Nikon N80 as Light Meter?

Jonathan Bryant · October 22, 2005

How many of you have ever used SLR cameras as light meters for 16mm capture?

How did you go about it?

G. Stephen Bruno · October 22, 2005

How many of you have ever used SLR cameras as light meters for 16mm capture?

How did you go about it?

interesting, i just was having the same question about the metering, only with my n55.

i'll stay tuned

Dieter Vansteenwegen · October 24, 2005

We've done it in school, it works fine als long as you remember to use the right settings.

Shutter time should be as close to 1/50th of a second, mostly 1/60th is the closest.

To use it as an incendent meter measure using the spot meter function on a graycard.

Worked for me...

andrewbuchanan · October 24, 2005

I tried this and it works okay, but you will not get anything near the accuracy you will get from a good spot incidental combo. It was okay for getting a reading out in daylight, or shadowed exterior. When you are trying to light subtle indoor stuff or nighttime... using the SLR meter becomes harder.

L K Keerthi Basu · October 24, 2005

May i know what is the spot angle of Nikon N80, because Iam in search of that camera. I know the Spot angle of N70 and N90 it is 3.44degree. But these camera are outdatedand not in sale at present.

So Please kindly help me in Giving information about this OR any one who is like to sell these cameras. Any other camera which is Close to this Spot angle from 1 to 4 degree.

Sorry to ask these type of still camera questions in this most esteemed website.

Forgive me for asking that.

L.K.Keerthibasu

Aleksandar Bracinac · October 24, 2005

I'm using Nikon D70 with Nikkor 50mm 1.8 lens as my ONE AND ONLY light metering system and works very well. I have never worked with incident or spot light meters.

andrewbuchanan · October 28, 2005

Aleksandar,

I am happy that you get good results from your D70 as you one and only meter. However, I wouldn't call it a replacement for a professional meter. When I adjust the shutter angle in my camera, or the speed, or want to switch to a mag with a different stock, it is a lot easier to hit a button on a Sekonic than pull out a calculator to make an SLR meter work. I suppose it can be done, but it is a lot quicker to use a pro meter... and time is money on the set. There are sound reasons why you don't see many DPs walking around the set with a SLR taking readings.

Stephen Williams · October 28, 2005

Hi,

While you will get a good standard exposure it won't tell how hot your highlights are, or what the darkest areas of the scene are. For a day for night scene for example you don't want a correct exposure. I find a spot meter very useful to access the range of a scene and then decide how I want it to look.

Stephen

Aleksandar Bracinac · November 1, 2005

Andrew... You can't imagine how fast and easy you can work with DSLR. Try and you'll see. Don't tell me that you need calc for shutter angle, speed etc? :) Simple math. Changing ISO is a press on the button.

Stephen... With DSLR it's so easy to see how much you highlights are hot. With levels, or one more shot with changing f-stop and you can see where they are. Also you can use DSLR spot metering (I'm talking about Nikon D70) wich works as professional spot meters with very narrow angle of metering. I've used spot meter in my Nikon to see the value of highlights.

Last time when I did shooting with 7205 I did comparision on some very contrast scene. I've been so happy when I saw details in shadows and highligts.