external light meter

[k-hawinkler]

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Where does this article fit in? Meters Don't See 18% Gray by Thom Hogan

 

K-H.

[MarkP]

Never having used one, what external meters do people recommend (and is it also worth getting one that can spot meter for those distant/inaccessible subjects)?

[jaapv]

Where does this article fit in? Meters Don't See 18% Gray by Thom Hogan

 

K-H.

Thanks for that link! Now I finally understand why the M8 differed from the rest of the industry in sensitivity. Being German engineers, Leica decided to follow the "correct" ANSI norm instead of the industry convention. Only the resulting "noise" kafuffle swayed them to switch to the existing standard on the M9.

[farnz]

I use a Pentax Spotmeter when the light is tricky or I want to expose for a particular element in the shot and my M9-P's centre weighted spot is too broad. If I want incident readings I use the tiny Sekonic L-208.

 

Pete.

[sfage]

I just bought one of these little guys and it works like a charm!

 

http://www.google.ca/search?q=sekonic+L208&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=h4e&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=tzZxTpb7HsLkiALy66DGAg&ved=0CF4QsAQ&biw=1900&bih=1066

 

Cheap too!

 

... like me

 

 

No so old young old pharter.

[honcho]

Never having used one, what external meters do people recommend (and is it also worth getting one that can spot meter for those distant/inaccessible subjects)?

 

I use a Sekonic L-758 primarily for spot metering which is essential when I'm making panoramics and a Sekonic L-308 for when I need incident metering only. If I could have only one meter, it would be the L-758 because it is a spot meter and an incident meter.

 

The L-308 is an ideal meter when using a Leica M's but there are a multitude of used options around such as Westons which are dirt cheap, but make sure you have the invercone with it.

 

Both my meters are battery dependent and the L-758 eats batteries in winter. Hauling a GX617 and GSW690111, a couple of lenses, tripod, film etc up a hill in Scotland or the Lakes only to have the battery die and no spares in the backpack is......... disappointing.

 

You only do it once. ;-)

[pico]

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Sorry Pico , but I think you are full of it. I have been using a incident meter ever since I can remember and that goes back to the early 50's when I was a Marine Corps Photographer. Love my Leica's and especially the M9, however, will rely on the incident every time.

 

Hank

 

You are responsible for your own incompetence. I know how the M9 meters. I look at the read-out, move the metering area to find other measures, and make my decisions as I did with spot meters.

 

With other hardware which has no internal metering I use an incident meter, but that's just because that's most appropriate and accurate and convenient. I'm speaking to wide MF and LF work.

 

To make the equivalent of an incident reading in the 35mm that the M9 offers, just remember to measure the important range and the good old law of powers of two. Then kick that incident meter into the bin.

[jaapv]

Ok gentlemen - there is no need to turn a discussion about the need for an external exposure meter into a mudslinging contest.

Further personal remarks will be deleted.

[Guest Randle P. McMurphy]

I use a old Gossen Lunasix F with my Leica, Nikon and Hasselblad analog Cameras.

Some of them have TTL-Metering and some like the F4 work perfectly with their

Matrix too, but I always check the difference between the reflecting and incomming

light even if there are great contrasts.

For digital Cameras like the M8 or M9 a external light meter is a wast of time because you can see your picture just in time after you shot it and correct

the exposure.

[adli]

I use the Sekonic L-308 as an incident meter, but for most of the time I use the internal meter in the M9 and checks the histogram. In normal situations it is quicker to check the histogram than to use an external meter, but the external meter provides better results that the histogram om the LCD on the back of the camera.

[jaapv]

I use a old Gossen Lunasix F with my Leica, Nikon and Hasselblad analog Cameras.

Some of them have TTL-Metering and some like the F4 work perfectly with their

Matrix too, but I always check the difference between the reflecting and incomming

light even if there are great contrasts.

For digital Cameras like the M8 or M9 a external light meter is a wast of time because you can see your picture just in time after you shot it and correct

the exposure.

Umm.. and if the subject has moved on? There is just one moment the right moment for a large number of photographs - by the time you have checked your histogram it will have passed...

