Spotmeters?

[Alar70]

Hello all, I'm brand new to this forum and new to LF so I am going through the research phase a bit on gear. I wanted to know if anyone could tell me if the Pentax Digital spotmeter is preferable to anything else specifically for LF? The reason I ask is that I also carry a fair share of digital equipment and currently have a Sekonic L758DR spotmeter and wanted to know if there is something that the Pentax has that the Seckonic does not that aids, for any one reason, the LF exposure process? Off the top I would not think so, but then again, I haven't heard of or seen anyone using LF equipment using the Sekonic brand spotmeters and just wondered why? Thanks!

[Larry Gebhardt]

I have one, well two actually, and I find it to be the most intuitive meter to use. But if you are happy using the Sekonic why change? The reason I like it is the Pentax rings make viewing the exposure range and placement very easy, especially when a Zone sticker is added to the meter. But it's in no way magic.

[Gem Singer]

It doesn't matter which brand or type of light meter you are using as long as the meter is properly calibrated and you know how to interpret what the meter is telling you.

Whether you are using a spot meter or an incident light meter, the ability to convert the meter readings into accurate shutter and aperture settings for the scene you are photographing is more important.

The Pentax digital spot meter is compact, simple to read and to convert into shutter speed and aperture readings. It is known for it's accuracy and ability to hold it's calibration settings.

Most LF people use a one degree spot meter for it's ability to read and interpret tiny areas of light and dark.

[coops]

I'm kinda new to LF photography but can share my experience. I have a Sekonic L-558 (I think) and just purchased an older Pentax spotmeter from here, and I love it. It sounds like a small thing, but being able to scan around a scene and compare EV's without having to look at the readout on the Sekonic is really nice. I do have some difficulty seeing the needle in strong light though. Seems to have made things much simpler for me, but I do still lug the Sekonic around to use as an incident meter.

[Ron Marshall]

As Coops mentioned, the Pentax is a bit quicker and easier to use than some other designs, but not a great difference.

[Santo Roman]

I've been using the Sekonic L-508 since it came out. I love it. has 3 different light metering functions including the 1 degree spot. lights up at night for those night shots and has a function to use 2 different iso speeds at once. Easy to use and is water proof. I've also used the pentax spot meter but it was a bit larger than what i like to carry around. just my 2 cents.

santo

[bvstaples]

I have a Sekonic 558, a Sekonic 398, and a Pentax SpotmeterV. I like them all, and I like using them all. What I really like about the Pentax, though, is that it's large aperture objective makes for a bright view on the GG/in the eyepiece, which allows me to better discern various levels of shadow detail. The Pentax Digital utilizes the same view system — large objective and bright view in the eye end of the meter.

But then, it's really a personal thing. A friend of mine uses only his 398, which is an incident meter.

Brian

[timparkin]

I had the Sekonic originally and used it for large format but always felt it was a little over complicated..

When I bought a pentax spotmeter, the ease with which you can see the range of exposures made things a lot more intuitive.. You can quickly see what range of values you have and where they are placed... It doesn't sound like a big advantage but I wouldn't like to go back. Oh, and you learn a lot more about light using EV readings - never mind that they're easier to calculate offsets, etc..

Tim

http://www.timparkin.co.uk/blog/7050381221649099785
http://www.timparkin.co.uk/blog/926815673944184070

[Steve Hamley]

I use both a Sekonic 508 and a Pentax Digital. The Pentax is simpler and more intuitive, as mentioned above, but the Sekonic does have one advantage. If you're shooting a sunrise/sunset and the light is dim, the self-illuminated display of the Sekonic is very, very, nice. The 508 also uses a standard AA battery which can be had almost everywhere.

Cheers, Steve

[Santo Roman]

Steve,

I'm with you. Sekonic 508 is really a great meter. I can never go back.

santo

[Ken Lee]

Another vote for the Pentax. My Zone VI modified version is very well baffled: When they say 1 degree, they mean it. It's not sort-kinda. It's a discrete 1 degree circle, period.

