Maybe a meter in my future

[Cycler]

I'll stick with my Weston Euromaster, thank you.

 

[R.Gould]

I'll stick with my Weston Euromaster, thank you.

So will I,great meter

 

[AgX]

But I haven't seen one that illuminates the display - when its too dark to see.

My favourite meter is the Gossen Profisix.
It easily let you "place" the luminance at the dial. It is the one which readings are understandable to me....

Concerning the lighting of the scale. When photographing in very subdued light a flashlight of some kind is helpful for searching inside ones bag or case anyway. Furthermore there are so many miniature lights, a LED running on a button cell ("keylight"), that some should fit your meter in that you fix it to the meter with a velco patch whenever necessary. If you only have one hand free, look for a model that has a continuous switch or some DIY work would be necessary.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I've used an embarassingly humble meter for the last yr - about a 1" square x 1/2" polaroid selenium cell. It reads w/in 1/2 stop or less from the meter in my Nikons & does really well. I had read that they don't meter well at low light levels & tonight I experienced that at dusk & after. I had some fast shooting to do as the rain was coming in.

Now the other meters I've read about - Gossen six digisix, sbs, the seikonics that I've seen make a point to say how low they will meter. That's nice. But I haven't seen one that illuminates the display - when its too dark to see. (scratching head as to how that makes sense). Is this common? Does anyone take night shots & use a meter, or is it all experience & WAG/SWAG? Are there meters south of the nosebleed priced seikonics that do well at night?

I'd appreciate your thoughts. I had quite a bit of fun this eve., shooting in the dark (and the rain). 'Gently dabbed the Maxwell screen dry. They're a case of wax being more costly than gold by weight (but dang, its sweet).

the display digits on my Gossen Luna Star are large enough to see them even in very dim lightand it also does flash; no need foran illuminated display; just eats up the battery.

 

[HiHoSilver]

Ralph, Thank You! I appreciate your kind help.

 

[scheimfluger_77]

The smart phone is a great idea and coupled with a voice recorder app you can make exposure notes as well. There are any number of small, low power led lights you can find. I have one clipped to my bag that's about 2" long and 1/2" around that works nicely. Recently TSA disassembled it thinking it was a bullet.



OH... And I love my Luna Pro's with beam splitter attachments.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The Sekonic L308s is accurate and will give repeatable results. There are only two issues I have with mine:

1. It's "shutter priority". You set the shutter speed you plan to use and it'll tell you the appropriate aperture and EV. Of course, you can then use the up/down buttons to see all the other equivalent shutter/aperture combinations. However, I would've liked to have the ability to set an aperture of, say, f/3.5 for my Minox and have it give me a shutter speed.

2. The sensor (both for reflected and incident light) is facing you as you look at the display! So, what you really have to do after making your settings is turn the bloody thing around, point it, take the reading, then turn it around and look at the reading. I can't remember how many times I've taken a reading of my face by accident and wondered why the readings looked off!

I agree on both. I use it mostly in EV so that is not a problem. The lack of a spot reading feature is a small annoyance. It allows 1 f/top, 0.5 f/stop or 0.3 f/stop readings. I have not used the flash readings. I do not like the fact that I cannot set it for filter corrections nor use it for Zone readings.

 

[John Koehrer]

For available dark, There are always the old fashioned charts from the Kodak Master Photo Guide or
many other publications. They're based on testing and experience.
Like most things photographic,the meter is a guide; the results aren't written in stone.
Besides, taking a picture with lights ini the background needs interpretation if you want foreground detail at all.
Silhouettes, no problem.

 

[Sirius Glass]

For available light at night that I have gotten consistently great results with the Jiffy Calculator since it was first published in 1963.

http://www.stacken.kth.se/~maxz/programming.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2604955/jiffy

 

[frank]

So did the OP buy the Luna Pro SBC in the classifieds for $55?

