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Affordable and Effective Light Meter
  • 87 Replies sorted by
  • No_SuRReNDeRNo_SuRReNDeR

    My spectra never lets me down...granted its not "cheap"

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=783629&Q=&is=REG&A=details

  • kavadnikavadni

    @No_Surrender .. my spectra is old .. old .. old .. drop in black plates with holes for each ASA .. it hasn't been sent back for calibration over 15 years .. it's over 40 years old .. they make great stuff .. it still works.

    I should test it .. but it allows me to measure contrast

  • rockroadpixrockroadpix

    Over expose by 2/3s eh? Sounds like Vision 5293...

    And I remember when Sekonics were the cheapo film student meters...

  • shianshian

    @No_SuRReNDeR If my gaffer didn't already have the L758, I'd get one.

    But for the purposes of having and using one that almost anyone could afford lends itself to the stuff I'm trying to teach people. Using all low end stuff is a challenge, but it's like learning on a crappy guitar, and then finally buying a really nice one, those who have done it know what I'm talking about.... it just makes things easier, but you appreciate that crappy guitar for making you work harder.

    Not that the Digisix is crappy, just not as full featured as other more expensive meters.

  • stoneystoney

    Adorama sells Digisix at $136. Also the gray cards at $9.99. Get 3% cashback from mrrebates.com. Free shipping.

    http://www.adorama.com/GSDS.html?utm_term=Other&utm_medium=Shopping%20Site

    http://www.adorama.com/DKGC.html

  • shianshian

    @rockroadpix I know. That Gossen even makes this little wonder is stunning, and that it's so affordable is just icing on the cake.

    This is the dinosaur the digisix replaced for me.

    image

    luna pro.png
    397 x 500 - 247K
  • rockroadpixrockroadpix

    I never worked with the old analogs. Wish I had, but my old Minolta IV did alright by me.

  • stoneystoney

    @shian I'm playing with the digisix. Yeap it worked on human skin.

    BTW what's the purpose of TIMER function? Is it getting average EV reading over the wait time?

  • shianshian

    It's for timed exposures, like when doing timelapse sequences or b-mode stills.

  • stoneystoney

    I see. Literally just timer. Got it. Thanks.

  • stoneystoney

    EV reading between 8 and 12 satisfies 1/60 SS and f/2~f/8.

    A full stop gain in ISO gives one EV gain. There is 3 and 1/3 stop difference between ISO 160 and 1600.

    At 160, if EV reading is below 4 and 2/3, use fast lens or more lighting. At 160, if EV reading exceeds 12, use ND filter. Something like that... I guess.

    It's a good little device. I like.

  • shianshian

    and here's a free light meter (if you have an iPhone), and it's $2.99 if you love it, and feel like buying the developer a beer... i did.

    http://pocketlightmeter.appspot.com/

  • alcomposeralcomposer

    @shian,

    Any news re: Digisix guide?

  • shianshian

    you mean like a tutorial? There's one in the ColorGHear Film School section

  • tcarrettitcarretti

    @shian

    Do you think that the iPhone app would work well enough to simply get starting learning the methods you show in the Film School tutorials?

  • shianshian

    @tcarretti It's a spot only meter. So, perhaps not, but I'd get it, so you could just read things and learn contrast ratios. It's good for that. I pull it out every now and then, just for that. But you can't really read individual lights like I show in the FS. So I would never use it on a real gig, but for playing around, and getting used to reading stuff, it's fine.

  • stoneystoney

    Surprisingly it read 14 EV on both a cloudy day and a sunny day. I was pointing directly to the sun.

  • tcarrettitcarretti

    @stonebat

    Thanks for the Adorama link. Just ordered the Digisix and gray cards. Also purchased the iPhone app for .99, I guess in a pinch it will come in handy.

  • stoneystoney

    Cool. It's fun carrying it everywhere and checking EV. Just slight change in position and angle makes a noticeable difference.

  • AkselAksel

    Check this out

  • shianshian

    @aksel - cool stuff. Solid technique.

  • sanzadezsanzadez

    @Shian Hey, hope this is the right place to post this. I was wondering if you or anyone else could help clarify for me. First let me say, I'm saving some money for a light meter, so at the moment I'm just using the iphone app (got it two days ago). I want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly though. The f-stop value the meter gives me at a set ISO and SS is 50% correct? And we want to have have skin tone about 2/3 stop brighter? So lets say if I took a reading and it gave me f4, then I should expose at about f3.2? If I'm way off, then could someone point me in the right direction. I appreciate any help.

  • shianshian

    you need to test the meter vs. your in-cam meter - if it already reads 2/3 over what the spot in-cam meter reads, then just expose where the app meter reads - maybe a 1/3 to 2/3 over if you need it for contrast. Check the exposure chart with the target zone and skin tone brackets. Also and check your tests against a WFM.

  • kronstadtkronstadt

    I recently saw a second-hand Sekonic 308B go for £66 on eBay. That's pretty affordable. There are also other variations like 308S, which also sells for similar affordable prices (~£70). I wonder if these 308B and 308S (which I presume are for photography) would be compatible with shooting video on GH2 workflow?

    Also, I never shot in color before, so I wonder if there is any light-meter that would read the color temperature?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Also, I never shot in color before, so I wonder if there is any light-meter that would read the color temperature

    I do not remember, but I think some top one are doing similar thing, but they are extremely inaccurate with any modern light, so only usable with tungsten.

    To approximately calculate color temperature for fluos or leds you need to measure whole spectrum :-)

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