Good Incident / Flash Meter with Cine Speeds

I need to buy an incident light meter for cine work. It needs to be

accurate enough to shoot black-and-white reversal film, and it also

needs to be cheap. Ideally, it would be also meter flash. Does such

a thing exist? I'm open to buying used, if someone can recommend a

reliable model. I really can't afford to spend more than about a

hundred and fifty dollars -- ideally less. Would a used Sekonic L-

358 be good? Can they be found in that price range? I'm completely

open to suggestions here. The only handheld light meter I've used

before is a cheap averaging reflective meter that's difficult to

shoot slides with -- I have to bracket quite a bit for good results.

I can usually get decent results metering off of my palm and adding a

stop, but it's a cumbersome way to work and I really need consistency.

 

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

You really don't need cine speeds as long as you know what the equivelant shutter speeds are. For most motion picture cameras 1/30 second works for 18 FPS (16 on older cameras) and 1/50 second works for 24 FPS. Now you can use any light meter!

Simple Cine Cameras may have 180 or 175 degree shutters. For a 180 degree shutter; the 24fps is 1/48 second. <BR><BR>many Professional cameras; and advanced amateur ones have varible speed shutters; or even a correction factor for reflex viewing sometimes. These require a correction table; or a more advanced meter. The variable shutter allows for fades; or higher shutter speeds during shooting. A reflex camera of mine can be adjusted so each frame at 64fps is at 1/500 second; this is with the variable shutter way closed. I prefer a separate meter for cine (incident); than flash.<BR><BR>The American Cinematographers manual goes into the variable shutter tables; plus the others do.

The Sekonic L-308BII Flashmate does what you want, and should

be available new for about your budget, maybe $10.00 over.

It handles speeds of 8, 12, 16, 18, 24, 25, 30, 32, 64,

and 128 fps, all at a fixed angle of 180. It also

meters flash. It has very straightforward digital interface.

<p>

OTOH, I think nearly every analog meter I've seen has

cine speeds on it, because it doesn't cost them anything

to print the numbers along the scale. A used analog

ambient meter should be quite affordable.

I recently bought a used L-358 and it was $175. I don't think that you can get it for much less than this unless you get lucky. It would be perfect for what you want. Exposures are very accurate and consistent. Keep in mind that this model only came out in 2001 so there won't be too many used ones around.

Hi, Check the Gossen Lunasix 3. Nice old meter with cine. You have to get used to it and it becomes very reliable. Be sure 1.35V batteries are used with it and not 1.5V.

I always use 1.35V but I heard thet even if you could use 1.5V, the readings become a little off.

The cell is said to have some memory so it needs a few seconds to adapt after a bright-to-dark jump or viceversa.

You could get one with the tele-attachment for under $100 probably. It is also relatively easy to repair.

Cheers,

 

Emiliano

Thanks everyone for your responses. I went to the store today and looked at the Sekonic L-308 and L-358. . . I'm leaning towards the L-308, which does everything I want and is also conveniently small (and it's $140 new at B&H). Thanks!

Sekonic ; yes I once owned a Sekonic meter; it was in a Sekonic 8mm movie camera!