New To 4x5 Photography - Spotmeter Suggestions

Lam-Bartll · Apr 15, 2025

I'm on the newer side of large format, I shoot a Horseman 45HF and I mainly meter with my Sekonic Studio-Deluxe (sometimes my phone when I forget my meter!). I know both options are not the best for large format but I have produced some results that I've been happy with, at least as the first attempts trying out 4x5. What are some good spotmeter options that are reliable?

I know of the classics like the Pentax V but the ones I've found are either out of my budget or the lenses have haze/fungus, so what else are people using and what are some options that I might not be aware of? Also where's some places that aren't ebay to look for spotmeters (unfortunately I live in a camera store desert, so no real local options to check).

Also what are some tips people have for spotmetering a scene? I've owned my 4x5 for about a year now so I'm still learning and I'm happy to hear any tips!

Thanks for the input and sorry for the common question.

abruzzi · Apr 15, 2025

I like my Sekonic L-508. It does both 1º spot and incident metering. I like having incident metering available because if the scene isn't challenging its just easy to take a reading and set the shutter. I also dislike needle based systems, especially if I'm adjusting in my head, starting from the numbers on a digital display works better for how my brain is wired. I also have a Minolta Spotmeter F which is also very nice if you don't need or want an incident meter.

Franswa · Apr 15, 2025

Also suggest the Minolta mentioned above and there happens to be one for sale on this forum.

Patrick Robert James · Apr 15, 2025

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

If you are looking for a spot meter then one that has a Zone dial will be beneficial for you. Makes metering much easier than doing it in your head. I've had a bunch of meters over the years. For spot meters I've had Sekonic and Minoltas. I use a Pentax Digital Spotmeter these days with a Zone dial. Makes it a piece of cake. Personally I only meter for the shadows to make sure I get enough exposure then let PMK take care of the highlights so I really only need a shadow reading. The modern Minolta/Sekonic meters will show you all your readings on a scale which is nice if you would like that sort of thing. Before a friend gave me the Pentax I never really used the spot meters I had, just an incident meter like you are doing now. As long as you know how to use it, the results are the same.

Hope that helps.

koraks · Apr 16, 2025

Lam-Bartll said:
I know of the classics like the Pentax V but the ones I've found are either out of my budget or the lenses have haze/fungus, so what else are people using and what are some options that I might not be aware of?

Spot meters are expensive. There's no way around it. You could try a budget option like the Reveni meters, which are more affordable and will work OK, although not necessarily as nicely/conveniently as a real spot meter.
In my experience, things get a little easier if you drop the requirement of a very tight spot and also allow 5 degree 'spot' meters. You sometimes run into decent deals on an old Sekonic or Gossen. But it's a waiting game in which you monitor what's being offered and jump at a good deal if you spot one (haha). This may take a loooong time.

Alternatively, you could consider using a small/pocketable digital camera with a spot meter function. This is generally a cheap option and even lower mid range compact cameras of e.g. 15 years ago offered spot metering capability. In a similar vein, you're already using your phone which you could continue to do especially with an app that allows a spot measurement to be taken. I've done this 'in a pinch' with a free app on my low-end Samsung phone and for all intents and purposes, is works OK. The main thing you may want to do is do some practice sessions where you compare the measurements you can take with a phone/digicam against a known-good exposure so you know in which situations the results may get a little dodgy. In the field you can then work around this.

Finally, if you get good results with your present incident meter, there's not necessarily a compelling reason to stop using it. I've made do with that option for years and for the most part, it works just fine. But I recognize/acknowledge that it's nice to have a proper spot (or 'partial') meter for those tricky scenes where an important shadow area is kind of difficult to judge.

Vieri Bottazzini · Apr 16, 2025

Lam-Bartll said:
I'm on the newer side of large format, I shoot a Horseman 45HF and I mainly meter with my Sekonic Studio-Deluxe (sometimes my phone when I forget my meter!). I know both options are not the best for large format but I have produced some results that I've been happy with, at least as the first attempts trying out 4x5. What are some good spotmeter options that are reliable?

