Do you use a lightmeter when shooting wedding in film?

[haring]

Do you use a light meter when shooting wedding in film? I mostly shoot with digital (it is easy to check the exposure in digital) and I am just worried that the camera light meter in the film camera won't be accurate. I would use the film cameras for the posed photos so I think I would have time to measure the time with the light meter... what do you think? What do you usually do?
Or do you think it is possible to meter with the digital camera? Take a digital shoot at the same ISO speed? Then I would adjust aperture, shutter in the film camera according to the results based on the exposure on the digital photos?

What do you think?

[Steve Weldon]

When I have the time I love using light meters.. but you need to take the time to learn how YOUR meter meters your camera.  There are many small things to look for in different types of uses (different subject/theme/scenes) and this requires practice/experience with both the meter and each body and each lens you use it with.  You can spend years mastering a light meter.  Once you do, you'll use it with any camera when time permits.

[Cineski]

Do you have time to meter with a digital camera and then shoot with film?  Not a good idea imo.  A light meter is very valuable when shooting film.  Just need to know how to meter.  It's not overexposure to worry about, it's underexposure.  Nothing throws off a good camera reading like a big white wedding dress or tuxedo!

Do you use a light meter when shooting wedding in film? I mostly shoot with digital (it is easy to check the exposure in digital) and I am just worried that the camera light meter in the film camera won't be accurate. I would use the film cameras for the posed photos so I think I would have time to measure the time with the light meter... what do you think? What do you usually do?
Or do you think it is possible to meter with the digital camera? Take a digital shoot at the same ISO speed? Then I would adjust aperture, shutter in the film camera according to the results based on the exposure on the digital photos?

What do you think?

[Frank Doorhof]

Whatever I shoot, when it's possible I will use the meter.
Remember that the meter in the camera is a reflective meter so it will NEVER give you perfect exposures, it's always a rendering to 18% gray. Which works on most cases by the way, but when using a meter you can do exactly what you want and calculate the points for black (no detail) and white (clipping point)

In some occasions using the meter does not work or doesn't make sense, however because I know how the system works I find myself constantly using the exposure compensation. That's why they say, master the manual mode first and the rest will follow

[haring]

Thanks a lot!

[pixjohn]

Shot a roll of film and test the meter?

 

[Rob C]

Okay, it's only a personal slant, but I would never shoot a wedding unless I was 100% sure of what I was doing. Life throws enough curves without starting handicapped; after all, whilst you can always reshoot a pro job with models, a wedding is for once. Eff that and you carry the thing in your soul for ever; or you damned well should.

Leave it to the pros, if they blow it, it's not your fault. And they can: ours did.

Rob C

[Steve Weldon]

Okay, it's only a personal slant, but I would never shoot a wedding unless I was 100% sure of what I was doing. Life throws enough curves without starting handicapped; after all, whilst you can always reshoot a pro job with models, a wedding is for once. Eff that and you carry the thing in your soul for ever; or you damned well should.

Leave it to the pros, if they blow it, it's not your fault. And they can: ours did.

Rob C

I've got to agree with you 100%.  But I'm not sure I see where this fits in.  IMO a light meter helps ensure accurate exposure if used correctly..  With black tuxes and bright white dresses, a lightmeter is my first choice for the parts of a wedding where I have the time.

[rhsu]

.... a light meter helps ensure accurate exposure if used correctly..  With black tuxes and bright white dresses, a lightmeter is my first choice for the parts of a wedding where I have the time.

I too must agree with the above - to use the lightmeter for manual film shoot.  Remember that digital is like transparency and not film.  film has greater torrence/forgiveness.  I remember the days of Nikon D1/Fuji S1 when shooting with my 6x6 (non metered-prism) doing weddings.  I had the same thoughts back then but in the end, it was faster to use my lightmeter and fire away with my 6x6.  When you shoot plenty, you end up knowing what settings to be at without metering.  I always have my lightmeter around my neck and my assistant would have one to get critical readings.  I still have my Gossen II device.

I still used it when shooting landscape with my MF digital back on tech camera (security blanket) - notwithstanding the histogram would return almost spot on with my lightmeter readings.

good luck... 

[Rob C]

I've got to agree with you 100%.  But I'm not sure I see where this fits in.  IMO a light meter helps ensure accurate exposure if used correctly..  With black tuxes and bright white dresses, a lightmeter is my first choice for the parts of a wedding where I have the time.

It fits, for me, in that the OP shouldn't be doing something so important for a client without having the expertise. If he has that knowledge, he wouldn't be posting the question, is all.

Rob C

[fredjeang]

By the way, talking about lightmeters, I've been told that the I.phone has a lightmeter application...

Anybody used the I.phone lightmeter ?

[Cineski]

Yeah, it's called go on BH Photo on your iPhone and order a Sekonic 

[fredjeang]

http://forum.mflenses.com/leica-m4-p-and-kodak-bw400cn-and-iphone-light-meter-t37640.html

does not seem too bad.

I read a few reviews wich conclusions where the one you suggest: get a Sekonic !

[TMARK]

Yes, you want an incident meter.  I'm partial to the Sekonic 558 for studio and for street I've always used a Gossen, first Luna Six then a series of Digisixs.

The advice given thus far is great.  There is one more issue:  Your Exposure Index for specific films.  Box speed for film is usually a suggestion, a starting point.  Through experience I find that TriX 400 in 35mm is ISO 250, in 120 ISO 200, and the 320TXP in 4x5 and 120 is really ISO 320. Then there is TMAX which, in rolls, is really close to box speed when souped in TMax developer.  Sheets in HC110 should be shot (in my opinion) 1/3 over.  Color film is another ball game.  I find 35mm Kodak 400UC to be really great at 200. You get the point.  My suggestion would be to shoot it on film, but also shoot some digital so you have a predictable result for the happy couple.