can someone give me the low down on light meters?

[DStanic]

Okay so I know what the basic function of a light meter is. But I'm wondering what makes and models are good (for features, accuracy, and ease of use). I would like to start shooting in manual more but seems kinda pointless chasing needle around in the camera. I watched another photog use a light meter and it made everything look so simple. At the moment I can't justify spending too much on one, are their good ones that are inexpensive? And what advantage do more expensive ones have?

[TheHoff]

Ambient light meters are very affordable. What makes an expensive meter is the flash reading capability and all of the associated electronics.

My suggestion to you if you want to more manual is to go with a classic needle/dial design. It will certainly take more practice than simply reading a digital display but the advantage is that you see all proper exposures at once.

http://www.sekonic.com/products/Sekonic%20L-398A%20STUDIO%20DELUXE%20III.asp

Sekonic is pretty much the standard maker these days. I think Gossen is still around? Minolta was bought by Kenko and the meters look pretty much unchanged. Minolta was the standard in my heyday but before that there was Gossen and Weston. It can be fun to pick up old meters like those on eBay but you'll likely need to have them calibrated before serious use.

Anyway, back to the dial.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/images345x345/435535.jpg

If you look at it closely, you'll see the advantage. Once you have your light reading from the top, you put that into the bottom dial. Then immediately you have the full range of "correct" exposures at your fingertips instead of the one combination you'll see with a digital readout.

The other big advantage is that meters like this are totally batteryless and will work for decades.

[PhotosGuy]

Meters can be very helpful, if you really need one, but all reflective meters, hand held or in camera, guestimate the exposure. Incident meters are usually very good, but still require some interpretation for very light or very dark subjects, depending what is most important in the shot. My meters have been gathering dust since I started using the histogram with digital.
I find that this works well for me 99% of the time: Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

My 1-cent flash "meter" in images 5S & 6S.
Simple 2 Light Portrait Set-up (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=128857)
While I wouldn't recommend this for a measurebater in a pro portrait studio, it works well enough. Set the main light first. Then set any others & chimp to get the ratios the way you want them.
For me, it's just as fast, & I don't have to carry it & it's backup, it's spare batteries, & wonder what to do if I drop it & it quits, or if I lose it. ;)

[SkipD]

If you want a handheld light meter that handles ambient light as well as light from flash sources, the meter that seems to be the most popular here (and I own and use one) is the Sekonic L-358. It is simple to use but very powerful in what it can do for the photographer.

[yogestee]

I was using hand held meters before inbuilt ones,,showing my age.. Meters like Gossen Lunasix were all the rage and deadly accurate.. Damned if I can remember the early Gossen that used a blue chip cell.. These were quite accurate too but if bumped too hard the needle would fall off its pivot..

Sekonic have also been around since Noah was a boy..

[DStanic]

I would like one to use mainly outdoors especially when the sun is popping in and out and might confuse the camera.