In the market for an Exposure Meter - Please Help!

07/29/2004 10:25:02 AM · #1

Hi all! I'm in the market for an exposure meter but am having a hard time making up my mind. Here are a few models that I am considering...

JTL LM-8

Konica-Minolta Auto Meter VF

Shepherd Polaris

Sekonic L-308B II

Sekonic L-358

I would REALLY appreciate it if you folks in-the-know could point me in the right direction and tell me why you would choose one over another. Thanks in advance!!!

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

07/29/2004 10:27:28 AM · #2

What features are you looking for ?

What do you need it for ? Flash work ? Outdoor, ambient light imaging ?

What is motivating you to buy one ?

Do you want/ need a spot meter, a flash meter, and/or an incident light meter ?

The answers to these might help narrow down your search.

PaulMdx

Canon EOS-1D

07/29/2004 10:31:30 AM · #3

Surely with the advent of digital and review mode a light meter is somewhat defunct?

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

07/29/2004 10:40:22 AM · #4

Originally posted by PaulMdx:

Surely with the advent of digital and review mode a light meter is somewhat defunct?

It is a whole lot faster to use a light meter, triggering flash units, than to take a shot and review a histogram, as you adjust flash power output.

Most cameras don't give 1/10ths of a stop differences in light readings.

So no, I wouldn't say they were defunct - particularly when many cameras don't provide very narrow spot meters.

If you are going to let the camera make most of the exposure decisions - i.e., anything other than manual - then a light meter doesn't make much difference. But if you really want to take control of the exposure of your pictures, a light meter is far better than what a camera can provide, once you understand what's going on.

Histograms are great to show you the distribution across the entire image - but they don't help you a whole lot for specific parts of the scene, or the relative relationship between parts of a scene - a light meter gives you all that additional info.

Very much depends on what you are trying to achieve. Full auto/ program mode with E-TTL is great for getting an okay exposure, most times.

Full manual, manually set flash exposure is perfect for getting the exposure you want - and a light meter is key part of getting that.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

07/29/2004 10:40:51 AM · #5

Originally posted by PaulMdx:

Surely with the advent of digital and review mode a light meter is somewhat defunct?

Not at all, especially for work where exposure and lighting ratios are critical.

A little 1.8" LCD is hardly adequate to determine exact light ratios.

If you are working with studio strobes or any manually controlled multi-light setup, a flashmeter lets you set each light individually. Say, the main light to f 11, then the fill to f 8 and so on. With just 2 lights it's not such a big deal, but some complicated product shots, may have 7, 8 or even more individual lights.

It's true, you could shoot tethered to a PC, load the test shot in a program and determine exposure in different areas in PS or C1, but in the event of overexposure, you will not know how overexposed you are. In any event, this process would be awkward at best.

It also lets you meter individual areas so that you can check that the exposure is where you want it in a certain area.

Message edited by author 2004-07-29 10:50:42.

kiwiness

Canon Canon 1d x Mark II

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

07/29/2004 10:42:49 AM · #6

Originally posted by PaulMdx:

Surely with the advent of digital and review mode a light meter is somewhat defunct?

I couldn't imagine working without one in the studio.....

PaulMdx

Canon EOS-1D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

07/29/2004 10:45:13 AM · #7

Gordon, Dan, Gary,

I'll be over in the corner...

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

07/29/2004 10:47:31 AM · #8

Originally posted by PaulMdx:

Gordon, Dan, Gary,

I'll be over in the corner...

Maybe I'll buy myself one, one of these days.... ;)

PaulMdx

Canon EOS-1D

07/29/2004 10:48:58 AM · #9

Originally posted by Gordon:

Originally posted by PaulMdx:
I'll be over in the corner...

Maybe I'll buy myself one, one of these days.... ;)

What, a corner? ;-)

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

07/29/2004 10:51:18 AM · #10

Originally posted by Gordon:

All the models listed offer both flash & ambient reading capabilities. As for spot, some offer attachments but others that offer spot integrated in the meter are out of my price range. I intend to use it mostly for studio work, combined lighting, and flash. And as for my motivation - you nailed it in your own post in response to Paul.

kiwiness

Canon Canon 1d x Mark II

07/29/2004 10:52:45 AM · #11

Originally posted by PaulMdx:

Originally posted by Gordon:
Originally posted by PaulMdx:
I'll be over in the corner...

Maybe I'll buy myself one, one of these days.... ;)

What, a corner? ;-)

rofl!

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

07/29/2004 10:53:14 AM · #12

Originally posted by PaulMdx:

Gordon, Dan, Gary,

I'll be over in the corner...

LOL!

Don't sweat it Paul! I'm new to all this myself and am trying to learn as much as possible. Besides the trial and error approach is getting on my last nerve.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

07/29/2004 10:55:24 AM · #13

Originally posted by digistoune:

I would REALLY appreciate it if you folks in-the-know could point me in the right direction and tell me why you would choose one over another. Thanks in advance!!!

Personally, I'd buy the Minolta. Just because that is the brand I have used in the past.

You could probably get a good deal on a used older model on Ebay, save you some money.

07/29/2004 11:01:29 AM · #14

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Originally posted by digistoune:

I would REALLY appreciate it if you folks in-the-know could point me in the right direction and tell me why you would choose one over another. Thanks in advance!!!

Personally, I'd buy the Minolta. Just because that is the brand I have used in the past.

