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Intro to Light Meters
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev


    Read also tips at authot post: http://lightingalchemy.blogspot.com/2011/11/lighting-101-using-meter.html
  • 23 Replies sorted by
  • johnnymjohnnym
    thanks!
  • No_SuRReNDeRNo_SuRReNDeR
    I have a great one I got back when I was in film school. It has both a flat and a round disc you can swap so you can check reflected levels too. I love the looks I get when I use it...but it really makes more sense than trusting the evf in the camera. Sadly I need a new battery for it :(
  • qwerty123qwerty123
    Good find @Vitaliy_Kiselev !

    I see some Sekonic L-758Cine on ebay said to be new at $600 (shipping included) from Hong Kong. Most other places Amazon, B&H, etc. sell it for $800+

    Does anyone know how reputable the ones from ebay are?
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    You can check this one:
    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/1005/sekonic-l-308dc#Item_7
  • John_FarragutJohn_Farragut
    Are there any that can automatically compensate for ND filters, or any other filters used?
  • GabelGabel
    No, but just see how many stops your ND filter would remove. Then compensate for that.
  • John_FarragutJohn_Farragut
    @Gabel Yeah, I was already thinking that. I need to memorize the F-stop scale better, or carry one with me. I know the standard full stops, just the in-between.
  • qwerty123qwerty123
    Yeah I saw the L-308DC. It looks fine. have you tried it Vitaliy? The spot meter on the L-758 is quite nice though. Another alternative is analog light meters, some of which are quite nice and can be gotten pretty cheap.
  • David_ColeDavid_Cole
    I would love to develop a full understanding of scene lighting - but - I'm just not getting it. I have a Sekonic L-358 and I've REALLY tried to learn how to use it - but - I'm just not able to beat a histogram. I have learned to trust the GH2 histogram and expose slightly under the "white" indiction to avoid any blow-outs.

    More often than not, I'm shooting in a situation where lighting conditions are fairly dynamic (clouds, shadows, trees...) and I can adapt fairly quickly with a histogram. I don't think I'll ever get there with a meter. Am I missing the boat on GREAT exposure??
  • davhardavhar
    Not really. Whatever works for you. The LCDs and histograms are so good these days that you can trust them with your eyes of experience using them. The one big advantage of a light meter is pre-lighting a set or when the camera guys are busy with their shite. . ie- you don't need to look through the camera to light. But in this crowd we are the camera and lighting guy in one so…whatever works for ya
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

  • MikeLinnMikeLinn

  • cls105cls105

    Say im shooting run and gun with a blackmagic camera in prores.

    What is the fastest way to check white balance color temperature (without putting a grey card in front of subject)? Is there a meter that i could throw on a rig that would give me general readings to adjust white balance quickly? General accuracy is ok. thanks

  • DrDaveDrDave

    I have a light meter. It reads the same as my camera and my phone.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    It reads the same as my camera and my phone.

    What you mean under this?

    As part of light meter performance is that good ones have spot and wide (half dome) metering.

  • mrbillmrbill

    @cls105 - you're talking about a color meter. I use the vectorscope on my atomos ninja to get me close color-wise, then tweak to taste.

  • mrbillmrbill

    http://ww.lu.mu/ This plugs into your iphone 5s

    https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/cine-meter-ii/id846918884?mt=8 And this is the software that goes with it. Cheapest way into color metering. By all accounts, pretty accurate. Does luminance readings as well.

  • CFreakCFreak

    The lumu looks like a great back up to having the real meters. I mean, when one is lighting and color balancing on a set, all those texts & phone calls coming in might get just annoying :-)

  • DrDaveDrDave

    http://www.theinspiredeye.net/lumu-review-light-meter/

  • mrbillmrbill

    @DrDave - that reviews the older lumu version, which works with iPhone 4s. It's functionality is restricted to luminance readings. The lumu power functions as a color meter too, but will only work with iPhone 5 and above.

  • DrDaveDrDave

    Hmmm no android version?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Using Light meter

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Using old meter

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