Spot Meters and Metering

madNbad · Apr 16, 2023

Seem that any time I post about light meters, the discussion is drug off topic and concentrates around spot meters. To make it easy, here is a thread just for that.
I have owned and used spot meters when I was using larger format film. I am not looking to buy one or use one but would like to hear what other members like and appreciate about the different meters that are on the market. The big Sekonics with the built in spot meter are interesting and I did own a L408 at one time. The Reveni monocular has been discussed as well as Pentax and Minolta. Have fun!

ic-racer · Apr 16, 2023

For 25 years I used a 6 degree VIEW METER (Sekonic L206) as I felt it better to sample an area with an assortment of low zones, setting the cluster of zones around 3 or 4. Also, because, for my typical subject matter, a 1-degree spot is not narrow enough.
Having posted that I did get a L558 a few years ago and use the 1-degree spot presently, though still sampling a range of low zones around 2.5.
The "Zone Sticker" shows the common Zones in Roman numerals compared to the meter's representation of that zone.

madNbad · Apr 17, 2023

Donald Qualls · Apr 17, 2023

I have a rather old (expects a mercury cell for the main meter circuit) Pentax 21/1. I like it because it's compact, easy to use (reads out directly in EV@ISO 100), has a low light booster, and it was inexpensive when I got it (rather a while ago, now). I've installed an adapter to use a lithium coin cell (voltage regulated to 1.35 V) -- but need to modify to use the 9V booster battery to power the dial light, as the adapter won't pass enough current to light the grain of rice incandescent bulb.

I keep it on my RB67 backpack, as that's the camera I'm most likely to use it with, but I can take it off that easily if I need it for my Graphic View II.

For most everything else, I use the spot function in the free light meter app on my smart phone, or Sunny 16.

L Gebhardt · Apr 17, 2023

I like the Pentax digital spot meter. The dial rings are very intuitive to use. I have yet to find a modern meter that's as easy to use and gives me as consistent of results for negatives. I also use a phone meter app and the Sekonic 308 for incident readings, which is my preferred method of metering for transparency films.

removedacct2 · May 7, 2023

ic-racer said:
For 25 years I used a 6 degree VIEW METER (Sekonic L206)

I have been using a later variant, the Sekonic L-228 "Zoom" set on the longer focal ie. ~8° spot, this one is CdS, and a Polaris SPD-100 with the 10° attachment, this one is silicium. I prefer the analog needle display and wheel calculator but CdS is less reactive, the Polaris is more reactive, runs on AA, has a LCD display with big characters size. (and can do flash...)
Sometimes (quite enough). I need to measure smaller spots than 10°, so I am considering something else. But I want it small enough, and silicium, and reasonably priced. Was considering a Sekonic L-438 3°/4°/8°/10° or a Sekonic L-488 1°/20°. The L-438 seems smaller but not so much than the L-488. Both have a wheel. I guess it will be the L-488...

GLS · May 7, 2023

I'll give the same reply I always give to these threads: the Sekonic L-758 series.

The last Sekonic meters to provide physical buttons/dials for all functions (as opposed to touch screen), can do anything you could ever need for stills photography, and do it well. Tales of their difficulty to use are also massively overblown IMO; the basic functions can be learned in minutes.

Chan Tran · May 7, 2023

I am a Minolta meters fan. I started out with the flashmeter II. Moved on the the flashmeter III and Spot Meter M. Then now I use Flashmeter VI, flashmeter III and autometer II.

Alan Edward Klein · May 7, 2023

I use a Minolta Autometer Flash IIIF. It comes with a 10 degree reflective attachment. Or you can use the incident attachment. I don't use the zone system so the 10 degrees is sufficient. The IVF model which I don't have comes with a 5 degree reflective attachment and also an on-off power switch. The IIIf has no power switch and suppose to automatically shut off. But I've found it does deplete the battery after awhile anyway.

wiltw · May 7, 2023

I once used the Pentax Digital, but later sold it and purchased the Minolt Spotmeter F because it had flash metering. I had no real complaint about the Pentax, but it simply lacked flash spotmetering. It is nice in its use of EV allows you to see a range of shutter speed and corresponding aperture, and the availability of adhesive strips to assist with Zone useage.
The Minolta Spotmeter F lacks the Zone display strips, but I do not find that an issue, since I am not a Zone System practitioner. It is nice in having a one-degree sensitivity and the cut-off outside the indicated circle has very sharp fall-off, making it quite immune to being fooled by exceedingly bright areas close to the target area being read.
I maintain a spot attachment for my Minolta Autometer Vf, to read larger areas 'averaged' within its larger circle, where one-degree is just too small, primarily for studio work to assess background brightness; but the Minolta Spotmeter does have a place in the studio for reading small areas to analyze for keeping the dynamic range of the scene within the narrower capabilities of offset printed images (catalogs, etc.) Being able to read the mid-tone area, and then see directly EV deviations below (shadow) and above (highligh) has been very handy in assessing the pimary subject.

