Why I do not use flash meter.. Do you?

I found this device useless in the studio and out.. Now, with all digital and instant photo preview, do you really use it?
Have a small post regarding the subject on on my blog


Would be glad to hear your opinion..

I use it a lot less than I did in my film daze, it was a part of me then. I would be driving home from a shoot or walk into a restaurant on the way home and realize that it was still hanging around my neck. I still use it for a basic set up for ratio but since I shoot tethered so much now it isn't as valuable as it once was.

I still use a flashmeter. Using the review screen and histogram as a preview is fine, but I still like to calculate my ratios in case I want to repeat them later.

I always use it for the basic set-up, it saves a lot of time over the trial and error method. But I do make small adjustments after the fact based on the preview.

Hi Alex - I don't use a modern digital flashmeter - but I do have an old analog light meter that I will use outdoors for incident meter readings. It does a terrific job and has enabled me to produce some very good portraits. Essentially it's the same thing, just the old analog variant.

I like to do a lot of bridal portraits and groups in open shade. Typically the camera is set on Manual. Taking an incident reading at the b/g's position, I'll get an excellent reading of the amount of light falling on the white dress & black tuxedo, instead of a reflected measure from one or the other, which will be totally different.

Once I have my accurate ambient reading, I'll set my flash to output light that is 1/2 to 1-stop less than the ambient for a pleasant, modelled effect. If I did studio work I'd probably use the digital meter a lot as Gonzo and Hawkeye have indicated. It's nice to know where your starting point is, and then tweak from there. - Stu

Read part of your blog Alex - interesting comments.... some of it I agree with, parts I don't.

The flashmeter is just another tool in the kit, a different sized wrench, etc. I grew up with a hand held meter, owning my first one in 1969. It helps some to do things faster, easier and more creatively while other folks can figure the exposures in their heads, or with a glance at the histogram. It's whatever you're comfortable with that works.

sapearl is right in that it is another tool. One can choose to use it or not.

It also depends a lot on what one shoots. I shoot sports both indoor and out. Lot's of difficult lighting. I would be in deep trouble without my meter.

With a light meter I can quickly do these things that I could not do as rapidly (or at all) without a meter...
1. Set the relative intensity of shoot-thru gelled light thru a background with one test shot
2. Set the dynamic range of the lighting so that highlights:shadows will not exceed what an offset press printer can reproduce in a printed magazine ad or brochure
If you do not shoot professionally, you can get away without a meter. There are pro applications which cannot be done (like item 2 in the list) with no meter. And other things (like item 1 in the list) could only be done experimentally, wasting the client's time and/or taxing their patience.

akoloskov wrote in post #9336084
I found this device useless in the studio and out.. Now, with all digital and instant photo preview, do you really use it?
Have a small post regarding the subject on on my blog


Would be glad to hear your opinion..

From your blog:

So what do you use when you're in a situation not connected to a computer?

Or if your laptop isnt calibrated..

RDKirk wrote in post #9338179
So what do you use when you're in a situation not connected to a computer?

gonzogolf wrote in post #9338223
Or if your laptop isnt calibrated..

The camera's histogram?

rvdw98 wrote in post #9338267
The camera's histogram?

Yes, but that's not the computer, its the camera.

Thanks for responses to all, I see your points.
I agree, if you get use to it, you'll be using it with the great success. And the opposite is true as well: if you have enough experience, you "feel" the lights (especially if this is your studio strobes), you can get great results without a flash meter. Especially if you soot exteriors and interiors using multiple exposures (aka HDR) photography, like I do. The result (clients said, not me is far better that you can do by "conventional" way.
Also, if you have a laptop (it does not need to be calibrated, histogram, color temp, etc will tell you everything you need to know) Also, if you know how to read your camera histograms (which I never do, it is not accurate, it based on a JPEG, not RAW, regardless on what format you are shooting) it helps a lot.

I never studied any photography lessons, courses or college. Really, what I know and do I "invented" myself, just by looking on photography I like and trying to get the same result. So, you can call me completely uneducated photographer
So, flash meter was not a part of my education, and I guess it never will be a part of my professional carrier. But, who knows.. never say never

P.S I also really like to eat gene modified products, the future after them! )

I use it. I mostly shoot on location (i.e. not tethered) so I find it pretty valuable.

Im still new & pretty bad at guessing where I'm at when it comes to flash exposure. Its nice to have a good starting point.

I never use it for ambient - but I keep telling myself I'm going to start.

I use a flash meter a lot in studio. It lets me quickly set up by basic exposures and flash ratios. Like any other tool, it can be be quite useful if it's used for the right purpose in the right situation. I'd much rather spend 5 minutes setting up my initial flash settings and ratios than much more time trying to do it by trial and error.