Light Meter advice needed.

[xkaes]

I have a digital Minolta IIIf Autometer. It only shows one reading at a time and you have to hit a button to move the readings to select another setting. The problem is this meter is shutter priority. So you'll get digital percentages of apertures like f/8.7. There's no selection to make it an aperture priority. I suppose that makes sense because, with old film cameras, you can't get shutter settings other than at full stops. The more modern digital meters allow you to set aperture priority as well.

That may be an improvement, but IMHO, that's still a PITA to have to keep pushing buttons. With the two scales always available -- on most non-digital exposure meters -- all the options are right there for you to see, all at once.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

That may be an improvement, but IMHO, that's still a PITA to have to keep pushing buttons. With the two scales always available -- on most non-digital exposure meters -- all the options are right there for you to see, all at once.

I agree. But my Luna F which shows all the settings at once, only works with incident readings while the Minolta does both incident and reflective (as well as flash).

Caveat: The Luna F has a reflective attachment. I think mine is 5 degrees. But it doesn't work accurately for some reason while the incident methods works fine. Maybe someone has a solution. )

 

[Chan Tran]

Yea, not really "100% analog workflow"
You know Fuji makes a GFX50.......

It is 100% analog workflow. Who said you can't use digital instruments to help set exposure? Most meters available today are digital so if you use one of those then it's not analog workflow.

 

[Paul Howell]

That is true, although I prefer a dial read out on my light meters my AF film bodies that I use as meter all have digital readouts, most show under and exposure by stops when in manual mode, but a dial type read out.

 

[GregY]

It is 100% analog workflow. Who said you can't use digital instruments to help set exposure? Most meters available today are digital so if you use one of those then it's not analog workflow.

Chan....if you use a digital camera to measure light...have someone else process your film...& then have digital prints made..... that's hardly !00% analog. How can you discuss the nuances of development and printing if that's your 'workflow'? & I wasn't referring to meters. I have and use a Digisix, & a Pentax 1° spot meter & others
I was referring to Alan's post of incorporating histograms, blinkies & clipping.... WT* ??? How is that analog?

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

It is 100% analog workflow. Who said you can't use digital instruments to help set exposure? Most meters available today are digital so if you use one of those then it's not analog workflow.

Of course. Digital metering came out long before digital photography.

 

[drfoxmd]

ck The app is good for reflective metering. The only reason why I use the lightmeter (Gossen Sixtomat for its small size) is when I need the incident metering.

Agree,You just can't beat Gossen meters. You can pick up analog ones very economically. The newer digital versions are great as well.

 

[GregY]

Of course. Digital metering came out long before digital photography.

Alan, please explain to me how "histograms, blinkies & clipping" are analog?
I'm a slow learner....

 

[Chan Tran]

Chan....if you use a digital camera to measure light...have someone else process your film...& then have digital prints made..... that's hardly !00% analog. How can you discuss the nuances of development and printing if that's your 'workflow'? & I wasn't referring to meters. I have and use a Digisix, & a Pentax 1° spot meter & others
I was referring to Alan's post of incorporating histograms, blinkies & clipping.... WT* ??? How is that analog?

I said use a digital camera but I didn't say have someone process my film nor make prints digitally nor scan. I used to use a scanner to scan my color negative to find out what kind of exposure and filter I need to make my print with the enlarger. That's not pure analog?

 

[wiltw]

I said use a digital camera but I didn't say have someone process my film nor make prints digitally nor scan. I used to use a scanner to scan my color negative to find out what kind of exposure and filter I need to make my print with the enlarger. That's not pure analog?

Unfortunately, color neg has wide exposure latitude, and scanning software often neutralizes any exposure difference from shot to shot, making digital scanning of film deceiving in assessing exposure accuracy.

 

[GregY]

I said use a digital camera but I didn't say have someone process my film nor make prints digitally nor scan. I used to use a scanner to scan my color negative to find out what kind of exposure and filter I need to make my print with the enlarger. That's not pure analog?

I was referring to Alan's specific posts #45 & #48.., Chan..... "histograms, blinkies & clipping"....none of those are pure analog.... The Kerrkid just wants to buy a light meter...... how hard can people make it for him ??

 

[markjwyatt]

I like the Sekonic L308 because it has reflectance and incident readings in f/stops and EVs. I use a Pentax Digital Spot Meter for stop meter readings.

I just got one. It is a really nice meter. Much more compact than my Gossen Luna Pro SBC too (and even the standard Luna Pros).

 

[madNbad]

I just got one. It is a really nice meter. Much more compact than my Gossen Luna Pro SBC too (and even the standard Luna Pros).

