Meter recommendations

[jgoody]

I have recently started using an Autocord TLR. I have been metering with 2 iPhone apps and comparing them and the results are ok but I would like to get a dedicated meter. I think I will mainly use it for incident reading, but would like to be able to meter reflected. The last meter I had was a million years ago as I have been shooting 35mm SLRs with internal meters. I have looked at a bunch of threads but am still confused.
My choices run the gamut: Gossen Luna Lux SBC; Gossen Luna Pro SBC (both really large), Gossen Sixomat 2, Gossen Digisix, Sekonic 308 or 308B or 308S.
My questions relate to ergonomics and functionality. Are the Luna Lux/Luna Pro SBC meters just too damn big to carry with an TLR? (I would be ordering these without the benefit of seeing it in person.) Is the Digisix too small to aim accurately? Is it an advantage to have the dome facing the same way as the display like the Sekonics? Overall I like the "traditional" interface of the Luna Pro style readout.
I know this is all personal but any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[MattKing]

I have experience with the Digisix (actually the Digiflash), the Luna Pro SBC (badged with the non-USA name Profisix) and the related Luna Pro F.

I really liked my Profisix until the meter died after 30+ years of reliable service. I used it for years with a Mamiya C330 TLR. I now use a Luna Pro F in its place. It fits nicely in the fairly small bag that is also inhabited by my C330, two lenses, two finders and a grip.

I also use my Digiflash with my C330, but more often it accompanies my smaller cameras. It isn't difficult to aim, and is generally really nice to use. There are a couple of peculiarities about it, such as the fact that it is easy to accidentally take readings of the inside of your pocket or camera bag and thus run the battery down, but the lithium batteries it uses sell for three for $1.00 at the local dollar stores so... That may have been improved in the new version.

 

[Leigh B]

Having used many meters over the past 60+ ears, my current favorite by far is the Sekonic L-558.

It does both ambient and 1-degree spot with excellent accuracy.

- Leigh

 

[Alan Gales]

Having used many meters over the past 60+ ears, my current favorite by far is the Sekonic L-558.

It does both ambient and 1-degree spot with excellent accuracy.

- Leigh

+1

Great choice if you want both incident and spot reflective.

I think an incident meter is really the way to go for your TLR for most things. Of course a spot will let you read at a distance where you can't physically read with your incident meter. Leigh's answer satisfies both.

 

[Kirks518]

I love the Sekonics that have a spot along with incident. The L-558 was out of my price range, and I got a L-408. It's a bit of an odd duck, but it's been reliable and accurate. It has a 5° spot instead of a 1°, but for most work the 5° is fine.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

A meter is a very, very important choice; as your skills grow, the meter must grow with you. My first meter more than two decades back was a Polaris -- same thing as the Sekonic L308S; that meter (also flash metering capability) would be of limited use for my work today. My landscape focii meant that an incident-onlyt meter was not particularly useful for a lot of work as the years progressed (but incident with the current "third eye" finds use in other applications!). So the question for you is "where am I now?" And "where will I be in 10-15 years' time?". If you are only doing very basic uncomplicated street or scene photography, a meter costing $XXXX would be overkill. What will you be doing?

Ergonomics and functionality in meters are often (and sometimes not!) complimentary, though you do have to be fluent and dextrous with your digits for most of them!

Rotating invercone heads on some Sekonics is largely inconsequential; more of a creature comfort e.g. rotate the dome 90 degrees so that you have a straight-on view of the display, or to exclude intrusive shadow during explicit readings. Still some rotate 180 degrees (e.g. for rear-subtractive incident reading).

Whether (spot) meters offer 1 degree or 5 degree should not be a critical deciding factor, all things else considered (some high-end meters are selectable 1/5 degrees). A 1 degree meter will be much more precise with no drift or overlap, but training will easily overcome any limitations.

This may be important to consider: if you wear glasses and buy an incident/spot meter, ideally it should offer dioptric correction (built-in, not supplementary) so that you have a clear view of the viewfinder and the subject (without wearing glasses). A few of the higher level Sekonics have this valuable feature.

 

[chromacomaphoto]

Having had several over the years, I actually think there is a lot to be said for the humble Sekonic 208 Twinmate ones. I like the simple and very traditional analogue dial and they are small enough to easily pop in a bag pouch or have in even a jean pocket without being a PITA. I figure the one that is easiest and less cumbersome is the one that I don't leave at home and actually want to take with me. Also, it's so small and light that to have it hanging around your neck whilst playing with your TLR or whatever doesn't get annoying or uncomfortable. They are also really cheap and you get everything you need in that little box in terms of clips and mounting accesories plus cord....they steadfastly refuse to throw in a battery though, so you need to buy one of those yourself. One downside might be that it doesn't take AA's or AAA's but rather the C watch battery type.Not a problem as they last ages and they are sold everywhere where I live in 7/11's anyway. Does basic incident and reflected and plays lovely with my Rolleiflexes, I don't find it lacking in any way.

 

[faberryman]

I second the Sekonic TwinMate L-208. I also have a Minolta Autocord, and for meters have, in addition to the TwinMate, a Pentax digital spot meter and a Sekonic L-308S. The L-208 is the one I almost always use when I am out and about with my Autocord. It is very small, less than half the size of the L-308S. I also like its analog dial; you can see your exposure alternatives at a glance. I have it on a neck strap and slip it in my left front shirt pocket. By the way, the meter on my Autocord works, but is a pain to use and not very accurate.

 

[Trail Images]

Over my 30 years of landscape photography I've had a couple units. The Sekonic 398 & the Minolta Spotmeter F. Both have worked very well. Last year I really stepped up and bought the Sekonic 758. I really like having the two features of the previous meters all in one now. Expensive upgrade but well worth the investment IMO.

