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View Full Version : Poll: What metering system do you use?



Lightbender
18-Sep-2008, 10:42
Just a poll to try to see what people are actually using.

need a spot for incident metering i guess. but I cant edit the poll itself

Vaughn
18-Sep-2008, 10:45
Pentax Digital Spot for a long time as far as equipment, A modified (aren't they all?) Zone System to determine the exposure/processing.

Vaughn

Geert
18-Sep-2008, 10:51
Gossen Spot-Master. Great stuff.
Downside: it eats batteries, about 1000 individual meter readings with a 9V battery.

But most of the time, I content myself with a really simple selenoid reflective/incident light meter.

G

BradS
18-Sep-2008, 10:52
Gossen Luna Pro SBC or Nikon FA

Frank Petronio
18-Sep-2008, 11:08
I take a shot with my Olympus XA and transpose the setting to my view camera lens.

PViapiano
18-Sep-2008, 11:10
Sekonic L-608

reellis67
18-Sep-2008, 11:14
Gossen Luna Pro

Jeremy Moore
18-Sep-2008, 11:16
half-ass btzs with Minolta IV F

Aender Brepsom
18-Sep-2008, 11:17
Sekonic L-508

Most of the time, I start with an incident reading, then spotmeter a few important areas of the scene and combine both to determine the correct exposure.

On a few rare occasions, I have used a Canon DSLR, checked its histogramm and transposed the settings to the LF lens, but I prefer the Sekonic.

Lightbender
18-Sep-2008, 11:21
hmm it posted the text of the poll before i finished the options ={ please check one or more thx

Oren Grad
18-Sep-2008, 11:24
You need an incident metering option.

Brian Vuillemenot
18-Sep-2008, 12:40
I use a Horseman meter that slides in the back of my 4X5. I've even used it in the reducing back for my 8X10. Not the optimal or most effeicient system, but it's worked fine so far. For night shots, which I've been doing a lot of lately, I don't use a meter, and simply expose 100 speed film for 2-10 minutes at f22-32 based on previous experience. It usually works fine.

Vaughn
18-Sep-2008, 12:45
You need an incident metering option.

And a "half-ass btzs" option. Half-assed would also be more descriptive (and more honest than my "modified") of my Zone System method!:p

Colin Graham
18-Sep-2008, 12:50
No 'utterly-assed' either, so I just put 'Other'.

CG
18-Sep-2008, 12:55
Indecent where apropos and quarter assed zone ... where needed.

C

Ole Tjugen
18-Sep-2008, 13:14
Mostly "Other". With BW film and a spotmeter I measure shadows and expose for them, and just check the highlights to see if they will be anywhere close to being within the latitude of the film. Unless I don't have a spotmeter with me - then I use average, guesstimate or "Sunny-ish 11-ish".

With slide film I prefer an incedent reading, or wide-angle reflected. Or built-in, if the camera has that. Surprisingly often I end up "correcting" the reading to "Sunny-ish 11-ish" anyway.

Before I expose slide film I also listen to the shutter, to hear if it runs fast or slow. So I use guesstimated exposure, with exposure time corrected by ear!

Makes me wonder how I manage to get correct exposure more than 90% of the time???

aduncanson
18-Sep-2008, 14:18
Hey, where's incident light metering? I forgot to check incident metering!

I use a Sekonic 398, a Weston Master V or if I am traveling light with a meterless MF camera, a Gossen Pilot 2, (I have no pride and no brand loyalty) but for LF, I mostly use a Zone VI Modified Pentax Digital meter and a modified Zone System approach.

Note my evident aversion to batteries.

ic-racer
18-Sep-2008, 14:22
I use an "Other" system for B&W silver based image making. The basis of which is as follows:

1) Capture as much of the luminous range of the scene at the time of exposure
2) Determine which portion of the luminous range to print in the darkroom
3) Treat EI and CI as independent variables (not affected by each other)
4) Use an IE that allows reasonable underexposure latitude at the expense of overexposure latitude
5) Print on variable contrast paper
6) Develop the negatives so that that my favorite/usual subject matter prints in the middle of my multigrade filtration range
7) Condition 1) above can be satisfied with: guessing, 'sunny 16', appropriate film datasheet (ie one from a different film), incident meter, reflected average meter, or spot meter, depending on the conditions at hand.

Looking at the other posts I think I wind up with what Ole wrote (but stated with more words). I think I understand what he said about listening to the shutter. As a musician, short intervals of time can be learned. For example, 'Allegro' (120 beats/min) makes an 8th note 1/25th of a second in 4/4 time.

