woo hoo bought a light meter

[korman]

Originally Posted by Loa

Regardless, I've been convinced by good arguments to try out RAW a couple years ago. Never went back actually. But so far, I haven't seen any argument that truly held up to examination by today's standards.

Loa,

the incident light meters really start to shine where your in-camera meter begins to have trouble. With an incident light meter, you can measure and correct the ratio between different light sources in the same image to get those right. Fixing those in photoshop is a royal pain or impossible.

Once those ratios are correct, getting the overall exposure correct is something the in-camera light meter can do well and that's something you also can fix easily during the raw conversion.

You're probably right, that if you have a setting where you can't really play how your subject is illuminated or just have a single light source, a light meter would be an overkill.

Korman

[Loa]

Originally Posted by korman

With an incident light meter, you can measure and correct the ratio between different light sources in the same image to get those right. Fixing those in photoshop is a royal pain or impossible.

Hello

You're right about that: changing light ratios in PS will be near impossible for most photographs.

But my point is that LCDs from recent DLSRs (even going back to the D70) are good enough to be able to judge that. Now "good enough" is the problem word here, I'm well aware of that.

Take a look at some of David Hobby's (Strobist) photographs... He often uses 2-3-4 lights setups, but never even uses the in-camera light meter! And on the videos and his DVDs, he either uses a D70 or one of the D2 variants: in other words he uses cameras with "crappy" LCDs compared to a D90 or D300.

So here's a pro photographer who earns a living with his work and never uses a hand-held light meter. There are valid alternatives to hand-held light meters.

I don't have issues with people who say they need one. My problem is with people who say that *everybody* should use a hand-held light meter, otherwise all your pictures will look like crap.

Loa

Originally Posted by Loa

I don't have issues with people who say they need one. My problem is with people who say that *everybody* should use a hand-held light meter, otherwise all your pictures will look like crap.

Loa

I dont recall anyone saying you need you one or your images will look like crap.
Taking better images and pushing your control of light may require the proper tools.
Dont forget the cameras we carry around are designed to many jobs well ,not all perfectly.
Learning how light meters work is invaluable in your pursuit of better images;that is why we spend the money on cameras and post on forums.
Back to your statement.
I collect and shoot vintage cameras and have used the metering from my dslr to set them up and have obtained some great images,so yes you can create nice images with a reflective meter it really depends on how you use your tools.

We had a member here that shot with a point and shoot ,his images were some the most creative and tech correct that I have seen.
My feelings were if he bought a hasleblad and pursusued it he could be one of the best.

[Mike_e]

Wow, touchy subject.

A couple of minor points if I may.

1. The average isn't 18% (at least for Nikon) it's around 16% gray. At least according to Thom Hogan. Something to do with faces being under exposed but that's a different story. Anyway the upshot is that most cameras are going to over expose slightly using their own meters.

2. Cameras, like cars or anything else that is mass produced, are not all exactly alike. This means that you will find that one D300 will have a meter that's slightly different than the next. Or which ever camera model you like for that matter.

The trick is- as always- to know your tools.

[goose129]

Originally Posted by Songman45

Thank you for the advice and your opinion. I would like for you to do two things. First take one of your best photographs and put it safely away. Secondly, print out what you just explained to me and place it with the photograph. In 10 years I'd like you to review both; you will be astonished.

Best Regards
Steve

I think you are talking apples and oranges here. What you photograph today may seem like the greatest photo in the world, but as you progress over the years, you hone the knowledge and get better. Then looking back on things, you see the flaws that you didn’t see then. This has nothing to do with the subject at hand.