Cheap Lightmeters

[ts103706@ohio.edu]

Do cheap light meters exist? The cheapest ones i have seen are Sekonic Studio Deluxes. Does anyone have any recommendations? I would like to stay away from older mercury battery powered ones.

 

[jd callow]

Gossen Luna Pro. the original (if it takes newer batteries), the SBC, F can all be found on ebay form 50 to 150.00

 

[ts103706@ohio.edu]

The Luna Pro used mercury cells

 

[jd callow]

not all to my knowledge, but I could be wrong.

 

[Marcust101]

A Gossen Digisix, is less than $150 new and tiny and accurate

 

[bdial]

The Luna Pro SBC uses a normal 9V battery. Gossen Pilots are cheap, and many of the Weston's are too, with no battery worries at all, though the Selenium photo cells can be bad.

 

[Anscojohn]

I have an old Leningrad IV, purchased in Slovakia in the late 1970s for 14 dollars, brand new. It still reads exactly the same as two recently calibrated Westons and agrees with my Luna-Pro.

 

[David Brown]

I have a Luna Pro SBC. Yep, takes a standard 9V. But I also have a Minolta Autometer IV (uses one AA battery). IIRC, it was about $115 on Craigslist. The Minolta III, IV and V meters can be found with a little patience pretty cheap.

 

[Lee L]

A Gossen Digisix, is less than $150 new and tiny and accurate

Definitely small and accurate, but running >US$180 with shipping and/or taxes here in the US currently. Not my personal version of cheap.

Sekonic L208 TwinMate is US$100 new, not too bad for a new meter that does incident and reflected and is relatively small. I haven't used one.

I have a Digiflash (same as Digisix with flash metering) and an Lunapro F (SBC with flash capability and 9V battery), and have used Minolta meters in studios. The only one I carry with me every time I'm out photographing is the Digiflash because it's so small and easy to take along in a pocket. The Lunapro is almost as big as some of my cameras, so I take it only when I think I'll need it, which is almost never given the capabilities of the Digiflash.

Lee

 

[Frank Szabo]

I still use a 25 year old Gossen Luna Pro F. While I can't attest to their quality, you can find them on FleaBay for $75-$150, as the other gent said.

After playing with a newer digital meter at the local camera store, I realized how much I detest a digital readout for photography and stayed with the "F" model Gossen. I plan to get one more for backup (in case mine ever melts down or quits).

 

[John Koehrer]

Luna Pro with the adapter for lr44's. The adapter is less than $50 + meter = $?

 

[Larry Bullis]

Luna F, batteries, etc.

I still use a 25 year old Gossen Luna Pro F. While I can't attest to their quality, you can find them on FleaBay for $75-$150, as the other gent said.

After playing with a newer digital meter at the local camera store, I realized how much I detest a digital readout for photography and stayed with the "F" model Gossen. I plan to get one more for backup (in case mine ever melts down or quite).

Agree entirely. The Lunapro F has this great "null" meter system which allows setting exposure for a particular zone by simply turning the calculator dial. When it turns, the needle moves with it to indicate +&- in stop increments. I've had mine since, I guess, the early '80's. I got it instead of the digital spot meter I had planned to use for a particular job. I can't remember why, but I suspect it had something to do with the budget. I am very glad I got it. It is a great meter and not once has it let me down. And, like you, I despise digital displays. I just don't get how that could be any sort of advantage; thinking in numbers takes more time. With the needle it can become an intuitive thing very quickly.

I think that the later model "F's" went to digital, but I believe the SBC continued the null system. The only difference between the two otherwise is that the "F" has flash meter capability, the SBC does not.

And yes, it uses the rectangular 9v battery with the snaps on the end. The battery lasts a very long time, too.

If you happen to have a meter that used the mercury px625 or px13 1.35v cell, there is good news. I'm using the Wein cell in my Leica M5. If you ever replaced the mercury cell with the alkaline that was made for that purpose, you may have noticed a really bad slide in the meter readings over time. The mercury cells crashed suddenly, where the alkaline's voltage died gradually giving progressively less accurate readings. The Wein cell is supposed to be stable and last a long time, although I have not seen the specs. It works great in the M5 so far; I put it in hmmm, must have been pretty close to a year ago.