 

[wiltw]

The world has largely forgotten that Minolta was the dominant meter manufacturer until about fifteen years ago, when they withdrew from the photographic meter market. Minolta Autometer was the 'more enthusiast' oriented line and the Minolta Flashmeter was the 'more professional' line of incident meters, although very many professionals chose the Autometer lineup when realizing they did not need the bells and whistles of the expensive Flashmeter. Accessories to use the incident meter with flat (vs. hemisphere) incident receptors, and to change the meter to reflected or 5 degree spotmeter were available for both. The line ended with the Autometer Vf and the Flashmeter VI, with the designs sold to Kenko who markets the meters unchanged (except for name and model numbering, Kenko 1100 and Kenko 2100). Kenko has also incorporated the Color Meter into its lineup from Minolta.
The knowledgeable folk still know that used Minolta meters are quite good and highly respected, and the later models Autometer IVf and Vf, or Flasheter Vf or VIf, are especially in demand.

 

[Bill Burk]

I've tried them all and they are all good choices.

Exposure meters have been called the most precise and accurate piece of equipment you might own.

To understand that, I recommend getting a Weston Master III (and of course put a Zone System sticker on it). How much do those go for? 15 bucks plus shipping?

What is amazing is how often my more expensive meters agree within an f/stop of exposure recommendation... that I get from the old Weston meter.

And that tells me that exposure meters have always been good.

 

[R.Gould]

I second a Weston I have a couple of Euromasters and a master 5, and I don't need anything else, still acurate, I have never used anything else for my landscape/seascapes and anything out and about for at least 50 years, I have a sekonic for studio work with flash, but I prefer my westons, go get one, as we say this side of the pond, cheap as chips and just as good

 

[jgoody]

Re: the Sekonic L208 -- Do you use it in incident or reflected mode? How well does it work in incident? Does it seem reasonably solid? Thanks!

 

[M Carter]

I've been using a Sekonic 308 for close to 20 years. Incident and reflective (no spot). Wired flash or flash-detection modes. $150-$200 new, usually $75 - $100 used. AA batteries and pocket-sized, about the size of a deck of cards. I've used it for everything - working shoots, fashion outdoors and in, 4x5 product and tabletop, etc. A great little workhorse of a basic meter.

When I realized it was time for a spotmeter, I found a Minolta F and have been really happy. With the end of polaroid, it's excellent to be able to use all my studio strobes and be confident of exposure. I tend to use both in the studio, taking an incident reading of my key light, and spot metering the scene - then seeing how the key exposure relates to zone-related calculations.

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Luna Pro SBC is my default meter for most of my work. For incident, regularly use the Minolta Auto Meter IV is a good choice

 

[faberryman]

Re: the Sekonic L208 -- Do you use it in incident or reflected mode? How well does it work in incident? Does it seem reasonably solid? Thanks!

I use it both ways and find it to be accurate.

 

[paul ron]

gossen Luna pro or better yet, the Luna pro sbc gives you the best bang for your buck.

 

[Bill Burk]

Re: the Sekonic L208 -- Do you use it in incident or reflected mode? How well does it work in incident? Does it seem reasonably solid? Thanks!

It's a solid piece of gear. I have dropped it in a river (don't try this at home) and while tinkering with it I stripped the threads on the dial screw. OK that made the dial fall off, but still with a little spot of glue it's back together.

 

[AgX]

The Luna Pro SBC yields that feature of letting you "place" the metered luminance at a wide range within that zero-adjust scale.
This rather unique feature makes me cope with size of this meter.

 

[cliveh]

If you are using the same black and white film with the same developer and time/temperature development for printing on a specific enlarger (condenser or diffuser), then after a few years you wont need a light meter, as you will always be within half a stop.

 

[John Koehrer]

I had the Digiflash & found it annoying. Buttons are tiny and as above you can get battery killing readings of your pocket.
Been using Luna Pro F and Spectra for years, used a Sekonic 308X & it was excellent and considering feature and SIZE
is in my opinion the best compromise.
I'm not real fond of multifunction meters that's why I went back to the Luna Pro.

 

[BobMarvin11225]

FWIW I've been using a Lunalux with my Rollei for many years and don't find it too large.

 

[faberryman]

If you are using the same black and white film with the same developer and time/temperature development for printing on a specific enlarger (condenser or diffuser), then after a few years you wont need a light meter, as you will always be within half a stop.

One would think so, but I have my doubts it is a universal result. I was at a photography club meeting a couple of months ago. An older gentlemen got up and prefaced his demonstration by saying that he had a degree in photography (why he said this I don't know, but have some suspicions) and, in an aw shucks kind of way, allowed as how he had been taking photographs for so long he didn't need to use a meter (similarly, why he said this I don't know, but have some suspicions). He then proceeded to show a series of photographs which, despite their visual interest, demonstrated exposure that was all over the map, and not in a good way. So I am one who doesn't think it is a bad thing to have a meter handy and double check what you think exposure should be every once in a while, just to keep yourself honest, and your eye calibrated. Please note, I am not advocating metering every shot nine ways to Sunday, and thereby missing every decisive moment.

 

[jvo]

FWIW I've been using a Lunalux with my Rollei for many years and don't find it too large.

i alos use a luna lux - a great meter... it has the added benefit of having the zone scale as part of the meter rahter than having to be "modified" for the zone system!

jvo

 

[frank]

I like meters and have several by Gossen and Sekonic. Previously, Bill mentioned Weston meters. Are the later ones considered functionally better than earlier models?