Which lightmeter should I buy?

[nkbitsch]

Hi again. I'm not sure that i'm asking this question in the right forum, but i'm looking for a good light meter to use with my recently bought Hasselblad 500CM.

I'm very low budget, and ready to buy used.

Which lightmeter would you guys recommend me to buy, if my budget is £35?

Hope to hear from you.

Niels from Denmark

 

[Mike1234]

What kind of subject matter? How much control do you want in individual tonal placement?

 

[nkbitsch]

It's hard to say, since i'm all new to analog photo, and I'm going to use it for everyday photos.
Now I have a Canon 50D digital SLR which I use to meter the light, but I would love to have something more handy, so I don't have to carry my SLR everywhere with my Hassy.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Posted wirelessly..

Weston Master series. I have the WM IV. Great meter. Measures on c/ft2. Get it with the invercone for incident if you can. This is primarily a reflected light meter. K-factor adjustment but you can zero it if you know what you're doing.

 

[BobD]

A good, low cost, non-flash meter for general use is the Sekonica L-208 Twinmate.

See:
http://www.sekonic.com/products/Sekonic%20L-208%20TWINMATE.asp

It's very small, fits in a pocket, and is a current model.

 

[rmolson]

light meters

I second the Weston Master with cone. I have a very extensive layout Luna Pro SBC with spot attachment and flat grid for enlarging or light measurement. In the field guess which one I check the Luna Pro or camera meters against? Right, the Weston!

 

[arigram]

There are three types of light meters really.
1) The all around, ambient light meter, which can read the light falling on a subject (incident) or reflected from it. The reflected light is usually read in a cone of usually 20-30 degrees, so you aim it at the scene and get an average reading. You will need to get right in front on your subject for more precise reading.
2) The Flash meter, can also read light from handheld or studio strobes and merge the reading with any ambient light.
3) The Spot meter can read reflected light right down on one degree cone of "vision" so you can target with a lot of accuracy far away subjects. A favorite among landscape photographers that use the zone system.

Unless you have a need for the two latter functions, you will get by with any handheld ambient light meter. They come in digital (with a screen and buttons) or analog (with needle and disc controls) forms and is really more a matter of convenience and function. Some prefer the analog type and some the digital. I am sure you can find a cheap light meter being sold on a used equipment site. I would suggest you stay away from really old ones as you might find that their light reading or battery is not performing that well anymore.

 

[John Koehrer]

The Weston master V is compact & reliable, but not especially sensitive if you intend to use it in low light. None of the selenium meters are.
The Sekonic 308 is compact, digital, gives incident, reflected and flash modes and will be better weather sealed and durable than any meter with a moving coil meter.

 

[nkbitsch]

The Weston master V seems pretty nice, light and cheap. I can get it for around £15 on ebay. The Sekonic 308 looks awesome, but it's to expensive, it's around £100 used. Is there anything in between? I'm thinking a light meter as simple as the WM, but digital? Also it would be brilliant if it had built in spot-meter to.

 

[williamtheis]

just be aware the selenium cells in the master V can die and are $$$$$$$ to replace (if you can find someone to do it). I have about 3 master V's I would sell cheap. none work.

if you need a spotmeter: Pentax digital or V. for averaging meter: Luna Pro or use a 35mm SLR.

the attachments to do spot metering on Luna Pro (and others not designed for it) do not work well at all, imho

 

[Theo43]

Before you buy any meter find out what batteries it uses and whether you can get replacements. The Gossen Luna-Pros, that use common 9 volt batteries, are great light meters.
Ted

 

[nkbitsch]

The Gossen Luna-Pro looks like a good averange+ meter. But there is one problem, it's impossible to find here in Europe, i have searched the multiple sites incl. ebay and local second hand sites. Is there an alternative to the Gossen Luna-Pro?

 

[CBG]

When you're looking for low cost, maybe the best answer is to see what is actually selling cheap right now, wherever you have access, local stores, ebay... Like many other items, meters have no magic. Accuracy is the one basic need.

 

[nkbitsch]

CBG: I'm sure that you are right, but my problem is that I just don't know what to look for. So every input is highly appreciated

 

[Jon Shiu]

The Gossen Luna-Pro looks like a good averange+ meter. But there is one problem, it's impossible to find here in Europe, i have searched the multiple sites incl. ebay and local second hand sites. Is there an alternative to the Gossen Luna-Pro?

Look for the Gossen Profisix, I believe it is the same as Luna Pro SBC, but called another name.

Jon

 

[Q.G.]

Look for the Gossen Profisix, I believe it is the same as Luna Pro SBC, but called another name.

It is the ProfiSix, yes.
It is called Luna Pro SBC in the U.S. only.

 

[nkbitsch]

I see! I found one on ebay If everybody think it's a good meter, i'll go bid on it!

 

[Q.G.]

It indeed is a good meter.
I have used several of them (they - like anything - don't last forever. Certainly not when i got hold of them ), and never had any complaints.

However, how about the Lunasix F?
As good as the Profisix (i have used up a couple of them too), but able to do flash without extra attachment as well.
Not quite as sensitive as the Profisix (never missed that). And they don't take the attachments with the three electrical plugs (so you have to use those without - you would only perhaps miss the bulky 1 degree spot and colour attachments - and dial in the correction yourself. Not a big deal).

They both (Profisix and Lunasix F) cost the same.

 

[nkbitsch]

So the Profisixis more precise, but the Lunasix F has built in flash meter? It's a hard decision, but on the other hand, I don't think I will ever use flash with my Hassy.

 

[Q.G.]

No, no!
Both are as precise. Equally good!

The Lunasix F has built-in flash metering. But the sensitivity range of it doesn't extend quite as low (still low enough though) as that of the Profisix.

 

[nkbitsch]

I see! well that changes my point of view a bit. What would you choose, if the price is equal?

 

[Q.G.]

If, like you say you don't, you don't use flash, the Profisix.

I do, so out of the two, i like the Lunasix F better.

 

[nkbitsch]

But is it possible to get a good digital one in my price range, or should i go for an old gossen?

 

[MattKing]

What are you calling old?

My Gossen Profisix has been a great meter for the last 30+ years.

It now has been joined by a little brother - a Gossen Digiflash.

Both work very well. The Digiflash is just so much smaller, that it can be taken along when space is at a premium.

You may be able to find a used meter within your budget, but I think you would need to be lucky.

Matt

 

[Anscojohn]

just be aware the selenium cells in the master V can die and are $$$$$$$ to replace (if you can find someone to do it). I have about 3 master V's I would sell cheap. none work.


Quality Light Metric in Hollywood Westons, rebuilds them, new cells and all.. About 90 bucks for many more years of good service.

I have two Vs and the Euromaster clone. They all agree.

The other selenium cell meter I used to use (don't laugh) was a Leningrad 4 I bought new in Czechosolovakia in 1978. It is dead on and also has a cute little flat incident liight panel that snaps in the case when not being used.

I gave it to a fellow river cruiser a couple years back. She was a noob and had a Nikon that died and left her with only one shutter speed. I still kind of miss my Bolshevik light meter.