Sarfaraz M H Merchant Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 (edited) I have a very old light meter, and need to upgrade for a short I am shooting on 16mm soon. Picking a new light meter has been so confusing with all the extra features (I have thought about the L608 seckonic or the 558c). How useful will I find many of these features? and will they really help me produce better images? (I am almost entielry self taught in Cine. and not that well experianced). Any advise, or experiance would be most appreciated. Edited September 4, 2005 by Sarfaraz Kaus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Paul Bruening Posted September 5, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted September 5, 2005 Hello, I recently got the Sekonic L-558C. I love it. However, it is a complicated widget and has a learning curve to it. I was like you. I used a Calcu-lite for years and years and it had the old LED read-out and conversion wheel. If you don't mind the newer LCD readouts and buttons with a gazzillion options, the Sekonic will do a good job for both ambient and spot. I really like the FC reads on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David E. McMurray Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I have a very old light meter, and need to upgrade for a short I am shooting on 16mm soon. Picking a new light meter has been so confusing with all the extra features (I have thought about the L608 seckonic or the 558c). How useful will I find many of these features? and will they really help me produce better images? (I am almost entielry self taught in Cine. and not that well experianced). Any advise, or experiance would be most appreciated. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I have always used and old fashioned analog light meter. A red needle over numbers is much more intuative than digital numbers running up and down like a gas pump. I use the white flat disk to measure the light falling on the different objects in the scene. I never use the globe. I want to know what the light is coming from a specific direction and adjust it accordingly. But I must always take the time to walk around my objects in the scene so I know what is going on. It is not a quick way to do things. Use your hand and body to block light from particular lights you are not interested in metering. For eye sockets or other recessed areas. Don't get focused on the gadget. Think in broad terms. The camera pushes film. The most important part is the lens. In Film. Yours, Dave P.S. The metering technique is Alan Daviau's A.S.C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Lemercier Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 HI SARFARAZ, i work with a professional SPECTRA IV. it's great. best. Mikael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarfaraz M H Merchant Posted September 11, 2005 Author Share Posted September 11, 2005 Thank you guys, I appreciate your advise, I will try and remain in budget and not get too distracted by the extras till I have the cash. Some day maybe. Love and respect, Saff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Irwin Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 You don't need a high end meter to make better images. I use a studio studio deluxe and I know at least one ASC member that uses the same meter. Conrad Hall Sr. used a classic spectra- that design hasen't changed in decades. As long as your meter is calibrated and you know how to use it, you should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L K Keerthi Basu Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 I use Sekonic L398M studio deluxe, This is a good meter I have ever used Because i masted this meter so with this i had correct exposures. Its all about the way you use it. L.K.Keerthibasu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Chris Keth Posted September 11, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted September 11, 2005 I use Sekonic L398M studio deluxe, This is a good meter I have ever used Because i masted this meter so with this i had correct exposures. Its all about the way you use it. L.K.Keerthibasu <{POST_SNAPBACK}> As long as the meter is spot on (or you're used to making mental adjustments for it's inaccuracy ;)) you can make great exposures. I have an old spectra professional and a Minolta digital spotmeter, both of which I love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Paul Bruening Posted September 11, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted September 11, 2005 Hey Saf, One of the benefits of a do-all meter like the 558C is that whatever calibration variations you encounter, the variation will be the same in that one do-all meter no matter what type of read you go for. None of my 4 meters read sufficiently close to each other to depend on them as a whole. At least the 558C goofs up the same way for all types of readings. That keeps me from exposure variations from spot reads on the Pentax as opposed to ambient reads on my Quantum. My Quantum Calcu-lite just came back from calibration and I still don't trust it fully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Glenn Hanns Posted September 11, 2005 Premium Member Share Posted September 11, 2005 (edited) Hey Saf, One of the benefits of a do-all meter like the 558C is that whatever calibration variations you encounter, the variation will be the same in that one do-all meter no matter what type of read you go for. None of my 4 meters read sufficiently close to each other to depend on them as a whole. At least the 558C goofs up the same way for all types of readings. That keeps me from exposure variations from spot reads on the Pentax as opposed to ambient reads on my Quantum. My Quantum Calcu-lite just came back from calibration and I still don't trust it fully. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Apparently some meters have an 18% grey scale nominal setting and others 16% depending on brand. Edited September 11, 2005 by glenn@uow.edu.au Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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