Light Meters

[gregf]

<p>Does anyone every use them anymore? I just found my old one, and I rarely used it back then (1V has super metering on it). It seems with digital, being able to review the image and the histograms, that they really don't serve much of a purpose in conjunction with DSLR's.</p>

[greg_moss4]

<p>I use it primarily for flash photography but often find myself using it for events on stage or existing light sporting events. That allows me to shoot with confidence in the same lighting situation. I also use an Expo disc if I don't have time to walk the stage/gym taking readings. But using the light meter looks cooler!</p>

[starvy]

<p>I still use my Russian Leningrad meter for low light situations but then again I shoot more film these days.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I use a Sekonic L358 regularly with DSLRs. Mostly when setting up complex lighting, or dealing with subjects that aren't going to be patient while I chimp on the camera and tweak, re-tweak. The incident/flash meter nails it every time.</p>

[g dan mitchell]

<p>I would agree that they serve little purpose for most DSLR shooters these days. Essentially, <em>the camera is the light meter</em> with these modern cameras. With the ability to switch among multiple metering modes, view the histogram display, and see the "blinkie" highlight indicators, in most cases you can get all the info you need from the camera - in the worst case with a couple of exposures to check things out.</p>

<p>Dan</p>

[zml]

<p>If you do any photography with artificial or mixed light, a good, properly calibrated light meter is a "don't leave home without it" item. Incident light meters are very useful regardless of the in-camera meter and a good light meter with spot reflected light metering is also indispensible for lighting setups in all kinds of photography, rations, DR analysis, etc. Yeah, you can do it with the spot in your camera but unless your camera has a spot metering averaging function better bring some paper and pencils...</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>I still use my Gossen Luna Pro Silicon Blue for checking meters on film EOS cameras I've bought, and of course, those of us who also love to shoot old film cameras in general get a lot of use out of a meter, still.</p>

<p>The flash meters are a necessity if you do that sort of thing, but a good handheld meter is still useful for interpreting the light you see in a sort of "zone" system way (not to be confused with the Ozone™ system used by so many digital shooters).</p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>With a good DSLR I only use one for flash. With some cameras (e.g. Fuji GX680) the lack of a meter means I use one a lot.</p>

[sarah_fox]

<p>Meters can do a couple of things that in-camera metering can't:</p>

<p>(1) Flash metering (as others have pointed out)<br>

(2) Incident light metering.</p>

<p>Incident light metering isn't absolutely necessary in digital photography, as you have the benefit of a histogram. However if you're shooting film, it's a WONDERFULLY useful tool for nailing the exposure of some critically important element of a photo, such as a person's face.</p>

[ed_k__north_carolina_]

<p>Of course, using this logic.</p>

<p>Why do we need SLRs, when you have 14MP super zoom P&S?</p>

<p>I guess it depends if you are a photographer or picture taker.</p>

<p>Ed</p>

[bfmelton]

<p>I use my Sekonic for both studio and location work when using flash.</p>

[pmind]

<p>One other thing a meter can do...be read in direct sunlight! (Currently a Sekonic L-558.)</p>