Need Help Deciding on Light Meter

[Leigh B]

Yes it does. I had a long successful career as an engineer, with many significant products to my credit,
so I do have some experience in the field.

And you?

- Leigh

 

[jaydub]

Just a curious and questioning mind. You seem somewhat defensive. I'm just posing a question. Nothing to get too up in arms about. Why does the Sekonic/Gossen design seem OK to you, as compared to Minolta? That's what I'd like to know, given your design background.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Yes it does. I had a long successful career as an engineer, with many significant products to my credit,
so I do have some experience in the field.

And you?

- Leigh

Pipe down please.

 

[Leigh B]

I own and use both the Minolta and the Sekonic, with no noticeable difference between them.

And how do you compare them? Oh, I forgot, you don't own either.

Since this has degenerated to an obvious troll, I'm outa here.

- Leigh

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I own and use both the Minolta and the Sekonic, with no noticeable difference between them.

And how do you compare them? Oh, I forgot, you don't own either.

Since this has degenerated to an obvious troll, I'm outa here.

- Leigh

Permit me to point out to you something you have overlooked (I am not speaking for the OP, just in case). I have been the owner of a L758D for 5 years and teacher others additive/subtractive/basal spot metering.
Of course, the metering experience goes back to at least 1991 when it was the primary means of determining exposure as the owner of a Horseman 45FA. I don't concern myself with design pecularities. Just making bloody good photographs.

And finally Leigh, do remember that the inflammatory tone in this thread was introduced, unnecessarily, by you.

 

[jaydub]

Sorry, Leigh, for getting you so upset. It really was not my intent. I'm a bit iconoclastic, and generally need things proven to me. A bit of a tester, I guess.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I don't see what it is for posters to get upset about, what with beetling along cracking the bullwhip...!
Anyways, the best thing to do is to run a few tests and prove the theory for yourself, irrespective of the opinions of others. Seeing is believing. Debate often gets nowhere in particular.

 

[jaydub]

Well said, I say.

 

[Chan Tran]

Well said, I say.

Jay I understand what was in your mind! I believed if you do test all the 3 meters would read very close to each other (except their differences in calibration which is only 1/6 stop) including the reading with the flat receptor or dome in a well. I too have been wondering on how the dome in the well would work the same as the flat diffuser but I don't have doubt that they wouldn't work.
I hope that someone more knowledgeable to explain to us on how they behave the same and if there is any differences although small? My thought is that since the dome in the well and if the light is straight on then all the light would get into the receptor just like the flat diffuser. But if the light is obliged then only some of the light would enter similar to the flat receptor because light striking the flat surface at an angle is weaken.

 

[tkamiya]

Why don't you call Sekonic support and ask the question?

Every time I called, the reps were knowledgeable, patient, and willing to answer questions. They don't care if you own the product or not. (they don't even ask)

As far as I know, it's all in the matter of calibration. I can understand your concern over oblique lighting but unless you are talking about extreme angles, I don't really see it being an issue. The dome does not retract that far and the diameter of the rim is such that it only obscure the dome extreme cases. Plus, the purpose of the dome is diffusion....

 

[jaydub]

Chan Tran and tkamiya, thanks for your comments. Perhaps I will call Sekonic and torture them with my question. I'm sure you are right, it must work for Sekonic and Gossen, I just don't understand the mechanics of why it would work in certain situations.

 

[BMbikerider]

The author of this thread asked for information about deciding on a light meter. He has been given many choices abut has one been suggested that suits his purpose above any of the others? There are meters that will detect the level of light in a coal cellar at night and those that will give virtually totally inaccurate results in any situation unless you know how to use it properly.

Can I suggest one make that I don't think has been mentioned, is virtually fool proof and that is the venerable Weston range? I have a Weston Euromaster 2 which I have had for more years than I care to remember. I bought it new way back in, I think in the mid 1990's. It may have been even earlier it is so long ago. It doesn't use batteries and has a massive selenium cell with a baffle to give two levels of light acceptance plus a proper invercone to give incident light readings.

I have had it serviced and cleaned just the once in all those years and it has NEVER let me down with estimating an exposure. They are really very reliable pieces of kit and once you have bought one there will never be a good enough reason to change it.

It is used less and less nowadays with the introduction of very reliable matrix metering. I can compare it with that on my Nikon F4 and a 50mm lens and it will never be more than 1/4 of a stop +/- difference. I know the F4 is accurate enough for slides and that is enough for me.

I know they are getting on in years, even the last model but they are totally reliable and will last out many a lifetime. IN UK I can pick up a Euromaster 2 without resorting to 'Fleabay' for as little as £45 or about $80 (US)

 

[benjiboy]

I have both the Sekonic L-358, and the Kenko KFM-2010 meter with the flat diffuser attachment, and I can assure the author of this thread that for all practical purposes I have found there is no difference between the Sekonic with the the dome retracted, and the Kenko with the flat diffuser.

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

One differentiating factor is how the Kenko measures indicident light for lighting ratios and flat subjects. For the Kenko, you take off the half-dome diffuser disk and put on a flat diffuser disk; for the Sekonic and Gossen, you retract the half-dome diffuser disk into the body of the meter. I currently use a Minolta AutoMeter III, which uses dedicated flat and half-dome diffuser disks, same as the Kenko. A lot of my subjects are flat (macro, artwork, etc.) and so I use the flat diffuser quite a bit.

I own two Sekonics: the L358 and the L-308S. The only time I use the retractable disk is when I am metering a light and I want to isolate that and not have any input from backlights, etc.

Exposure is really more an art than a science. Often times my main light is a full stop or more "underexposed" relative to the meter reading, but that gives me the desired effect for a portrait. The meter gives me a ballpark reading, and then the lights are tweaked for effect using digital or Polaroids.

I've also shot a lot of paintings over the years, and I can't see why anyone would do this kind of work on film. Digital is just way too good with white balancing and the ability to manipulate specific colors for matching the artist's vision. For this, the meter just confirms that the exposure is totally consistent from corner to corner, and for that the dome is always up.