klaush Posted March 18, 2014 Share #41 Posted March 18, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) I use a Sekonic 308 S when strolling around with my M2 or M3. For best results - digital (M9) or not digital - I use a Pentax Spotmeter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 18, 2014 Posted March 18, 2014 Hi klaush, Take a look here Who still uses a handheld meter?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
smkoush Posted March 19, 2014 Share #42 Posted March 19, 2014 I use a Gossen Luna-Pro digital F if I am not in a rush. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roguewave Posted March 19, 2014 Share #43 Posted March 19, 2014 I almost always have my Gossen Digisix in one pocket or the other. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
normclarke Posted March 20, 2014 Share #44 Posted March 20, 2014 Weston V with an invacone and Sekonic 308 with either my Leica's or Nikon's as none have meter's. Only a couple of small digital camera's that I just use for grab shot's. Can't get interested in 'electronic' photography! Best, normclarke. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
-ph- Posted March 23, 2014 Share #45 Posted March 23, 2014 I use my Gossen digipro F from time to time with my M9. It is very nice to get precise exposure in very difficult situations. However, most of the time, the built-in meter of the M9 is good enough and of course much faster to use. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berth Posted March 23, 2014 Share #46 Posted March 23, 2014 In my march back to 20th century film photography I've added Sekonic's Studio Deluxe III L-398A to my kit. It's a welcome complement of the in-camera meter of my MP. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyj Posted April 2, 2014 Share #47 Posted April 2, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Just to open up another reason for using a hand held light meter; in my case a Pentax spot meter. I have found that I can better judge when I've reached the limits of the camera sensor's capability (without additional lighting) by measuring the EV value of a subjects recognizable shadow area. In the case of the Digilux 6 if I keep the recognizable shadow area above EV5 I won't get yellow blotches in an expanse of low light area. In the case of the X-Vario, keeping the recognizable shadow area above EV4 will prevent noise /color issues in the shadows. Essentially, it lets me know when low light conditions are going to cause problems for the digital camera sensor across the recorded light range of the sensor for a particular scene. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS Posted August 24, 2015 Share #48 Posted August 24, 2015 For the last several years, I've been using an M3 with a Sekonic L-758DR meter. Since acquiring an M 240 in December, I've continued using the meter. The meter gives me incident readings, which the M 240 can't. It allows me to get more precise spot readings. And it enables me to quickly and easily translate a reading into exposure at different ISOs, f stops and shutter speeds. I'm away to get a L758 DR as well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Lemon Posted August 25, 2015 Share #49 Posted August 25, 2015 I have just bought a mint second hand Gossen Sixon in the original packaging for GBP20 - very nice even though it only goes to 800ASA. I use a Sekonic Flashmate L-308s for all indoor work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gberger Posted August 27, 2015 Share #50 Posted August 27, 2015 Sekonic 308S, unless I feel nostalgic and pull out my ancient Norwood Director. I like the 306S capability easily to switch from incident to reflective Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Her Berger Posted August 27, 2015 Share #51 Posted August 27, 2015 Lumu and iPhone small, smart, strong (like an Espresso) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hiles Posted August 28, 2015 Share #52 Posted August 28, 2015 In simple situations I estimate using my favourite XP2. Generally the results are pretty good. For trickier situations, or when I want absolute accuracy, I get out my Sekonic 1 degree spot meter and place different elements à la zone placement. BTW - I expose XP2 for 200 ASA. The negatives are perfect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Louis Marit Posted August 28, 2015 Share #53 Posted August 28, 2015 Sekonic L758DR. I have an L 398 as well that I bought 30 years ago. Think I will dust it off and start using it again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Albertson Posted September 5, 2015 Share #54 Posted September 5, 2015 I only said "still" because it seems some photographers reckon proper exposure doesn't matter so much in the digital age; they will just adjust it later in PP. I'm used to slide film so would prefer to get it right first time if poss. Pleased to see handheld meters are not totally out of fashion! The exposure meter in the MM is quite good, but I often use a Sekonic L-358 for an incident reading to make sure the highlights don't blow out - the MM sensor is quite like K25/K64 in that regard. As you say, geting the exposure right saves a lot of heroics in post-processing. The Sekonic also gets a lot of use