Somehow the Digisix 2 has become my favorite meter

madNbad · Feb 5, 2023

I really loved the little Reveni but it would die at the most inappropriate times. I'm sure the problem will be corrected and I may go back. The Sekonic 308x is a really great meter and not very large for it's abilities, I just didn't need all of those abilities and sold it to someone who did. My all time favorite, the L-398 Studio Deluxe has been a stalwart. Always delivers an accurate reading, no batteries to worry about, easily slips in a pocket but my current model has the bad habit of catching just enough to change the ISO. Not a lot but there is a big difference between 200 and 400. I got in the habit of checking it, it's just something I expect to be constant. For years I put off buying a Digisix. Some of it was the stories of poor battery life, some was for an undetermined reason. Lately, I've been using the little Gossen almost exclusively. It's as accurate as the 398 in incident mode and a whole lot easier to use if I want refective. The ISO stays set and it's quick to use. I like having the analog display of choices for speed and stops with the LCD being readable in most light. I have owned a lot of different meters but the Digisix offers as much as larger meters in a palm size package. Plus it has a thermometer!

DWThomas · Feb 5, 2023

As the owner of an original Digisix it will be interesting to hear how the -2 does on battery life. There is some belief the problem was a rather tight form-fitting case depressing (or allowing gear it was packed with to operate) the measurement button when not in use, but I'm not totally convinced. I once tried to slip some ridiculously thin printed circuit material in with the battery to try to measure the current when it was inactive, but didn't get the connection to work. (Any gear that responds to a pushbutton to turn on is usually using a microamp or two all the time). Some month I have nothing to do maybe I can make a dummy battery to bring wires out to externally power it for a measurement.

madNbad · Feb 5, 2023

I bought this one used from Roberts Camera in ealy November 2022. I came with a case and strap but no box. I had a battery in it when it arrived and is still going strong. It may be that when I changed to a wrist strap the case would catch and not slide smoothly so I have been using the meter without a case. It is easy to drop in a jacket pocket and not too much for a shirt pocket. I thought about getting a shoe adapter but I mostly use it in incident mode. It will be interesting to see how long this battery last.

Huss · Feb 5, 2023

madNbad said:
I bought this one used from Roberts Camera in ealy November 2022. I came with a case and strap but no box. I had a battery in it when it arrived and is still going strong. It may be that when I changed to a wrist strap the case would catch and not slide smoothly so I have been using the meter without a case. It is easy to drop in a jacket pocket and not too much for a shirt pocket. I thought about getting a shoe adapter but I mostly use it in incident mode. It will be interesting to see how long this battery last.

According to my calculations, the battery will last at least three months.

MattKing · Feb 5, 2023

I use a different case with my Digiflash meter (the first version). It has a small pocket on the side - perfect for a backup battery in a small plastic sheath. That battery also protects the buttons a bit - less likelihood of being accidentally pushed.
The lithium batteries are available at the local Dollar stores - 3 for $1.25.
The case also came from a Dollar store - Lowepro, designed I think for an early cel phone or digital camera I think. It is only slightly bigger then the Gossen case designed for the meter.

madNbad · Feb 5, 2023

Huss said:
According to my calculations, the battery will last at least three months.

I paid a hundred dollars for it which’s means I could’ve bought five N80s!

madNbad · Feb 5, 2023

MattKing said:
I use a different case with my Digiflash meter (the first version). It has a small pocket on the side - perfect for a backup battery in a small plastic sheath. That battery also protects the buttons a bit - less likelihood of being accidentally pushed.
The lithium batteries are available at the local Dollar stores - 3 for $1.25.
The case also came from a Dollar store - Lowepro, designed I think for an early cel phone or digital camera I think. It is only slightly bigger then the Gossen case designed for the meter.

Thanks for the tip. If I decide to use a case, we have a Dollar Store within a mile I’ll take a look.

snusmumriken · Feb 5, 2023

madNbad said:
Plus it has a thermometer!

