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#1
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How to use a hand light-meter?
As obtaining correct film exposure is of fundamental importance to provide good negatives, would a hand meter be a worth while investment instead of relying on the TTL metering of my 35mm SLR Camera that I use at the moment?
I also use this to transfer readings across to my Mamiya RB67 medium format camera. What are the advantages and disadvantages of incident versus reflected measurements? I would like to know more about using a hand meter before parting with my money. I saw a Kenko KFM-2100 on-line, but it can be any other models and brands you can think of, as I am not sure what to buy. |
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How to use a hand light-meter?
"Darkroom User" wrote As obtaining correct film exposure is of fundamental importance to provide good negatives, would a hand meter be a worth while investment instead of relying on the TTL metering of my 35mm SLR Camera that I use at the moment? I also use this to transfer readings across to my Mamiya RB67 medium format camera. You're probably posting this to the wrong newsgroup, and I think I can answer your question. When I first started shooting in large format I used my Nikon F3 as my meter. It worked fine. But once I got my little Sekonic L-318 (I think offhand that's what it is) incident/reflected meter, most of my exposures were assisted by the incident metering. Incident measures all the light falling on the subject regardless of the subject's tonality, shadows and highlights, and its general reflectivity. That helps give you the best overall average reading for the scene. It's very easy to use. You just walk to the subject and point the meter's white dome at the camera and take a reading. Where the reflected meter is best used is on a landscape where you can't walk to it, as in a distant scene. Then I will attach the reflected meter "dome" and take a reading that way, especially if I don't want a lot of sky emphasis. Even so, I may then corroborate that reading with the incident dome. If they match, good. If not, then I have to re-think how and what I'm measuring. Another advantage of these incident meters is that mine, at least, can read to the accuracy(?) of tenths of a stop. Oh, by the way, you still have to think. |
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How to use a hand light-meter?
On 9/3/2010 6:18 PM, Howard Lester wrote:
You just walk to the subject and point the meter's white dome at the camera and take a reading. Where the reflected meter is best used is on a landscape where you can't walk to it, as in a distant scene. Even for landscapes they work fine, just hold the meter in the same light that is in the distant scene. Which generally in landscapes is the same light falling on the area the camera is in too. IMHO it's much more accurate than trying to judge readings from a reflected light reading given the variables in subject color, reflectivity etc. Incident readings avoid all that subjectivity. Stephe |
#4
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How to use a hand light-meter?
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How to use a hand light-meter?
On 9/8/2010 3:58 PM, Howard Lester wrote:
"Michael" wrote On 2010-09-05 02:46:37 -0400, said: On 9/3/2010 6:18 PM, Howard Lester wrote: You just walk to the subject and point the meter's white dome at the camera and take a reading. Where the reflected meter is best used is on a landscape where you can't walk to it, as in a distant scene. Even for landscapes they work fine, just hold the meter in the same light that is in the distant scene. Which generally in landscapes is the same light falling on the area the camera is in too. IMHO it's much more accurate than trying to judge readings from a reflected light reading given the variables in subject color, reflectivity etc. Incident readings avoid all that subjectivity. Stephe I agree. My Seconic handheld meter works in both reflected and incident modes and I use it with my otherwise unmetered Nikon F and Pentax 6x7 and get good results on landscapes. Especially good results on seascapes and beach scenes and snow scenes where the reflected meter reading is likely to make the snow or the beach neutral gray instead of nearly-blown-out bright. Still have to bracket though. -- Michael Sorry for having to retain all of the above; I did so for clarity.... To follow up (or summarize): you still have to think, whether you have incident, reflected, gray card, palm-of-your-hand -- whatever. Howard I just feel reflected metering requires the most "subjective" interpretation as you have to take into account how far from a matte finish gray card your subject is. Depending on the color of the subject, how much sky the meter is seeing and how many clouds are in the sky etc the reading can vary wildly and ends up being a guesstimate at best. Unless for some odd reason I can't get into aprox the same light that is falling on the subject, I always prefer to use incident metering. Stephe |
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How to use a hand light-meter?
On 2010-09-03 16:21:38 -0400, Darkroom User said:
As obtaining correct film exposure is of fundamental importance to provide good negatives, would a hand meter be a worth while investment instead of relying on the TTL metering of my 35mm SLR Camera that I use at the moment? I also use this to transfer readings across to my Mamiya RB67 medium format camera. What are the advantages and disadvantages of incident versus reflected measurements? I would like to know more about using a hand meter before parting with my money. I saw a Kenko KFM-2100 on-line, but it can be any other models and brands you can think of, as I am not sure what to buy. Darkroom is not the ideal newgroup because your question is not about darkroom work. I'd suggest rec.photo.equipment.35mm or alt.photography -- Michael |
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How to use a hand light-meter?
"Darkroom User" wrote in message news As obtaining correct film exposure is of fundamental importance to provide good negatives, would a hand meter be a worth while investment instead of relying on the TTL metering of my 35mm SLR Camera that I use at the moment? I also use this to transfer readings across to my Mamiya RB67 medium format camera. What are the advantages and disadvantages of incident versus reflected measurements? I would like to know more about using a hand meter before parting with my money. I saw a Kenko KFM-2100 on-line, but it can be any other models and brands you can think of, as I am not sure what to buy. Grab hold of Ansel Adam's *The Negative*, Chapters 3 and 4. |
#9
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How to use a hand light-meter?
"Lawrence Akutagawa" wrote
Grab hold of Ansel Adam's *The Negative*, Chapters 3 and 4. And don't ever let it go. |
#10
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Kodak have a publication about light-meters and how to use them on their website which you might find useful.
http://www.kodak.com/cluster/global/...f9/index.shtml |
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