[Michael Kadillak]

I have both analog and a digital Pentax meters and a Sekonic 558 and have used them both regularly. Great meters.

Recently I purchased a Pocket Spot Meter and I have been using it more and more and it is really a pleasure to use. Aside from its diminutive size (fits in the palm of your hand) it has a couple of important attributes that bear mention. First, its response circuitry is hard wired in place and it never needs a calibration. I check my accuracy on my Pentax meters and they go for a $75 calibration about every year due to simple accuracy drift usually on the high side. I have been told that micro vibrations on airplanes and in vehicles extract their price on these meters as a function of time. Not having to deal with this is a great benefit from a logistical and costs perspective.

Secondly, it is milled out of a solid piece of aluminum and is bullet proof. It does not have a magnifying viewfinder that adds size and fragility to the package but it gets the job done and that is all that matters to me.

Just my $0.02.

Cheers!

[Ken Lee]

I read Paul Butzi's review here (http://www.butzi.net/reviews/pocketspot.htm), but the link he gives, http://www.meteredlight.com, is now obsolete.

Here is where you can currently contact the maker of the Pocket Spot Meter: http://meteredlight.blogspot.com/

[R Mann]

Another vote for the Pocket Spot - best meter I have owned and the one a use most often. They were going to do a limited production run this year - try this web site for contact information. http://meteredlight.blogspot.com/

[Michael Roberts]

Ken,
Try this:

http://meteredlight.blogspot.com/

[Michael Kadillak]

Be prepared to be patient with Eric. He has a regular job and producing these wonderful instruments is his "free time" filler. He is a great innovative person and one of us and for that we should all be thankful.

When I can use a product that is a best of breed and reward entrepreneurial individuals at the personal level it is an absolute no brainer. Another person that is one of us and also fits this billing is Alistair Inglis (www:/allistairinglis.com) and his absolutely marvelous dedicated sheet film washers and pin registration equipment. I purchased sheet film washers from him in 5x7, 8x10, 11x14 and 8x20 and use them regularly.

Cheers!

[Lee Christopher]

I'm a zone newbie (and LF newb as well) so please take this for what you feel it's worth.

I've been doing nothing but walk around the past few days learning how to identify and differentiate 'zones'. By circumstance I was recently married to a Sekonic 508 (pity it wasn't the 608 or above).

Right off the bat, I can see why many are raving about the Pentax Spotmeter - and with something like a zone sticker, the Pentax feels like a familiar old analog faced friend - one swift glance and you get a 'feel' for the scene, where as with the 508, it's click, turn meter, read a numeral, transpose that into a mental image, remeter, take meter away from face again, read off side panel again, re-visualise ... With the 758, you have a direct viewfinder readout, so the inconvenience of having to take the meter away from one's face is no longer a factor.

I'm sure the 758 is more convienient to use than the 508, and probably possesses more bells and whistles, so that might make a difference in the 'ease of use' department for you.

I'll keep my 508 meanwhile as I find the other (especially flash reading) functions useful and probably get a Pentax further down the line when funds allow it.

CHEERS!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I've been using the Sekonic L-508 since it came out. I love it. has 3 different light metering functions including the 1 degree spot. lights up at night for those night shots and has a function to use 2 different iso speeds at once. Easy to use and is water proof. I've also used the pentax spot meter but it was a bit larger than what i like to carry around. just my 2 cents.

santo

I'm in agreement with Santo. I've had mine since it came out and I love it. It will even read flash exposures for you. Great meter. Like everyone says you need to learn how to use it and make sure it is calibrated.

Jim

[Deepak Kumar]

I am Using my Sekonic L 408 for almost 10 years with no problem (three degree spot only). I am into large format photography for almost three year now.

Now I am learning the zone system. And for Zone system I had wanted to buy pantex 1 degree spot meter like you. But I knew that I would not part with sekonic, and taking two light meter for outside shoot always creates mess. So I got this small Zone Dial from LF Home page / Misc

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/articles/ZoneDial.pdf

this seems to work for me.

I think you can check out it to as it costs few cents only.

Deepak