Cannot get Flash reading

[BenjaminBS]

Dear all,

I got a 2nd hand Gossen Lunasix F, and after having read the manual, both in Englich and German I cannot get any flash reading, neither in Object or Contrast metering.

I set the metering to flash and no matter what I try the needle remains far below the 0 position.

Who can explain to me how to get a reading from this device?

good year to you all,
Benny

 

[BenjaminBS]

Dear all again,

OK now I figured it out. Yet please advise: I am using a digital camera and two studio lights. My camera via the PC shoe synchs at 1/250, but the Lunasix measures at 1/50. When I end up @ f-stops far beyond the usable (f16), @ 1/50, how do I adapt? Set the camera to 1/250 @ f22?
Gosh I was always bad at mathematics :-(

 

[holmburgers]

Changing the shutter speed won't affect the picture if you're using flash. The flash is so much shorter than the duration of the shutter, it doesn't matter; that is, assuming you're not outside doing fill flash, etc. Obviously don't go above 250th, but from there on down the flash is doing all it's work in less time than a shutter can open/close.

Why do you need a flash meter with a digital camera?

What ISO is the meter at?

Welcome to APUG

 

[BenjaminBS]

Good new year,

Getting the flash meter was a result of the hope to get more predictable results for studio photography and -unrelated- reliable results for exposure in general photography (for example using object metering).

And actually I thought I had figured it out, but when I activate flash metering, press the big red button, and trigger the flash (while pointing the meter from camera to subject) and then try to read at what f-stop the red bolt icon stands, the needle does not even move from the most-left position.
Only if I trigger the flash right into the meter, I get a reading.

If I to object metering and flash towards the meter (with the object being there too) (with the calotte over the eye) and set the reading according to the display (@ 1/50) the result is utterly and completely overexposed.

 

[billbretz]

Why do you need a flash meter with a digital camera?

It's not out of line to use a flash meter with digital- for instance, if you want specific ratios.

 

[John Koehrer]

Hi Benny,
It's seems about a hundred years since I've used this meter, but it sounds as though you're doing it right. Assuming the ISO is set.
Set the meter to flash, Turn the meter on and trip the flash with the dome(calotte?) facing the camera. Set the needle and take the reading.

Have you tried reducing the power of the flash or moving it away from the subject? Perhaps it's too powerful for the distance? We don't have that information.
My failing memory suggests that meter only reads flash in the incident(object?) mode and to make a contrast reading you would read each light separately.

 

[BenjaminBS]

Maybe broken?

the ISO is set to 100, both on camera & meter.
What troubles me is the fact that if I try to meter the flash light as it should be (lets say the object is two or three meters away and the studio flash with a softbox as main light in front, and I trigger the flash, there is just no reading, no matter what flash strength I set. So it seems too weak in a way.

Maybe the meter has a rule that it only will work when not needed

 

[BenjaminBS]

I guess the flash meter is broken. It is just too weird that the only reading (but then at f64 and up) is received by triggering the flash right into the gossen :-(
Batteries are fresh.

 

[John Koehrer]

Yep, with the extra information it does point to a defective meter.

The good thing is, it's not the operator.

 

[BenjaminBS]

I made a film on how I tested the meter

please look here and tell me if I am just stupid (I'd rather hear that than learning that the meter is broken):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBM1hqQ0_KE