Light meter.

Stephanie Brim · Sep 21, 2006

I need a basic light meter. I can generally go by Sunny 16 without problems (even with night photography, but that's quite a bit more touch-and-go than I'd like to admit), but if I'm going to do medium and large format shooting on the trip (Hi, Dave) I figure that I should try to get myself a meter that will cover my basic needs...and those really aren't too bad.

I want something that can read up to ISO 3200 at least. I want something that isn't too heavy, but that isn't one of the main things I'm looking for. I do NOT need spot metering. Reflective/incident will be fine. I'd love it if it used modern batteries, but I can buy ZINC AIR batteries until I can get a conversion done to silver cell if I really have to. Price wise I'm flexible, but for my pocketbook's sake let's say I want to keep it around $60-70 plus shipping.

Ideas, good or bad, are appreciated.

Soeren · Sep 21, 2006

Seconic flashmate 308 B.
small, light, simple easy to read takes modern batteries and is an incident light meter.
Good or bad???????
Cheers
Søren

Helen B · Sep 21, 2006

The Profisix, or whatever it is called outside Europe. Very cheap on eBay, very sensitive - possibly the most sensitive meter readily available. It has reflected and incident metering, and will accept a few useful and not-so-useful accessories.

Best,
Helen

Stephanie Brim · Sep 21, 2006

I'm actually thinking it's the Luna Pro F, which is what I have a bid on now. It's quite sensitive and almost exactly what the doctor ordered. A little large...but that isn't so much of a problem.

Dan Henderson · Sep 21, 2006

Stephanie: I normally use a Zone VI spot meter, but I keep a Luna Pro in my backpack for certain subjects, such as metering fog, metering scenes that do not really have a Zone III area, and when it gets too dark for the Zone VI meter. If you're looking for an inexpensive, good, all around meter, you can't go wrong with Luna Pro.

Lee L · Sep 21, 2006

Helen B said:
The Profisix, or whatever it is called outside Europe. Very cheap on eBay, very sensitive - possibly the most sensitive meter readily available. It has reflected and incident metering, and will accept a few useful and not-so-useful accessories.

Best,
Helen

Luna Pro F (with flash metering) or Luna Pro SBC (silicon blue cell) in the US are equivalent to the Profisix. I'd recommend it highly as well, having used one for 20+ years. The +/- scale is perfect for biasing exposures to your own preference and mine has remained very accurate and reliable. The rectangular 9V battery is available almost anywhere.

Lee

juan · Sep 21, 2006

I've kept a Vivitar 45 in my bag as backup for 20-years. It uses modern batteries and has never failed me. It's a bit cumbersome to use, as it uses the match needle method. It is has a dome slide so it can be used as a reflective meter or an incident meter. I frequently see them on ebay for less than $10. There's one for sale there now, but it's in the UK so shipping would be prohibitive.

However, if you can expand your budget some to about $100 there are new Sekonic meters for sale in that range. I'd really recommend that over buying a pig in a poke on ebay. Or you might check KEH - they have used meters, too.
juan

David Lingham · Sep 21, 2006

I've used a Weston Euromaster for a long time now. It has incident metering with the invercone, no batteries to run down. Also could I give a plug for the UK agents Megatron (www.megatron.co.uk) who did a wonderfully quick job replacing the glass in mine recently. Plenty on ebay as well.

cruz611 · Sep 21, 2006

I clip on old selene argus L44 lightmeter I bought it for a song and didn't give any chances that it'd be accurate, but I checked it with sekonic 558, shot a couple of rolls and it stays put on the camera for most of the time. To keep meter running for few more weeks, or who knows years I use a bit of black gaffer tape to blind it, and uncover it only to take a reading.
But when I am shooting movie I'd rather use sekonic

cheers

P.S. If I had some extra money I'd buy sekonic 398 it's small, versatile, and really nice.

jmailand · Sep 21, 2006

My Sekonic Auto Leader 3, Model 162. It goes to Iso 3200, doesn't take batteries, and has never really given me a bad exposure. Probably can be found for 20 bucks or less on ebay. Its a good basic meter.

James.

Greg_E · Sep 21, 2006

Not to throw a million choices at you, but since my Minolta flashmeter IV is going bad, I think I've decided on the Gossen Digisix. The Sekonic 208 just isn't quite what I want, and is only a little cheaper (new prices). The other reason is the Digisix has a timer for those pinhole cameras. I would really like another flashmeter IV, but don't want to spend the money on one, and the Sekonic 558 would probably be great, but again costs more than I care to spend at this time. The Spectra Professional IVa that I have at work is nice, but it doesn't operate the way that I want from a meter (we use it to measure footcandles in a TV studio).

If you can buy better for less, that of course would be great, but cost for performance in new items seems to go to the Digisix (at least for me). After that will probably be a pinhole calibrated meter (that also compensates for reciprocity) that one of the guys at f295.org is building. That shows a lot of promise, and if coupled to an electrically operated shutter, would bring auto exposure control to a pinhole camera. (yes I know that's kind of anti-pinhole, but for some people it's nice).

Lee L · Sep 21, 2006

Greg_E said:
I think I've decided on the Gossen Digisix.

Greg,

If you can find me a $60-$70 Digisix (Stephanie's stated budget) or want to sell me yours for that price, I'll take two.

