Light Meter for Street Use with my FM2 ?

[jon_kobeck1]

<p>I use an FM2 on the street, my newest endeavor. But I find it very hard to meter through the lens and then adjust those manual controls. Can someone recommend a good hand held light meter?<br>

Thanks</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>You can get an F100 body for half the price of a good meter. The F100 meter is nearly foolproof (ignoring the ingenuity of fools) and will work with any AI or newer lens. Use the FM2 to hold down papers on your desk :-)</p>

[michaelchristensen]

<p>While using another camera will work, I've found that I have trouble wearing two cameras at the same time. I own three light meters .. and the one that rides in my film/digital bag is the Gossen Luna Pro F.</p>

<p>Why I like it: got to be the easiest meter to use in the field that I have every owned, takes one AA battery which seems to last forever; fits easily in my back pocket, front pocket of my jeans, or slips into the camera vest; I hardly know I'm wearing it .. about the size of a pack of Marlboro 100s in length, but only 2/3rd as thick; and gives me incident and reflected reading that are accurate. I'm on my second Gossen Luna Pro F .. dropped the first one in a creek; now when I get on-site I use the lanyard around my neck and just slip the meter in my my shirt/vest pocket when not taking reading. </p>

<p>Without getting too technical and how meters work .. this is very good for street and portrait work where I need average readings of light; and it works well in the studio too. Meters are becoming a lost art as many people are now using some form of matrix/spot readings .. but here's the thing, a simple meter and a little knowledge of how to use it .. will do everything you need .. and will get you thinking about things important to developing your craft. </p>

<p>Sure I love the meter in the F100, the F5 .. but I am in no way handicapped when I use my Canon F1N, my RB67, or my Contax G2 .. all these cameras will meter the same scenes with some slight variation anyway .. I find when I'm doing outdoor portraits .. I use incident readings for about everything; I can do well enough with landscape and an average reflected meter not to even need to pull out the Pentax Digital Spot Meter that Ansel Adams is said to have endorsed, although I do really like that meter too (sometimes I believe I understand the zone system :P)</p>

<p> </p>

[gary_watson]

<p>Strikes me, Jon, that you've got two options: get a meter or a camera that offers aperture priority metering. I like the little Sekonic 308s--all metering modes except spot in one pocketable package. The now budget-priced N90s/F90x or slightly pricier F100 would fill the bill for an aperture priority-capable body. It doesn't get much simpler than just adjusting aperture while the camera puzzles out shutter speed. Worth considering?</p>

[SCL]

<p>The F100 was a good idea...it meters really well, but a far easier solution, if you're familiar with exposure in general, is to use a meter and measure the light at its brightest and in the shadows (assuming you are on a street). You new know the ranges of exposure. Set your camera on manual for the light you are in and don't worry about the minor variations...or you can make adjustments based on your new knowledge of the range you measured. Do this once per hour and you're all set to concentrate on getting that right shot, the perfect composition, etc.</p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>I use a Minolta Spotmeter, in general; but, I do not do "street shooting" like they have in New York City or something.</p>

<p>At the time, a Pentax Spotmeter was not locally available. I haven't tried the Gossens, suggested above, but they are very popular; and, I have an acquaintance who recommends them. Gossen is usually a good choice. I recommend the spotmeters because of their 2 degree or less sample; also, I have found the flash meter/ambient relationship to be super-useful. That utility really shows in setups where you have the opportunity to be more deliberate.</p>

<p>That spotmeter really helps me to use other equipment, especially old equipment. [it helped me use a 1946 non-reflex Bolex movie camera 16mm, which has no light meter at all.] One of the things you may find is that just having a handheld meter, period, will probably streamline your operation; there is considerable variance among light meters if you have many decades worth of technology at your disposal.</p>

<p>Anyway, I'd second what Stephen said above. I was thinking something similar, but thinking more about location changes; in principle, the same. Change location radically, check light.</p>

<p>You gotta wide angle lens on the camera? Set focal for a long DOF, that taps down aperture, and your into just picking a shutter speed. I don't know about the design of that camera specifically, but you should just be able to reach up with your thumb and roll that shutter dial on a lot of models. Some will have a lockdown button; you'll end up learning to reach up with an index finger to trip that button, and roll the shutter dial with your thumb. You should not have to look down or look away from the viewfinder in order to adjust shutter. There may be some peculiarities of that model, I don't know, but a lot of time, you can just get your speed up with a little practice.</p>

<p>Coincidentally, the more crude your light meter is, the easier thumbing the wheel will be. For example, on a simple photocell with continuous output, you'll see right away how your changes adjusted against the needle. On an electronic-type camera, you may have to tap a button after the adjustment in order to get the camera to re-meter after your adjustments; depends on model. On a modern camera, I guess Pentax K1000 would be a good example. There's something similar on the match needle getup on my Yashicamat 124G, but that meter cannot be adjusted and read while looking through the viewfinder anyway.</p>

<p>Anyhow, I'm sure you get it. Just some practice, combined with setting up a scheme that will reduce the number of adjustments at a time. These changes would be made without looking up. I suspect there is some dry firing in your future. Good luck. J.</p>

[graham_line]

<p>Metering street shots means you'll miss anything interesting because your reaction time will be too slow :-)<br>

Using either a small incident meter (the Sekonic 308 is nice, as are Gossen Pilots, Super Pilots etc) or the meter in the FM2, measure both a well-lit area and a shaded area in the space where you're working. Write both exposures on the back of your hand with a Sharpie, and you'll be close enough for negative film. Then all you need to do is reset the camera when you change positions.</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>I don't go anywhere without my Gossen DigiSix. It is very small and very accurate. Although I have to say I really like the readout of the FM/FE series.</p>

[jay_moynihan]

<p>I used to use FM/FM2's with primes for street/reportage/documentary.<br>

I always carried an "incident light" handheld meter. (these are still available new). When the light hitting the back of your head is the same as that hitting your subject, you meter over your shoulder, backwards, with the incident meter. Once you get the hang of it, it is really fast. If used in those conditions, it is like metering a grey card.<br>

Here is an example of a modern, current production one (tht is also a flash meter)<br /><a href="http://www.sekonic.com/products/Sekonic%20L-308S%20FLASHMATE.asp">http://www.sekonic.com/products/Sekonic%20L-308S%20FLASHMATE.asp</a> They go for around $170 new, USD. There are also a variety of incident meters available on the used market.<br>

Still use one on occassion, even with digital.<br>

Here is a relevant thread:<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00GhyX">http://www.photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00GhyX</a></p>

[Robert_Lai]

<p>I also like the Gossen Luna Pro F. it is a bit bulky though, and it uses a 9V battery that lasts forever (still on my first one, 5 years later). It is a null set meter - you rotate the dial until the needle is centered. If I'm taking the trouble to use a hand-held meter, I go with incident light metering. Also good for multi-flash set-ups due to its flash meter mode.</p>