Gossen doesn't make that many exposure meters any more

Chan Tran · Sep 17, 2025

Gossen seems not making high end exposure meters any more. They only have a few models now. B&H sells the Mavo spot and the Mavolux but those are light meter and not exposure meter as they don't display in f/stop, shutter speed or EV.

BrianShaw · Sep 17, 2025

I haven't done a study, but would expect that same sentence to apply to all photographic exposure/light meter makers.

The Mavo line is intended, as you say, for a totally different application... and at a totally different price-point than most photographers would consider.

F4U · Sep 17, 2025

A lot of companies aren't what they used to be. The rise of consumer computer technology has killed off just about everything. So a body just has to make-do.

Chan Tran · Sep 17, 2025

Sekonic still makes a full line of meters though.

BrianShaw · Sep 17, 2025

Chan Tran said:
Sekonic still makes a full line of meters though.

Yep... and they're really fine meters. Folks should get them while they can!

Yet looking at their websites, it seems that Sekonic only has one more exposure meter type than Gossen, Sekonic's all-in-one spot meter. Both seem to make 4 or 5 photographic exposure meters currently. I would not judge based on what a retailer is selling...

koraks · Sep 17, 2025

F4U said:
The rise of consumer computer technology has killed off just about everything.

The electron industry killed off the molecule industry. The molecule industry killed off the muscle industry. The muscle industry killed off the hunter-gather industry. In this killing game, a couple of things may have been born as well. It's hard to tell if you take it in such massive strides. Take enough distance and earth becomes just a tiny speck waiting to be consumed by the nearest supernova.

PS: the technological developments that enabled 'consumer computer technology' were the exact same that gave rise to the latest and greatest generation of light meters - and digital cameras.

reddesert · Sep 17, 2025

B&H still lists the Gossen: Digisix 2, Digiflash 2, Sixtomat F2, Digipro F2, in addition to all the expensive Mavo stuff for industrial use. Those would satisfy a lot of needs. I suppose if you compare them to the Sekonics, there are some high-end features Gossen doesn't have (spot, wireless flash integration), but the meters Gossen does make are perfectly good.

wiltw · Sep 17, 2025

It would be interesting to discover what FRACTION of the photographers on this forum even own a handheld lightmeter for photographic purposes.
Then, to also learn what fraction of all photographers with handheld light meters purchased them within the past decade.

A sadly 'declined market' accounts for withdrawl of products of a genre, be it Kenko or Gossen.

BrianShaw · Sep 17, 2025

^^^ you know the answer(s) ^^^

wiltw · Sep 17, 2025

BrianShaw said:
^^^ you know the answer(s) ^^^

I know the outcome (market withdrawl by Gossn and Kenko), I do not know the objective figures that reflect that decision, as mirrored by the Photrio population.

BrianShaw · Sep 17, 2025

... and how many of us own multiples. I, for instance, have half-dozen meters that get regular use and only 2 in retirement.

Sorry if I mistook your comment for a retorical wonderment and responded smart-aleky.

wiltw · Sep 17, 2025

BrianShaw said:
... and how many of us own multiples. I, for instance, have half-dozen meters that get regular use and only 2 in retirement.

I own multiples, none of which were purchased within the past 10 years even to feed a habit.
All get regular use.
So I know I have not helped keep Gossen or Kenko alive, via purchase of new goods.

And while I *have* purchased a flash unit within the past 10 years, few other photographers have done so (apart from Chinese-made flash units) especially in the past 5 years...flash-related forum traffic is near hibernation.

Sadly, Automation is making the world populated with more less-informed folks. I predict that AI will make it so that the ordinary person will know how to do little without help.

BrianShaw · Sep 17, 2025

We must be pychically connected as I, also, bought a flash unit (not Chinese-made) about 2 years ago. Finaly replaced the aged Vivitar 285s that were giving up the ghost. Gosh... old souls we are.

Chan Tran · Sep 17, 2025

BrianShaw said:
We must be pychically connected as I, also, bought a flash unit (not Chinese-made) about 2 years ago. Finaly replaced the aged Vivitar 285s that were giving up the ghost. Gosh... old souls we are.

I bought a used Minolta Auto Meter II because I like the motorized dial about a couple years ago. I just ordered a Minolta Booster II (haven't received it yet) because I broke mine. I bought 4 Nikon flash units in about 2 years time recently. 3 SB-800 and 1 SB-900. All made in Japan.

Chan Tran · Sep 17, 2025

I noticed the Gossen line up because I was looking to see how much they sell the Starlite and if there is a new version only to find out they don't make meters of that level any more.

mshchem · Sep 17, 2025

The used market of fully functional meters is killing, making it difficult, to sell new meters

MARTIE · Sep 17, 2025

mshchem said:
The used market of fully functional meters is killing, making it difficult, to sell new meters

In 40+ years, I've never bought a new light meter. I've never had to. The market has always been super saturated with 'outdated' but well-built, perfectly working and often overly engineered meters.

mshchem · Sep 17, 2025

MARTIE said:
In 40+ years, I've never bought a new light meter. I've never had to. The market has always been super saturated with 'outdated' but well-built, perfectly working and often overly engineered meters.

I bought a new Minolta light meter once, probably early 80's. I have 3 or 4 of them, picked up used over the years. Never had a bit of trouble with them.

Patrick Robert James · Sep 17, 2025

I probably have more than a dozen meters. They accumulate like enlarger lenses.

Too bad about Gossen if it is true. I was going to pick up the modern version of the Luna Pro Digital I have just because the F2 has a light, but they bumped the price by a huge amount so I decided against it. Maybe I should get one now while I still can. Probably be the last meter I ever buy. I've said that before though.

lecarp · Sep 17, 2025

I have several including a brand new 398 in it's box in reserve just in case. I do not see myself ever using a damn cell phone as a meter (it is never even with me when I'm working).

GregY · Sep 17, 2025

Over the years i've bought a number of meters. Even when i used Nikon F2,F3,F4...i often used a handheld meter. These days i use a Pentax 1° spotmeter, a Gossen digisix, a couple of Leica MR4 and a Gossen Sixtino as a back up occasionally.

F4U · Sep 17, 2025

I have a Sekonic L308S Flashmeter. I keep it put back and clean and protected. I keep it as my standard for calibration of my cameras and my old gray original Luna Pro's. So in my house, all gear is calibrated with that Sekonic as the standard. But out in the field, I keep a Luna Pro in my pocket. It's old and kind of gunked up under the dial, but it works fine. And I don't have to worry about it getting scratched up, which it already is. I also have another original Luna Pro +case in absolute mint condition. But the CdS cell in it has gone out of linearity and I can't calibrate it back to accuracy.

AnselMortensen · Sep 17, 2025

mshchem said:
I bought a new Minolta light meter once, probably early 80's. I have 3 or 4 of them, picked up used over the years. Never had a bit of trouble with them.

Can I get an "Amen", brother?

mshchem · Sep 18, 2025

AnselMortensen said:
Can I get an "Amen", brother?

Amen!

Taylor Nankervis · Sep 18, 2025

The Sekonic light / exposure meters (semantics aside, the two terms are freely used interchangeably, unless you are referring to colour temp meters) still cater for professionals doing things the traditional way. A lot of manufacturers have fallen by the wayside from their once ever-popular heydays: Minolta, Kenko and Polaris, among others. I'm still using my 2014-vintage L758D, last firmware update June 2016 and that particular meter has been swept away by the new kids on the block: touch-screen LCDs at almost twice the price. I like pushing buttons rather than swiping...

Gossen doesn't make that many exposure meters any more

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