I know of the classics like the Pentax V but the ones I've found are either out of my budget or the lenses have haze/fungus, so what else are people using and what are some options that I might not be aware of? Also where's some places that aren't ebay to look for spotmeters (unfortunately I live in a camera store desert, so no real local options to check).

Also what are some tips people have for spotmetering a scene? I've owned my 4x5 for about a year now so I'm still learning and I'm happy to hear any tips!

Thanks for the input and sorry for the common question.

Hello and welcome to LF from another relative newbie! I got back to film last year, have been shooting just 4x5" for my landscape work since September 2024 - pretty much every day, except for a break around New Year - and I have no intention to stop. I am sure you know that already, but you are in for an amazing ride!

About your question, I do only landscape (no studio work), I travel a lot and hike a lot, so when I set to buy a meter my requirements were: small, light, spot. I didn't care for latest tech meters that could do extravagant things, or meters that had both spot and incident, and so on.

Not knowing what your budget is and having to keep e.b.a.y off the equation kinda make it hard to offer suggestions; also, your not having a physical store nearby makes it less easy to suggest you to pop in and try this or that model - but here's my experience, hoping it'll help.

I personally got a 1' Pentax Digital Spotmeter w/strap and case in great optical conditions and accurate enough (on the bay); and, I also got a new Reveni as a backup (it's so small and light that it's a no brainer to carry it).

The two are off each other by 1/3 of a stop, so to me they are effectively both accurate enough for B&W film, given the latitude and inherent imperfection of the whole process - e.g., I tested all my lenses' shutters, and while they are amazingly precise for their age, and all almost spot on between 1 sec and 1/125th of a second, they also all have one or two shutter speeds that are off 1/3 of a stop anyway...

About tips on metering, you didn't mention whether you shoot B&W or colour, or both. To me one of the strengths of B&W film is being able to spot meter and use the Zone system (or an adapted version of it, if you scan rather than wet print); so, if you only shoot B&W I would definitely recommend to get a 1' spot meter, its ease of use and the creative power it'll give you will make it repay itself many times over. If you shoot colour, on the other hand, then I am not the best person to ask - I am sure others here on forum will be happy to assist you better than I could.

Hope this helps! Best regards,

Vieri

Alan9940 · Apr 16, 2025

As others have already mentioned, a tight budget will most likely put the "usual suspects" (Pentax, Sekonic, Minolta) out of range. Though it's not a true spot meter--more a very heavily weighted center meter, IMO--I would recommend the Reveni Spot, if you're dead set on needing a spot meter. It's lightweight, budget friendly, and will certainly do the job with just a bit more care when metering. It has several different metering methods built-in which will allow you to choose a method that fits your needs.

Kino · Apr 16, 2025

Lam-Bartll said:
I'm on the newer side of large format, I shoot a Horseman 45HF and I mainly meter with my Sekonic Studio-Deluxe (sometimes my phone when I forget my meter!). I know both options are not the best for large format but I have produced some results that I've been happy with, at least as the first attempts trying out 4x5. What are some good spotmeter options that are reliable?

I know of the classics like the Pentax V but the ones I've found are either out of my budget or the lenses have haze/fungus, so what else are people using and what are some options that I might not be aware of? Also where's some places that aren't ebay to look for spotmeters (unfortunately I live in a camera store desert, so no real local options to check).

I have a Gossen Ultra Spot 1 degree spot meter with a built-in Zone System measuring program that I purchased JUST before stumbling onto a reasonably priced Pentax Digital Spot meter.

It sits unused and could be available if you are interested; I only wish to reclaim its purchase price. PM me.

NOTE: you will find a lot of discussion about how this meter compares to the Pentax and other meters online. Frankly, in the short time I have had it and compared it to the Pentax, I found it to be in all regards equal in accuracy to the Pentax, only physically larger. While the build-in Zone System placement program is menu intensive and I don't care for it, the basic spot metering function is not impaired.

