I think my next gear should be a light meter...

Hi all,

My gear...70D, 2 V860II, 1 V860CII, X1T-C trigger, and a YN560II. I have a light stand and an octobox softbox for the speed lights...so I am venturing into the flash arena and am in the learning phase.

I think, if I were to get another gear item, i should pick up a light meter and learn that to use along with any flash setups I may be doing.

So, would you agree...its time for a light meter?

Also, what light meter would be is recommended to get that is a best for what I am doing. My budget is kind of tight...meaning, I can't afford the the top of the line, but I do want to get something that I can use for a while, effectively.

This would be for portrait photography and likely more outdoor than in. If indoors, it would be in a home or office, not a studio.

Heya,

Depends on what you do and how you do it.

If you're doing all manual lighting, a light meter is super handy. Especially handy if you want to be fast and accurate. For example, I did a formal family maternity shoot the other week with a family in their house do to storms, and I didn't have to fumble around with flashing and looking at the LCD to see what my lighting looked like, I just measured it once with my meter to be where I wanted it and was set, made the shot, moved on to the next. No chimping, no down time, no wasted time. If I want key light or fill light, I meter it once and I know where to go from there and its exactly where it needs to be for the effect I want. Super useful indoors. I use mine for all my indoor lighting setups, as they're always 100% manual.

I use it outdoors too a lot. But more and more I've moved to ETTL for outdoor stuff and so I don't use a meter there as the point is to speed up everything in very limited time frames and I'm often using sunlight & one strobe at that point. But I still take my meter to get good readings on ambient.

You can look for a used Sekonic L-358, they're excellent (discontinued, but still great, comes up used often). Otherwise a basic Sekonic 308 will do the job for manual lights just fine. I got the Sekonic 478, but honestly I could get by with a lesser model no problem (and personally do not like touch screen LCDs for controls).

Very best,

MalVeauX wrote in post #18419883
Heya,

Depends on what you do and how you do it.

If you're doing all manual lighting, a light meter is super handy. Especially handy if you want to be fast and accurate. For example, I did a formal family maternity shoot the other week with a family in their house do to storms, and I didn't have to fumble around with flashing and looking at the LCD to see what my lighting looked like, I just measured it once with my meter to be where I wanted it and was set, made the shot, moved on to the next. No chimping, no down time, no wasted time. If I want key light or fill light, I meter it once and I know where to go from there and its exactly where it needs to be for the effect I want. Super useful indoors. I use mine for all my indoor lighting setups, as they're always 100% manual.

I use it outdoors too a lot. But more and more I've moved to ETTL for outdoor stuff and so I don't use a meter there as the point is to speed up everything in very limited time frames and I'm often using sunlight & one strobe at that point. But I still take my meter to get good readings on ambient.

You can look for a used Sekonic L-358, they're excellent (discontinued, but still great, comes up used often). Otherwise a basic Sekonic 308 will do the job for manual lights just fine. I got the Sekonic 478, but honestly I could get by with a lesser model no problem (and personally do not like touch screen LCDs for controls).

Very best,

Agreed. The 358 is awesome. Only reason I sold it was to get the 858D for HSS.

shaolin95 wrote in post #18419948
Agreed. The 358 is awesome. Only reason I sold it was to get the 858D for HSS.

Does that one handle long burn type HSS versus pulsed decently? I've always wondered. Glad to see it came down in MSRP, it originally was nearly $1k!

Very best,

Will the L-358 Sekonic be able to wirelessly trigger the flash for the reading when used with my V860's? I really dont want to mess with any cables.

No. You'll need the radio module, which works only with the PocketWizard system. Only the latest Sekonic models work with other systems.

You can still use the meter, though. It'll wait for 90 seconds for a flash. You just press the button on the meter and then trigger your flash manually or with your radio triggers.

Thanks ^^^^


Would 126.00 be a fair amount to pay for a used L-358?

kezug wrote in post #18420262
Thanks ^^^^


Would 126.00 be a fair amount to pay for a used L-358?

If you find a used one that cheap, jump on it.

kezug wrote in post #18420262
Thanks ^^^^


Would 126.00 be a fair amount to pay for a used L-358?

Wow, yes. That's way less than what I'd expect for a working model.

Very best,

Have you tried the phone apps? Some have found a few good apps that work pretty well.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18420402
Have you tried the phone apps? Some have found a few good apps that work pretty well.

I have not tried any phone apps. What apps do you recommend I take a look at for consideration?

MalVeauX wrote in post #18420380
Wow, yes. That's way less than what I'd expect for a working model.

Very best,

The bid currently is at 125.00 but I am sure it will jump higher in the remaining hours. Always a risk with eBay so here is hoping to the best if I bid and win.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18420402
Have you tried the phone apps? Some have found a few good apps that work pretty well.

...even for a FLASH meter???

This is a very good course to learn how to use your light meter when you get it.

It's free, you just need to sign up to Udemy which just needs an email address.

https://www.udemy.com …t-meter/learn/v4/overvie​w

Except for the Yongnou speedlite all your lights are Godox X system and you have an X system controller.

Your camera is a fine flash meter. The best part is you never have to go from light to light then back to the subject position to take the reading.

Get someone or something to stand in position. Set you lights as you think they should be set. Make a rest pop. Look at the camera LCD, use the X1T to make adjustments to the lights. Fire another test and look at the LCD.

Once you've spent a little time practicing, its faster, and more accurate, than using a handheld meter.

Here's an example. One test shot with mother. Then on to the family.