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External light meter: Which one should i get?


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I'm looking for an external light meter to my film Leica's, that can work as incident (not grey card) meter and spot meter. I don't need flash metering.

 

I would prefer one meter that handles both spot and incident metering and not two meters. The meter should be able to operate in half f-stops 2.4, 4.8 etc.

 

Estimated numbers: 70% of the time i do street photography, 20% of the time portraits and 10% concert photography.

 

90% of the time i shoot B/W (T-Max 400 and Tri-X 400) and 10% of the time Provia 100F.

 

I have been looking on the manufacturers sites, but i'm looking for hands on experiences from you users.

 

Any suggestions on a external meter that handles both spot and incident metering for my needs?

Edited by BjarniM
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I have a Sekonic 558 (I think that's the model number) which has always worked well for me when I've needed to meter something properly. It works well for flash and ambient as either a spot or incident meter. However, it isn't the smallest meter in the world and I don't carry it around for more casual use. For that kind of photography I use a little Sekonic 308 which works fine as an incident meter (and can also do reflective) but it doesn't have any kind of spot capability.

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I have an old Calculight which is very light, simple to use and offers both incident and reflected measurement. Its old but perfectly usable. Quite cheap too (mine was priced at £5 by a dealer but then thrown in with another purchase).

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i use a sekonic 208 works fine does reflective and incident and in the street it is very stealth like. now, if you are going to shoot set shots, shoot in studio, use flash etc there are bigger more professional models to be had, 208 is a nice simple starting point

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The OP is specifically asking for spot metering capability.

 

And I suspect they are specifying themselves out of the market.

 

A Pentax or Minolta spot meter is ideal for the uses needed, but not necessarily for street photography because it is the size of a camera in itself. Spot meters are not small things, and I have to say spot meters are not ideal for street photography as I understand it. I think in these circumstances a film photographer would buy two meters each suited to a specific task, not carry around a large spot meter all the time.

 

Steve

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The original post mentioned a light meter (external) for incident and spot. Preferaby one and not two. Size was not referred to.

There is two options: Gossen (Starlite 2) or Sekonic (L-758 DR eg). Both about the same size (9x17x5 cm) and can measure up to 1 degree.

I recommend the Sekonic.

A spot meter is extremely useful.

Edited by LeicaBraz
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The OP is specifically asking for spot metering capability (though it is possible he/she is confusing "spot" with reflective metering more generally).

 

Indeed. Spot metering for the inexpert is the path to disaster,

.

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Thanks for your replies.

 

I'm fully aware of how spot metering works and also how to meter incident light, otherwise i wouldn't be looking for an external meter.

 

I was hoping to get some input from you - users - with hands on experience, since this, in my opinion, is more relevant than a product description on a manufacturers site.

 

(English is a foreign language for me, so please bare with me if it isn't 100%)

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I gave you some input. I'm not sure what you are expecting to hear beyond a few comments regarding size and reliability (which I did). As has been pointed out, there are only a couple of meters available new that do incident and spot (without adding accessory viewfinders) so the choice isn't huge in that respect. Both will be fine for the job.

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I'm looking for an external light meter...that can work as incident (not grey card) meter and spot meter....

 

...I'm fully aware of how spot metering works...

Hi Bjarni.

 

Could you please let us know how you intend to use any meter as a spot-meter without also using a grey-card so that we can advise you better?

Will you be using it in situations and locations where you already know certain 'grey-scale values' as a datum, for instance?

 

Thanking you in advance.

 

FWIW the only spot-meters I've ever used which have been 100% reliable - in two definitions - were the aforementioned Pentax meters. Both analogue and digital versions were equally accurate IMX. Not small nor 'handy' but they do the job correctly.

 

Philip.

Edited by pippy
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Hi Bjarni.

 

Could you please let us know how you intend to use any meter as a spot-meter without also using a grey-card so that we can advise you better?

 

Philip.

 

 

You don't need a grey card to use a spot meter. The whole point of one IMO is so that you can assess the range of tones in a given scene or take a reading from a subject's face (and adjust accordingly).

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Isn't that part of what the Zone System is about?

Absolutely. Partly - in a perfect world - the Zone System would also benefit from separate development of individual negs.

 

You don't need a grey card to use a spot meter. The whole point of one IMO is so that you can assess the range of tones in a given scene or take a reading from a subject's face (and adjust accordingly).

Yes; I know. I used to use one when shooting landscapes on 5x4 for the reasons mentioned above.

Not impossible to apply the same approach to 35mm shooting but not quite as straightforward.

 

And as I mentioned earlier IMX the Pentax pair are still my favourites for the job.

 

Philip.

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Hi Bjarni.

 

Could you please let us know how you intend to use any meter as a spot-meter without also using a grey-card so that we can advise you better?

 

Philip.

 

I want to use spot metering to concert photography, where i'm only carrying a single camera with a 35 mm lens, where it's limited how close i can get to the action on the scene/stage.

 

I want to use incident metering in certain situations where i know the internal meter in my Leica will not do a proper job.

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