I have moved to the Pentax as it IS smaller form and less fussy to operate, but the Gossen is still a good, functional 1 degree spot meter. (and less expensive)

Research here; https://www.butkus.org/chinon/flashes_meters/gossen_ultra-spot/gossen_ultra-spot.htm

blee1996 · Apr 16, 2025

Minolta or Soligor spotmeters are probably the cheapest.

Pentax Digital is the most compact, and will be my vote.

My Sekonic L558 is a combo meter, that is quite a bit bigger and heavier.

Alan Edward Klein · Apr 16, 2025

koraks said:
Spot meters are expensive. There's no way around it. You could try a budget option like the Reveni meters, which are more affordable and will work OK, although not necessarily as nicely/conveniently as a real spot meter.
In my experience, things get a little easier if you drop the requirement of a very tight spot and also allow 5 degree 'spot' meters. You sometimes run into decent deals on an old Sekonic or Gossen. But it's a waiting game in which you monitor what's being offered and jump at a good deal if you spot one (haha). This may take a loooong time.

Alternatively, you could consider using a small/pocketable digital camera with a spot meter function. This is generally a cheap option and even lower mid range compact cameras of e.g. 15 years ago offered spot metering capability. In a similar vein, you're already using your phone which you could continue to do especially with an app that allows a spot measurement to be taken. I've done this 'in a pinch' with a free app on my low-end Samsung phone and for all intents and purposes, is works OK. The main thing you may want to do is do some practice sessions where you compare the measurements you can take with a phone/digicam against a known-good exposure so you know in which situations the results may get a little dodgy. In the field you can then work around this.

Finally, if you get good results with your present incident meter, there's not necessarily a compelling reason to stop using it. I've made do with that option for years and for the most part, it works just fine. But I recognize/acknowledge that it's nice to have a proper spot (or 'partial') meter for those tricky scenes where an important shadow area is kind of difficult to judge.

Koraks suggestion to use a digital camera is a good one. I started to use my Olympus E-PL1 micro 4/3 digital camera with a moderate zoom lens as a director's viewfinder and meter. It allows me to select the lens and the tripod spot before taking out the large format film equipment. I switch it to BW mode when shooting BW film to preview monochrome views. The Olympus has red, orange, and yellow filter settings to sample picture views if I want to add contrast filters for BW film. The digital camera's histogram and blinkies give extra exposure information over dedicated meters. The Olympus camera will provide me with spot (2 degrees but that can be made smaller with a longer lens) as well as matrix and center-weighted readings. Of course, there are no ambient readings. One other thing is it allows me to take sample shots for future reference and record my settings by speaking in movie mode to be transcribed later at home. No messing around with notepads and pens. Its video mode allows me to describe various moods and the scene easily as well, sort of like a journal.

Craig · Apr 16, 2025

Simply because you are using 4x5 doesn't mean you need a spot meter. Unless you're using it correctly, it can lead to errors in exposure.

What I have found is doing spot metering and zone system calculations almost always gets the suggested exposure to what a Nikon with matrix metering suggests. You can get a film body like a F60 quite cheaply with the kit lens, use that as your light meter.

Doremus Scudder · Apr 16, 2025

Lam-Bartil,

If you are going to be using the Zone System and/or basing your exposures on reading a shadow value (or use color transparency film and base your exposures on a highlight reading), then a spot meter is invaluable. Bite the bullet and get a Pentax digital spot meter. It will serve you well for years. Buy the best and cry once.

If you are not a Zone System user and don't base your exposures on shadow values (or use color transparency film and base your exposures on a highlight reading), then a spot meter is superfluous. Intelligent use of incident and averaging meters will get you good exposures.

The advantage of basing exposures for B&W negative film on a shadow value is that you more easily avoid underexposure. Learning the situations where incident and averaging meters tend to underexpose can make them equally as useful.

