DSLR as lightmeter??

[Bob McCarthy]

Honestly, it all comes down to : how good are you with a lightmeter

The dslr is a computer that uses in-camera metering to adjust to a scene in its internal database and give a recommendation. Nothing to do with spot metering, middle grey, Zone III or anything else. It might agree with an hand held meter, then again it may not.

For those accomplished in metering with a spot, its not appropriate.

For those not very good at scene lighting interpretation and selecting the best exposure, the computer in the DSLR can really help.

DSLR can be pretty darn good with color film, not so with B&W.

bob

[John NYC]

My advice would be to learn the zone system and get a spot meter. It's not hard and you get the exact results you visualize instead of the DSLR "active D" whatever interpretation. (And learn to apply zone system principles to color neg and slide film as well.)

[roteague]

Hey everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone has used a DSLR as a light meter and if they've had any luck with it?

I don't use a DSLR, but I do occasionally use my Nikon F6 ... but, only if the light is changing too fast to use my Sekonic meter.

[paulr]

The dslr is a computer that uses in-camera metering to adjust to a scene in its internal database and give a recommendation. Nothing to do with spot metering, middle grey, Zone III or anything else. It might agree with an hand held meter, then again it may not.

Well, many have a spot meter function. Turn this on, switch the camera to manual, and you have a big clunky spot meter a bunch of extra buttons. It should agree very closely with any spot meter. My nikon is probably more accurate than my ancient analog spot meter ... although I still prefer the spot meter for ease of use. It's accurate enough.

[Frank Petronio]

To me the addition of a color histogram, preview image, and color temperature temperature information trumps the value of placing a vaguely defined 1-degree spot reading on a certain zone and dialing in the exposure knowing there is at least a stop open to interpretation in most middle to low contrast scenes. Go out and shoot on a foggy morning when there is a two-stop range and tell me what the right exposure is... all of them! At least with a DSLR you can get a feel for what's going on, especially if large format is new to you.

The metering "brains" of a consumer dslr body (other than a Canon!) trump the most loaded down Sekonic or Gossen meters and are arguably easier to learn and use properly. While meters are nice luxuries or useful for old-school darkroom junkies, for people coming into large format it is silly to discourage them away from using their DSLRs and add the expense and learning curve of another gadget.

I love Pentax digtial one-degree spots too, they're classics and worth getting in good time, but I'd hate to be a newbie and get presented with one of those to deal with on top of everything else.

[Brian K]

Most of the time I use Sunny 16, sometimes I use one of my spotmeters, and sometimes I play with the meter in a digicam. It can work well as a meter, but you need to do some testing to see how it and your chosen film translate.

[Bob Kerner]

for people coming into large format it is silly to discourage them away from using their DSLRs and add the expense and learning curve of another gadget........... but I'd hate to be a newbie and get presented with one of those to deal with on top of everything else.

From the newbie perspective, having had a Pentax years ago: I already have a DSLR, with the capabilities Frank refers to. So I see no reason to shell out another $400 on a used meter when I can get the same basic info from my Nikon. I'm accustomed to the histogram and find the preview helpful, and no stand-alone meters can do that. Yet.

I'd also share my own cautionary tale on using the DSLR as a meter. Like any tool, make sure you've set it properly. I trashed 5 sheets because I'd been using the DSLR to make photos, adjust the camera's ISO and did not reset it to match the film speed in the 4x5. Rookie mistake but I bet/hope I'm not the only one this has happened to and maybe it would be less likely had I not been using my "meter: to make pictures.

If you have a DSLR, use it and see how you like it. You can always add the handheld.

[Two23]

I shoot outdoors at night a lot, and a light meter just isn't going to work for me. I am in effect using the DSLR as I would a polariod. When I shoot flash I of course my Minolta flash meter.


Kent in SD

[Brian Ellis]

Honestly, it all comes down to : how good are you with a lightmeter

The dslr is a computer that uses in-camera metering to adjust to a scene in its internal database and give a recommendation. Nothing to do with spot metering, middle grey, Zone III or anything else. It might agree with an hand held meter, then again it may not.

For those accomplished in metering with a spot, its not appropriate.

For those not very good at scene lighting interpretation and selecting the best exposure, the computer in the DSLR can really help.

DSLR can be pretty darn good with color film, not so with B&W.

bob

I used a Pentax spot meter and the zone system with b&w for about twelve years. I used a Nikon D100 as a substitute for about a year. It worked perfectly. Have you ever actually used a digital camera with a spot mode as a meter? I don't ask to be sarcastic or rude but rather because you seem to be thinking that one just aims the camera at a scene and checks the exposure, which isn't how it's used. It not only works as well as a typical spot meter but it provides more useful information as well. And is absolutely compatible with the zone system.

[Bob McCarthy]

If your talking about a higher quality DSLR with the ability to select metering mode, and with spot metering available. Then some cameras may be useful as a basic light meter.

I checked my F5 (film) against my D2X (digi sensor) and they didn't agree a good bit of the time. Against a flat wall, yes, but not with more complex subjects. I equilibrated angle of view so that was not an issue

My F5 generally agrees with my hand held spot meter.

However what is interesting: is when using the matrix meter (computer scene recognition), both cameras pretty much nail exposure.

bob