[honcho]

?......

For digital Cameras like the M8 or M9 a external light meter is a wast of time because you can see your picture just in time after you shot it and correct

the exposure.

 

There may be a case for describing a layer of photographers as 'histogrammers'. You can see a depiction of a scene, but you don't know what it comprises.

 

A clear example, and one which I face almost weekly is when a bride and groom appear at the church door after their wedding ceremony. Two happy faces, a white dress next to a dark suit against a dark background in variable daylight. You take your auto exposure shot with your centre weighted ttl M9 meter and I'll take mine with my manually set exposure based around a hand held incident reading. Your histogram will tell you one thing and your flashing, blown highlights where the bride's dress should be will say something else.

 

Whilst you are in deep conversation with yourself about what to do to get out of trouble, I will have long moved on to create wedding art for the couple.

 

There are times when I like to know exactly where the shadow detail is in relation to the highlight detail and vice versa. I do that by measuring it with a meter and not by allowing myself to be convinced by a histogram.

[adli]

Umm.. and if the subject has moved on? There is just one moment the right moment for a large number of photographs - by the time you have checked your histogram it will have passed...

 

If your subject have passed on, the histogram will tell you if you nailed the exposure or not

 

Not particularly helpful if you missed, that's why I use to take a test shot when entering a new location or when the light condition changes

[Guest Randle P. McMurphy]

Whilst you are in deep conversation with yourself about what to do to get out of trouble, I will have long moved on to create wedding art for the couple.

 

There is no Programm-Mode at your Camera for "T" like Thinking.

Sure you can set your exposure manually - but the light and the

contrast between dark and sunshine still ist the same.

You may see that with your naked eye befor pressing the button.

[Guest Randle P. McMurphy]

Umm.. and if the subject has moved on? There is just one moment the right moment for a large number of photographs - by the time you have checked your histogram it will have passed...

 

I think that I´m faster to make a test shot and modify it than you

using your light meter and transfer the settings manually to your

camera (without making any failures by interpret the measure wrong).

[nggalai]

I think that I´m faster to make a test shot and modify it than you

using your light meter and transfer the settings manually to your

camera (without making any failures by interpret the measure wrong).

 

That’s the nice bit about light meters – you can check from time to time without having to put the camera in front of your face or check histograms. I often wander around, take readings off the meter when the light changes. As it doesn’t change dramatically inside 2-4h, usually, the camera is already mostly-there prior to making adjustments. Usually, it’s ½ to 1 EV more or less, and after using the meter for a couple of weeks you’ll know what EV difference lies between “shadowy part” and ”sunlit part” at a particular time during a particular season. (Right now for northern Switzerland: 2.5 to 3 EV.)

 

The Leica makes it easy to set exposure by feel. You know it’s at 1 / 250s, the meter says +1 LV, so you click the speed dial twice without lifting the camera. Sort-of automatically, after a while.

 

Hence regarding speed, I don’t think one or the other approach is considerably quicker. While you check the histogram, I read the meter and see ½ LV less light than during the last reading, hence just click the aperture ring once while lifting the camera.

 

Different strokes.

 

Cheers,

-Sascha

[peter_n]

I only use film Leicas and my two MPs have very accurate internal meters. However in certain situations you do need an incident reading and I use a Gossen Digipro F for that. So far it has done well and I like the aperture priority mode and the EV readout if you need it. I don't know what the new Gossen is like but this little thing is very good indeed and has given me great results.

[EJohnE]

For unobtrusive "street photography", an incident meter reading taken from near the potential subject can be much better than fooling around with the camera held up at eye level adjusting things from a chosen vantage point. Also, one can choose a shooting spot and focus on the $50 note one has left as a marker. Thus, both correct exposure and correct-ish focus can be assured without frightening the victim in advance.

Also with DSLR cameras which all seem to have meters above or near the pentaprism, a change to a custom screen messes up the meter reading. An incident meter is much better than having to remember esoteric corrections dependent on focal length and aperture.

John.