Handy if you are wondering about the temperature in your pocket! 🫤

DWThomas · Feb 5, 2023

snusmumriken said:
Handy if you are wondering about the temperature in your pocket! 🫤

Haha, yeah I considered that feature pretty silly, but then somebody clued me in that working outdoors with Polaroid materials it's recommended to do some time compensation for temperature, so maybe its presence was logical. (And I usually hang mine around my deck with the lanyard.)

I also have a Sekonic L-508 spot meter and three of my film cameras have built in meters. That combined with B&W film being a relatively modest percentage of my shooting meant that the intervals between use for the Digisix were often measured in months, thus it seemed almost every time I pulled it out the battery was dead. I have thought about building up rings around the two buttons with epoxy (or something) to make them harder to push down accidentally. I was trying to measure the "normal" current to figure out if that was even the problem before tackling the project. So far I just remove the battery when I put it away after a session.

snusmumriken · Feb 5, 2023

DWThomas said:
Haha, yeah I considered that feature pretty silly, but then somebody clued me in that working outdoors with Polaroid materials it's recommended to do some time compensation for temperature, so maybe its presence was logical. (And I usually hang mine around my deck with the lanyard.)

I also have a Sekonic L-508 spot meter and three of my film cameras have built in meters. That combined with B&W film being a relatively modest percentage of my shooting meant that the intervals between use for the Digisix were often measured in months, thus it seemed almost every time I pulled it out the battery was dead. I have thought about building up rings around the two buttons with epoxy (or something) to make them harder to push down accidentally. I was trying to measure the "normal" current to figure out if that was even the problem before tackling the project. So far I just remove the battery when I put it away after a session.

I did build up the body around the buttons on mine, and that did cure the premature battery discharge issue. One hopes the Digisix v2 would have overcome that anyway. But the EV dial on my v1 wore slack and stopped clicking, and the need to remember or set filter factors drove me mad, likewise all the peeping noises, the difficulty of getting the battery out to replace it, and the lack of persistent memory.

Huss · Feb 5, 2023

madNbad said:
I paid a hundred dollars for it which’s means I could’ve bought five N80s!

Or ten Leicas.

Besk · Feb 5, 2023

My Digisix's battery would go dead in a day or so with it sitting on the shelf. Sent it to Bogen during the warranty
period explaining the problem. They sent it back with no comment but with a couple of new batteries. Havent used it since.

madNbad · Feb 5, 2023

I bought it from Roberts Camera eBay outlet on November, 28th 2022. It arrived about four days later with the battery in it. I haven't used it in the case. It sits on a shelf next to the Leicas when not being used and in my jacket pocket when out and about. I'll keep track of how long this original battery last. Hopefully it won't fool me and die tonight!

btaylor · Feb 5, 2023

Interesting! I’ve had the Digisix for a number of years. First one worked great and then started reading inaccurately all of a sudden- like 3-4 stops off. So I bought another one, it’s been great so far. No problem with batteries, they seem to last a year or more for me. I have to admit, of all the meters I have I reach for my Gossen Luma Pro most often. I like the size, it’s easy to read and it’s analog.

John Earley · Mar 14, 2023

btaylor said:
Interesting! I’ve had the Digisix for a number of years. First one worked great and then started reading inaccurately all of a sudden- like 3-4 stops off. So I bought another one, it’s been great so far. No problem with batteries, they seem to last a year or more for me. I have to admit, of all the meters I have I reach for my Gossen Luma Pro most often. I like the size, it’s easy to read and it’s analog.

I used the Luna Pro for a number of years and was quite happy with it until it died. I replaced it with the same which unfortunately was lost or stole. I then used an old Weston Ranger I had until I replaced it with a Gossen Pilot and a Pentax Spot Meter. I still use those but recently purchased an L 208 Twinmate because the Pilot isn't very useable in low light.

Somehow the Digisix 2 has become my favorite meter

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