Best light meter option for low light and cold weather

Laci Toth · Jan 24, 2020

Hello everyone,

I’m wondering which light meters are the best for low light and heavy cloudy days, long exposures (10 or 40 minutes) and cold weather (-30 celsius). I use iso 3 films and other times I push iso 3200 film by two or three stops so these are also important factors.
I had a Weston Master V and was great (except the extreme long exposures) but I dropped it and might try something else this time.
I’ve checked Sekonic and Gossen but couldn’t really find what I’m looking for.
I don’t mind if it’s a battery equipped digital one or an old-school full analog, I’d like to find the best solution.

MattKing · Jan 24, 2020

Gossen Profisix (Luna Pro SBC in the US).
Really good low light response - much lower than a "heavy cloudy day".
It is somewhat large, but it uses a standard 9 volt battery.
There are lots of them out there, but there are parts availability problems if you need one repaired.

pentaxuser · Jan 24, 2020

Laci Toth said:
Hello everyone,

I’m wondering which light meters are the best for cold weather (-30 celsius). .

-30 C in Bristol! I knew there was a good reason why I never went further West than Bath

Apologies on two counts. 1. I can't really answer your question 2. Introducing humour into a sensible question but I am curious as to where you will be shooting that drops to -30C. Not in Bristol surely

pentaxuser

Alan9940 · Jan 24, 2020

I've used my Pentax Digital Spot meter is some pretty cold weather without issue.

AgX · Jan 24, 2020

MattKing said:
Gossen Profisix.
It is somewhat large, but it uses a standard 9 volt battery.

Meanwhile there are 9V Lithium batteries, they stand cold better than Alkalines.

(I never measured the drain of a Profisix, so I can't tell the importance of this, but you should keep that alternative on your mind. The idle voltage will not be effected by the cold, but the capacity at given current.)

Ko.Fe. · Jan 24, 2020

My mobile phone app measures it under table where light is really low. ISO 3200, f16, 6 seconds.
The app I have goes up to 30 seconds and down to ISO 25, but where are better than this one.
I just don't have need for ISO 3 and one hour exposures.
My iPhone runs on its battery, plus it runs on battery pack.

Laci Toth · Jan 24, 2020

pentaxuser said:
-30 C in Bristol! I knew there was a good reason why I never went further West than Bath

Apologies on two counts. 1. I can't really answer your question 2. Introducing humour into a sensible question but I am curious as to where you will be shooting that drops to -30C. Not in Bristol surely

pentaxuser

No worries about humour, I totally got it. Let me introduce you the phenomena of travelling. =D
It’s an uplifting feeling, once you’ve the chance try it mate! =)

Laci Toth · Jan 24, 2020

MattKing said:
Gossen Profisix (Luna Pro SBC in the US).
Really good low light response - much lower than a "heavy cloudy day".
It is somewhat large, but it uses a standard 9 volt battery.
There are lots of them out there, but there are parts availability problems if you need one repaired.

Thanks for your suggestion! It’s indeed a nice piece of kit!

Laci Toth · Jan 24, 2020

MattKing said:
Gossen Profisix (Luna Pro SBC in the US).
Really good low light response - much lower than a "heavy cloudy day".
It is somewhat large, but it uses a standard 9 volt battery.
There are lots of them out there, but there are parts availability problems if you need one repaired.

Sorry for this question it might seem stupid but can it read ambient light as well or just incident?

Laci Toth · Jan 24, 2020

Laci Toth said:
Sorry for this question it might seem stupid but can it read ambient light as well or just incident?

I found the answer! =D

pentaxuser · Jan 25, 2020

Laci I have never been out in anything like -30C but if you will be exposing for the periods you mention then I do wonder if there might be other factors to consider as well such as batteries and camera lubricant

pentaxuser

craigclu · Jan 25, 2020

I used my Sekonic L-718 in some extreme winter weather conditions, much of it following my son's downhill skiing competitions. I needed to use remote battery packs on my Pentax 67 and Mamiya 7 gear but the Sekonic meter always seemed to function correctly. The Mamiya was great for candids, team pix and the like and the Pentax was a handful for the speeds of the racers but I got pretty good with anticipation...

removed account4 · Jan 25, 2020

luna pro sbc is the best low light meter there is, look for the one that takes a 9V battery

AgX · Jan 25, 2020

jnantz said:
luna pro sbc is the best low light meter there is, look for the one that takes a 9V battery

-) there is no meter with higher sensitivity
-) there is no battery-option. There only is one model.

