When you began using a hand held meter, did your exposure improve a lot?

I am thing about getting a hand held meter. I struggle with exposure occasionally. Do you think a hand held meter could help? Did it improve your exposure when you began using one? Thanks

slphotography wrote in post #5363526
I am thing about getting a hand held meter. I struggle with exposure occasionally. Do you think a hand held meter could help? Did it improve your exposure when you began using one? Thanks

Since there were very few meters built into cameras when I started using a handheld meter, I would have to say that my answer is a resounding YES.

Joking aside - most currently produced handheld meters (that are worth buying) can make light measurements in two ways - measuring reflected light (that which reflects off your subject) and measuring incident light (that light which falls on your subject). The meters built into our cameras are only capable of measuring reflected light.

Many, if not most, handheld meters made today can also measure light from electronic flash sources. I don't know of any meters built into cameras that can measure light from flash sources such as studio flash lighting.

Thus, a handheld meter is far more versatile than meters built into today's cameras.

SkipD wrote in post #5363569
I don't know of any meters built into cameras that can measure light from flash sources such as studio flash lighting.

Leica R8 and R9, and I think (not sure though) Contax RTS III

I use a hand held meter for flash metering, so: Yes it is better then not metering
For ambient metering: Not much difference; Read up a bit on how the light meter works, and learn to see a scene in "shades of gray"

The imageshere might help.

I learned with a meter so the question is kind of moot, but when I started shooting again what I mainly noticed were

1) more consistent results
2) much faster setup

My fiancee and I did a 'messing around' shoot outside on a fairly brisk day last year a bit after I got my meter. Instead of setting up lights, taking test photo(s) tweaking lights, testing, tweaking... she was amazed when after the first test shot I was all "ok, lets go!" She had gotten used to me 'faffing about' which always annoyed her. After using the meter for a while I also find my eye is much more reliable so for 'quick and dirty stuff, which is rather nice.

Definitely YES! Like nadtz said, the consistent results, much faster setup (when working with strobes) and accuracy.

It´s a must have if you want to have good results.