Light meter question

[midnight_rider]

I am thinking about adding a light meter to my selection but I have a question. Other than the spot meter mode can you take a reading from a distance, lets say 30-70 feet or so? I have not used one of these yet but I would like to learn how. I am wanting something for under 500 USD or so. Thanks for your help.

[Jon]

Well, taking a reading from a distance is what the spot meter mode is intended for. Incident metering, you need to be at your subject's position, where you measure the light that will be falling on (incident to) it. You can take a reflected meter reading up close (from an 18% grey card, or from some known reflective value), or with a spot accessory from a distance. But if your light source is sufficiently far away, an incident reading at the camera position (outdoors, say) will be as good as a spot (reflected) meter reading of a suitable target at the subject's position.

[midnight_rider]

That is what I have for the most part been reading over the past couple of weeks. The downside is that I can only find spot meters that get 1-5% coverage. I wish I could find a meter with the ability of a spot meter with something like 45-70% coverage. That would be nice. Yet it is looking unlikely.

[Jon]

Most meters will give you around that coverage without a spot attachment. Spot metering is for when you need a precise detail exposed properly. Or take a reflected meter reading with your camera's meter.

[SkipD]

That is what I have for the most part been reading over the past couple of weeks. The downside is that I can only find spot meters that get 1-5% coverage. I wish I could find a meter with the ability of a spot meter with something like 45-70% coverage. That would be nice. Yet it is looking unlikely.True spotmeters are NOT rated in percentage of coverage. They ARE rated in degrees (angle) of coverage.

Most folks looking for a spot meter will choose one with a 1° angle of coverage in order to get the most precise measurements of small portions of a scene. The reason is so that the photographer can understand the light levels from the darkest and brightest portions of the scene that he/she is interested in recording on film or in digital form.

I'm not really sure what you are referring to with your statement: I wish I could find a meter with the ability of a spot meter with something like 45-70% coverage. If you could elaborate on that a little, then we can help you understand how to do what you want with commonly available meters (including the one in your camera).

[midnight_rider]

True spotmeters are NOT rated in percentage of coverage. They ARE rated in degrees (angle) of coverage.

Most folks looking for a spot meter will choose one with a 1° angle of coverage in order to get the most precise measurements of small portions of a scene. The reason is so that the photographer can understand the light levels from the darkest and brightest portions of the scene that he/she is interested in recording on film or in digital form.

I'm not really sure what you are referring to with your statement: I wish I could find a meter with the ability of a spot meter with something like 45-70% coverage. If you could elaborate on that a little, then we can help you understand how to do what you want with commonly available meters (including the one in your camera).

After reading your reply I can try to put it a different way.
I would like to be able to meter a scene from a distance. Is there a way to get a reading on an area from about 30-70 feet away with a 40-70 degree angle of coverage? From what I understand ( granted it is not much on this subject) a meter needs to be in the area that you plan to shoot. Once you take your reading you can step away and then take your shot. Yet with a spot meter you can aim at your desired subject and meter the scene 1 degree at a time. Is there such a thing as the best of both worlds? Does anyone make a meter that can meter an entire scene without being in the middle of it. Kind o like what the camera does in evaluative only more accurate? I do not know what a meter is capable of so it is kind of hard to choose one.
Thanks for your reply.

[SkipD]

After reading your reply I can try to put it a different way.
I would like to be able to meter a scene from a distance. Is there a way to get a reading on an area from about 30-70 feet away with a 40-70 degree angle of coverage? From what I understand ( granted it is not much on this subject) a meter needs to be in the area that you plan to shoot. Once you take your reading you can step away and then take your shot. Yet with a spot meter you can aim at your desired subject and meter the scene 1 degree at a time. Is there such a thing as the best of both worlds? Does anyone make a meter that can meter an entire scene without being in the middle of it. Kind o like what the camera does in evaluative only more accurate? I do not know what a meter is capable of so it is kind of hard to choose one.
Thanks for your reply.A conventional handheld light meter like the Sekonic L-358 can be used in two ways with what is supplied.

One is using the "Lumigrid" (essentially a lens that goes over the light sensor) for "reflected light" readings (much the way your camera's meter works) and accepts light from a 54° angle of "view". You aim the meter in the direction of the scene and push a button to take a reading. If you were being picky, you might take several readings while aiming in slightly different directions.

Another method of using the L-358 is with the "Lumisphere" (a white translucent hemisphere which replaces the "Lumigrid" and covers the light sensor) for taking "incident" readings. In this mode, light actually hitting the Lumisphere is measured. The meter, in incident mode, does not measure light reflected from the subject/scene but the light falling on the meter.

There is an attachment for the L-358 (actually several different ones) for making very narrow-angle reflected light readings. I have the 1° spot meter attachment for mine.

The fancier Sekonic meters have the spotmeter capability built in rather than requiring an adapter and they can still do the conventional 54° reflected readings or incident readings.

The spot metering capability, while invaluable in a few situations, is not often needed. In the "olden days", we usually had a handheld meter that would do either wide-angle reflected readings or incident readings and a totally separate spot meter (usually for a 1° angle of measurement).

Hope this helps.

[Wilt]

After reading your reply I can try to put it a different way.
I would like to be able to meter a scene from a distance. Is there a way to get a reading on an area from about 30-70 feet away with a 40-70 degree angle of coverage? From what I understand ( granted it is not much on this subject) a meter needs to be in the area that you plan to shoot. Once you take your reading you can step away and then take your shot. Yet with a spot meter you can aim at your desired subject and meter the scene 1 degree at a time. Is there such a thing as the best of both worlds? Does anyone make a meter that can meter an entire scene without being in the middle of it. Kind o like what the camera does in evaluative only more accurate? I do not know what a meter is capable of so it is kind of hard to choose one.
Thanks for your reply.

Ignoring the specifics of Sekonic meters, but speaking in generalities...


Most reflected handheld meters read about the same AOV as a 'normal' lens. For reflected readings, YOU do not need to be 'in the same light' as the subject.
Most incident light readings are taken with a hemisphere diffuser over the photosensor. For incident readings, YOU need to be 'in the same light' as the subject.
Incident readings taken for photography of flat art are with a flat disk diffuser rather than hemisphere.
True Spot readings are typically 1 degree AOV. If you are really far away from the subject, even a one-degree spot meter works effectively as a 'very small area averaging meter'. For example, one degree measuring something 1000' away sees an area as large as 10' x 15'
Some meters (like my Minolta) offer a 5 degree attachment or a 10 degree reflected light attachment
The in-camera 'Spot' and 'Partial' actually are only 'small area averaging' meters, not 'spots' at all. For example, using 50mm lens on FF body, at 10' the frame covers 4.7' x 7.1' area, or 33.3 sq.ft. So a 3% 'Spot' sees one square foot at the 10' distance.
Compare that to 0.6 sq.in. area seen with a one-degree spot meter at that same distance. That is 1/240th of the area seen by the so-called 'spot' in camera!