Thinking about buying a Light Meter and I'm wondering what are some of the features I need to look for? Thanks for the help.
Thinking of buying a Light Meter
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paul13walnut5
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backlit LCD
Flash synching mode (optical)
Flash synching mode (wired if you use wired heads)
EV mode
Exposure settings mode
Incident mode reflected mode
Spot mode (sometimes requires an attachment)
Meter compensation
I had a polaris shepherd that did all of this and was pretty inexpensive and gave me good results. It also ran off a double A battery, be careful of fancy lithium types which may be expensive and hard to find these days.
Flash synching mode (optical)
Flash synching mode (wired if you use wired heads)
EV mode
Exposure settings mode
Incident mode reflected mode
Spot mode (sometimes requires an attachment)
Meter compensation
I had a polaris shepherd that did all of this and was pretty inexpensive and gave me good results. It also ran off a double A battery, be careful of fancy lithium types which may be expensive and hard to find these days.
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Coolhandchuck said:
Well, a light meter is a tool. Nothing more, nothing less. What is it that you want to light-meter-tool to do?
Do you want the narrow focus of a 1 degree spot meter?
Are you interested in incident light reading?
Do you plan on using this light meter to help you with flash/strobe photography?
For flash/strobe metering do you want to use a wired connection or wireless?
Are you going to be working zone systems where you want to spot meter several areas in your scene and then generate a scene brightness value?
Do you just want another meter to confirm what your in-camera meter indicates?
Do you wish to do your exposure calculations in EVs and your camera displays stops?
A separate light meter can do these things. Very expensive ones can do all of them, less expensive ones can do some of them. Which of these capablities are important to you?
If I were spending YOUR money, then the IKAN MK 350 is only $2,000. ;D
If I were spending MY money, I would want to pick a light meter that does only what I need it to do and only pay for that functionality.
I use a 20 year old Sekonic 308. It does everything I need it to do other than spot metering. If I get to a position where I need spot metering, I would consider upgrading. But honestly, if you won't be using spot metering, don't buy a spot meter.
Like everything else in photography, there is no best... only what is best for you.
Find out what you need and purchase accordingly.
There are several reviews on the Internets Tubes, but from an accuracy point of view, they are all pretty good. The only differences are in the different metering capabilities.
Good luck with it.
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I still don't really understand what a light meter does vs the meter in camera. Why wouldn't you just take a picture and look at the histogram then readjust? How does the meter know what you want to do? Doesn't it just meter for 18% gray? ???
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paul13walnut5
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A meter lets you determine the dr in a scene
A meter helps you measure lighting ratios
A meter helps you set up a studio flash manually
A meter can measure fir incident light, a camera meter alnost exclusively measures reflected light, reflected by shades and textures assumed to be matte assumed to be 18% gray but usually aren't
99% of hobby photographers, even very serious very capable hobby photographers have no real need for a light meter.
If you can appreciate the difference between light that falls on a subject snd light thats reflected from a subject then you can probably appreciate the need that some people need for a light meter, even if you are unlikely to need one yourself,
A meter helps you measure lighting ratios
A meter helps you set up a studio flash manually
A meter can measure fir incident light, a camera meter alnost exclusively measures reflected light, reflected by shades and textures assumed to be matte assumed to be 18% gray but usually aren't
99% of hobby photographers, even very serious very capable hobby photographers have no real need for a light meter.
If you can appreciate the difference between light that falls on a subject snd light thats reflected from a subject then you can probably appreciate the need that some people need for a light meter, even if you are unlikely to need one yourself,
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paul13walnut5 said:
I think most hobby photographers have some need for a light meter (anyone who shoots 4x5 needs one for sure!), but I think to some extent that anyone who wants to wait on light or modify light (strobes) should really consider one whereas someone who just wants to shoot what's there and get the best exposure should use the in-camera meter, as they are so good and you have instant feedback anyway.
Features depend on what you need. I have the 758-Cine, but most serious landscape photographers use a Pentax Digital Spotmeter and most serious videographers use Spectra meters, which are considered more accurate as incident meters than Sekonic.
I love the 758-Cine, but am easily impressed.
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paul13walnut5 said:
I'm in that 99% group and I have to agree. I can chimp my exposure and flash settings. My most used (and useful to me) accessory is a Color Checker Passport. I actually have an old light meter but haven't used it in very many years. I think the last time was when I still used film.
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Hey! I thought about doing that too....... then I came to my senses.
