Sunny 16 and what else?

Mike Henley wrote:
Peter Irwin wrote in message ...
Mike Henley wrote:

David's suggestion of the Sekonic L-208 twinmate is good. I have
that meter and I like it a lot

What about this one?

http://www.firstcall-photographic.co...p?partno=26034

The Gossen Digisix should be just fine.


BTW, how would using this external meter and a mechanical camera (like
an olympus rc) compare to using a more modern camera that allows
manual override but has a built-in meter?

It is a different style of operation. If you are used to a built-in
meter, you will probably find using a separate meter a bit cumbersome
at first. This is because many people who use built-in meters check
the light meter and adjust exposure just before making a shot. If you
use a separate meter, you will want to get into the habit of keeping
your camera adjusted whenever you have it out, so that it will be
ready when you want to take a picture.

Peter.
--

Mike Henley wrote:

Peter Irwin wrote in message ...

Mike Henley wrote:

David's suggestion of the Sekonic L-208 twinmate is good. I have
that meter and I like it a lot.


Does this mean no one uses "eyeball metering"?


Where it works, yes. But spot metering, incident metering and
grey card metering give more consistent results.

See:
http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm
http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.ht...ensity%20Chart
http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.ht...%20CHA RT%20B



--
--e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--

Mike Henley wrote:

Peter Irwin wrote in message ...

Mike Henley wrote:

David's suggestion of the Sekonic L-208 twinmate is good. I have
that meter and I like it a lot


What about this one?

http://www.firstcall-photographic.co...p?partno=26034

BTW, how would using this external meter and a mechanical camera (like
an olympus rc) compare to using a more modern camera that allows
manual override but has a built-in meter?

Using an incident light meter properly will be less error prone
than using any in-camera meter (which believe everything is 18%
grey). The incident meter measures the light falling on the
scene, and so doesn't care about their reflectivity. The
drawback of using an incident meter is that you have to move
around a lot and transfer the setting to the camera.

(The drawback of the meter you show is that it does not meter
flash. If that is of interest to you, then ...)

In the most basic usage of an incident meter, simply point the
dome of the meter towards the lens (the meter being in the same
light as the subject if you can't be close to the subject). You
can also move around and check the light in the deeper shaddows
and in brighter areas if you're shooting in the shade.

Take care that where you meter has the same light (direct and
reflected) as where the subject is if you are not metering at the
subject.

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 12:24:34 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:



Using an incident light meter properly will be less error prone
than using any in-camera meter (which believe everything is 18%
grey). The incident meter measures the light falling on the
scene, and so doesn't care about their reflectivity. The
drawback of using an incident meter is that you have to move
around a lot and transfer the setting to the camera.

(The drawback of the meter you show is that it does not meter
flash. If that is of interest to you, then ...)

In the most basic usage of an incident meter, simply point the
dome of the meter towards the lens (the meter being in the same
light as the subject if you can't be close to the subject). You
can also move around and check the light in the deeper shaddows
and in brighter areas if you're shooting in the shade.

An incident meter also assumes an 18% grey and in my experience is
less likely to give you good results under certain conditions, like
slide film under sunlit contrast conditions unless you understand
exactly when you need to meter with the dome not pointing towards the
camera.
An incident meter is better under most conditions because it's not
measuring the reflected light, as you said.

Alan Browne wrote in message ...

Using an incident light meter properly will be less error prone
than using any in-camera meter (which believe everything is 18%
grey). The incident meter measures the light falling on the
scene, and so doesn't care about their reflectivity. The
drawback of using an incident meter is that you have to move
around a lot and transfer the setting to the camera.

(The drawback of the meter you show is that it does not meter
flash. If that is of interest to you, then ...)


Hi Alan. I don't plan on using flash at all. I've read somewhere
though that this Gossen digisix has trouble or is not suitable for low
light photography. I do like low light photography a lot. Does anyone
know about this issue with this particular meter?


In the most basic usage of an incident meter, simply point the
dome of the meter towards the lens (the meter being in the same
light as the subject if you can't be close to the subject). You
can also move around and check the light in the deeper shaddows
and in brighter areas if you're shooting in the shade.

Take care that where you meter has the same light (direct and
reflected) as where the subject is if you are not metering at the
subject.

"McLeod" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 12:24:34 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:



Using an incident light meter properly will be less error prone
than using any in-camera meter (which believe everything is 18%
grey). The incident meter measures the light falling on the
scene, and so doesn't care about their reflectivity. The
drawback of using an incident meter is that you have to move
around a lot and transfer the setting to the camera.

