better reading less or almost no light :)

[k.hendrik]

Hi,
I would love to have better results in reading (very)low lights. Own a Sekonic L-398A and I'm not satisfied. Like to make portraits/still-life in low-available light.
thanks.

 

[frank]

I can recommend this one: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Gossen_Profisix_/_Lunasix_F

 

[Chan Tran]

Checked the spec of the 398a. EV4 for incident and EV9 for reflected it's not sensitive in low light. A more sensitive meter might help.

 

[polyglot]

Definitely a more-sensitive meter is called for, e.g. a Pentax DSM will get you down to EV1 reliably. That's probably about as dark as most people would go when shooting portraits on film (EI1600, f/1.4, 1/15s = EV1).

However if you're shooting at night (well below EV0) then there are basically NO instant-reading meters that will give you an accurate result. You need a meter with extremely high sensitivity, high quality large-aperture optics and the ability to integrate light over a duration of several seconds. It's called a "cheap DSLR" and they can be cheaper than a good spot-meter!

Consider a night exposure I did recently; it called for ISO f/8 30 minutes, which is about EV-5. That's 6 stops less light than even a good spot-meter can reliably take a reading from, which makes it basically impossible to directly meter. However by setting my DSLR to f/1.4 ISO3200 and taking a few handheld test exposures (motion-smeared but who cares?), I discovered that 1.6s gave a decent result. Convert the change in aperture and ISO (multiply by 1024 in my case) and you get the meter reading that you want. Even better, you can look at the histogram on the screen and see that the distribution of tones is what you want to see, etc. Once I added a correction for reciprocity failure, I got a perfect exposure on a chrome. Pity my composition sucked

 

[StoneNYC]

Definitely a more-sensitive meter is called for, e.g. a Pentax DSM will get you down to EV1 reliably. That's probably about as dark as most people would go when shooting portraits on film (EI1600, f/1.4, 1/15s = EV1).

However if you're shooting at night (well below EV0) then there are basically NO instant-reading meters that will give you an accurate result. You need a meter with extremely high sensitivity, high quality large-aperture optics and the ability to integrate light over a duration of several seconds. It's called a "cheap DSLR" and they can be cheaper than a good spot-meter!

Consider a night exposure I did recently; it called for ISO f/8 30 minutes, which is about EV-5. That's 6 stops less light than even a good spot-meter can reliably take a reading from, which makes it basically impossible to directly meter. However by setting my DSLR to f/1.4 ISO3200 and taking a few handheld test exposures (motion-smeared but who cares?), I discovered that 1.6s gave a decent result. Convert the change in aperture and ISO (multiply by 1024 in my case) and you get the meter reading that you want. Even better, you can look at the histogram on the screen and see that the distribution of tones is what you want to see, etc. Once I added a correction for reciprocity failure, I got a perfect exposure on a chrome. Pity my composition sucked

My sekonic 758DR goes from EV1-EV24 so upgrade your sekonic?

Also I agree sometimes you just have to use a "fancy Polaroid" to check


~Stone | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rudeofus]

EV 1 over EV4 gives you three stops, which is nice but let's be honest: it's not going to solve k.hendrick's problem. I, too, find it odd, that $500+ light meters have less range than smart phone cameras, it's not like we expect sharp high res images from light meters ...

One note to k.hendrick: don't forget about reciprocity failure, even if a perfect light meter tells you "5 minutes exposure at F/4" this will most likely not give you good results.

 

[Chan Tran]

EV 1 over EV4 gives you three stops, which is nice but let's be honest: it's not going to solve k.hendrick's problem. I, too, find it odd, that $500+ light meters have less range than smart phone cameras, it's not like we expect sharp high res images from light meters ...

One note to k.hendrick: don't forget about reciprocity failure, even if a perfect light meter tells you "5 minutes exposure at F/4" this will most likely not give you good results.

Expensive light meter isn't all that sensitive although something like the sekonic 308 can measure to EV0 ISO 100. They are accurate and that's what needed. Portraiture at illumination less than EV0?? I doubt that.

 

[frank]

From the link in my post:
-5 EV

Profisix Lunasix F Lunalite
Type Null pointer hand held exposure meter
Introduction 1977 1981
Sensor SBC (Silicon Blue Cell)
Measurement Ambient & Flash* Ambient
Sensitivity -5 to +24 LV -1 to +17 LV +1 to +17 LV
Display -3 to +3 EV Pointer 3 LED
Film Speed ISO 0.8 to 100,000
Aperture f 0.7 to f 128
Time 1/4,000s to 8 hours
Power 9v Battery
Dimensions 120 x 44 x 70mm
Weight 250g 195g 170g

 

[k.hendrik]

Thanks all ! as usually the solution is staring into my face: my D200 rather heavy but I start with this and after that maybe the Profisix.

 

[bsdunek]

I can recommend this one: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Gossen_Profisix_/_Lunasix_F

I would second that. My old Lunasix will get a reading with my hand over the sensor when in regular daylight. They are very good for low light.

 

[k.hendrik]

Expensive light meter isn't all that sensitive although something like the sekonic 308 can measure to EV0 ISO 100. They are accurate and that's what needed. Portraiture at illumination less than EV0?? I doubt that.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Ha ! this was moonlight

 

[Sirius Glass]

Gossen Lunasix Pro

 

[StoneNYC]

I would second that. My old Lunasix will get a reading with my hand over the sensor when in regular daylight. They are very good for low light.

That isn't a spot meter, not really all that useful for long exposures when you're standing on a bridge trying to expose for a light 8 streets away... or the water down below etc...

 

[paul ron]

I enjoy night shoting but it is very frustrating with my Pentax SM, the reading doesn't lock so I can read the very faint scale even when using the built nite lite.

But my go to meter for night work is my Gossen Luna. Pro SBC. It locks the needle, zero meter style so I can use a headlamp to take my readings off the dial.

BTW if my old memory serves me well, this was rated as one of the most sensitive on the streets.

 

[benjiboy]

I would recommend the Sekonic L-358 http://www.sekonic.com/products/l-358/overview.aspx it will read from EV2 and the digital display lights up automatically in low light so it's very easy to read.

 

[baachitraka]

That said, Edward Weston exposed for more that a day to get one of his famous shell photo.

 

[Jim Noel]

Lunapro SBC is the best for ultra low light. Besides, it only needs a standard 9 volt battery rather than an exotic, hard to find one.