those to determine how I want to expose the sheet. The spot meter helps you determine the overall range of the scene and where you need to be for good shadow and/or highlight details depending on the film stock. Since with large format have have one negative at a time, you have the ability to to plus or minus development to get the best tonal range out of the negative as each exposure can be developed independently.

With roll film where you have multiple images on one strip, you don't have that kind of control since you have to develop all exposures on the the whole roll the same way. Therefore, the spot meter becomes less important for roll film.

~Dave

[Ulophot]

I just ordered a KEKS for my M4, to make it a bit more convenient than carrying my big Gossen meter. I'll let you know how it works out.

Note, I shoot only B&W, and in 35 the shooting is likely to be more photojournalistic or casual, one of the two, so precise readings are not my concern. I am often comfortable guessing exposure outdoors, though evening can be tricky, and indoors as well. But this is affordable for me; an M6 is not.

[paulbarden]

I have the Reveni Labs accessory shoe meter, and its very good - mostly. Its one real Achilles heel is that the moment it gets too cold, the battery can't supply enough power to keep it going. When I say "cold" - I mean fifteen minutes outdoors in 50F weather. It doesn't have to be freezing to stop the meter from working. That's a real shame because its excellent in every other way.

[Tin Can]

I won't be using any of those devices

Ever

I have and use 3 devices

I mostly shoot in my wonderful studio and have a good working DR

Sekonic L-508 Zoom Master Digital

Sekonic Twin mate

Sunny 16

However I shot with no meter 40 years

Using inside the KODAK box printed directions

[bmikiten]

I had the Reveni and returned it. The were prompt (immediate) in issuing a refund and professional. I could not use it as I have glasses and the methods required just didn't work for me. I did think the 3D printed case was a bit cheap and would have felt it to be a better value if they had used a better process or at least a better printer. I reverted back to my Sekonic and Minolta meters for both medium (6x17) and LF shooting. Interesting concept...

[Axelwik]

I often use only a standard reflected light meter (with an incident metering option) when I don't want to carry the weight of my 1 degree spot meter, such as while hiking. Sekonic L-208 - only weighs about an ounce.

[LabRat]

One of the most valuable features of a hand-held meter is it's scale or full readout (on digital)... This becomes a calculator to factor in factors such as filters, other stops, speeds, contrasts etc, where these little shoe meters don't...

Steve K

[Havoc]

I don't have experience with any of them. If I would go with any of them then I'd select one that I do not have to read on the top so that you can read them with minimal movement of the camera. But as I prefer to measure incident light I wouldn't go with one of those after all.


Using inside the KODAK box printed directions

I did that one year on holiday and returned with 10 rolls of Kodachrome that were ruined. Never again.

[Tin Can]

Perhaps too much Havic?



I don't have experience with any of them. If I would go with any of them then I'd select one that I do not have to read on the top so that you can read them with minimal movement of the camera. But as I prefer to measure incident light I wouldn't go with one of those after all.



I did that one year on holiday and returned with 10 rolls of Kodachrome that were ruined. Never again.

[Tin Can]

Perhaps too much Havoc?



I don't have experience with any of them. If I would go with any of them then I'd select one that I do not have to read on the top so that you can read them with minimal movement of the camera. But as I prefer to measure incident light I wouldn't go with one of those after all.



I did that one year on holiday and returned with 10 rolls of Kodachrome that were ruined. Never again.

[Larry Gebhardt]

I did that one year on holiday and returned with 10 rolls of Kodachrome that were ruined. Never again.

Sadly that is true even if you wanted to try it again.

My take on any of these meters is that I would not want to use them even with a hand held camera. I have not had a high success rate with averaging reflective meters when used on a shoe. If they offered an incident mode I think they would be much more useful.

I’m sure they can be made to work and with roll film and static subjects I’d probably bracket any difficult scenes. But without bracketing I’d trust a phone light meter app more. And combined with a gray card you could use then as an inconvenient incident meter.

[Axelwik]

One of the most valuable features of a hand-held meter is it's scale or full readout (on digital)... This becomes a calculator to factor in factors such as filters, other stops, speeds, contrasts etc, where these little shoe meters don't...

Steve K
I can count with my fingers, sometimes even in my head.

[Larry Gebhardt]

I can count with my fingers, sometimes even in my head.

Same, but the simple dials on the Pentax digital spot meter are really useful to me for “seeing” scale of the exposure.

[Drew Wiley]

Those mini coupled meters seem to all have an ill-repute for questionable durability. I don't think I'd want to rely on something that needs to be replaced every few years.

[Duolab123]

I won't be using any of those devices

Ever

I have and use 3 devices

I mostly shoot in my wonderful studio and have a good working DR

Sekonic L-508 Zoom Master Digital

Sekonic Twin mate

Sunny 16

However I shot with no meter 40 years

Using inside the KODAK box printed directions

The old Kodak leaflet that came with the film was perfect. I use old Minolta incident (auto IVF) and rarely a spot meter. Reflective metering is tricky without a spot meter and a gray card (at least for me )