My new favourite toy - a light-meter!

kelly1

Folks, got myself a Sekonic L-308s (for flash metering) but I was trying it out around the garden and it's pretty damn cool for metering ambient light. Gets the exposure absolutely spot on! :cool:

The camera metering is a bit hit and miss. Very hard to know which mode to use and if I use spot metering, I find it hard to judge how many stops is it above or below mid-grey, especially when the subject is coloured.

Stick her in manual, take a reading in 2 secs and as long as the light doesn't change (big assumption), you're lauging. I'm like a kid with my new favourite toy!

Anyone else using meters for ambient lighting? If not, you should try it out.

PopeBuckfastXVI

I need one for my new Bronica, which doesn't have any meter in it, looking at picking up something on the bay for cheap, will be using my d80 as a stand in til then.

kelly1

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote: »

I need one for my new Bronica, which doesn't have any meter in it, looking at picking up something on the bay for cheap, will be using my d80 as a stand in til then.

Mine cost £137 inc. P&P from Morris Photographic on eBay.

dakar

You should keep an eye out on eBay for a metered prism for your Bronnie, AE ii's can go pretty cheaply, but can eat batteries apparently. AE iii's are supposedly better, but seem to command a hefty premium.

PopeBuckfastXVI

I'm hoping to pick up a minolta for under 50 quid *fingers crossed*

Actually want to stick with the waist level finder for now, just for a change!

dakar

The waist level finder is lovely, main reason I bought mine, after having a look at Rymus' but the metered prism is handy to have.

ThOnda

External meter is the way to go, if you know, what you are doing with that. Having old(er) mechanical camera is good way to learn, but you can see immediately the result in you didjital camera.

magicbastarder

i have a polaris meter, present from the gf. does what it says on the tin.

goldiejam

you could pick up an old leningrad light meter of de ebay for about €15, works great for me..

Borderfox

I have a Polaris one, handy for checking out light levels in venues

ant_moore123

kelly1 wrote: »

Folks, got myself a Sekonic L-308s (for flash metering) but I was trying it out around the garden and it's pretty damn cool for metering ambient light. Gets the exposure absolutely spot on! :cool:

The camera metering is a bit hit and miss. Very hard to know which mode to use and if I use spot metering, I find it hard to judge how many stops is it above or below mid-grey, especially when the subject is coloured.

Stick her in manual, take a reading in 2 secs and as long as the light doesn't change (big assumption), you're lauging. I'm like a kid with my new favourite toy!

Anyone else using meters for ambient lighting? If not, you should try it out.

I got the same one from the wife for xmas, only used it once though for studio flash, its very easy to use

Borderfox

Most times indoors the only thing it tells me is that there's not enough light