Lightmeter question??

[stradibarrius]

I wasn't really sure where I should post this.

If your handheld meter were to die, what meter would you get?

I have an old Gossen LunaPro analog meter that work fairly well. I really like the way the dials work, if you have ever used one.

 

[keithwms]

A gossen digipro F works well for me- it has quasi spot metering and a nice bulb thing for incident metering, plus contrast measurement and flash metering. What I like best about the digipro is the *very* simple and easy-to-read interface... no manual needed. I also use a DSLR as a spot meter for those [rare] times that I need true spot metering and/or matrix metering. Nice thing about a DSLR is that you can treat it like polaroid for proofing, and you get colour temp measurements too, something very nice for those of us who shoot slide.

 

[Rick A]

I had one of those back in the 70's, I liked how easy it was to use. Nowdays I use a Sekonic L-398 Studio Delux. This one is a little more complicated, but worth it for versatility.
Rick

 

[Q.G.]

The tiny Gossen Digisix (or Digiflash).

 

[benjiboy]

I have two analogue meters A weston Euromater, and a Gossen Profisix SBC ( Lunapro SBC in the US) I've used them for more than twenty years, they both work perfectly but I've retired them, and bought a Gossen Digipro F, I like it so much even after using dial meters all my photographic life, I have no desire to ever go back to them, later bought a Sekonic - L 358 that's even better, although I even dislike digital watches, and have never even touched a digital camera, I'm very happy in this case with digital technology .

 

[Curt]

If your handheld meter were to die, what meter would you get?

I have an old Gossen Luna Pro analog meter that works fairly well. I really like the way the dials work, if you have ever used one you know what I mean.

I have a Luna Pro for a backup to my 1 degree spot meter, x2, so for now it would be a Luna Pro F.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I wasn't really sure where I should post this.

If your handheld meter were to die, what meter would you get?

I have an old Gossen LunaPro analog meter that work fairly well. I really like the way the dials work, if you have ever used one.

Oh my ..., you will get as many answers as people have hand-held lightmeters. What type of photography do you need it for?

 

[dpurdy]

Pentax digital spot. Thing is that they never die. Aside from needing a new battery every 6 or 7 years.
Dennis

 

[Anscojohn]

It would mean that three Weston Master Vs and a Gossen Luna-Pro would all have died. Then I guess I would go with a Pentax spot meter.

 

[stradibarrius]

Ralph, I do product shots , travel and landscape.

 

[2F/2F]

If my Brockway Norwood Director were to die, I would get its nearly direct replacement: the Sekonic Studio Deluxe. In fact, since they are not that expensive, I am considering getting a new one anyhow.

If my Pentax Digital Spotmeter were to die, I would probably get a used one, or a Spotmeter V, to replace it, and have it serviced by someone here in L.A. I don't think I could bring myself to spend $540 again (after tax) on a new replacement meter.

FWIW, my Pentax Digital Spotmeter batteries tend to last only two years or so.

I like the Digiflash and Digisix for their size and weight, but I find them too slow to operate for most of what I shoot, and I think that they cost literally about three times what they should cost. I liked them a lot more, and used to recommend them before I found out what they cost. I figured they were perhaps $60 at the highest. They are a Grade AAA Gold Plated Rip Off, IMHO.

 

[Chan Tran]

1. If my meter dies, I will try to buy the same one again.
2. May be you can try shooting without a meter.
3. If you do buy a meter I would say buy one of the high end model with spot and incident and flash. A 40 degree reflective meter is what I don't want to buy. I would rather use the sunny 16 or use the digital camera (I know you have the digital camera) or buy a small digital camera for the purpose. I found that my lowly Nikon Coolpix 5000 is very good as a meter. I would guess the exposure, set it on the Coolpix in manual mode, take a shot and look at the LCD and then make adjustment. After I calibrate the sensor sensitivity and getting used to the brightness of the LCD I can get very accurate exposure doing like I said.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Ralph, I do product shots , travel and landscape.

Do you use the Zone System for your landscapes?

 

[stradibarrius]

I do not use a the Zone System. I have 5 other cameras that have great meters so I can carry an extra camera and use that meter if I choose and I have a Gossen Luna Pro meter that works fine. I was just trying to see if there isa a consensus of opinion, LOL!!!!!!!, about what a good meter is.
Keith I have seriously considered the the DigiPro as you suggested. I do sometimes use my digital as a Polaroid. I also like the Sekonic L-358, it seems very compariable to the Gossen DigiPro.

 

[Q.G.]

I think there is a consensus: any Gossen or Sekonic meter (with a thumbs up for some old Pentax meters too).

 

[benjiboy]

I do not use a the Zone System. I have 5 other cameras that have great meters so I can carry an extra camera and use that meter if I choose and I have a Gossen Luna Pro meter that works fine. I was just trying to see if there isa a consensus of opinion, LOL!!!!!!!, about what a good meter is.
Keith I have seriously considered the the DigiPro as you suggested. I do sometimes use my digital as a Polaroid. I also like the Sekonic L-358, it seems very compariable to the Gossen DigiPro.

As I posted before I have both these meters, and generally the Digiproto be quickest and most useful of them to use, on the other hand the Sekonic L-358 is much more sophisticated,has both an analogue and digital readout, and can take and remember up to nine readings and average them at the press of a button, with a choice of optional 1,5,or10 degree spot reading finders, to me the only drawback with the L-358 is the danger of driving me nuts changing the incidental dome with the reflected light or spot attachment, and trying not to loose one of them in the" heat of battle".

 

[stradibarrius]

Ben, could you explain about changing the incidence dome?

 

[keithwms]

Well I lost the dome off my digipro recently I need to get another. If you do buy one of these, my suggestion is to glue it to a string or something to avoid misplacing it.

P.S. a dome is a little translucent eggshell-like thing that you attach or detach from the meter, depending on whether you wnat to do incident or reflective measurements.

 

[benjiboy]

To Change from incidental to reflected mode you need to remove the dome (Lumisphere) and fit the reflected light sensor (Lumigrid) they bayonette fit in the front of the meter.
Here's a link to the L-358 instruction book http://www.sekonic.com/products/Sekonic L-358 FLASH MASTER-documentation.asp

 

[benjiboy]

Well I lost the dome off my digipro recently I need to get another. If you do buy one of these, my suggestion is to glue it to a string or something to avoid misplacing it.

P.S. a dome is a little translucent eggshell-like thing that you attach or detach from the meter, depending on whether you wnat to do incident or reflective measurements.

I know Keith, It's just one of those small things in life that conspire to drive you crazy, you would think that a company that produce such good meters would have thought of this when designing one.

 

[Greg_E]

The Digisix is a nice meter if you can get one used, they killed the product in favor of the much more expensive Digiflash. Small (very small) and seems to be accurate in incidence mode.

 

[Lee L]

... if you can get one used, they killed the product in favor of the much more expensive Digiflash.

Where did you get the discontinuance info? The Digisix still shows as current production on the Gossen web site and in stock at B&H, Calumet, Freestyle, etc for less money than a couple of years ago.

My Digiflash tracks my Lunapro F within its 1/3 stop readout across its entire range.

Lee

 

[Pumal]

Pentax Spotmeter

 

[stradibarrius]

My old analogue Gossen LunaPro the Lumisphere just slides off to the side

 

[Q.G.]

It does so on the new digital Gossen Digisix/Digiflash (and some of the older digital Gossen meters as well) too.