Recommend a light meter

I have a B+W ND 110 screw on filter which I find to be top quality. However, it comes with the problem of not knowing the correct exposure for a scene without taking off the filter and letting the camera tell me what to set to.

Hence, I'm looking for a light meter. ANy of you know a good value meter?

The alternative is to invest in square filters which is a bit costly and I would prefer to stick to my original purchase.

I reckon the Sekonic L-758 would be along the lines of what you're looking for. Not sure what other meters are available that can spot meter.

Have you tried liveview with bumping up the iso? Then you can compose and recalculate your exposure.

Actually, just found this cool free app. Just tested in doors and seems quite accurate. I can live with being off by a third under or over. I'll give this a run at the weekend.

http://itunes.apple.co​m …ht-meter/id381698089?mt=8

fitshaced wrote in post #14911732
I have a B+W ND 110 screw on filter which I find to be top quality. However, it comes with the problem of not knowing the correct exposure for a scene without taking off the filter and letting the camera tell me what to set to.

Could you please explain this "problem" a little more? If you remove the filter and use the camera's meter to determine exposure settings, you will still have to correct for the light reduction through the filter. The same would be true using a handheld meter.

SkipD wrote in post #14911825
Could you please explain this "problem" a little more? If you remove the filter and use the camera's meter to determine exposure settings, you will still have to correct for the light reduction through the filter. The same would be true using a handheld meter.

Yes but there's a risk of moving the camera or zoom when taking off and putting on the filter. The less you do that the better. So, if I frame for a sunset for example, there might be 3 different shots I want to take, all requiring a different meter reading. A light meter means you don't need to take the filter off.

But, I'll be trying out that app anyway.

Can someone explain why the in-camera meter wouldn't work with the filter on? I understand that some ND filters make the scene so dark that it's difficult to focus, but I've not heard of them causing the meter not to work properly...

drvnbysound wrote in post #14911885
Can someone explain why the in-camera meter wouldn't work with the filter on? I understand that some ND filters make the scene so dark that it's difficult to focus, but I've not heard of them causing the meter not to work properly...

The camera isnt going to meter for anything over 30 seconds. If you're looking for an exposure of say, 7 minutes then you need to meter without the filter and calculate the shutter speed based on that meter reading. Each shutter speed without the filter has a corresponding speed with the shutter. ie, with a B+W ND 110, for an equivalent 1/3 second shutter speed, you need a shutter speed of 5 min 42 seconds with the filter on.

Ahh, ok. Understood... that's what happens when I've not yet shot anything longer than 30 seconds

That said, an incident meter is probably not the answer, so something like the Sekonic L-758-Cine sounds like it would be what you are looking for, particularly with it's spot metering ability. I borrowed one of these for a couple of weeks prior to purchasing my own L-358, but never used the spot meter function.

drvnbysound wrote in post #14912115
Ahh, ok. Understood... that's what happens when I've not yet shot anything longer than 30 seconds

That said, an incident meter is probably not the answer, so something like the Sekonic L-758-Cine sounds like it would be what you are looking for, particularly with it's spot metering ability. I borrowed one of these for a couple of weeks prior to purchasing my own L-358, but never used the spot meter function.

That's just a little pricey.

^^
http://www.ebay.com …vatron&_sop=1&_​osacat=625

DavidR wrote in post #14915034
^^
http://www.ebay.com …vatron&_sop=1&_​osacat=625

Yes but Im looking for one recommended by an actual user who can confirm its of decent quality but also a reasonably cheap one.

fitshaced wrote in post #14915326
Yes but Im looking for one recommended by an actual user who can confirm its of decent quality but also a reasonably cheap one.

Minolta, Sekonic, Gossen...are all very reputable, pro grade names from the past, and you can trust that a light meter of these brands are all quality products, and great bargains when purchased used. You need to confirm what model(s) have the features that you need...Gossens from the 1960s didn't have Flash metering, certain Sekonics and Minoltas required an accessory device to provide 5 degree spot size. The Sekonic 758 is serious overkill for someone initially venturing into handheld meters for amateur purposes.

fitshaced wrote in post #14914903
That's just a little pricey.

Wilt wrote in post #14915388
Minolta, Sekonic, Gossen...are all very reputable, pro grade names from the past, and you can trust that a light meter of these brands are all quality products, and great bargains when purchased used. You need to confirm what model(s) have the features that you need...Gossens from the 1960s didn't have Flash metering, certain Sekonics and Minoltas required an accessory device to provide 5 degree spot size. The Sekonic 758 is serious overkill for someone initially venturing into handheld meters for amateur purposes.

Heh, I didn't check the price until I read Wilt's comment. As mentioned above, I was able to borrow a L-758 for a couple of weeks... Glad I only needed functionality of an incident meter and picked up a used L-358 for a good price At that price of the L-758, I'd definitely have to investigate other options...

fitshaced wrote in post #14915326
Yes but Im looking for one recommended by an actual user who can confirm its of decent quality but also a reasonably cheap one.

In the past I have owned Minolta, Gossen, and Pentax, never had a problem with any of them. I now am using a Sekonic L-558 that I like very much and can be found used for around $300.