Do I Need a Light Meter

[jcsorensen]

With the instant feedback of digital, are the days of needing a flash meter when using multiple flash units gone? Seems to me if my exposure settings are off, I look at the LCD screen and adjust accordingly. Is my reasoning flawed?

[barnold999]

What if you want to get it right on the first try... for studio photography a light meter is nice... or in odd settings (like theatre or concert) Not that I have one but if I did lol

[RedShoesGirl]

barnold999 wrote:
What if you want to get it right on the first try... for studio photography a light meter is nice... or in odd settings (like theatre or concert) Not that I have one but if I did lol

Anytime exposure is critical I use a light meter or if the scene is very contrasty. There is no way the screen is going to get it right....things look a lot different on the camera screen than on the computer monitor.

lara

[barnold999]

I agree wish I had $$ for a light meter...

[dbarthel]

One nice thing about a spot meter is that you can meter independently of composition. I use a 1 degree spot for critical landscape scenes, and expose to keep the important highlights within two stops above the exposure setting.

[hommedars]

I think the answer depends on the camera and its ability to separate the focus and metering functions. It also depends on how you work.

With better dslr's, you have mutliple metering options and can lock exposure independent of focus and composition. If the questions is about the quality of the meters, that is determined by the quality of the camera, i.e. the meter in a Canon 1Ds is as sophisticated as any affordable light meter on the market.

When working with the camera on a tripod, a light meter can be much more convenient than trying to gather multiple readings in a viewfinder.

So, as is often the case, the answer is that depends on what you need and how you work.

[justme_dc]

If you are using studio strobes and you are getting paid for your work then the simple answer is yes. If you are doing landscape and want the best possible dynamic range then oh yeah. If you are just fooling around and having fun with your hobby then the answer is probably yes too.

I wouldn't dream of trusting my camera's meter and LCD to judge critical lighting. For one, the brightness level on the LCD is adjustable and that could mean up to several stops of incorrect exposure. Histograms will work but the meter is really the right way to do it. Plus it is just one more fun piece of gear to play with and who doesn't want that? Sekonic make great meters I have 3 of theirs and they are all great.

good luck to you.

[ShaneR]

Is there a less expensive light meter available that only measures temperatures? I'd like to have one for the custom WB settings, but can't really justify the cost of a full featured meter.

[evilenglishman]

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[ShaneR]

Thanks evilenglishman, that's what I have done the few times I messed with it, but's it's kind of a pain in the a$$. I just thought I could take a quick read with a meter and set it with the menu.

[jcsorensen]

evilenglishman wrote:
ShaneR wrote:
Is there a less expensive light meter available that only measures temperatures? I'd like to have one for the custom WB settings, but can't really justify the cost of a full featured meter.

just shoot a piece of white paper and save the image then set the custom whit balance with that image


Gossen makes one called the Color Pro (at least I saw it in an article). Not sure what the cost is, but a quick trip to the on-line camera shops should answer that for you.

[justme_dc]

In my experience, color temp meters rank among the most costly meters available. They are extensively used in Cine work.