book or website that explains the basics of using lightmeters?

[johan_de_groote]

Does anyone has a good reference of a book or website that gives a basic

lightmeter course? Like how to use it in several scenarios. With pictures if

possible.

 

I would like to add a lightmeter to my kit, mostly because I find that the

build-in lightmeter of the Kiev doesn't seem to be very good, it isn't very

fast in use, the spare P6 doesn't have a metered prism and I would like to use

slides.

 

I spend already some times reading here and on other sites but I still cannot

grasp how to effectively use the thing. Most only talk about something where

you can go to the subject, stick the meter under its nose, go back a few paces

and take a picture or an even lit landscape. A few situations rather similar to

that I do understand but others leave me completely stumped.

 

The use will be for travelling, almost exclusively static objects, never with

flash. Just a few examples of things I don't see:

- you're in a dimly lit church and want to take a pic of the organ high up in

the loft that does get some light from the high up windows

- you're in a museum and the object sits away behind glass under a spotlight

and you need to use a small extention tube to focus close enough

- night view of a city from the opposite bank of the river

[henryp]

If you can find one used or in your library, the unfortunately discontinued book <u>The Hand Exposure Meter Book</u>

by Martin S. Silverman, Gerald Hisrchfeld, Bob Shell, & Jim Zuckerman is excellent.<p>

Henry Posner<br>

<b>B&H Photo-Video</b>

[pshinkaw]

I too use the Silverman book. Highly recommended.

 

-Paul

[heller_harris]

HI -

This may not be detailed enough, but it might be worthwhile to take a look at the <a href="http://www.sekonic.com/classroom/classroom.asp"> Sekonic site,</a> which offers a section on tips and technique.

HH

[robert_marvin]

The best book on the subject I've ever read is "Perfect Exposure" by Jim Zuckerman.

[bueh]

Johan, using an (incident/ambient) light meter is super-easy and pretty fool-proof. No need for books or hard reading (or zone system ballast). Just set the correct ISO speed on your meter, walk to your subject and point the white dome directly into the lens (or the direction from which you will be shooting). Take care that no unnecessary shadow (e.g., from the chin or from <i>you</i>) falls onto the white dome. See, this "Lumisphere" (as <b><a href="http://www.sekonic.com/classroom/classroom.asp">Sekonic</a></b> calls it) should be in exactly the same lighting as your subject. Take a reading. Now, depending on settings and light meter model, it will display a combination of aperture/shutter speed or exposure value. Find out which works best for you, I use my Sekonic L-508 mostly in "shutter-priority mode", i.e., the light meter shows the correct aperture for the pre-selected shutter speed. After taking a reading I can change the speed and the meter will adjust the aperture (or even the film speed), so I can see which are the various combinations.

<p>

Since an incident meter is not measuring reflected light, it is extremely accurate when calibrated correctly. Blacks should be black, whites should be white and every greytone or color should be just the way they are on the exposed film. No needs for adjustments, only if you have to factor in filters or things like bellows compensation and the like. Learn how accurate your meter is and trust it -- some might need a little tweaking, but with a modern professional meter this should not be necessary.

<center>

<img src="http://www.photo.net/bboard-uploads//00Gest-30150284.jpg" hspace="5" vspace="10">

<br><b>

Light meter in EV mode -- reading shows ISO 400, f/11 and 1/250 sec

</b></center>

[bueh]

And now some solutions for your problems:

<blockquote><i>you're in a dimly lit church and want to take a pic of the organ high up in the loft that does get some light from the high up windows</i></blockquote><p>

Spot metering.

 

<br> 

<blockquote><i>you're in a museum and the object sits away behind glass under a spotlight and you need to use a small extention tube to focus close enough</i></blockquote><p>

Spot metering with adjustments for the magnification/extension tube.

 

<br> 

<blockquote><i>night view of a city from the opposite bank of the river</i></blockquote><p>

"Advanced difficulty" spot metering (a.k.a. guesstimating).

<p><br>

A possible alternative might be using a small digicam with a manual mode, which lets you preview the exposure. The examples you brought up are not suited for incident light metering, which can only be used for educated guesses in these situations. You see, for these rare moments I am happy that the L-508 has a built-in spot meter, which I normally do not use, but if the lighting is difficult, it is indeed your best friend. But a digital camera on "M" should be sufficient with enough experience.

[richardw]

Hello Johan,

 

I found this link on a manufacturers homepage (sekonic). I've looked at other manufacturers sites but just found short info. This site also refers on histograms that you dont't have instantly like with a digital camera, you have one when you scan the negative. At least it gives a good idea how to use a lightmeter.

 

http://www.sekonic.com/images/files/HistogramsLightmetersWorkTogether.pdf

 

I don't know above mentioned book, but i'm sure that it is very helpful, as books for special topics are rare. I've read Ansel Adams "the negative" which gives in the first half a lot of information on the zone system and using the meter therefore (spot meter). AA is quite technical, but helpful.

 

best regards

Richard

[johan_de_groote]

Thanks for all the input, I have now a bit more direction to search further.

 

I could not find a second-hand copy of Silverman (for a reasonable price) so I'll have to check some libraries around. I did found a copy of the Zuckerman and ordered it. I'll ask more questions and maybe a bit more specific after I read it.

 

Apart from the Sekonic L-508, any other meters that would fit the scenes I mentioned that would be usable by an amateur? (I don't need the ultimate lightmeter for my holiday pics...) There is as second hand fair coming up next weekend so I would have an idea of what to look out for.