Spotmeter

arigram · Oct 27, 2004

I am looking for a good spotmeter. The problem is that because it is a financed purchase, it has to come from a store in the EU. I had my eye on either a dedicated spot like the Zone VI modified Pentax or a Gossen one or a Sekonic one multi-function.
If I get the Sekonic it will probably replace my Gossen ambient meter.
The project that I will be getting it for will be nature and landscape, both color and BW.
If the price is simular, would a dedicated spot do a better job than a multi-fuction meter and where can I find them in EU?

roteague · Oct 27, 2004

Try Calumet (an APUG sponsor), they have stores in the UK, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Just click the banner link or visit the Sponsors page.

Helen B · Oct 27, 2004

A search through the archives will show a few good threads on spotmeters.

The comparatively new Sekonic L-558 looks very good. I have the ciné model of its predecessor, the L-508, and the only disadvantage of that is the lack of a readout in the viewfinder. The L-558 remedies that with a good viewfinder display. I don't think that the L-558 can be used with the Booster II, as the L-508 can, but that might not be important to you.

I think that the only drawback of the combined models is that there is the possibility of taking what you think is an incident reading when you have it switched to spot, or vice versa. The puzzling behaviour of the meter alerts ditzy airheads like me to this error. Well, most of the time anyway.

Best,
Helen

Aggie · Oct 27, 2004

I have a dedicated spot and the Sekonic 508 multi function spot meters. Go with the dedicated spot meter. You won't have to flip open the bottom and change little tiny switches to get it to do what you want. I am a true believer in KISS (keep it simple stupid) The sekonic has everything but a built in bathroom, and is a pain in the backside to figure out most times.

Graeme Hird · Oct 27, 2004

I'm very happy with my Gossen Starlight - easy to use, acurate, more functions than I need - most of the time! But they're there when I DO need them.

RAP · Oct 28, 2004

I have an old Soligor Spot Sensor that I paid $50.00 for at a local shop when Zone VI was still in business. I sent to them to modify and clean and works fine. Net net, I paid $225 for what is now a $500.00 item.

Try Ebay.

Sean · Oct 28, 2004

I have a Soligor Spot II with a zone sticker around the barrel (makes life easy for those of us who think more visually than numerically). I only started using a spot a few weeks ago for the first time and will never look back. I am nailing every single exposure with that meter, very happy

roteague · Oct 28, 2004

Sean said:
I only started using a spot a few weeks ago for the first time and will never look back. I am nailing every single exposure with that meter, very happy

What were you doing before?

Sean · Oct 28, 2004

usually just pointing my camera meter at something to get an avg exposure then going from there and bracketing a few frames. Worked ok, but now I am using polaroid negs which are expensive so need every shot to count, so far so good..

roteague · Oct 28, 2004

Sean said:
usually just pointing my camera meter at something to get an avg exposure then going from there and bracketing a few frames. Worked ok, but now I am using polaroid negs which are expensive so need every shot to count, so far so good..

Hmm... I usually use a 1/3° spotmeter, although when the light is changing fast (or I'm just lazy) I'll use my Nikon N80 as a meter. I works because I shoot almost exclusively Velvia F100 in either camera. If you have access to it, try Jack Dykinga's "Large Format Nature Photography". It has an excellent chapter on LF metering.

I wonder how many other LF shooters use a 35mm as a light meter?

Graeme Hird · Oct 28, 2004

roteague said:
I wonder how many other LF shooters use a 35mm as a light meter?

I did for a long time, but I got tired of lugging my F5 with me everywhere - it weighs a ton! Still, I got pretty good exposures on my trannies with it as my meter.

roteague · Oct 28, 2004

Graeme Hird said:
I did for a long time, but I got tired of lugging my F5 with me everywhere - it weighs a ton! Still, I got pretty good exposures on my trannies with it as my meter.

That is one big drawback; the N80 (F80) is quite a bit lighter, but it is still something else to carry. The other drawback I see is the use of Split Neutral Density filters, which I use a lot.

Spotmeter

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Sean

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