The light metre, although very valuable when you have to build up a scene in a movie from the bottom while controlling exposure, is not really needed for a modern day hobby photographer. Heck, I don't know a single serious professional commercial photographer who does. I haven't used one since photography school year 1......
And you know what, one of the worlds best cinematographers have again and again stated that he never uses a metre. He uses his eyes. That person is Roger Deakins...
Save your money, let your modern day dslr do the work and learn to use your eye and your histogram. Or... you could even buy a small monitor with waveform monitor built in... that would be way more useful than a meter to me.
The light metre, although very valuable when you have to build up a scene in a movie from the bottom while controlling exposure, is not really needed for a modern day hobby photographer. Heck, I don't know a single serious professional commercial photographer who does. I haven't used one since photography school year 1......
And you know what, one of the worlds best cinematographers have again and again stated that he never uses a metre. He uses his eyes. That person is Roger Deakins...
Save your money, let your modern day dslr do the work and learn to use your eye and your histogram. Or... you could even buy a small monitor with waveform monitor built in... that would be way more useful than a meter to me.
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I've got a pair of higher end older Sekonics. They're wonderful.paul13walnut5 said:
They spend most of their life in a drawer, with the battery removed - cuz it seems to run down if I leave it installed.
Occasionally use them for setting up complex strobe lighting or as a comparison tool when I need to check my camera metering.
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leGreve said:
Can you find a source for this? From what I understand he meters regularly, and at the very least metered for years and years until he outgrew the need. There are plenty of photos of him using a meter, and he appears to carry a meter with him everywhere.
Also if you have to get to his level to not need a meter, well, there are maybe ten people at the world at that level.
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just now i arrived at the canon rumors homepage and noticed an ad for lightmeters. i thought, why would anyone buy a light meter? then scrolled down to see that someone is asking for lightmeter advise. in 2013, why would anyone want a lightmeter? before you get all film on me, i know all about film. well, i don't know "all" about it, but i can and do use full manual film cameras. i don't need no stinking lightmeter...
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risc32 said:
Do those film cameras have light meters built in? Then do you need one... it's just built into the camera.
I use my meter for video and 4x5 film primarily. I'd argue that it's useful when using strobes, too. For snapshots, obviously not so much.
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That's an interesting bunch of responses.
Of course you don't "need" a light meter. On the side of the viewfinder of an old TLR that I have it has settings to use for "sunny" and "in the shade."
If you get the results you are looking for with the meter built into your camera, then maybe you don't need an external meter.
But, there are plenty of places where it's useful to have a handheld meter, especially an incident meter. To know how much light is actually falling on something, not just the processor's idea of what a proper exposure should be. To check different areas of a scene to know what your ratios are coming out at. I can think of a lot of reasons why to use one.
That being said, my old (and I mean really really old, like doesn't need a battery old) Sekonic doesn't usually come out. But when I need it, it's there.
Of course you don't "need" a light meter. On the side of the viewfinder of an old TLR that I have it has settings to use for "sunny" and "in the shade."
If you get the results you are looking for with the meter built into your camera, then maybe you don't need an external meter.
But, there are plenty of places where it's useful to have a handheld meter, especially an incident meter. To know how much light is actually falling on something, not just the processor's idea of what a proper exposure should be. To check different areas of a scene to know what your ratios are coming out at. I can think of a lot of reasons why to use one.
That being said, my old (and I mean really really old, like doesn't need a battery old) Sekonic doesn't usually come out. But when I need it, it's there.
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risc32 said:
Mine tells me what each light I use contributes to the final image, if each part of the set gets the intended amount of light, not just whether there are some areas that happen to reflect a certain amount of light - either as planned or by at least two errors accidently canceling each other out. And allows to keep the exposure consistant and spot on without having the model go through all the changes and even poses.
OTOH I wouldn't miss the built in meter, good thing that the 600EX-RT actually is allowed to use its metering cell instead of relying on E-TTL
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no, when i mean full manual i mean FULL MANUAL. as in, no batteries or solar powered thingymabobs they used to use. manual film loading/advancing/rewinding/unloading, manual aperture adjustment, manual shutter cocking, manual shutter speed settings, no ISO settings, no AF, and the HDR functions are broken(i kid.) i either use a little point and shoot and do some math in my head to get where i want( not hard, but trickier than you might think. not everything works in 1/2 or 1/3rd stops), or i use "the force".
besides, I've watched enough behind the scenes and making of type stuff from famous pros running around using lightmeters, and checking all manner of crap. looking very professional then you watch them fire a few polaroids at the settings that they came up with, only for it to be way off. with an LCD screen, and RGB histogram on a little point and shot, i need a lightmeter?
lightmeters, i just don't get it.
besides, I've watched enough behind the scenes and making of type stuff from famous pros running around using lightmeters, and checking all manner of crap. looking very professional then you watch them fire a few polaroids at the settings that they came up with, only for it to be way off. with an LCD screen, and RGB histogram on a little point and shot, i need a lightmeter?
lightmeters, i just don't get it.