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I have owned a bunch of meters over the years. I have pretty much had all the standards. My favorite is the Luna Pro SBC for all the reason others like it. I have a regular Luna Pro as well, but it is slooooow to respond. I use a Weston Master IV from time to time as well just for fun when I am shooting the Leicas. Sometimes I use an old Zeiss Ikophot as well. I have owned quite a few spot meters too, but just never could get along with them. The great thing about the SBC and other dial meters is you can look down and see every permutation of an exposure. Digital meters obviously don't allow that fluidity.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

[...] Digital meters obviously don't allow that fluidity.

Erm...well yes, they do. But you have to know how this is done and few actually bother.

 

[AgX]

Luna Pro SBC (in the USA) = Profisix (in the rest of the world)

 

[MattKing]

I too have a Digiflash and I do like it.

I have switched it to another, slightly larger case, and I always have an extra battery in with it. The batteries are 3 for $1.00 at our local Dollar stores.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

I agree on both. I use it mostly in EV so that is not a problem. The lack of a spot reading feature is a small annoyance. It allows 1 f/top, 0.5 f/stop or 0.3 f/stop readings. I have not used the flash readings. I do not like the fact that I cannot set it for filter corrections nor use it for Zone readings.

I use a Zone VI Pentax Digital Spotmeter - it has the Zone System markings, the internal baffles, and I think something they did to compensate for UV. I always use it with my Hasselblads or other medium / large format. The Sekonic was intended for my Minox III or IIIs. Amazingly, my Minox B meter works and is consistent.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Erm...well yes, they do. But you have to know how this is done and few actually bother.

Um, no they don't. The SBC for example displays the corresponding exposure for every f-stop or shutter speed right on the dial; no further button presses or mathematics necessary. Fluidity. No digital (LCD based) meter does that. I'll leave it there.

 

[HiHoSilver]

Thanks to you kind Gents

So did the OP buy the Luna Pro SBC in the classifieds for $55?

He did by the Luna Pro in the classifieds. As one would expect, working w/ the seller was a pleasure. I don't relish using a larger, heavier 9v & alot of you mention the Gossens eat batteries, but its gotta be alot more bang for the buck than 4x the price for a digisix or digiflash.

But not is all sweetness & light (meter). I uh sinned boldly... 'Didn't have all the funds in my pocket, so a deposit on an Ikonta I'll pick up Monday managed to depart from my possession. (2.8 Tessar, coupled rangefinder) 'Would have liked something smaller, but not quite ready for scale focus. I did try some today w/ a roll of 120 in the blad. 'Kept tabs on the light, ratcheting down 1F for the yellow filter. First shots were at 5.6 & /125, next were at f8/60, anticipating slow-strolling subjects walking into focus range at the local fleece (flea) market.

 

[AgX]

There are quite some accessories for your new meter. I think the most useful is the "Tele"-attachment.

 

[Sirius Glass]

There are quite some accessories for your new meter. I think the most useful is the "Tele"-attachment.

I have one of those.

 

[frank]

Excellent choice and buy. No more meter insecurity/modesty.

 

[HiHoSilver]

So now, I'll have a camera AND meter that work better than I do. In other disciplines, I tell beginners - persistence and stupidity (too dumb to know when to quit). Both work. I suffer my bumps & bruises learning - sometimes not even noticing 'cause I love it.

 

[paul ron]

luna pro sbc is my choice for low light n night use.

not only is it very sensative, it locks your reading in so you'll be able to use your flashlight to read the dial n set your camera.

 

[HiHoSilver]

Poisson, you were kind and helpful in this thread & I got sidetracked before letting you know I appreciate it.

"Low light photography takes experience and one should never be discouraged by mistakes or stuff-ups in the course of building that experience."

That graciousness gives the person trying hard to learn the room to foul up and keep getting up & trying some more. In any discipline, that is really important to the life of the group. Somewhat because of encouragement from Frank & others, I tried the scale focus technique with a role of HP5 yesterday. Wet negs are hanging as I write. Exposure isn't too bad. I'll see how focus did when they dry.

Even when some discussion is over my head for the time being, I tend to remember it & a light goes on later when the understanding catches up. 'Hard to say how much the kindness & encouragement is appreciated.