I have invested in an older Medium Format Camera that does not have an internal Light Meter. Anyone have suggestions for a "GOOD" handheld Light Meter. I am not afraid of spending some money to get a quality unit. Thanks!
Suggestions for Handheld Light Meters
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Grumpy
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I have no specific model recommendations, but have had good experiences with both Gossen and Sekonic brand meters.
Look for a meter that can measure either reflected or incident light. A flash meter might also be useful in the package.
For starters, check out this assortment at B&H Photo.
G.
Look for a meter that can measure either reflected or incident light. A flash meter might also be useful in the package.
For starters, check out this assortment at B&H Photo.
G.
Last edited:
DougPaul
Well-known member
Have you thought about which type? incident, spot, average (scene)?
I also don't have any specific recommendations, but Luminous Landscape has some: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/meters.shtml.
And in http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/s30-as-meter.shtml , he suggests using a P&S with a histogram as a meter for a (meter-less) large-format camera.
A within-site search brings up some other pages which might also be helpful: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=images
Ken Rockwell also seems to have some advice and suggestions:
http://kenrockwell.com/tech/meters.htm
http://kenrockwell.com/tech/meters-digicam.htm
http://kenrockwell.com/tech/zone.htm
http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/spot.htm
http://kenrockwell.com/tech/ev.htm
FWIW, my mother used to use a Weston (scene average reflected light) meter to good effect. Don't know if they are still available.
Doug
I also don't have any specific recommendations, but Luminous Landscape has some: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/meters.shtml.
And in http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/s30-as-meter.shtml , he suggests using a P&S with a histogram as a meter for a (meter-less) large-format camera.
A within-site search brings up some other pages which might also be helpful: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=images
Ken Rockwell also seems to have some advice and suggestions:
http://kenrockwell.com/tech/meters.htm
http://kenrockwell.com/tech/meters-digicam.htm
http://kenrockwell.com/tech/zone.htm
http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/spot.htm
http://kenrockwell.com/tech/ev.htm
FWIW, my mother used to use a Weston (scene average reflected light) meter to good effect. Don't know if they are still available.
Doug
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Grumpy
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I will add here that it is important to learn and use good metering technique to achieve optimum results. It actually is not difficult to learn, apply and master.
Is it safe to assume assume the "new" (to you) medium format camera uses film? I've found that good exposure technique for film does not necessarily translate to good exposure for digital media. As you play back and forth with these different media you will get a feel for those differences.
You may already be aware of what follows.
It has been mentioned here before, but you might want to learn the old "f/16" rule to help check your meter readings. It goes like this:
a) Set shutter speed at (or as close as possible to) the reciprocal of the film ISO or Exposure Index (EI). This is, 1/ISO or 1/EI
b) If shooting in bright sun, set lens diaphragm at f/16; hazy bright = f/11; cloudy bright = f/8; cloudy dull = f/5.6; run-for-cover-dark = f/4.
c) Shooting over water, sand or snow (and maybe above timberline on open rock), stop down one f/stop from usual setting for the light conditions.
d) Backlit subject, open up 1-3 stops. Shaded glades, open up 2-4 stops for shadow detail. Open shade (with good skylight) open up 1-3 stops. In all cases, bracket and pray!
Learn about reciprocal exposures.
Note that each full f/stop change in exposure lets in exactly double or half the amount of light, depending on which way you go. F/2.8 lets in twice as much light as does f/4, for example. Full stops are f/2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32 ...
Same works for the usual range of shutter speeds (or closely enough to make it a usable system). Usual speeds would be 1 sec, 1/2 sec, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30 (or 1/25), 1/60 (or 1/50), 1/125 sec, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000.
So, if you start at, say, 1/125 sec at f/8 ... an exactly equal (reciprocal) exposure would be 1/250 at f/5.6, or 1/60 at f/11. You can take it from there.
Now you know everything I know about this stuff.
Have fun with the new medium format camera. (What flavor and brand did you get, anyway?)
G.
Is it safe to assume assume the "new" (to you) medium format camera uses film? I've found that good exposure technique for film does not necessarily translate to good exposure for digital media. As you play back and forth with these different media you will get a feel for those differences.
You may already be aware of what follows.
It has been mentioned here before, but you might want to learn the old "f/16" rule to help check your meter readings. It goes like this:
a) Set shutter speed at (or as close as possible to) the reciprocal of the film ISO or Exposure Index (EI). This is, 1/ISO or 1/EI
b) If shooting in bright sun, set lens diaphragm at f/16; hazy bright = f/11; cloudy bright = f/8; cloudy dull = f/5.6; run-for-cover-dark = f/4.
c) Shooting over water, sand or snow (and maybe above timberline on open rock), stop down one f/stop from usual setting for the light conditions.
d) Backlit subject, open up 1-3 stops. Shaded glades, open up 2-4 stops for shadow detail. Open shade (with good skylight) open up 1-3 stops. In all cases, bracket and pray!
Learn about reciprocal exposures.
Note that each full f/stop change in exposure lets in exactly double or half the amount of light, depending on which way you go. F/2.8 lets in twice as much light as does f/4, for example. Full stops are f/2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32 ...