Laci Toth · Jan 26, 2020

Thanks everyone for your time and suggestions!
I’ve oredered a Gossen profisix and will see later on how we get on.

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 26, 2020

Laci Toth said:
Thanks everyone for your time and suggestions!
I’ve oredered a Gossen profisix and will see later on how we get on.

Great meter, bulky and boxy quite surprisingly, but not really heavy. In case you have not seen this part yet, it is expandable into several other areas with attachments, including multibeam spot one, which is not too easy to find, but it does do a lot of additional goods to it.

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 26, 2020

One comment I forgot to add was the basically two versions of dial available, with one having Zone scale shown right on it. Easy to see which one that is as Zone scale is shown at bottom with clear markings.

Laci Toth · Jan 26, 2020

Witold said:
One comment I forgot to add was the basically two versions of dial available, with one having Zone scale shown right on it. Easy to see which one that is as Zone scale is shown at bottom with clear markings.

Oh, that’s nice! I’m looking forward to get it!

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 26, 2020

Laci Toth said:
Oh, that’s nice! I’m looking forward to get it!

it is indeed a great meter. Just went back into my materials and Gossen at one point decided to dump the cinematographic scale and replaced it with Zone System scale. While most Luna Pro SBC I have seen for sale do not differentiate often between the two, so prices are pretty much identical (and all over the place, from $50 to $200), but if sole purpose is to use it for photography, might as well look for one with Zone scale.

Null measurements are also great, had not used one before and came to loving it.

removed account4 · Jan 26, 2020

AgX said:
-) there is no meter with higher sensitivity
-) there is no battery-option. There only is one model.

that's good !
i thought there were 2 models - one that took a 9V battery and one that took a different one ...

AgX · Jan 26, 2020

Of the advanced range there were three models: Profisix (of which you were talking), Lunasix F (same but with flash-metering and reduced sensitivity) and the later Mastersix. All took the 9V battery.
You were thinking of an older model with lesser features, as the Lunasix 3S. This took button cells, but also the clip-on accessories that the higher range models accept too.

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 26, 2020

jnantz said:
that's good !
i thought there were 2 models - one that took a 9V battery and one that took a different one ...

Lunasix line took mercury batteries until Lunasix F took over with 9V, Variosix Cds used 2xAA

Deleted member 88956 · Jan 26, 2020

AgX said:
You were thinking of an older model with lesser features, as the Lunasix 3S. This took button cells, but also the clip-on accessories that the higher range models accept too.

Except only the optical attachments could be used on Lunasix 3, higher models had electrical contacts needed for some other options (like the mentioned Multibeam Spot)

AgX · Jan 26, 2020

That was what I meant with "clip-on", the other were just pushed-on. But my wording is indeed ambiguous.

Yes, "optical" vs. "electrical" attachments resp. couplings.

Only 2 models got both couplings: Profisix and Mastersix

Laci Toth · Jan 26, 2020

Witold said:
it is indeed a great meter. Just went back into my materials and Gossen at one point decided to dump the cinematographic scale and replaced it with Zone System scale. While most Luna Pro SBC I have seen for sale do not differentiate often between the two, so prices are pretty much identical (and all over the place, from $50 to $200), but if sole purpose is to use it for photography, might as well look for one with Zone scale.

Null measurements are also great, had not used one before and came to loving it.

Best light meter option for low light and cold weather

Laci Toth

MattKing

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pentaxuser

Alan9940

AgX

Ko.Fe.

Laci Toth

Laci Toth

Laci Toth

Laci Toth

pentaxuser

craigclu

removed account4

AgX

Laci Toth

Deleted member 88956

Deleted member 88956

Laci Toth

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AgX

Deleted member 88956

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AgX

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Best light meter option for low light and cold weather

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