Sekonic L-358 Lightmeters

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KayJay

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Has anyone got one and if so what are your feelings about it? I'm looking for a flash meter that'll meter both ambient light and also light from strobes. I've heard a lot about it on the Strobist group, but it's pretty expensive.
 
I think I need to find some YouTube videos showing how it works because I haven't got a clue. lol. I just need something to help me get reliable exposures when shooting with strobes fully manual.
 
Think long and hard before buying a meter and then go look at the used ones for sale here and on Ebay. The phrase "rarely used" crops up quite a lot....
 
I intend to use it for a lot of things, especially the portraits I've been doing recently. I need to get the exposures right because some of the people I'm shooting at the moment have very little time to hang around waiting for me to get the right shot, so I try and get the exposure before they walk into the room.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfKzY4wMixQ&feature=fvw

That's a helpful video. I'll take a look at the links posted above too.

Cheers!
 
KayJay said:
I intend to use it for a lot of things, especially the portraits I've been doing recently. I need to get the exposures right because some of the people I'm shooting at the moment have very little time to hang around waiting for me to get the right shot, so I try and get the exposure before they walk into the room.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfKzY4wMixQ&feature=fvw

That's a helpful video. I'll take a look at the links posted above too.

Cheers!
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In terms of final exposure, you will get a more accurate setting from the LCD/histogram/blinkies.

I use a meter for setting up lighting ratios, but the final exposure is often fractionally different to what the meter says and I tweak the f/number or ISO to suit. There are quite a few variables that happen to the light after it hits the lens and before it comes out as a finished image, which the meter doesn't know about. If the meter gets you within half a stop, that's often as good as it gets, and that's not really optimum.

If you have multiple lights and change the set up a lot, you need a light meter for sure. If you only use one basic set up and don't vary it much, you probably don't.

Can't you just shoot a test pic and check that before people arrive? Not trying to talk you out of a flash meter, just be aware of what they're good for, and their limitations.
 
Thanks HoppyUK. I guess I can just shoot the test image, which is what I've been doing recently, but I am getting into more complicated stuff which leads me to think that the light meter will come in handy. I'm going to be using 'two strobe' setups.
 
If you're talking about doing quick set-ups you'd be better to practice with one particular layout and stick to that. That way it's just a couple to tweaks here and there and no need for a meter....
 
Cool. I'll play around for a bit before making up my mind. I might need some flash stands and soft box and another umbrella from you mate.
 
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the one on the left
 
Did you hang that wallpaper Graham?
 
Ha ha. I thought there were shower curtains?
 
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