The advantage to using the Zone System is that it helps you visualize and configure the final product. Basing exposure on the shadow ensures adequate exposure, reading other values shows you where in the gray scale they will be and allows you to make changes with development time, filters, etc.

FWIW, I'm a Zone System user and own three Pentax digital spot meters.

Best,

Doremus

Chuck1 · Apr 16, 2025

I only have 2 pentax dsm's

DREW WILEY · Apr 16, 2025

Deals do sometimes come up on Pentax digital spotmeters - simply the best in my opinion in terms of convenience and reliability, although the Minolta Spotmeter F is just as accurate and even a little more compact; but I found its pushbutton controls slower and less intuitive to use than the simple rim dial of the Pentax; they don't seem to hold up quite as well either. Regardless, you should add a collapsible rubber lens shade to either, despite their multicoated optics. Flare pointing toward the sun or a bright reflection in a pool is always a potential source of reading error. Cheaper mimic spotmeters don't even have multicoating.

Donald Qualls · Apr 16, 2025

FWIW, I have an ancient 1970s vintage Pentax Spotmeter -- long before digital -- that wants a mercury battery. I ran it on zinc-air hearing aid cells for years, then got an adapter to use lithium coin cells -- which adapter, however, won't operate the dial light; its grain-of-wheat incandescent bulb draws too much current.

I've been very happy with my results, battery life is very good (only draws current when there's light on the meter cell, and I keep it in the zipper case as well as having bought a lens cap for it), and these "antiques" are relatively inexpensive because of their obsolete power source. Mine has Zone markings on the exposure calculation dial, too.

Would I recommend something like this as a first meter? No. I'd recommend a good incident meter; much easier to use well and will give the same exposure about 90% of the time, give or take -- and it's easier to find one you can afford.

Paul Howell · Apr 16, 2025

Unless you are going to learn the Zone System I don't see a need for a spot meter. Phil Davis's Beyond the Zone System (BTZS) is based on incident metering to determine a scene brightness range. I do use the Zone System, Minor White version, and use a Soligar spot meter with zinc air batteries or I as noted by others a DSLR in spot mode. My Pentax K2000 is not much larger than my Soligar. Before you decide on Spot Meter I recommend that you spend some time reading up on the Zone System VS Beyound the Zone System. If you do not think that learning to visualizie a scene is up you alley but a very persise method of metering and developing based on flm curves than I would learn BTZS as you already have a good indicent meter.

Sirius Glass · Apr 16, 2025

Lam-Bartll said:
I'm on the newer side of large format, I shoot a Horseman 45HF and I mainly meter with my Sekonic Studio-Deluxe (sometimes my phone when I forget my meter!). I know both options are not the best for large format but I have produced some results that I've been happy with, at least as the first attempts trying out 4x5. What are some good spotmeter options that are reliable?

I know of the classics like the Pentax V but the ones I've found are either out of my budget or the lenses have haze/fungus, so what else are people using and what are some options that I might not be aware of? Also where's some places that aren't ebay to look for spotmeters (unfortunately I live in a camera store desert, so no real local options to check).

Also what are some tips people have for spotmetering a scene? I've owned my 4x5 for about a year now so I'm still learning and I'm happy to hear any tips!

Thanks for the input and sorry for the common question.

Welcome to Photrio!

After using Gossen Luna Pro SBC with a 5° spotmeter for a while, I changed to a Pentax Digital Spotmeter and I am very happy that I made the change.

Lam-Bartll · Apr 16, 2025

Doremus Scudder said:
Lam-Bartil,

If you are going to be using the Zone System and/or basing your exposures on reading a shadow value (or use color transparency film and base your exposures on a highlight reading), then a spot meter is invaluable. Bite the bullet and get a Pentax digital spot meter. It will serve you well for years. Buy the best and cry once.