You could probably get a good deal on a used older model on Ebay, save you some money.

Perhaps but I would worry about warranties and stuff. For $200 +/- a few bucks, I get peace of mind.

07/29/2004 11:02:40 AM · #15

Originally posted by digistoune:

Let me know what you decide to buy. I need a meter as well, but I need one because I have three cameras that don't have built in meters :)

07/29/2004 11:05:25 AM · #16

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by digistoune:

All the models listed offer both flash & ambient reading capabilities. As for spot, some offer attachments but others that offer spot integrated in the meter are out of my price range. I intend to use it mostly for studio work, combined lighting, and flash. And as for my motivation - you nailed it in your own post in response to Paul.

Let me know what you decide to buy. I need a meter as well, but I need one because I have three cameras that don't have built in meters :)

Yeah, I will. I have an old twin-lens that I would love to play with more.

07/29/2004 11:07:33 AM · #17

Originally posted by digistoune:

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by digistoune:

All the models listed offer both flash & ambient reading capabilities. As for spot, some offer attachments but others that offer spot integrated in the meter are out of my price range. I intend to use it mostly for studio work, combined lighting, and flash. And as for my motivation - you nailed it in your own post in response to Paul.

Let me know what you decide to buy. I need a meter as well, but I need one because I have three cameras that don't have built in meters :)

Yeah, I will. I have an old twin-lens that I would love to play with more.

Next time we get together, remind me to bring a couple of these cameras and we'll play with them some. One option you have with your TLR is to use your 300d to do the metering. Set the ISO and aperture/shutter on your rebel for whatever u plan to use on the TLR and then let the rebel figure out your remaining setting for you.

07/29/2004 11:11:31 AM · #18

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by digistoune:

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by digistoune:

All the models listed offer both flash & ambient reading capabilities. As for spot, some offer attachments but others that offer spot integrated in the meter are out of my price range. I intend to use it mostly for studio work, combined lighting, and flash. And as for my motivation - you nailed it in your own post in response to Paul.

Let me know what you decide to buy. I need a meter as well, but I need one because I have three cameras that don't have built in meters :)

Yeah, I will. I have an old twin-lens that I would love to play with more.

Next time we get together, remind me to bring a couple of these cameras and we'll play with them some. One option you have with your TLR is to use your 300d to do the metering. Set the ISO and aperture/shutter on your rebel for whatever u plan to use on the TLR and then let the rebel figure out your remaining setting for you.

Cool idea, John, thanks! I'll have to try that.

Now about those meters... which one??!!

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

07/29/2004 11:13:26 AM · #19

Originally posted by digistoune:

Cool idea, John, thanks! I'll have to try that.

Now about those meters... which one??!!

I don't know :( I have looked at a lot of meters and haven't made that decision for myself yet either.

EddyG

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

07/29/2004 11:13:46 AM · #20

I still am very happy with the Sekonic L-358 that I just got and would recommend it. It does just about everything, and has the option to add various spot meters as an add-on accessory (i.e., 1 degree attachment). It does just about everything a light meter needs to (including calculating mult-pop exposures), it has a backlit display (good for when it is dark; a lot of the meters I looked at did not have a backlit LCD) and is even weatherproof. You can also add a PocketWizard remote transmitter* to the L-358 so that if you ever upgrade to a PW wireless setup down the road, you can trigger the strobes right from the meter without dangling a PC cord from it. It is fairly compact in size too.

Oh, and the price drops to $219 at B&H when you add it to your cart, even though it says $249...

* If you buy the wireless transmitter module at the same time that you buy the L-358, when you add it to your cart at B&H it is only $25 as opposed to $99

Message edited by author 2004-07-29 11:25:17.

07/29/2004 11:20:53 AM · #21

I just fininshed looking at your list and I agree with Eddy, especially with the discount from B&H. I'm getting ready to make an order from B&H in the next couple days so maybe I'll add that to the order...

07/29/2004 11:45:39 AM · #22

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

It is also extremely instructive to learn how to work out the exposures, without any meter what so ever. It isn't actually that difficult either, for most exposures - it just takes a bit of practice and some experience. You can use a standard camera meter to help you learn, along with some basic rules like sunny 16. With those as a basis, and using reciprocity, you can quite quickly be able to state the correct exposure for most conditions and tonal subjects.

Also gives you a much more indepth understanding of what is going on, if you care about these things. This doesn't help much for working with flash(es) but is useful/ interesting in much the same way it is good to be able to do approximate mental arthimetic, even if you are using a calculator all the time.

Message edited by author 2004-07-29 11:47:31.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

07/29/2004 12:12:24 PM · #23

Good advice, Gordon. I think it will only help one's creative endeavors to understand what's going on, with or without the help of gadgets. Unfortanely, my brain and arithmetic are incompatible!

And John, I'm leaning towards the L-358 too. It seems to offer the best bang for the buck and I'd rather spend a little more to get what I want/need then be disappointed, ya know? Hey, if we get the same model, we'll be meter twins! Now doesn't that make you all warm and fuzzy! Ha ha - teasing big time.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

07/29/2004 12:38:18 PM · #24

Originally posted by Gordon:

I had a photo teacher who had been a photographer for Life and who shot the first cover for Sports Illustrated, among other things. He was very good at estimating ambient exposures without a meter. I remember one time we followed him around with an incident meter he would tell us what he thought it was, and we'd check it. He was never off by more than 1/2 stop.