I really like this subject.

Chef Zakir Recipes

If you can find one, try an old Minolta flashmeter IV or V

I've had mine 10 years ... it's bang on every time and just keeps on going

Sometimes it's good to have a flash meter when starting out with artificial lights.

It's a bit like learning how to cook: in the beginning there's nothing wrong with following classic recipes and precisely measuring all ingredients. After awhile it becomes second nature. Good chefs can throw in just about any ingredient "to taste" and it comes out great; and many photographers work the same way with their lights, using their LCDs to creatively make adjustments "to taste".

Then at the highest levels of both arts, sometimes it's back to measuring... e.g., to pull off some technical feat, or to achieve a high level of consistency that can only be achieved by measurement and repetition.

Since I don't carry a meter now, I do use CLS but in manual mode (non-TTL) and check the LCD. It's the best compromise for me, but not really my preference (I'd rather have a meter as well, since that's how I learned to light).

TaoTeJared said:
Thanks - I did know that much but not much else when it comes to lighting. Good lighting has been the one thing that I have put off learning (mainly so no one asks me to shoot their, kids, wedding, .....)

I may look at Pocket Wizards (or just cords) to use my Nikon flashes for hair lights or a back spot. Most of this will be for learning & fun at this time so I'll probably stay cheap until I can justify more convenient options.

Then let me say, even though you think I'm being unhelpful, to just start by using your camera to check light output. ;-)

You can take as many shots as you want for free and it's not a big deal to guess the power from each light (you're probably better than you think!) and then adjust as needed by checking the photos on your LCD. Once you get a feel for how much output you want from each light in a standard setup, you can write it down and save it for next time.

Take the money you were going to spend on a meter and buy some modifiers instead. Get a nice softbox and some grids for your other lights to give you really directional light when you want it (highlights in hair not on shoulders while avoiding lens flare from stray light, e.g.). I'd like to get some gels sometime and play around with them, but haven't yet.

A meter doesn't let you get any shots you couldn't get without it (extra goodies do), so if your shooting isn't time-constrained (read: paid), I don't see why you need it.

One more suggestion. Get these cheap ishoot triggers mentioned on the following thread instead of PWs:
http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=1833&page=2
They are not TTL and the flash sync is around 1/200s depending on the camera you're using, but they're fantastic for the price.

TaoTeJared said:
I may look at Pocket Wizards (or just cords) to use my Nikon flashes for hair lights or a back spot. Most of this will be for learning & fun at this time so I'll probably stay cheap until I can justify more convenient options.

I, personally, would not spend the money on PWs for hair lights or backdrop spots. A "digital aware" optical trigger can ignore the preflashes. Those two lights are the first I set and rarely if ever change as I adjust the other lights. For the cost of a singe PW you likely can get two opticals and perhaps a SB-24 to use in manual mode.

EDIT: I'd use radio triggers everywhere else, though.

Ade Barkah said:
Just a heads up, you probably can't use CLS with (any) flash meter in cordless mode...

Thanks - I did know that much but not much else when it comes to lighting. Good lighting has been the one thing that I have put off learning (mainly so no one asks me to shoot their, kids, wedding, .....)

I may look at Pocket Wizards (or just cords) to use my Nikon flashes for hair lights or a back spot. Most of this will be for learning & fun at this time so I'll probably stay cheap until I can justify more convenient options.

I use a Polaris SPD100 that you can get for under $200 new. Works great. All plastic but it has stood the test of time.

I also still have the Gossen Lunasix F in my bag, although I don't use it much anymore since I use a digital camera. I personally like the dials better than a digital display, but if you only use it for flash photography that does not really matter.

Depending on the flash(es) you use a sync cord input and a trigger button on the lightmeter is a very good thing to have.

If you decide to get an "older" lightmeter you might want to check the availability of spare parts / possibilities to get it serviced. As you said, they hardly ever get bad but you never know what the previous owner did to it...

Just a heads up, you probably can't use CLS with (any) flash meter in cordless mode, because the the flash meter will mistakenly measure the CLS pre-flash instead of the actual flash.

Typical choices are to use a radio sync, a cord sync, or forget CLS and use the flashes in manual mode with optical slaves.

Meters typically don't go bad even when abused <grin> but they tend to go "missing" after some years (which was the reason I replaced my good ol' Minolta Auto with the Sekonic).

Thanks Mike. The instructor of the class I took did walk me though what you described. Personally I liked the easiness of the meter.

It seems like most have had their meters for many years so I'm thinking the ebay route will be the path for me. It looks like I can get a good 608,508,358 for around $200. 308s for $150. It appears they don't go bad unless really abused which is probably why all of them start at $300.

I will not be using these much so I'm moving away from doing any radio transmitters at this time. Nikon's CLS hasn't limited me either but a couple of times which I found a work-arounds for.

Hi TTJ,

I use the same Gossen LunaPro F that I left in a bag that managed not to get stolen in the last theft 25 years ago, so it doesn't do you much good.

What might do you some good is that there is a manual button meter to wait for the flash(s) so that I can fire them manually, all at once or individually, and they and be 'added' to the exposure with the ambient light.

My meter is about 30 years or so old and works great, and I use it for most of my shooting.

Meters don't have to be too expensive, but there are some nice to have things. Being able to fire remotely would be cool. I haven't had it.

My best,

Mike

The 758 is more than I need, and higher $ as well. I actually would use the spot meter but like you said about leaving yours home, my camera's spot works probably just as good and it is one less thing to take.

The 358 has the add on module which I would get if I went that route. The Digisky has it built in though. About the same price in the end.

It is my first set of "Dumby lights" which I just finished taking a few classes on. I do see the need for a meter for those, but I have not settled on if pocket wizards are the next thing or another brand. Personally I would rather get another SB-900 than pocket wizards and buy a cheap RF trigger. As of now, I will never be more than 25ft away from the lights.

I'm trying to hold back as much $$ as possible to get a body upgrade when the D400/800 come out.

I use the L-758DR, the 358's bigger brother. It has a built-in PocketWizard wireless trigger (which is VERY convenient).

I got it over the L-358 because it has: a) a spot meter, and b) can be "calibrated" to your camera. However, I have never used the spot meter in a real shoot, and never calibrated my meter either. A colleague who is a DP swears by the spot meter, though, which is why I got it in the first place.

So in hindsight for me the L-358 w/ PW module would've been fine. Plus the 358 is much more compact. In fact I left the 758 behind on my current trip (I'm on the road for 6+ months) as it took too much space... I'm indeed "just using my camera".

Ok so I'm in the market for a Flash meter for my newly acquired lighting kit and wanted to see what people were using especially with various radio triggers. If you could add a line of why that would be great as well.

Needs to be under $400.

Please refrain from the "just use your camera" - That doesn't help.

I have been looking at the Gossen DIGISKY, Kenko, and of course the Sekonic L-358.