Light meter suggestions?

[Bernard_L]

Here : Sekonic 208B. Bought used for 100€.

My 2 ¢: Don't fall into the spotmeter rabbit hole. Remember that until mid-20th century, light meters were mostly used by movie operators, because they had to ensure the reel-to-reel consistency, and because each hour of shooting involved a large number of (expensive) people. Photographers took perfectly decent (even good or excellent) pictures without a meter, based on experience.

Even if you have super-duper-meter, you still need to decide where to point it and what to make of the reading(s). That is the hard part.

[otto.f]

What do you do with the other 10%?

Spotmetering or Gossen sixtomat f2, as I already explained

[otto.f]

You could use your digital camera as a light meter. That's free.

Which is reflective metering and only in ~60% foolproof, especially with wide-angles you’ll have hard time trusting your AUTO everything procedure

[PRJ]

Spot metering for a beginner is a bit of a can of worms. I'd suggest with your budget to get a Luna Pro SBC, which has already been mentioned. It is very difficult to go wrong with an incident meter. Spot metering needs translation and for that you need experience. The other benefit of the Luna Pro SBC- it is pretty much the king for low light photography. If you ever want to do night photography or interiors then you'll end up with one anyway.

[SergeyT]

Which is reflective metering and only in ~60% foolproof, especially with wide-angles you’ll have hard time trusting your AUTO everything procedure

This does not sound like a relevant counterargument to the original suggestion.
Maybe you could explain your thoughts regarding why a digital camera won't be a viable tool for metering light a little better?

[paulbarden]

I have a Sekonic L-308S
I also have myLightMeter for iPhone

I have compared the two and both give identical readings (in reflective mode), and the iPhone meter allows me to use it as a spot meter. In the past 2 years, I have used my iPhone light meter far more often than the Sekonic when out in the field, and have never found it to be lacking in any way.

Given my experience with these two meters (I also have the Reveni Labs accessory meter, but that's a different story) I have a hard time understanding how some people come to the conclusion that iPhone app style meters are somehow deficient or unreliable.

[Bernice Loui]

Applying the fone light meter app to this set up, need f64.4 at the subject and lighting ratios using a total of about 4,000 watt/second of strobe.


From previous post... how could the fone app be used to determine exposure at f16_?_
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...-aperture-used

How would this scene be metered using a fone app_?_ related "gear" 5x7 Sinar P2 with front of the lens "add-ons", Sinar DBM mount 180mm Symmar S @f22.



~One size does not fit all,
Bernice

I have a Sekonic L-308S
I also have myLightMeter for iPhone

I have compared the two and both give identical readings (in reflective mode), and the iPhone meter allows me to use it as a spot meter. In the past 2 years, I have used my iPhone light meter far more often than the Sekonic when out in the field, and have never found it to be lacking in any way.

Given my experience with these two meters (I also have the Reveni Labs accessory meter, but that's a different story) I have a hard time understanding how some people come to the conclusion that iPhone app style meters are somehow deficient or unreliable.

[Doremus Scudder]

Normally, I'd advise someone in your position to first read up on the types and techniques of metering (spot metering and placing shadows, averaging reflected metering, incident metering) in order to decide which best fits with your photographic goals.

However, since you have a Pentax digital spot meter at hand to learn with (at no cost), learn with that. If you're shooting black-and-white film, then definitely read up on Zone System metering technique, which consists of placing an important shadow value. This is one of the things the Pentax digital does best. (Disclaimer: I own and use three Pentax digital spot meters and I'm a Zone System practitioner).

You can also use the spot meter to meter a "middle value" in the scene and simply use the reading given by the dial, but the real advantage of a spot meter with black-and-white film is that you can meter the low values, base your exposures on those and avoid underexposure more easily than by metering middle or high values. The rule of thumb for beginners is: Meter the darkest value you still want texture in and then close down two stops from the meter reading.

If you're using color negative film, the same basic technique applies, but color transparency films, being reversal films, are also "backwards" when it comes to spot metering. Normally, you would base your exposure on a highlight value. My rule of thumb was always: meter the highest value you want texture in and then open up two stops from the meter reading.

BTW, I don't find spot metering to be difficult in any way, nor is the Pentax digital meter large and bulky. I carry mine in a vest pocket in the field and hardly know it's there.

One tip; make a lanyard for your meter, if it doesn't have one already, that goes around your neck or attaches to a garment (mine attaches to a ring on my vest) that is just long enough to get the meter to your eye, but not long enough to let the meter hit the ground if you drop it.

Hope this helps,

Doremus

[Bernice Loui]

Note of caution with the spot meter.. Unless it has been modified in some way, the meter reading equals 18% gray rendered on film. This means metering a white color object will render/record as 18% gray on film.... not "white" on film. Keep this in mind while using the spot meter.

Bernice

It looks like my luck is holding up. A friend of mine who has gone digital might loan to me a Pentax Spot Meter. That should help me figure out exactly what I need before I buy.

[otto.f]

This does not sound like a relevant counterargument to the original suggestion.
Maybe you could explain your thoughts regarding why a digital camera won't be a viable tool for metering light a little better?

Indeed if that digital camera has multi zone metering, reflective metering is ok. But because I know Alan Klein from the Leica Forum I unconsciously presumed that he works with centre-weighed metering and my remark is biased by that