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Well it's becoming clear that People either like them, or hate them.
My view would be that if your going to be doing a reasonable amount of multi/Flash/Strobe work, in particular in a Studio situation where you need to balance light between strobes, you probably could use the help.
As Paulwalnut mentioned, if you appreciate the difference between "incident" and "reflective" light, then you may well find that metering for "incident" light could help your Photography.
It would help just to look on the internet & research the use of meters, there's a tonne of useful, and useless info out there, then look for a meter that you feel will fill the slot for yourself.
I have a couple, the Sekonic L-758DR, which has a 1 degree spot reading ability, and the Sekonic L-478DR which has a 5 degree spot reading ability, but is smaller and touch screen.
Do you "need" a meter ?? No, the metering done in most newer Cameras does a pretty good job, to a degree, if you want to be able to balance the exposure better, then a meter is a tool that can help but not replace your Camera meter & Histogram.
Do I use my meters a lot, not really, but I'm an unapologetic "gear" nut, plus I work on the principal, better to have it & not need it, than to need it and not have it. I generally do take at least 1 of the meters with me wherever I go on a trip for Photography, due to the view mentioned, and I'll often find that the meter does get used and has helped with difficult exposure set ups, Snow, Sunrise/sunset, fill flash etc.
Wish you luck in your decision making.
My view would be that if your going to be doing a reasonable amount of multi/Flash/Strobe work, in particular in a Studio situation where you need to balance light between strobes, you probably could use the help.
As Paulwalnut mentioned, if you appreciate the difference between "incident" and "reflective" light, then you may well find that metering for "incident" light could help your Photography.
It would help just to look on the internet & research the use of meters, there's a tonne of useful, and useless info out there, then look for a meter that you feel will fill the slot for yourself.
I have a couple, the Sekonic L-758DR, which has a 1 degree spot reading ability, and the Sekonic L-478DR which has a 5 degree spot reading ability, but is smaller and touch screen.
Do you "need" a meter ?? No, the metering done in most newer Cameras does a pretty good job, to a degree, if you want to be able to balance the exposure better, then a meter is a tool that can help but not replace your Camera meter & Histogram.
Do I use my meters a lot, not really, but I'm an unapologetic "gear" nut, plus I work on the principal, better to have it & not need it, than to need it and not have it. I generally do take at least 1 of the meters with me wherever I go on a trip for Photography, due to the view mentioned, and I'll often find that the meter does get used and has helped with difficult exposure set ups, Snow, Sunrise/sunset, fill flash etc.
Wish you luck in your decision making.
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risc32 said:
Have you ever shot 4x5 slides or motion picture film?
If not, I can see why you wouldn't get it.
That's neither an insult nor a compliment. I know very good photographers and gaffers who used spotmeters until they no longer needed to (or only use incident meters in rare cases as back ups); I also know that point-and-shoots are loaded with C41 with huge exposure latitude and that everything DOES work in stops, no matter how you measure them or guess them.
Once you need it, you need it. And that the original poster is even asking means he might. "I don't need it because I'm amazing; here's a vague description of the gear I use" isn't helpful, but congrats on being amazing.
Oh, and do I carry a meter and point it at something to keep people off my back when I want to be left alone? All the time. But it's still a valid use!
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I have a Sekonic L-608 that I still use occasionally (more like rarely) for complex situations.
I used it extensively with low DR films like Velvia, and that's primarily why I got it. For getting the shot right with film the first time a good light meter was cost effective, especially when traveling. I don't know if I'd get one today for what I do.
I used it extensively with low DR films like Velvia, and that's primarily why I got it. For getting the shot right with film the first time a good light meter was cost effective, especially when traveling. I don't know if I'd get one today for what I do.
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I'm a still photographer and the video I take, I use my iPhone so a light meter will be strictly for stills. How do meters fire strobes?
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