Small light meter

[tommonego@gmail.com]

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Just a new gadget I thought I'd share. Picked up a new small lightmeter to go with my M3, a Sekonic Twinmate. I had been using a Gossen Scout 3 but it jammed up on me and it wasn't a very good meter anyway. So I looked at the small Gossen Digisix, but they were out of stock so I saw Sekonic. I like the size, tiny to carry with the M3, also has incident capabilities, which I missed on the Scout, only gripe was it didn't come with a battery, but I had one so no big problem. It also has a flash bracket that can be installed, it probably will cover the speed dial.

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[TomB_tx]

I switched to the Twinmate after using the Digisix for a few years. I prefer the analog meter, but mainly the Digisix would eat batteries unless you took them out after using it, then have to reset the meter when installing them again. I find the Twinmate easier and more reliable.

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[tommonego@gmail.com]

39 minutes ago, TomB_tx said:

I switched to the Twinmate after using the Digisix for a few years. I prefer the analog meter, but mainly the Digisix would eat batteries unless you took them out after using it, then have to reset the meter when installing them again. I find the Twinmate easier and more reliable.

Glad they were out of stock I really like the analog readings and was $50 less. 

[Pyrogallol]

There have been a couple of other threads about meters where I said that I have two of the Twinmate ones and use them all the time, mostly in incident mode.

 

[tommonego@gmail.com]

I guess nothing is new, I had 2 broken M2s in March and was promise an M3 in August, but I wasn't on Film and Film Camera threads at the time. Interesting reads. After getting and repairing the M3 I am liking film and the old feel of M cameras.

Edited April 4, 2020 by tommonego@gmail.com

[mediumformula]

4 hours ago, tommonego@gmail.com said:

Glad they were out of stock I really like the analog readings and was $50 less. 

Could you post a couple of pictures of what the camera looks like with the meter mounted on it?  Thanks.

[tommonego@gmail.com]

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I thought about using it that way but decided that a pocket meter was fine, it is what I have always used. The other problem is it would cover the shutter speed dial. I wasn't going to do it but I got curious so here it is. Surprisingly it doesn't cover the shutter speed dial any worse than my Voigtlander 25mm finder. The other problem is I don't think there is a way to turn it on and leave it on, so you would have to press the grey button when you wanted to take an exposure, but it will hold the needle at the exposure point. I just think it is better as a hand held meter.

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[mediumformula]

Thanks.  That's quite large on top of the camera.  Too bad it covers the shutter dial as well.

[250swb]

53 minutes ago, tommonego@gmail.com said:

I thought about using it that way but decided that a pocket meter was fine, it is what I have always used. The other problem is it would cover the shutter speed dial. I wasn't going to do it but I got curious so here it is. Surprisingly it doesn't cover the shutter speed dial any worse than my Voigtlander 25mm finder. The other problem is I don't think there is a way to turn it on and leave it on, so you would have to press the grey button when you wanted to take an exposure, but it will hold the needle at the exposure point. I just think it is better as a hand held meter.

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You have one problem right there, you have the invercone set for an incident reading not a reflected reading, so the meter should be facing backwards, or move the invercone over to the left. 😉

If you are using a hand held meter it is far better to use it hand held because the thing you want to photography is often not the thing that will give you an accurate reading. If using a camera with a meter for example you'd point it at the thing to meter off, green grass etc. then recompose.

[bags27]

I put the Leica MR-4 on my M4-P. It's an engineering marvel. But, it converts a fully manual camera into an aperture priority camera, and you can't override that with the light meter on and (more importantly) you can't even see the shutter speed.  

More often, then, I just shoot sunny 16 or use my cell phone app.

 

[tommonego@gmail.com]

vor 43 Minuten schrieb 250swb:

You have one problem right there, you have the invercone set for an incident reading not a reflected reading, so the meter should be facing backwards, or move the invercone over to the left. 😉

If you are using a hand held meter it is far better to use it hand held because the thing you want to photography is often not the thing that will give you an accurate reading. If using a camera with a meter for example you'd point it at the thing to meter off, green grass etc. then recompose.

This was for illustration only, size vs camera, no intention of using it that way. This is a hand held meter for me. Will use it as it needs to be used.

Edited April 4, 2020 by tommonego@gmail.com

[Herr Barnack]

I have a Sekonic L-508 Zoom Master which I have used for the past 20 years - it's a really outstanding meter but a bit on the large side compared to the Twinmate.

The L-508 was listing for around $150 USD a couple of years ago so I was surprised to see them currently listing for almost twice that on ebay.  If memory serves me, they were around $300-325 USD new when they were in production.   

I have used other light meters but the L-508 is my favorite.  And it actually is a small and convenient size (compared to a Pentax 6x7 🙄)...

Edited April 4, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[tommonego@gmail.com]

vor 13 Minuten schrieb Herr Barnack:

I have a Sekonic L-508 Zoom Master which I have used for the past 20 years - it's a really outstanding meter but a bit on the large side compared to the Twinmate.

The L-508 was listing for around $150 USD a couple of years ago so I was surprised to see them currently listing for almost twice that on ebay.  If memory serves me, they were around $300-325 USD new when they were in production.   

I have used other light meters but the L-508 is my favorite.  And it actually is a small and convenient size (compared to a Pentax 6x7 🙄)...

Any thing is small compared to a Pentax 6x7, like I don't mind carrying a Luna Pro with my Linhof. The Luna Pro is close to the size of my M3.

[david strachan]

I use my Twinmate occasionally.  It is good in the pocket being small and very lightweight.

For tricky light i might just take a mid grey reading somewhere, such as a lawn, or my palm.

...

[Ko.Fe.]

What a great discovery! I use it for many years now.   It isn't  small to be honest.

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[Herr Barnack]

Quote

...I have used other light meters but the L-508 is my favorite.  And it actually is a small and convenient size (compared to a Pentax 6x7 🙄)...

Disclaimer

Uh...  That was intended as humor, seeing as how a Pentax 6x7 is only marginally smaller than a Smart Car.

Edited April 5, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[tommonego@gmail.com]

vor 8 Stunden schrieb Herr Barnack:

Disclaimer

Uh...  That was intended as humor, seeing as how a Pentax 6x7 is only marginally smaller than a Smart Car.

It may be bigger than my 4x5 Linhof, both getting close to a smart car, sorry mine was supposed to be a little funnier than it was.

Edited April 5, 2020 by tommonego@gmail.com

[a.noctilux]

@bags27

Ken, we can see the shutter speed set on MR4 at it's top.

 

Leicameter MR4 was once small meter,

it looks nice but this one mounted for fun doesn't work with reliability anymore

 

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[shirubadanieru]

m4R is definitely my favorite meter for Leica. I got mine from Tamarkin upgraded to fit new batteries and CLAed, I’ve tested accuracy several times and it’s always spot on

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[bags27]

3 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

@bags27

Ken, we can see the shutter speed set on MR4 at it's top.

 

Leicameter MR4 was once small meter,

it looks nice but this one mounted for fun doesn't work with reliability anymore

 

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+1. many thanks. Astonishingly, I never noticed it before.