Light meters

[WelshNoob]

Is a light meter a light meter or am I being silly in thinking something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vivitar-3...y_VintagePhotoAccessories&hash=item51c960c550 would be adequate for some who would use one very infrequently (such as me) or is it setting yourself up for a fall?

 

[Phil V]

If you just need a simple meter for shooting film in ambient light it'll do fine, if you want a meter for digital use or for flash, it's not fit for purpose

 

[stumac]

Or if youve an iphone get the I zoner app for £1.30

I have done numerous tests on my digital ,35mm and 120 cameras and its spot on and gets rave reviews the film camera forums

 

[WelshNoob]

If you just need a simple meter for shooting film in ambient light it'll do fine, if you want a meter for digital use or for flash, it's not fit for purpose

Erm....that's a no then

Is there an inexpensive alternative to say a £100 sekonic light meter suitable for digital and flash please Phil?

 

[WelshNoob]

Or if youve an iphone get the I zoner app for £1.30

I have done numerous tests on my digital ,35mm and 120 cameras and its spot on and gets rave reviews the film camera forums

Will have a look at that. Thanks.

 

[HoppyUK]

It's selenium cell, which went out of use some 40 years ago. V poor low-light sensitivity.

Edit: there are a few sub-£100 meters around, but none that I'd recommend over a Sekonic 308.

 

[skysh4rk]

Is there an inexpensive alternative to say a £100 sekonic light meter suitable for digital and flash please Phil?

A secondhand Sekonic light meter?

I can't see any reason for most people to buy these new, personally. I bought my L308 and my L508 for reasonable sums from here and Gumtree, respectively.

 

[Phil V]

Erm....that's a no then

Is there an inexpensive alternative to say a £100 sekonic light meter suitable for digital and flash please Phil?

Because everyone knows that Sekonic light meters are the easiest cheap first meter, they hold their value s/h. Bizarrely, this makes other old meters really good vfm. I got a Minolta IIIf for £35 and I know others have got them for less from ebay. It's a similar spec to the Sekonic L358, better than the entry level.

There are other old flash meters too, but a bit of ebay research will confirm how overpriced a s/h Sekonic L308 is.

 

[Kris]

I love my gossens.

They give ambient / flash ratio in terms of f stops rather than the percentage share like sekonics higher quality models. The 308 didn't offer it at all, iirc.

 

[sep9001]

Hi

Any updates on this? Did you get a light meter, if you did which one did you get?

Thanks

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

The sexonic 398 3L incident light meter is still made and is highly accurate meter though certainly not for everyone.
I have the studio delux L 398M. And it is fun to use. But no use for flash. the sekonic 308 is far more usefull for most people.

 

[Steve Smith]

If you just need a simple meter for shooting film in ambient light it'll do fine, if you want a meter for digital use or for flash, it's not fit for purpose

Why not fit for digital use?


Steve.

 

[Phil V]

Why not fit for digital use?


Steve.

It doesn't look particularly accurate. Moot point anyway, I believe the OP wanted it for flash (which it won't do).

 

[Merluza]

How about can anybody recommend a good non-flash meter that's reasonably available for less than £100?

 

[Phil V]

How about can anybody recommend a good non-flash meter that's reasonably available for less than £100?

As above, there's loads of great old meters on ebay for less than £50.