If you are not a Zone System user and don't base your exposures on shadow values (or use color transparency film and base your exposures on a highlight reading), then a spot meter is superfluous. Intelligent use of incident and averaging meters will get you good exposures.

The advantage of basing exposures for B&W negative film on a shadow value is that you more easily avoid underexposure. Learning the situations where incident and averaging meters tend to underexpose can make them equally as useful.

The advantage to using the Zone System is that it helps you visualize and configure the final product. Basing exposure on the shadow ensures adequate exposure, reading other values shows you where in the gray scale they will be and allows you to make changes with development time, filters, etc.

FWIW, I'm a Zone System user and own three Pentax digital spot meters.

Best,

Doremus

Thanks for the reply!

The Zone System is something I'd really like to get into, I've been studying it from a few sources and I'd like to try it out with some of my 4x5 work come the summer, which is why I started looking into 1-degree spotmeters.

Lam-Bartll · Apr 16, 2025

Sirius Glass said:
Welcome to Photrio!

After using Gossen Luna Pro SBC with a 5° spotmeter for a while, I changed to a Pentax Digital Spotmeter and I am very happy that I made the change.

Did you find the 5-degree spot too large?

And ohhh it looks like I'm being pointed towards getting a Pentax Digital Spotmeter! Welp my bank account might be unhappy but my camera bag will I'm sure!

Lam-Bartll · Apr 16, 2025

Alan9940 said:
As others have already mentioned, a tight budget will most likely put the "usual suspects" (Pentax, Sekonic, Minolta) out of range. Though it's not a true spot meter--more a very heavily weighted center meter, IMO--I would recommend the Reveni Spot, if you're dead set on needing a spot meter. It's lightweight, budget friendly, and will certainly do the job with just a bit more care when metering. It has several different metering methods built-in which will allow you to choose a method that fits your needs.

Interesting, I actually haven't come across this meter. The size would be pretty nice for long hikes.

Have you had the chance to use it yourself?

Paul Howell · Apr 16, 2025

I just took a look at the Rivian specs, seems to be a good choice, less than a used Minolta or Pentax spot. Looks like it can fit in large pocket. I suspect it is accurate, wounder how durable. My Soligair is getting very long in the tooth, the sensor cell must near the end so maybe.

John Wiegerink · Apr 16, 2025

If you can get by with a 5 degree or 7.5 degree spot style meter there are plenty out there in a very reasonable price range. I got by with one for a long time and did just fine. Later I had some extra cash and bought a new Chamonix 45N2 camera so figured it was also time to upgrade my Gossen StarF meter. I was all set to buy a Minolta Spotmeter F when I found a Pentax Digital Spot on Facebook Marketplace for $20.00. Thought it was to good to be true, but it ended up being true and I love it. Still, if I had semi-limited funds I would try to find one of the later Minolta spotmeters since they seem to have a pretty good reputation for reliability.

MattKing · Apr 16, 2025

How often are you unable to walk closer to your subject when you are taking a reading?

_T_ · Apr 16, 2025

I use my phone with the lightme app. I measured it and it has a spot of about 0.75°, though I guess that depends on your phone. It's free to use but I payed so that I don't have to see ads. Never had it miss an exposure.

loccdor · Apr 16, 2025

Alex Burke also uses a digicam for his large format work exposure determination. Seems faster and cheaper to get the results you want, but I can understand why people wouldn't want to use them (less traditional).

New To 4x5 Photography - Spotmeter Suggestions

Lam-Bartll

abruzzi

Franswa

Patrick Robert James

koraks

Moderator

Vieri Bottazzini

Alan9940

Kino

blee1996

Alan Edward Klein

Craig

Doremus Scudder

Chuck1

DREW WILEY

Donald Qualls

Paul Howell

Sirius Glass

Lam-Bartll

Lam-Bartll

Lam-Bartll

Paul Howell

John Wiegerink

MattKing

Moderator

_T_

loccdor

New To 4x5 Photography - Spotmeter Suggestions

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