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Thread: What light meter should I get?

  1. #1

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    What light meter should I get?

    I'm going to be shooting both large format and digital, so I'd really like to invest my money in one meter instead of two separate ones. I'll be doing indoor portraits with two monolight strobes, so I'd like to know if large format specifically requires a spot meter for portrait work or if I can use an incident meter. I'll be honest, I am a beginner so I don't know too much about light meters in general, but from what I've read online incident meters are better for portraits because they measure the light falling onto the subject, and that sounds about what I need. I was considering a Sekonic l-308, but that doesn't have spot metering and if that's an important feature for large format then I better go with something else.

  2. #2
    Bob Sawin's Avatar
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    Re: What light meter should I get?

    Seconic 758-R. It has both incident and reflective modes. While it is overkill for analog purposes it is very useful for digital work. And watch the Joe Brady webinars.
    Best regards,

    Bob
    CEO-CFO-EIEIO, Ret.

  3. #3

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    Re: What light meter should I get?

    758 or 558 (the prior model) does everything one could ever want a meter to do. It is not overkill for analog unless it has features you'd never use. Spot metering is very useful for LF but not absolutely essential (until you have a need to do intensive scene analysis, and then it is indespensible). Based on your short description, you'd use enough of those features to make it a decent investment. Caution: they aren't cheap.

  4. #4

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    Re: What light meter should I get?

    758R also could be calibrated to specific film or digital (and yes they are different) - up to 3 simultaneous presets. Which is brilliant.

  5. #5

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    Re: What light meter should I get?

    It is a bit more expensive than I was hoping for, but the money sounds worth the investment. I'll check the classifieds here for one before heading over to Ebay.

  6. #6

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    Re: What light meter should I get?

    Just remember that when you buy a meter that can do it all, it will be more complicated.

    I prefer my simple Pentax digital spot meter for everything film including available light portraits. I own a Minolta Flashmeter 4 for use with my studio strobes. Of course we are all different and like what we are used to using.

  7. #7
    jp's Avatar
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    Re: What light meter should I get?

    I've also got a Minolta flashmeter IV for flash metering. They are affordable used and make a decent incident meter too. But for most incident metering I use a Sekonic L208 which is about the size of a pocketwatch, but far lighter.

  8. #8
    Richard Johnson
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    Re: What light meter should I get?

    I find the do-everything meters way to cluttered and complicated. The combination of a Pentax Digital Spot and a Minolta (or Kenko) Auto-meter IV (or similar) can do straight meter readings without all the BS the more advanced meter designers think we need.

  9. #9

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    Re: What light meter should I get?

    Use the lightmeter of the digital camera.
    Wilhelm (Sarasota)

  10. #10

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    Re: What light meter should I get?

    With light meters, it's not so much which meter you use as it is to understanding the meter you are using.

    Does that make sense?

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