Do I "HAVE TO" buy a sekonic flash meter for $300. Are there any other options for under 100 dollars?

I can't afford to buy a 300 flash meter and i want to take some portaits in my new studio. Could I get a flash

meter for a 100 dollars some where and put the extra 200 into 2 vivitar 285s. Or do I just have to not take

portaits until i can afford lights and the $300 sekonic?

<p>What's the rest of your setup?</p>

<p>Have you looked on eBay for used units, Sekonic or otherwise?</p>

<p>If you're making money with your studio, you can either expense or depreciate the investment, depending....</p>

<p>My Sekonic is one of the best investments I have ever made as far as camera gear goes (perhaps second only to my Pocket Wizards). It's been through hell and back and still works just fine. I wouldn't skimp out on a meter. But that's just me.</p>

<p>No, you do not need a $300 meter. You have a digital camera, a simple lighting rig, and some time on your hands... you can start without a meter at all, if you like. Your camera can tell you, immediately, if you're blowing out highlights, and it only takes a few shots and quick look at the results to see if you're in the neighborhood. There is nothing at all stopping you from firing those strobes, and making a few quick lens aperture adjustments to get a perfect exposure.<br /> <br /> A meter helps you to do it more quickly, and more consistently. But you don't need to spend that money right away. When you DO buy the meter, buy it right. One of the reasons to get the L358 is your ability to use it with PWs, when you buy those. If you don't go the PW route, then you might opt for a less expensive meter. Like Josh, I'm very glad I got the L358, and it has helped me to make the most of studio flash and tricky ambient light. But I wasn't stuck without it. You're able to shoot, right away, without one.</p>

i see. I plan on buying 2 vivitar 285s and i already own an sb600. I will be using the vivitars as optical slaves and the sb 600 with a pc cord. So i guess it sounds like I should start and use my histogram to tell if i'm blowing out hightlights. Since the iso will be set at 100 and the shutter speed will be set at the sync speed of the flash. The only thing i really have to adjust is the apeture and i could fine tune that based on the histogram. Do i have this right?

<p>I have a $100 (well it cost a little over $100 but it was new right?) and it's not all that acurate. A complete waste of money. I also have an old flash meter that just meters flash, nothing else. I picked it up for $40, and it's pretty accurate. But I may have lucked out on that one.</p>

<p>Yes, you could adjust exposure that way. Spring the extra $25 or so for the AC adapter on those 285s; it will save you some headaches. Large difference in power usage with the AC adapters. I predict that one Viv285HV will end up costing you $200, all told. It'll be about $100 for the main unit; start to add in the rechargeable batteries, fees (tax, ship), that AC adapter, etc. One umbrella and a bracket later, and you've already hit $200 per unit. If you're buying new strobes, I think your budget will be too tight for your plan. </p>

<p>My gut instinct, though, would be to recommend a good flash meter; when you are coaching yourself, a good light meter can really help you solve a lot of problems. If you get into using a light meter, many times it can help you unlock some of the tougher exposure problems. My used meter cost me about $200. In my opinion, it is a very good meter. Top of the line, in my book. </p>

<p>The troubleshooting and problem solving alone make a meter worth it. I did without one for years, and I really believe my learning would have been a lot faster and smoother if I had been able to get one fifteen years before. I know the flashes are going to do well, but the light meter will help you figure it out yourself. Light meter. </p>

<p>I bought a used Minolta Autometer IIIf nearly 10 years ago on eBay for under $100. It's accurate and reliable. You can get an Autometer IVf or better for less these days. I think you would be better off with a flash meter than without one, but there are cheaper ways to go about it.</p>

 

I had an AC adapter for my Vivitar 285 but I seldom used it after the first few times. It would take three to four times as long to power up the flash than it did with the batteries. Once you get used to it, you should be able to get good results just by going by the flash guide number, I believe the 285 guide number is 140 with 100 ISO film but that may be a bit optimistic. Many people say they use a guide number of 110 instead.

 

I once made up a battery pack using D cell flashlight batteries that would last a long time. The batteries were in a holder with door bell wire going to the flash battery compartment. The wire ends were wrapped around metal thumb tacks that were pushed into wooden dowels the same size as AA batteries and place into the compartment with the correct polarity. Lasted forever and repowered almost instantly.

<p>You could go with a Gossen Luna Pro F - KEH has one in excellent condition for $120. It's an analog meter, and it's not quite as rugged as the Sekonic. But it's still a good meter.</p>

<p>http://www.keh.com/OnLineStore/ProductList.aspx?Mode=&item=0&ActivateTOC2=&ID=121&BC=GM&BCC=12&CC=70&CCC=7&BCL=&GBC=&GCC=</p>

<p>Don't forget: the SB-600 doesn't have a PC connection on it. You'll need an adapter for that, or a Nikon hot shoe cable (one of the SC-xx versions).</p>

choices choices choice. I think I'll start off with lights without the meter and then save and buy a real good light meter. It just wouldn't make sense to buy a meter first then buy the lights. Sounds like as long as I'm doing photgraphy I'll need a meter anyway so I might as well just buy a good one that will last me a while. For my portait and fashion photos I do in the studio I'll probably only be editing 3 or 4 top photos out of each look so I could probably get that done with the histogram and I'll try to stay away from shooting white clothes on white background and black clothes on black backgrounds. etc.

<p>Shop around. I found my Minolta Autometer IIIf for five bucks in a pawn shop. Battery was dead, the store owner thought the batteries were discontinued (they aren't, and can sometimes be found in a drug store), and the meter swivel head was a little floppy. It was easy to fix and works great almost 10 years later.</p>

<p>When the Shepherd Polaris meters became popular several years ago some experienced photographers I knew touted them as economical alternatives to the Seconics, Gossens and others. Never tried one myself.</p>

<p>For now you can use the good ol' guide number calculation method. I was forced to learn that as a kid first getting into photography in the 1960s-'70s. PITA but it works.</p>

<p>Buy a good accurate hand held flash meter, but not the cheapest. Later you will realize you can't live without it. They are worth the cost. </p>

<p><em>When the Shepherd Polaris meters became popular several years ago some experienced photographers I knew touted them as economical alternatives to the Seconics, Gossens and others. Never tried one myself.</em></p>

<p>Decent meter for the price and should be easy to find at around $160.00 new. The meters which used to be Minolta's are now sold under the Kenko brand. I see no difference in quality.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /> <strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

<p>My Seknic cost maybe $180 new from B&H. Great meter. Does not have the PW triggering tho.</p>

<p>And don't forget: the PW transmitter module can always be added later.</p>

<p>Sekonic L308S, $189 at B&H, fantastic meter.</p>

<p>I have this one:<br>

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sekonic-Flashmate-L-308BII-No-Reserve_W0QQitemZ220385259225QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item220385259225&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50<br>

and it works great for both ambient AND flash. No Pocketwizard capability though.</p>

<p>Don't get a meter yet. Just work on your portraits by "chimping." Once you have enough cash to buy a meter, buy it. And it never hurts to get a more expensive one, especially if one of the features on it is the pocketwizard capability, because you will surely want PW's eventually.</p>

I found this meter. what do you think about using this in a home studio? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/368226-REG/Sekonic_401_309_L_308S_Flashmate_Light_Meter.html

<p>The L-308S is a good basic meter. I prefer the L-358, however, because I can trigger PockerWizards. YMMV.</p>

<p>How much capability do you need? How about a basic Wein flash meter?</p>

I don't need pocketwiz capapbility at the moment because i'm going with cls