Luna pro sbc value

[jameshaskins]

<p>hey all,<br>

im about to buy my first lightmeter. it will be a luna pro sbc (eventually with a spot attachment). On the site ive been told to be able to find one for about 50-70 bucks on ebay, but its not working out like that. and ive been waiting a long time. so i looked at keh and they have decent prices. so my question is: is a lightmeter in EX condition for 84 bucks worth it? i mean should i expect it to be accurate? i dont mind the bangs on the body but it must be accurate as new.<br>

if not anyother places i could look around to? im in italy, so shipping expenses area an issue.</p>

<p>thanks!<br>

james </p>

[ken_kuzenski1]

<p>I don't know about that particular meter, James, but I do think prices on ebay seem to be high--great for sellers, not so great for buyers. I've always found KEH to be absolutely reliable. I once asked the salesman, on the phone, if he thought I'd be happy with a "bargain" condition body I wanted. He reminded me that I could return it, no questions asked, if I wasn't happy with it. If you order from KEH, just ask them if the meter is guaranteed to be accurate. And test it when you get it--unless they've changed their policies, you can return it if not. Good luck! --ken</p>

[joseph_krause]

<p>I have used Gossen meters for years. They are very hard to beat and are, I believe, still a top choice among pros. I recently purchased a Luna Pro sbc from KEH in the bargain category. It seemed almost new to me and is very easy to use. With all meters of this kind, the photographer often has to find a balance between ambiant and incident readings. Good luck.</p>

[dave_s]

<p>I have an SBC which I got second hand in a private sale. I can't remember what I paid, but it was around 60 or 70 bucks I think. It's a good meter and I like it.</p>

<p>If KEH has a good one for $84, just get it. You have to factor in what your time's worth. You may save a few bucks if you're patient, but the time you spend shopping around is time you could use on some other worthy pursuit.</p>

[sergei_antonov]

<p>With spot meter attachment $84 seems like a good deal. Make sure that attachment has 1 degree mode, I am not sure it is the case for Luna Pro. If it is 15 degrees only, your "spot" will be pretty large, and it measures at 30 degrees without any attachment. In my opinion, main value of this meter is its sensitivity. You could measure in the darkroom with it. I am using it for low light measurements, when other meters cannot get any reading. This meter has an adjustment screw on the back, you could visit any decent photo repair shop to fine tune it.<br>

Sergei</p>

[jeff_greene2]

<p>I have a Luna Pro SBC with the spot attachment. There are two spot attachments. There is a 5 to 10 degree and a 1 degree spot. I have the one degree spot meter. It's a bit bulky, but the meter is spot on! Unlike the modern digitals it doesn't automatically average readings for you. But, it's definitely worth the money at KEH. I've had mine for about eight years and have had no problems with it. Go for it!</p>

[paul moshay]

<p>The SBC is a great meter. I use one in the camera bag for my large format work and one in the darkroom under the enlarger to help with making the first exposure close to optimum, I calibrate each box of paper to a middle gray and set up an approximate paper speed and mark it on the box, so the next time I print I can get a good first print. Paul</p>

[paul moshay]

<p>The SBC is a great meter. I use one in the camera bag for my large format work and one in the darkroom under the enlarger to help with making the first exposure close to optimum, I calibrate each box of paper to a middle gray and set up an approximate paper speed and mark it on the box, so the next time I print I can get a good first print. Paul</p>