(The drawback of the meter you show is that it does not meter
flash. If that is of interest to you, then ...)

In the most basic usage of an incident meter, simply point the
dome of the meter towards the lens (the meter being in the same
light as the subject if you can't be close to the subject). You
can also move around and check the light in the deeper shaddows
and in brighter areas if you're shooting in the shade.

An incident meter also assumes an 18% grey and in my experience is
less likely to give you good results under certain conditions, like
slide film under sunlit contrast conditions unless you understand
exactly when you need to meter with the dome not pointing towards the
camera.
An incident meter is better under most conditions because it's not
measuring the reflected light, as you said.

I my Sekonic L358 flash master is essential for studio work, and great for
any "nearby" work, but for some landscapes, and most city scapes, my (Nikon)
in camera meter is best.

--
Regards,
Matt Clara
www.mattclara.com

McLeod wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 12:24:34 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:


In the most basic usage of an incident meter, simply point the
dome of the meter towards the lens (the meter being in the same
light as the subject if you can't be close to the subject). You
can also move around and check the light in the deeper shaddows
and in brighter areas if you're shooting in the shade.


An incident meter also assumes an 18% grey and in my experience is
less likely to give you good results under certain conditions, like
slide film under sunlit contrast conditions unless you understand
exactly when you need to meter with the dome not pointing towards the
camera.

I agree. I had begun writing a more elaborate reply, but
curtailed it, hence the phrase "in the most basic usage..."

An incident meter is better under most conditions because it's not
measuring the reflected light, as you said.

Yep.

Cheers,
Alan



--
--e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--

Mike Henley wrote:

Alan Browne wrote in message ...


Using an incident light meter properly will be less error prone
than using any in-camera meter (which believe everything is 18%
grey). The incident meter measures the light falling on the
scene, and so doesn't care about their reflectivity. The
drawback of using an incident meter is that you have to move
around a lot and transfer the setting to the camera.

(The drawback of the meter you show is that it does not meter
flash. If that is of interest to you, then ...)



Hi Alan. I don't plan on using flash at all. I've read somewhere
though that this Gossen digisix has trouble or is not suitable for low
light photography. I do like low light photography a lot. Does anyone
know about this issue with this particular meter?


The Gossen claimed range is down to EV 0. Which equates to
f/1.0, 1 second at ISO 100... dim ambient lighting.

Minolta meters (such as the VF) go down to -2 EV (two stops
dimmer) ..equates to a snowscape, away from the city, under a
full moon. I don't know offhand if other incident meters do
better than -2 EV. (Sekonic likewise seem to have a low end of
-2 EV)

For most use of such a meter you will be fine. If you photograph
in very dim light a lot, then the "Fred Parker" guide is just as
good, if not better than an incident meter, as the light will be
more consistently less than the meter range than in it.

IOW, yes the Gossen you cite is not as good as some other meters,
but it will likley do the job for you most of the time. You can
always spend more money if in doubt.

And for lower EV still...

http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm
http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.ht...ensity%20Chart
http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.ht...%20CHA RT%20B

Cheers,
Alan
--
--e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.--

IOW, yes the Gossen you cite is not as good as some other meters,
but it will likley do the job for you most of the time. You can
always spend more money if in doubt.

What's a good meter? I'm wondering between the sekonic 208 and gossen digisix,
or the sekonik 308 and gossen sixtomat (luna pro f digital in the US)...

i don't really need flash

"Sabineellen" wrote in message
...

IOW, yes the Gossen you cite is not as good as some other meters,
but it will likley do the job for you most of the time. You can
always spend more money if in doubt.

What's a good meter? I'm wondering between the sekonic 208 and gossen
digisix,
or the sekonik 308 and gossen sixtomat (luna pro f digital in the US)...

i don't really need flash

IMHO, any and all of the above are fine _for what they are_. You'll get best
results using them as incident meters, either with the dome or a gray card.
Using them in averaging reflected mode will be less accurate.

If you want to take real control of your exposures and learn how to look at
a scene, decide what you want your film to look like, and to get that, you
need a spot meter and to learn the exposure parts of the zone system.

It's not hard. The books plugged at the following site will teach you what
you need.
http://www.spotmetering.com/

But you'll need a spot meter, and spot meters are a tad pricey.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan