Light Meter
- Thread starter smtan24
- Start date
- Status
fastshot
Member
In general yes, particularly if you are shooting film, especially slides.
The light meter is typically used to read incident light instead of reflected light.
Most serious photographer shooting with flash/strobes will use a flashmeter to determine proper lighting setup and aperture setting. For outdoors, many pros can "read" the ambient light from experience and not depend on lightmeter or camera's built-in meter.
If you are shooting digital, the light meter is not so necessary since your camera histogram and review functions can do a good job of giving you immediate feedback on your exposure settings.
The light meter is typically used to read incident light instead of reflected light.
Most serious photographer shooting with flash/strobes will use a flashmeter to determine proper lighting setup and aperture setting. For outdoors, many pros can "read" the ambient light from experience and not depend on lightmeter or camera's built-in meter.
If you are shooting digital, the light meter is not so necessary since your camera histogram and review functions can do a good job of giving you immediate feedback on your exposure settings.
smtan24 said:
Yes, light meters is generally more accurate if you use it properly. Lightmeter is being build to do 1 thing, take light reading. As in Camera light meter is part of many functions.
Generally as it reads incident light, hence it is independent on the reflectance of the material.
I am still using my Minolta Flashmeter IVF for studio work and outdoor portrait...... It is generally more accurate.
True, digital SLR can be used to check the exposure...
Hart
Del_CtrlnoAlt
Senior Member
smtan24 said:
i using a polaris... around 200+ cheap cheap...
if someone donate a minolta one to me i dun mind --> lookin at the 600 bucks one... :bheart:
I am afraid that I am not able to agree with some of the above comments.
A handheld light meter is NOT more accurate than the camera's meter.
ALL METERS, unless faulty, are inherently accurate. There might be some variations in the reading, but the differences are unlikely to be a major problem.
A handheld light meter can be used to read reflected as well as incident light. It depends on what the photographer wants. For example, many landscape photographers use spotmeters whic of course measures reflected light. In the studio, an incident metering is often used.
In certain situations, the camera's meter may be more accurate than the handheld meter. For example, to one who has yet to understand light and the readings from meters, sometimes the built-in meters with its computer algorithms can give a "better reading" than a light meter.
The most accurate meter is the one in the head which interprets readings from whatever meters one uses.
A handheld light meter is NOT more accurate than the camera's meter.
ALL METERS, unless faulty, are inherently accurate. There might be some variations in the reading, but the differences are unlikely to be a major problem.
A handheld light meter can be used to read reflected as well as incident light. It depends on what the photographer wants. For example, many landscape photographers use spotmeters whic of course measures reflected light. In the studio, an incident metering is often used.
In certain situations, the camera's meter may be more accurate than the handheld meter. For example, to one who has yet to understand light and the readings from meters, sometimes the built-in meters with its computer algorithms can give a "better reading" than a light meter.
The most accurate meter is the one in the head which interprets readings from whatever meters one uses.
Del_CtrlnoAlt
Senior Member
student said:
yup yup.. kinda agree...
but u forget 1 of the meters which i dun think any meters except that can do... Flash Meter... hehe... cos when use studio lights, u have to trigger the flash, be it incident or reflected, to get a reading, of the flash... no other meters can do it except those... ones that are built into cameras confirm cannot...
Del_CtrlnoAlt said:
Yes, of course you are correct.
Meters are designed for different purposes. For the purpose of studio flash, one would be advised to use a flashmeter.
But the question was not on this. The question was whether light meters are more accurate than camera meters.
Del_CtrlnoAlt
Senior Member
student said:
think i digress... but seriously thou, i typically name external (handheld) light meters generally as flash meters... as most if not all external light meters are flash meters...
fastshot
Member
student said:
While I respect your viewpoints, I don't think the comments that Agetan and I made earlier were misleading. It is also a given that unless something is faulty is should be working fine. I interpret the poster's question as "does a lightmeter outperform a camera's build in meter?".
My opinion is still by and large - yes it does. I own 3 lightmeters - Minolta IVF, Gossen Lunasix and Gossen Digiflash. All 3 meters are accurate to 1/4 stop of each other and at least 2 of them can be user adjusted. Most of the time, the meters are used in incident light mode for both ambient and flash metering. After one learn how to take incident light readings, the exposure is almost certainly good if not perfect.
