Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: JustinWaldingerPhoto on February 08, 2010, 03:07:25 pm

Title: Light Meter suggestions for Field Camera use
Post by: JustinWaldingerPhoto on February 08, 2010, 03:07:25 pm

Hi Everyone.

I am new to LF and in the process of sourcing supplies for this new format.  Can anyone in the LF community recommend a fairly reasonably priced light
meter that they use for 4x5 film.  

thanks in advance!

-J

www.justinwaldinger.com (http://www.justinwaldinger.com)

Title: Light Meter suggestions for Field Camera use
Post by: Sheldon N on February 08, 2010, 03:53:21 pm

Pentax Spotmeter V
Pentax Digital Spotmeter
Sekonic Spotmeter such as the L558 or others

All are very good options.

Title: Light Meter suggestions for Field Camera use
Post by: David Saffir on February 08, 2010, 06:22:12 pm

a good light meter won't be "inexpensive", at least not if you purchase it new. The Sekonic light meters are incredibly tough and long-lasting. You might want to find one that's lightly used, you'll save some money. You can get one without a spot meter, and add it later as an attachment, or get one with a built-in spotmeter. I use the 358 model, and I have the spotmeter attachment.

David Saffir

Title: Light Meter suggestions for Field Camera use
Post by: JustinWaldingerPhoto on February 08, 2010, 08:06:10 pm

Thanks for the advice guys, Im actually eyeing a sekonic L 608 used on ebay right now for about $350. I've read some very positive reviews
about this model, could be a winner

Title: Light Meter suggestions for Field Camera use
Post by: Sheldon N on February 08, 2010, 10:01:42 pm

Quote from: JustinWaldingerPhoto

Thanks for the advice guys, Im actually eyeing a sekonic L 608 used on ebay right now for about $350. I've read some very positive reviews
about this model, could be a winner

The Sekonic is great, I used the L558 for 4x5 film photography for several years and still use it for strobe stuff. If you don't need bells and whistles, the Pentax meters are quite highly regarded - probably the most popular amongst the large format community. There's a great deal on a used Pentax Digital meter here...

https://www.badgergraphic.com/store/cart.ph..._list&c=274 (https://www.badgergraphic.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=274)

Title: Light Meter suggestions for Field Camera use
Post by: DanielStone on February 08, 2010, 11:11:03 pm

I highly 2nd the combo meters(spot and ambient white dome). very convenient!

because I got my L-358 on craigslist for $150 + PW module, I couldn't pass that one up, since it was BNITB. But I ended up snagging a Sekonic L-778 meter off ebay for like $200(sold for $750 new).

super good meters. Pentax spotmeters are really good too, especially the newer digital ones.

-Dan

p.s. I use my spotmeter for pretty much everything, even when shooting 35mm or MF(I only shoot 35/MF when I know the whole roll will be the same, say the studio, or a succession of portraits), so all the frames are exposed the same for the right development.

for everything else, 4x5 and 8x10. strobes I use the 358.

both can trigger Pocketwizards though, since the module in the 358(not standard, add-on), hot shoe on the 778 spot meter.

Title: Light Meter suggestions for Field Camera use
Post by: JustinWaldingerPhoto on February 16, 2010, 04:28:48 pm

Thanks for all the advice everyone! greatly appreciated.

I decided to go with the Sekonic L 608.  Just received it today and was fooling around with the menus, seems pretty
straight forward.  Gonna test it out this weekend.

regards,


-J