I love the 308. Had an S and the X, sold both when I wanted something smaller than the camera I was carrying. The Reveni has a lot of good features but poor battery life. Looking forward to improved versions of the cube. Just bought a used Gossen Digisix and it offers a lot of features often only found in larger meters. Occasionally, it would be helpful if the little Gossen had back lighting.

 

[otto.f]

The app is good for reflective metering. The only reason why I use the lightmeter (Gossen Sixtomat for its small size) is when I need the incident metering.

Fully agree, except that I use the Gossen Digisix 2, also for its small size. Since there is variable contrast paper and scanning is forgiving, I don’t see many reasons for spotmetering for Zone placing. A scene is flat or contrasty, that’s enough for me to know for the development. Having said that reflective metering can only be misleading, especially with wide angles and skies. It is crucial however to calibrate the incident meter with a grey card reflective metering.

 

[CMoore]

I love the 308. Had an S and the X, sold both when I wanted something smaller than the camera I was carrying. The Reveni has a lot of good features but poor battery life. Looking forward to improved versions of the cube. Just bought a used Gossen Digisix and it offers a lot of features often only found in larger meters. Occasionally, it would be helpful if the little Gossen had back lighting.

What is the difference between the S and X.?
Thank You

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Alan, please explain to me how "histograms, blinkies & clipping" are analog?
I'm a slow learner....

I didn't say they were. I said digital metering came out long before digital cameras. So film photographers were using digital meters with their film processes long before digital cameras were invented.

 

[madNbad]

What is the difference between the S and X.?
Thank You

Prior to the 308x, there were separate versions for still and cinema/video. The X version combines all of the features in a single meter. This allows the user to switch between reflected light with flash metering, cine and HD Cine. It also offers backlighting in low EV.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Alan, please explain to me how "histograms, blinkies & clipping" are analog?
I'm a slow learner....

I didn't say they were. I said digital metering came out long before digital cameras. So film photographers were using digital meters with their film processes long before digital cameras were invented.

I've been using my Minolta digital Autometer IIIF for 40 years which I bought when I got my Mamiya RB67 medium format film camera.

 

[VinceInMT]

I have the myLightMeter app on my iPhoneX and used it a bit and found that results were fine but ended up buying two of the mercury battery adapters from Criscam so I could go back to using my Gossen LunaSix3 (LunaPro.). Plus, I can take one of the adapters out and use it in my Minolta SRTs when I shoot them. While the app was fine, part of me wanted to put the Gossen meter back to work and it feels more comfortable/natural in my hand than using the phone. And for narrower angles of view, I do have the spot attachment for it. If I’m going to go old school, I like to go old school all the way If possible.

 

[film_man]

I use Lightmeter on Android (the same as myLightMeter PRO on iOS). I also have a Sekonic L358. The 358 is at the bottom of a drawer with the battery out. Yes, I'll take it once in a while when I'm shooting large format. But for anything else the app works just fine and it is in my pocket all the time. Just spend a bit of time and learn how it behaves.

For example, you need to realise that the apps are limited by the camera on the phone. If the camera can only meter to, say, -1EV, then that is the lowest reading you'll get (though the app has a test function for this to set it up, use it). If the phone camera blows out at EV 15, that's the most you'll get. Newer phones are much better in that regard, should not be a limitation. They probably have a wider ranger than my Sekonic.

Also, understand what the phone sees. If a scene is a bit tricky I just zoom in using the slider, which makes it work a bit more like a spot meter. I think in iOS you don't have that option but have lens presets or whatever but you get the idea.

Finally, if you want to use incident metering you need to undertsand where the incident sensor is, for example on my Pixel it is inside the speaker grille (probably part of on-ear detection). If I'm holding the phone flat pointing up I'll get very different readings vs pointing it at the floor, just like when I point the incident bulb on my Sekonic up/down.

 

[CMoore]

Prior to the 308x, there were separate versions for still and cinema/video. The X version combines all of the features in a single meter. This allows the user to switch between reflected light with flash metering, cine and HD Cine. It also offers backlighting in low EV.

10-4
Thanks Again

 

[xkaes]

OVER -- AND -- OUT

 

[Sirius Glass]

I didn't say they were. I said digital metering came out long before digital cameras. So film photographers were using digital meters with their film processes long before digital cameras were invented.

So in addition to carrying my film camera and lenses you are recommending that I go out and buy a bulky dlsr to drag around as a light meter so I can have the (dis)honor of squinting at "histograms, blinkies & clipping"? WTF???

 

[GregY]

So in addition to carrying my film camera and lenses you are recommending that I go out and buy a bulky dlsr to drag around as a light meter so I can have the (dis)honor of squinting at "histograms, blinkies & clipping"? WTF???

Thank you Sirius...... You are not alone !!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Thank you Sirius...... You are not alone !!

Much obliged.