Camera's build in meters can't be adjusted by the photographer for drift (not talking about exp comp). I have compact to MF film cameras with really dodgy metering (non TTL)because of age, sensitivity to certain color lights and stray lights. These include the Olympus XA, Rollei 35, Mamiya 6 etc. Cameras with TTL metering generally perform about the same as lightmeters in reflected light mode - however it can easily give wrong exposure if pointed at bad choice of target.
Cameras with matrix metering are wonderful, but not foolproof. And it doesn't teach the budding photographer much about correct exposures. A lightmeter is a really good learning tool and dependable companion.
For what it is worth:
- the Minolta IVF was the undisputed champ. Mine still works perfectly after 12 years.
- Gossen Lunasix is classic analog and champ for ultra low light metering (eg moonlight)
- Gossen Digiflash is an extremely compact meter, great for travelling.
I think it is not so hard to find a good used lightmeter around Penisular area.
fastshot said:
I did not say your comments were "misleading". I said I do not agree with you and Agetan.
Since you brought up the issues of the types of cameras, my indiscretion leads me to tell you the types of cameras I use. Maybe I should not. Because the number of cameras and light meters one own does not make one's opinion right. Let it suffice to say that I have "enough" equipment for many purposes.
When one ask "Is this more accurate than that?" My question would be "more accurate for what?" Obviously here - for telling the amount of light. Matrix and evaluative metering are not designed to compete with incident metering and 1 degree spotmetering. For its intended purposes, Matrix and evaluative metering can be more "accurate" than eg spotmetering. However, spotmetering gives me control that these Matrix metering cannot do.
So, it is not an issue of which is more accurate. They are al accurate. It is an issue of finding the right equipment for the right job.
Everyone has their own opinion.
If one feels that they already have the great exposure from their camera metering, so be it, but if someone like myself, prefer to work mostly in manual mode and relying on good old light meter, its a choice.
To me, light meter often more accurate... true that I can fix it up on Photoshop, but why should i do that if I already got the result I want? I don't like sitting in front of computer (ironically, I am while typing this msg). Hence I prefer to get it right.
Anyway, its a matter of preference and a matter of choice. there is no right or wrong in using something.
Hart
If one feels that they already have the great exposure from their camera metering, so be it, but if someone like myself, prefer to work mostly in manual mode and relying on good old light meter, its a choice.
To me, light meter often more accurate... true that I can fix it up on Photoshop, but why should i do that if I already got the result I want? I don't like sitting in front of computer (ironically, I am while typing this msg). Hence I prefer to get it right.
Anyway, its a matter of preference and a matter of choice. there is no right or wrong in using something.
Hart
KNIGHT ONG
Senior Member
keke .. whatever meter you used I dont care .. the best meter is yourself lar please .. :sweatsm:
Joke aside .. I am using flashmeter VI ... to meter studio lighting of course ..
What functions actually depends on what you want the meter for .. there is no fast and harsh rules to say which meter is better then the others .. if you needs more function .. be prepare to pay more like those spot meter .. :sweat:
Joke aside .. I am using flashmeter VI ... to meter studio lighting of course ..
What functions actually depends on what you want the meter for .. there is no fast and harsh rules to say which meter is better then the others .. if you needs more function .. be prepare to pay more like those spot meter .. :sweat:
smtan24 said:
Light meter is really simple and there aren't much functions.
Basically, what I am looking for is the "non-cord" flash metering, basically what that means is that I can click the flash meter and leave it at the sport I want to meter and fire my studio flash without having connecting the flash to the light meter.. I hate cables..
Some is more fancy which has remote radio controller which can fire your studio flash.
Just find one simple to use... Minolta IVF is really simple to use yet accurate, not too expensive too if you find the second hand one.
Hart
fastshot
Member
smtan24 said:
It really depends on what you're needs are, shooting style and budget constraints.
At the risk of being contradicted, philosophically or otherwise, you may want to consider these:
- meter should have flash metering capability
- can do incident & reflected metering by built-in sliding translucent port
- uses commonly available battery
- ease of use & portability
- robustness & built quality
Other nice to have features:
- meter can trigger strobes
- can simultaneously meter ambient & flash lights components
- memory to store different readings for comparison
- spot metering capable
Buying a light meter is a little like buying a "cuckoo clock" - for more $, you can get the next higher spec'd model. Personally, I think it is better to try it in your hands to see if you like the feel, displays, buttons, size and shiokness instead of just comparing the technical specifications and features list. A top model is likely to have many functions that you may not use.
- Status
Similar threads