Rick Moore
18-Sep-2008, 14:57
Gossen UltraSpot

I really like this meter, excellent zone system support.

Mine eats 9V batteries too.

Jim Galli
18-Sep-2008, 15:06
There's a metering system??? :eek:

jnantz
18-Sep-2008, 18:05
most of the time i guess(timate)

Richard K.
18-Sep-2008, 19:35
There's a metering system??? :eek:

Yes, it's 1/15 at f/45 (for Tri-X). :) :D

Stefano
18-Sep-2008, 23:42
Pentax Digital spot,not modificated. I Use a partial zone system, because after I develop by inspection. I used to try BTZS for Platinum/Palladium, but now for all my works I prefer developing by inspection.
Stefano

Eugene van der Merwe
19-Sep-2008, 01:15
My sekonic L558 works very hard whenever i shoot, i'll often take incident and several spot readings for a scene, and base my exposure and filtration choices around that. Some guessing is involved too...

Bill Kumpf
19-Sep-2008, 04:39
My primary meter is a Pentex Spot V which I meter the high and low values. Sometimes I will use N+1 development. It is sorta a Zone system.

A Sekonic L328 is my backup meter.

timparkin
19-Sep-2008, 05:26
pentax spot meter for fuji tranny file... multiple readings and work out grads/exposure (not average that's for sure)

Paul Kierstead
19-Sep-2008, 09:23
I try not to use anything with the word "system" in it. Makes me suspicious.

The Dread Pirate Robins
19-Sep-2008, 10:03
I forgot to also click "other." I sometimes just use a Black Cat Extended Exposure calculator. I do a lot of guessing when outside taking daylight shots and I have been doing pretty well just on that. I just need to remember to focus when I shoot the folder.

Bryan Lemasters
19-Sep-2008, 10:16
I use a Horseman meter that slides in the back of my 4X5. I've even used it in the reducing back for my 8X10. Not the optimal or most effeicient system, but it's worked fine so far. For night shots, which I've been doing a lot of lately, I don't use a meter, and simply expose 100 speed film for 2-10 minutes at f22-32 based on previous experience. It usually works fine.

And here I thought that I was the only one still using a Horseman slide-in meter! I prefer it because I am able to meter w/any filters in place and shooting aperture set. I often back it up w/a Soligor spot meter to double check in questionable situations or to check zones.

Gordon Moat
19-Sep-2008, 10:41
So this is predominantly a Zone and spot survey poll. I do only incident readings, because in large format I only use transparency film. Seems wrong for me to be religated to Other.

Perhaps this poll indicates how prevalent B/W film users and Zone (or variation) officianados are on this forum. I do shoot some B/W in 120 roll film and 35mm, but I have labs process for me. Metering in smaller films for me is in the camera (35mm as spot, matrix, or centre weigthed), or with an incident meter (Sekonic L-358) when I use rollfilm (Linhof back or medium format camera).

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

Kuzano
21-Sep-2008, 18:54
shadows, highlights, contrast readings, Zone, flash.. etc. My problem is that the sun keeps moving and the light has changed by the time I average out all the reading. I haven't actually completed the metering and exposed a sheet of film in about six years. I have a Gossen Luna Pro SBC, Gossen Luna Pro F, Sekonic 428, Minolta IIIf, Minolta Auto II, Gossen super pilot, pilotII, Gossen Scout, Gossen Luna Pro (regular), and a few Westons. The Gossens, Sekonic and Minolta meters all have the spot attachments.

I went to Zone school for 7 years and passed Zone test on the third try.

I think one of these days, Instead of dragging all those out to the site, I am just going to pick one, take a reflected reading and just take a freaking picture.

Merg Ross
21-Sep-2008, 21:00
I am not sure that this would qualify as a system, but I rely on instinct and familiarity with the film, and processing technique. I wear a cheap reflective light meter around my neck, mostly for show, but sometimes to confirm my foregone conclusion of correct exposure. There are really three items of concern, the film, the quality of light, and the development. Pretty simple, one sheet of film and one exposure. I think the key is familiarity.

I find the same to be true when printing. I learned years ago with test strips, as we all do, but from years of experience can "feel" the correct exposure for a particular negative on a particular paper. Again, familiarity with light, paper and development.

If I were to answer the poll for metering, I would probably choose the Sunny 16 approach. Interesting subject, thanks for asking. You now know why I do not teach workshops, why complicate a simple task?

An Infinite Journey
28-Sep-2008, 20:03
I use a Pentax digital spot meter

ljsegil
28-Sep-2008, 20:52
I use a system that just never seems to work. Repeatedly.
LJS