with flash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAASCH Posted May 20, 2016 Share #55 Posted May 20, 2016 (edited) Two days ago, I bought a 1970s Sekonic L-28c2 for use with my X Vario and X2 for 30 euros. I find that most of the time, using the incident meter gives me very good results, but sometimes they're completely off, and I haven't figured out yet why that is. I am intrigued by the physics of this metering method. It's completely different from reflective light metering — the camera's built-in meter rarely agrees with the exposure choices made following the Sekonic. The histogram doesn't always show a nice Bell curve or something similar, either, but I'm beginning to see that this is not a problem: using the incident light meter, what is recorded is how the light was actually distributed in the scene (though it does make a significant difference where you point the dome, obviously, and I haven't mastered that aspect yet). Not every scene has highlights, not every scene has near-blacks, and if for artistic reasons these are called for, with the excellent sensors in the Leicas one can fix all that in post without loss of image quality. Edited May 20, 2016 by Mandemaker Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 20, 2016 Share #56 Posted May 20, 2016 Sorry if I am stating something you know (and if you do some reader of your post may not), but you do realize that you are measuring the light falling onto the scene, not the light reflected by the subject. Which means that the meter is pointing backwards, over your shoulder so to speak. The vintage Gossen Sixtomat is a very interesting meter to use. Not only does it measure quite well, but being a Selenium meter it does not need a battery, it has a rolling curtain for incident light metering, and it has an incorporated comparative type colour temperature meter. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 6 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/221817-who-still-uses-a-handheld-meter/?do=findComment&comment=3047878'>More sharing options...
BAASCH Posted May 20, 2016 Share #57 Posted May 20, 2016 Sorry if I am stating something you know (and if you do some reader of your post may not), but you do realize that you are measuring the light falling onto the scene, not the light reflected by the subject. Which means that the meter is pointing backwards, over your shoulder so to speak. Thanks... I know. But there is still the matter of where exactly you point the dome. You can point it at the camera lens, which is the traditional method, conforming to the Sekonic usage instructions, but there are those who say you should aim it at the light source. And in some situations, you may do both, and use an average reading to set your exposure, or point it somewhere between camera and light source, and take a reading like that. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david strachan Posted May 20, 2016 Share #58 Posted May 20, 2016 I use a Gossen Lunasix, Pentax Spotmeter and others. But one of my favourites is the Zeiss Ikophot...old tech, very accurate, no batteries with incident screen...just rather nice in a small pocketable leather shape... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 5 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/221817-who-still-uses-a-handheld-meter/?do=findComment&comment=3047890'>More sharing options...
wattsy Posted May 20, 2016 Share #59 Posted May 20, 2016 I am intrigued by the physics of this metering method. It's completely different from reflective light metering — the camera's built-in meter rarely agrees with the exposure choices made following the Sekonic. The histogram doesn't always show a nice Bell curve or something similar, either, but I'm beginning to see that this is not a problem: using the incident light meter, what is recorded is how the light was actually distributed in the scene (though it does make a significant difference where you point the dome, obviously, and I haven't mastered that aspect yet). Yes. IMO an incident meter (which is my preferred method of metering) works most accurately when the light is either already diffuse or if the main light source is angled away from the lens axis. IMO you need to be very careful with an incident meter when the main light source is both strong and close to the axis of the lens – for example, when doing landscape work with the sun low in the sky and almost directly behind or in front. If you just point the meter over your shoulder straight into the sun behind you are likely to end up underexposing the scene (or if you do the same - meter over your shoulder – with the sun straight in front of you, you are putting the dome into a dark shadow and are likely to overexpose). Using an incident meter I think it is important to realise that the plastic dome is not infallible and, as you suggest, it is important to recognise how and where to point it when the scene or light starts to get tricky. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS Posted May 20, 2016 Share #60 Posted May 20, 2016 I just bought a Sekonic L758dr. Fantastic piece of kit and makes zone metering a doddle:) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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