Recommend a lightmeter?

[PAUL O]

Having recently trashed my Gossen Starlite meter I find myself in the position of spending more cash on a replacement
Before I squander my hard-earned cash I wondered what lightmeters everybody else used and of the pros and cons of these!
My requirements are:
1. Spot meter function
2. Memory facility
3. Aperture priority mode of calculating exposure

So, any suggestions/recommendations would be most welcome
Thanks

[DJ]

I have a Sekonic 608 and I've nothing bad to say about it...

1 degree spot, zooms out to wider as well, works in aperture priority mode and also EV mode which I find useful. Can do multiple readings and average them etc.

Has two ISO settings, allowing you to dial in compensation (filter/reciprocity) on the second ISO in stops, and so react quickly after a reading, take your meter reading, hit ISO2 button and get the adjusted exposure instantly.

Nice screen, also accepts the radio module to be compatible with PocketWizard strobe triggers and stuff if that's your bag.

Battery life seems fairly good, but then having never owned any other meters I have no basis for comparison!

[dave_whatever]

I've got a kenko 2100 (aka minolta VI) and its great, memory modes a plenty. Its not got aperture priorty though. But this isn't really a problem since LF leaf shuttered lenses operate in shutter priority only, i.e. integer shutter speeds only but continously variable aperture. With this particular meter you can roll the speed dial at any point to transpose the reading to give you the aperture you're after anyway.

[George Hart]

Paul, I am sorry to hear of the demise of your meter. It's like losing a familiar friend! My mainstay is the Pentax digital spotmeter, which has no memory function, but it is totally reliable, resistant to flare, and doesn't need to be switched on and off. I'm on the waiting list for a Metered Light spotmeter, to replace the Minolta spotmeter that drowned in Buttermere. I don't know if you have heard of these, but they seem to be made in occasional batches, info here http://meteredlight.blogspot.com/. They are small enough to hang around your neck, weigh <4 oz, and get rave reviews. I can let you know what I think of it when it eventually arrives…

[Bip]

The Sekonic L 508 zoom is perfect.

[dave_whatever]

I thought the 508 doesn't have a viewfinder readout? I pretty much ruled it out straight away on that basis alone.

[Bip]

It has a spotmeter, ambient, reflected, memory, nice to hold, inexpensive, very accurate, lcd display... it's enough for me! Leaves me to concentrate on the image. I have an old Minolta which gives accurate readings too without any embelishments.

[gary mulder]

I frequently use a gossen spot-master 2, a minolta spotmeter F and a sekonic L-758.

remarks;

- Spot-matser 2, Complicated recommended only for a truly zone system adept. Battery life miserable.
- Minolta F, This is the one to where my money would go. Easy to use, good handling. Battery, penlight AA, works forever on it. No aperture priority mode. But why do you need that?
- Sekonic L-758 Once configured to your working habits easy to use. Good meter. Battery life ok. If it was not that expensive, ore you do not mind, the one to get.

[Peter B]

- Spot-matser 2, Complicated recommended only for a truly zone system adept. Battery life miserable.
-

So it's not just my addled brain that finds this meter difficult to use and the battery forever going flat? I'm really quite relieved now, thanks for posting this.

[Nigels]

OK - for me its the Pentax Digital Spotmeter. A revelation since I got it. I trust it and my shots improved because of it.

[Bogdan_B]

The Sekonic L 508 zoom is perfect.

Another vote for the L-508 and one for the L-758. The 508 dosn't have a viewfinder display and it only goes in 1/2 or full stops but the L-758 has a viewfinder display and it goes in 1/3 stops aswell. Also the 508 has only 3 redings memory as supposed to 7 on the L-758. Both of them are 3 in 1 meters and have aperture/shutter/EV readings.

[PAUL O]

Thanks for the suggestions!
I previously used the Sekonic L508 - a fantastic meter but unfortunately no longer available new so I will give the L758 a try. Its clearly too "sophisticated" for my photography (having said that the 508 was too) but seems like the "best" choice of meters available from new.

[David Evans]

OK - for me its the Pentax Digital Spotmeter. A revelation since I got it. I trust it and my shots improved because of it.

Another vote for the Pentax Digital Spotmeter - not sure whether they are still available new though (Badger Graphics don't list them anymore).

[Peter B]

Thanks for the suggestions!
I previously used the Sekonic L508 - a fantastic meter but unfortunately no longer available new so I will give the L758 a try. Its clearly too "sophisticated" for my photography (having said that the 508 was too) but seems like the "best" choice of meters available from new.

Mifsuds have an L508 @ £219, but they don't say what condition it is in. They do send goods on 10 day approval though.

http://www.mifsuds.com/usedpriceindex.htm

[Bogdan_B]

Thanks for the suggestions!
I previously used the Sekonic L508 - a fantastic meter but unfortunately no longer available new so I will give the L758 a try. Its clearly too "sophisticated" for my photography (having said that the 508 was too) but seems like the "best" choice of meters available from new.

You are right on the paper it has a lot of gimmicks but if you can switch off from all that digital calibration,filter compensation, cine functions is quite a nice meter. I only had mine for a week and I'm in love with it, saying that i quite liked the 508 that i had previously. Especially if you have previous experience with the 508 the 758 will be like second nature.
Check here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sekonic-L-758D-L- ... 48383e4880