Light Meter / Flash Meter Question

[Hurricanedan]

I am just wondering how many out there use a Light Meter and/or Flash Meter. Is this still a holdover from film or something that you would recommend to a new digital photographer?

Thanks,

Dan

[highbarger]

I use my flashmeter when using monolights. Otherwise, it stays in the bag. Craig

[chickpiper]

I just bought another one. The Gossen Digipro F. I have put it through its paces and I like it a lot. The hardest part for someone not familiar with these type meters is that you must calibrate the meter to the cameras ISO. For example - My D200's base ISO is 100. When I set this ISO on the meter I get underexposed images. I simply set the meter to read ISO 64 instead of 100. This gives me highly accurate exposures, both with strobes and also outdoors in sunlight. I also have the Sekonic L508 and it gives me the same results. These meters are simply tools, but I learned using one and cannot really get by without it. Hope this helps.

[LeeK]

Use the flash/ambient meter readings on every outdoor and flash meter in every studio shoot we do. However, we still shoot mostly film.

[UnivModels]

Still meter ALL my shots - and now working digital (Sony a100) Meter is Sekonic (very happy with it) - use for ambient setting, and/or add flash for detail. If flash is used I use a 1/150 sec exposure for sync and appropriate f stop for flash.

Chris

[richardpcrowe]

It is an older model which doesn't have the bells and whistles of the newer Sekonics but, it gives accurate readings (after all, that is what you want a meter for anyway). Used (the only way to get one is used) L-718 meters run around a hundred bucks. Considerably less expensive than a new, top-line Sekonic meter.

Actually, I know my lights so well that I don't always use the meter. I can give a darn good estimate of exposure and eyeball my lighting ratio. I almost always do a couple of test shots prior to the actual shoot. I have a white teddy bear that is a stand-in for my white Maltese dogs and a great mannekin head for testing exposure/lghting for human portraits. Boy, does she have a lot of patience. She never complains about me playing with my lights.

[kgphoto]

I always use a hand held meter. Always.

In a studio, after I check my lights with the meter, I will string them so I as I adjust them, I don't have to re-meter, but to initially dial them in, I always use a meter.

Always.

OK, except for shooting weddings with on camera flash and film. There I have calibrated my equipment and shooting distances so that I shoot manual according to the guide numbers I have developed for my equipment.

[Nikonfreak]

Absolutely always at every shoot where it counts.

If it's outdoors or nature, no.

In a wedding I'll do a couple of readings here and there as well as meter the studio strobes we place high for ambient illumination by the dance floor.

[Rense]

I have just recently bought two lightmeters in addition to the ones I already had, because I find myself more and more (spot-)metering the available light.