Lee

Greg_E · Sep 21, 2006

Never said it fit the budget. And If I could find a reliable place to buy one for that, I would have done so by now too. As mentioned, buying a good used light meter is just about as much of a crap shoot as buying a used camera. This is why I haven't purchased some other used meter. I'm not fond of dropping $160 for a simple meter, but that's the going rate to get one that should have no problems when you get it. If you can't trust your meter, what do you do then?

DBP · Sep 21, 2006

I was really happy with my Quantum Calculight before it died, and there is one up for auction http://cgi.ebay.com/Quantum-Calcu-L...goryZ708QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem. I also use a variety of cheap old CdS meters when I don't feel like carrying my Sekonic L318 (which is out of your price range), most of which I picked up for anywhere from $10 on down. My observation over the years is that anything but the Gossens, Minoltas and Sekonics will be pretty cheap for what you get on eBay.

Stephanie Brim · Sep 21, 2006

I think I'm going to go with a Luna Pro F, but I'm going to make sure that I can spend as much as I want to before I go about getting it. It'll be sometime before going to Colorado, though.

Mick Fagan · Sep 22, 2006

Stephanie, now that you are hoping to purchase the Luna Pro F (or Profisix) something to look out for which may or may not be useful, as Helen pointed out.

I've had a Profisix for 21 years and over time I've accumulated the odd accessory or three.

Probably the cheapest secondhand accessory and very useful in the darkroom, is the Lab attachment. It pops on the end of your meter, and gives you some possibilities.

The most useful possibility is the ability to take a reading, move the enlarger head up or down, take another reading to get your new enlarging time, or move the aperture on the enlarging lens to null the meter to get correct exposure with the existing time. Very useful in a minimal equipment environment, where one piece of base equipment can be used (with little extra cost) to do another job that normally requires something that costs more than a handful of dollars. I paid $10 for mine about 18 years ago.

The same Lab accessory, also allows you to work out the contrast grade of paper that the negative requires. This is useful in ones early days in a darkroom, I find this feature not a requirement for me these days.

If ever you go to LF you can get the Profi-flex attachment, this turns your meter into a TTL meter on any ground glass screen, wonderful for measuring light falloff when trying some interesting bellows and/or rise and fall things.

I mention these as interesting and usually extremely cheap accessories, which can enhance your meters worth.

I have managed over the last 20 years, to pick up 5 of the 10 accessory items, for just under $200 AUD, which is about $140 US.

The Profisix by the way, is the heart of the Profi System, in the same manner that a camera body, is the heart of it's system!

Mick.

Bryce Parker · Oct 5, 2006

Stephanie-
I feel your pain. When I went shopping for a meter, my budget was a little bigger, but I found the choices a little bewildering. I wanted spot and flash capability as well as incident. Here's what I ended up with:
After looking at $600 models that were too fancy for my needs and just too much money, a stroke of luck. I found a Gossen Luna Star F for sale at a local store used, with case and attachments for incident and spot metering. Looking at it, no manual, even I felt comfortatble using it in the store. I gave the nice people their $200 asking price and never looked back.
I call the thing god. It gives reliable results, any circumstances. Uses a 9-volt battery, and the low light level is just good enough to use under a full moon(!!!)
Yes, it's a little bulky to take to the bar, and cost a bit more than you're looking to spend, but it was a one time purchase. I've never been sorry.

MattKing · Oct 5, 2006

I have used a Profisix for the last 20 or so years - in addition to the meter, I have a flash meter attachment, and relatively recently I purchased the enlarging meter attachment, through the APUG classifieds.

The enlarging meter attachment was actually designed for the older Lunasix 3 meters - that attachment is compatible with both the older and the newer meters.

I believe that the other posters are correct - the Profisix (in Europe or Canada) is the same as the Luna Pro SBC in the USA.

My meter is easy to use, reliable, accurate and recommended.

In the time I have owned it, I have had it serviced once, and that was just because I thought it was time to have it checked.

One minor point. If you buy one, try to get it with the Gossen case. The meter has a push button on the side, and if you don't have the case, it is more likely that the push button will be accidentally pushed, thus risking discharge of the (easy to find) 9v battery. My case required repair and while I was without it I had trouble with that push button.

Matt

Curt · Oct 5, 2006

Recently I bought a Luna Pro F in perfect condition and a day later bought the spot attachment. The two were about a hundred dollars and well worth it. The meter is very sensitive and the attachment is tight and has a viewing window for the two spots. I have a Zone IV meter but not having a back up is one worry I don't need. Nice think too is both meters use a simple 9 volt battery. I would recommend the Luna Pro. I hope to get a Metered Light Spot meter when they become available.

Curt

ben-s · Oct 15, 2006

Just my twopennyworth;
I have a Sekonic L308B, which I got second hand in excellent condition for £45.
Ambient and flash, metered either incident or reflected. It has a digital readout in either Av&Tv or Ev, depending on what you prefer

I also have a fairly old Gossen Luna-pro, which is a great meter. I picked that one up as scrap I guess I'm a bit of a skipdiver

I'd try and get something fairly modern, if I were you, as getting batteries for the older meters is an increasingly major headache.

Chan Tran · Oct 25, 2006

bought a used Minolta flashmeter III for $50. Works fine.

Light meter.

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