Every camera that I have, except only the Olympus OM-1n, has a spotmeter capability that is the default way that I meter...OM-4, Bronica ETRSi, Canon 7DII, even my Canon P&S.

Arthurwg · May 7, 2023

Donald Qualls said:
For most everything else, I use the spot function in the free light meter app on my smart phone, or Sunny 16.

Hi DQ. What's the name of your smart phone light meter app? I've been planning to get one.

grahamp · May 7, 2023

My first spot meter was a used Soligor Spot Sensor 1 (mercury cells so I have always used MR-9 adapters for 375 batteries). It still works fine - I put a Zone strip on the calculator dial for when I like to pretend that I know what I am doing

The second one was a Pentax V analog, and that tends to be the one I choose, as it is lighter by a fair margin. That one already had a Zone strip. It's a funny thing about the Zone markings. I do the stop differences in my head for exposure, but if I consciously use the Zone marks I think more about the exposure/development/print process. Same exposure choice, but a different mental model.

I have a separate flash meter, but I can't recall the last time I needed to use it. And there is always the Luna Pro F for incident use.

I really hate digital displays - it is probably an age thing - but an analog calculator gives me a lot of information at a glance. I guess some people can tabulate permutations in their head, but I like the 'picture'.

RalphLambrecht · May 7, 2023

L Gebhardt said:
I like the Pentax digital spot meter. The dial rings are very intuitive to use. I have yet to find a modern meter that's as easy to use and gives me as consistent of results for negatives. I also use a phone meter app and the Sekonic 308 for incident readings, which is my preferred method of metering for transparency films.

same here. There is no simpler zone system meter! What was good enough for Ansel? Adams is good enough for me. Unfortunately, they've gotten expensive these days but they're still the best

DREW WILEY · May 7, 2023

I have four Pentax digital spotmeters, one heavily used that's it's held together with electrical tape. It still reads correctly, but I no longer carry it around. Two others are in good condition and routinely used. The fourth is kept immaculate in storage as a reference check to the others, or in case I need to put it in use later. About every ten years or so I needed to get one or another of these internally cleaned or slightly re-calibrated. One was accidentally dunked twice in mountain snowmelt water. I use em for everything.

I once also had a Minolta Spotmeter F. It read identically with my Pentax meters; but the simple dial on the Pentax version was faster and more intuitive to use than the button and readout of the Minolta.

I started out shooting and printing chrome film, so how St. Ansel did it was NOT good enough for my own needs. Each of his Zones is an awful long ways apart when it come to color exposures. I remember when his original world-famous, personal, fantastic, collectible SEI spotmeter sold for the staggering price of $35. Maybe he didn't sprinkle enough holy water from Yosemite Falls on it.

I paid $200 for my last Pentax, like new, wholly unused. Some rich guy bought a big Sinar 8X10, the spotmeter, a lens, etc, and surmised he would be the next Ansel. We'll never know, because thirty years later, none of the gear was used. Lucky me.

Sirius Glass · May 7, 2023

L Gebhardt said:
I like the Pentax digital spot meter. The dial rings are very intuitive to use. I have yet to find a modern meter that's as easy to use and gives me as consistent of results for negatives. I also use a phone meter app and the Sekonic 308 for incident readings, which is my preferred method of metering for transparency films.

I use the Pentax Digital Spot Meter and the Sekonic L-308S meter as well as built in Hasselblad and Nikon light readers.

Donald Qualls · May 8, 2023

Arthurwg said:
Hi DQ. What's the name of your smart phone light meter app? I've been planning to get one.

The icon on my (Android) screen says "Light Meter" and I'm pretty sure it was "Light Meter Free" when I downloaded it (there's a paid version with some added functionality). The icon looks like the rotating head of a Sekonic studio incident meter.

DWThomas · May 8, 2023

I acquired a Sekonic L-508 a half dozen years ago, but I admit to not using it a lot. Probably 90% or more of my manual metering is done with a Gossen Digisix, which is about 1/6 of the size and weight.

abruzzi · May 8, 2023

The L-508 is my favorite and most used spot meter. I have a Minolta Spotmeter F which works great, but I like having both incident and spot on my meter. When the 508 is too bulky, I used a Sekonic L-408, but that only has a 5º spot, which is sometimes a bit too wide.

Rick A · May 8, 2023

I've been using a Sekonic l-398 forever, my original one was stolen along with my Mamiya 6. I actually have three of them now, along with a Minolta Flash Meter and my ancient Soligor Spot Sensor I, and I may even have a Spot Sensor II in one of my gear bags.. My go to meter is the L-398, there are few times I need a spot meter.

Spot Meters and Metering

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