Same works for the usual range of shutter speeds (or closely enough to make it a usable system). Usual speeds would be 1 sec, 1/2 sec, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30 (or 1/25), 1/60 (or 1/50), 1/125 sec, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000.
So, if you start at, say, 1/125 sec at f/8 ... an exactly equal (reciprocal) exposure would be 1/250 at f/5.6, or 1/60 at f/11. You can take it from there.
Now you know everything I know about this stuff.
Have fun with the new medium format camera. (What flavor and brand did you get, anyway?)
G.
Grumpy said:
Wow lot's of great info here to go through from both Doug and Grumpy. I actually bought two older Late 70's early 80's Hasselblads. One is a 500 ELM and the other is a 500 C/M. This is actually a nostalgic retreat for me as both of my folks were big time Hassey users when I was growing up. 35mm was of vogue at that time for up and coming photographers like myself and then of course the "Digital" thing happened. So I never really got around to this medium. In addition I have been involved much more with Video as of late so this should be a challenge. I hope to do mostly landscape although I have also acquired a bellows and will probably try some closeup stuff. On another note does anyone have any preferences as far as processing and printing for medium format film? Again thanks for all the info and I am sure to have more questions as I dive into this more.
ALGonquin Bob
Well-known member
What is this, how you say... FILM?
Although I haven't shot a roll of 120 or 220 in a few years, I think I remember. The Hassys have superb lenses - nice choice. Until you buy that meter, the old "Sunny 16" rule works well, as described in this thread. Gosson and Sekonic are the 2 main meter manufacturers, and might be the only ones left. If you have a local camera store (remember those?), pay them a visit and consider giving them your business; if you're buying via internet, you won't get much help at all from the vendors. Research the Gosson and Sekonic sites - they both make excellent products. All but the cheapest meters will read both reflected and incident light - incident light is a more accurate means of measurement. I'd prefer an electronic meter with a good LCD readout to an analog meter with a needle. Regarding film, you most likely have 120 sized film backs that allow 12 square images per roll (220 will not work in a 120 back). If you have a pro lab in town, go there for processing. Otherwise, find a reputable pro film lab and mail your film to them. Digital scans are available from the negs, but are probably expensive. You can always have glossy prints made and scan those if you want a digital file. Have fun!
Although I haven't shot a roll of 120 or 220 in a few years, I think I remember. The Hassys have superb lenses - nice choice. Until you buy that meter, the old "Sunny 16" rule works well, as described in this thread. Gosson and Sekonic are the 2 main meter manufacturers, and might be the only ones left. If you have a local camera store (remember those?), pay them a visit and consider giving them your business; if you're buying via internet, you won't get much help at all from the vendors. Research the Gosson and Sekonic sites - they both make excellent products. All but the cheapest meters will read both reflected and incident light - incident light is a more accurate means of measurement. I'd prefer an electronic meter with a good LCD readout to an analog meter with a needle. Regarding film, you most likely have 120 sized film backs that allow 12 square images per roll (220 will not work in a 120 back). If you have a pro lab in town, go there for processing. Otherwise, find a reputable pro film lab and mail your film to them. Digital scans are available from the negs, but are probably expensive. You can always have glossy prints made and scan those if you want a digital file. Have fun!
Last edited:
DougPaul
Well-known member
Just a bit of backup on the exposure rules of thumb:
I was out on a week-long (salt-water) boat trip and the meter in my film SLR failed. I simply used the rules of thumb and the pictures (slides) were fine.
When I got home, I checked out the meter and found it was simply dirty battery contacts. (The camera itself was fully manual.) Only took a minute or two to fix, but I didn't miss the meter while at sea.
Doug
I was out on a week-long (salt-water) boat trip and the meter in my film SLR failed. I simply used the rules of thumb and the pictures (slides) were fine.
When I got home, I checked out the meter and found it was simply dirty battery contacts. (The camera itself was fully manual.) Only took a minute or two to fix, but I didn't miss the meter while at sea.
Doug
Last edited:
DougPaul
Well-known member
FILM? Wazzat?ALGonquin Bob said:
Particularly if you are shooting B&W, you should be able to process it yourself. (That is if you can still buy developing tanks and chemicals-- haven't bought any myself in quite a few years.*)
A bit of retro fun... (I'll admit that I've been spoiled by digital.)
Doug
*EDIT: I just checked B&H--they do still sell developers, so presumably the rest is available too.
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Grumpy
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skiguy said:
B&H Photo Video continues to offer an excellent selection of films (color transparency, color negative, and blak & white neg), film processing equipment, and chemistry, and darkroom printing equipment and supplies.
I have no qualms about processing b&w materials "by hand" at home (have done plenty of it, even in hotel room bathrooms). In fact, outside labs that will handle b&w can be very hard to find. I always have preferred to use outside labs services or automated processing systems in my employer's (newspaper) darkroom for color processing.
Your biggest challenges (beyond the b&w issue) might be in finding close-to-home labs that can handle the 120 format.
Then, if you want to share your medium format images via electronic media, comes the scanning. If you're into DIY, B&H currently shows only one desktop film scanner that will accept 120 film -- the Nikon Super Coolscan 9000 ED, at about $2,100 -- but today it is listed as "out of stock."
G.
