WPF - World Photography Forum
Home Gallery Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Welcome to World Photography Forum!
Welcome!

Thank you for finding your way to World Photography Forum, a dedicated community for photographers and enthusiasts. There's a variety of forums, a wonderful gallery, and what's more, we are absolutely FREE. You are very welcome to join, take part in the discussion, and post your pictures!

Click here to go to the forums home page and find out more.
Click here to join.


Go Back   World Photography Forum > Photography Equipment > Photographic Accessories


Photographic Accessories Discussion on other Photography related Equipment. Tripods, Luggage and suchlike.

Light meters?

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 17-01-06, 15:04
Nogbad's Avatar
Nogbad Nogbad is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Essex
Posts: 496
Default Light meters?

Hi, I have been trolling through some catalogues etc drooling over things I cant afford.

There is a plethora of light meters out there, and I was wondering.

Given the sophistication of TTL metering in Digital cameras, is it necessary to have a seprate light meter?

And if so what do they bring to photography that the TTL can not?

I assume if you are using manual settings they could be useful but again surely the camera's metering system etc is just as good?

Nogbad
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 17-01-06, 21:29
Leif Leif is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Luton
Posts: 911
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nogbad
Hi, I have been trolling through some catalogues etc drooling over things I cant afford.

There is a plethora of light meters out there, and I was wondering.

Given the sophistication of TTL metering in Digital cameras, is it necessary to have a seprate light meter?

And if so what do they bring to photography that the TTL can not?

I assume if you are using manual settings they could be useful but again surely the camera's metering system etc is just as good?

Nogbad
Digital cameras can show you the image post exposure and more importantly show the histogram so you can judge how the exposure turned out. I have a small light meter (a rather nice but cheap Sekonic) but never use it now that I have gone to digital. There's just no point! Th eonly reason I can think of is that waving a camera around to take test exposures alerts others to the camera. Also previewing images uses up the battery. So using a meter is useful to a) allow candid photography, where you want to take the image quickly before the subjects realise they are being photographed and for some reason you do not want to rely on the cameras meter or b) to conserve the cameras battery for some reason. In case b) why not just carry a spare charged battery!

Leif
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 17-01-06, 23:20
robski robski is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kent UK
Posts: 3,739
Default

I wonder if this question was prompted by the exposure issue on your panaramic stitching. I agree with Leif, camera meters have made the external meter pretty well redundant these days. The only two things I can think may be useful for are a; checking the brightness range of the scene ( will the number of stops of light exceed the senor or film ) and b; multiple slave flash setup.
__________________
Rob

-----------------------------------------------------
Solar powered Box Brownie Mk2

Captain Sunshine, to be such a man as he, and walk so pure between the earth and the sea.

WPF Gallery
Birdforum Gallery
http://www.robertstocker.co.uk updated
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-02-06, 14:52
Karl_R's Avatar
Karl_R Karl_R is offline  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: South Wales
Posts: 7
Default

Hi Nogbad,

These days the only time I use a light meter is for studio set-ups to determine flash exposures.

For all of my outdoor stuff I trust the metering of my 20D implicitly.
__________________
Karl

Do all the good you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can . . . .
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-02-06, 21:34
Don Hoey's Avatar
Don Hoey Don Hoey is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4,462
Default

While I do not regard seperate lightmeters as a must have accessory I feel they do have their uses, even today. I bought mine years ago and still use it today, mainly taking incident light readings of subjects I am shooting in manual mode. An example is the Winter Aconite in my gallery. In this case it was a lot easier than trying to use the camera meter. I readily accept that for telephoto work, built in metering is the only way to go.

I do think for anyone struggling to grapple with linking shutter speeds, aperture and ISO as described in Duncans thread - ' Manual exposure mode, juggling three balls. ' that a cheap analogue meter would be useful as it links the three.

For those viewing this thread that are unfamiliar with an anologue lightmeter display I am posting a picture showing todays not so glorious Norfolk light. The reading has been taken and all aperture / shutter speed combinations you can see lined up would give the same exposure. The effect on the total range of possible exposure combinations of changing the ISO setting would be immediately visible.

Don
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Gossen Profisix.JPG (86.7 KB, 22 views)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-02-06, 21:42
Adey Baker's Avatar
Adey Baker Adey Baker is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Hinckley, Leics., UK
Posts: 965
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Hoey

I do think for anyone struggling to grapple with linking shutter speeds, aperture and ISO as described in Duncans thread - ' Manual exposure mode, juggling three balls. ' that a cheap analogue meter would be useful as it links the three.


Don
Yes, I made this very point some time ago on BF - a secondhand analogue meter shouldn't cost more than a few quid and would be useful just to check out various situations whilst walking around. You wouldn't have to take any photos, just familiarise one's self with what combinations of ISO, shutter and aperture would be available for any given situation.
__________________
Adey

http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/...00/ppuser/1805

'Write when there is something you know: and not before: and not too damned much after' Ernest Hemingway
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 13-02-06, 16:53
John's Avatar
John John is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southwell
Age: 93
Posts: 385
Default

I suppose I am only repeating Don in a different way. The camera meter uses reflected light which is fine for average subjects. If you are photographing say a white swan against a darkish background you will probably loose detail in the over exposed feathers. Exposure compensation will take care of this if you guess it right! Agreed, the histagram will tell you if you get it wrong but how many guesses before you get it right. With an incident light meter reading exposure compensation is generally not necessay.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 13-02-06, 19:19
Nogbad's Avatar
Nogbad Nogbad is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Essex
Posts: 496
Default

Hi thanks for all the tips. I had prolems on Saturday when taking pictures in the Natural History Museum, of some bronze statues. I was trying to use manual and program modes without resorting to flash. It was pretty hit and miss. More miss woth only 2 0r 3 passable shots out of say 20-30.

I guess a Light meter would have been useful then.

Thanks guys!

Nogbad
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 13-02-06, 22:39
Christine's Avatar
Christine Christine is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Haverigg,South Lakes,Cumbria.Uk
Posts: 3,828
Default

I was only thinking re light meters early on this week,and Adey,I think it was either yourself or Tracker who gave me some advice a couple of years ago,on BF.So does the light meter,tell you exactly which ISO,Aperture and shutter speeds one needs to set on the camera?.If taking a photo of ,say,a Swan,would one point the meter directly at the Swan,how about sunsets etc,I saw a used Grossen advertised in AP this week,and did think re buying.I am totally clueless re speeds etc,but if I have a machine which tells me which settings to put on the cam it would makes things easier,and in time one would know automatically.Would be useful ,I guess taking birds in water in the sunlight,or would it?.Before anyone mentions histograms,no,they mean absolutely nothing except lots of lines and graphs.
__________________
Christine
Avatar by Tracker(tom)
[COLOR="Blue

http://www.haverigg.com

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/sho...00/ppuser/2356
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 14-02-06, 14:56
jimtfoto's Avatar
jimtfoto jimtfoto is offline  
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 16
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Karl_R
Hi Nogbad,

These days the only time I use a light meter is for studio set-ups to determine flash exposures.

For all of my outdoor stuff I trust the metering of my 20D implicitly.
Same here ...

cheers,
jim
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 14:36.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.