 

[ricksplace]

I use a luna six 3 (luna pro). I also have several selenium meters. The best one of the lot (of selenium meters) is a Zeiss Ikon. It's pretty much spot on with my Lunasix 3. They can be found on ebay for abut $10.

 

[Paul Howell]

Luna Pro with the adapter for lr44's. The adapter is less than $50 + meter = $?

I have a Lunasix with an apdaptor which works well, I dont care for the LunaPro readout. I also use a Weston Ranger 9 with Zinc Oxdie batteries, and a Weston Master V, no batteries. The Master V is accurate in most lighitng but will not read in very dim light. For around a $100 you can also find Soligar 1 degree spot meters.

 

[Larry Bullis]

The Luna Pro used mercury cells

The original grey ones used the mercs, when they started making the black boxy looking ones they switched to the 9v.

 

[Phillip P. Dimor]

I can't comment on the Gossen ones but I've a Minolta Autometer IVF, bought used years ago for $100. Works as good as the day I bought it (Which is as good as new). 1 AA battery lasts a loooong time. Nice digital display and simple to use.

However, a lot of people like the analog readout.. just wanted to add my $0.02

 

[Lee L]

I just don't get how that could be any sort of advantage; thinking in numbers takes more time. With the needle it can become an intuitive thing very quickly.

I also like the LunaPro F/SBC needle and scale display very much. Been using mine since early '82.

However when using the EV readout on the Digiflash/Digisix, the reading remains on the display until the button is pushed to take a new reading, whereas the LunaPro needle drops after a number of seconds. The way I use the Digiflash is to note when the light has changed and make a new reading after mentally noting the last EV readout. Then I just take the difference in EV readings and adjust the proper number of stops on the shutter or aperture dial... simple and fast, with no meter dial twiddling. This would be the equivalent of taking a new reading with the LunaPro and noting the number of stops difference on the scale from the last 'zeroed' reading.

In the end it comes down to personal working style, and whether a given meter is easily amenable to the way you prefer to work. I find both these Gossens easy to work with.

Lee

 

[ts103706@ohio.edu]

Has anyone tried the Sekonic Twin Mate, or does anyone know of any issues with it? I would really like to stay away from digital meters. I feel like I would be paying for more than I need. I really just want a reliable, relatively accurate meter for measuring reflected light.

 

[Lee L]

Has anyone tried the Sekonic Twin Mate, or does anyone know of any issues with it? I would really like to stay away from digital meters. I feel like I would be paying for more than I need. I really just want a reliable, relatively accurate meter for measuring reflected light.

I've seen the L-208 mentioned positively here on APUG several times. Try a forum search in the box just below the ad banner at the top of the page.

Lee

 

[MattKing]

For those not in the USA, the Gossen BC is known as the Gossen Profisix in a large part of the world.

It looks like Lee L and I have similar tastes - I've had a Gossen profisix for 25 years or so, and recently purchased a Digiflash due to the size.

A couple of years ago I had my Profisix CLA'd (although I don't think the L part applies). The technician mentioned that they were starting to have more difficulty getting parts for meters of that vintage.

Matt

 

[Frank Szabo]

And, like you, I despise digital displays.

I believe that has more to do with what we were originally exposed to.

Some kids (and I mean even some in college) can't tell time with an analog clock with a simple glance. They grew up looking at the friggin' digital stuff.

OK - that's fine. I won't be judgemental about that, but - digital watches, digital multimeters, digital micrometers; digital is really simpler to make from the manufacturers' point of view and it's cheaper (today's buzzword) but to this old fart, it sucks! As you rightfully point out, reading the (whatever) gadget is not intuitive.

I'll take my Luna Pro F any day over the highest priced digital do-all out there.

 

[thuggins]

I've had very good luck with selenium meters. The can be picked up off that auction site for <$50 and generally read dead on. They are also things of beaty in their bakelite or metal cases. The IKOPHOT in white bakelite with a "brass" dial and red numbering is a true work of art. If you can get the original case in good condition it's the icing on the cake. Just make sure the listing guarantees that it works!

 

[P C Headland]

If you want something cheap and accurate, and that will take any battery that can be made to physically fit and giving 3.5-4.5 volts, you could try a Sverdlovsk 4 meter.

Has a narrow angle (11 degree) reflective meter function, and a incident function too. Mine is accurate, and for $25, it's hard to beat!