light meter?

[Nickcanada]

Same deal as the flash bracket. Do you use one? and if so what do you recommend?

I'm lookin' for more consistent results. I find the meter in the 20D very inaccurate indoors and I'm tired of fiddling with exposure adjustments in PP. Would a meter help me or should I just get better with the histogram? I'd also use it for setting up flash ratios too.

I know the good ones have sync ports to trigger flashes but my Canon flashes don't have sync ports so are there meters that can easily meter Canon flash units? Or would I need radio triggers to do that?

Thanks again everyone!

[jayfixit]

Nick-

I started using one a month ago, and I'm not sure how I lived without it. It's a less expensive ambient and flash meter. The model is Polaris SPD100, and is about $160. I've tested it against other photographer's high end Sekonic models, and it always reads the same. The switch from incident to reflected light is easy, just slide the plastic "dome" over.

It's critical, IMO, for setting up flashes. If you want the face "properly" exposed, and then maybe add a simulated sun hairlight, a histogram won't tell you the exposure on the face relative to the hair on top. All of my flashes are manual, so a light meter is critical to setting up flashes quickly.

There is a sync port on the Polaris model I have, but I don't use cords. I have Elinchrom skyports, and just trigger all my flashes with the wireless trigger during setup.

[DonSchap]

Ah ... you got me in the one spot that a whole new understanding of flash came into play.

I would up with a Sekonic 558, which remotely triggers flashes .... but, only those using the standard flash triggers (BTW ... not Canon :( ) After all was said and done, I wound up using the standard strobes and the PocketWizards. The ST-E2 was my ratio control for the electronic strobes, but all that had to be managed by it ... not the EOS 20D.

Lighting is a zoo. Good luck in your choices.

[adam75south]

definitely histogram, but flash meter is sooooo nice. you don't even have to fire off test shots if you have one.

[24Peter]

I use the JTL LM-8. I don't see it listed any more but this looks very similar:
http://www.adorama.com/JTLM6.html?searchinfo=jtl%20lightmeter&item_no=1

I wouldn't use a light meter for normal exposures though - only when you're using off camera flash/strobes. If the in-camera metering of your 20D is that bad, the camera might need to be serviced.

With my meter I can click it and it goes into ready mode for like two minutes and waits for the strobes to fire to record the level. (Or you can plug a PC cord into it and trigger both the meter and strobes at the same time.)

[adam75south]

i like to walk around a wedding where the ceremony will be and just keep clicking to see where it's brighter in different places and make mental notes of it so i can adjust accordingly during the wedding....the last thing you wanna worry about is exposure during the ceremony.

[adam75south]

fyi i have a minolta flash meter IV...i think.

[D Thompson]

Same deal as the flash bracket. Do you use one? and if so what do you recommend?

I'm lookin' for more consistent results. I find the meter in the 20D very inaccurate indoors and I'm tired of fiddling with exposure adjustments in PP. Would a meter help me or should I just get better with the histogram? I'd also use it for setting up flash ratios too.

I know the good ones have sync ports to trigger flashes but my Canon flashes don't have sync ports so are there meters that can easily meter Canon flash units? Or would I need radio triggers to do that?

Thanks again everyone!
Yes, I use one and it's the Sekonic L308-S (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/368226-REG/Sekonic_401309_L_308S_Flashmate_Light_Meter.html) and it will do everything I need. I originally got it to set my ratios for the studio strobes and it does fantastic. Sure, you can fire off x number of test shots until you get it right, but why? I find it invaluable in studio. I've also started to use it a little outside as well and find I like the results. Did a shoot with 4 kids last week, metered the first kid, fired off a couple shots, next kid, etc thru the different settings. Only took a few seconds to meter and I liked the results. I still check the histogram tho. The Sekonic has a flash mode to where once you select it then it continuously meters for about 90 seconds and I fire the flash with my remote. It does have the flash sync port if you want to go that way as well. Probably the best $180 I've spent.

[Mark_48]

I'm lookin' for more consistent results. I find the meter in the 20D very inaccurate indoors and I'm tired of fiddling with exposure adjustments in PP. Would a meter help me or should I just get better with the histogram? I'd also use it for setting up flash ratios too.

I know the good ones have sync ports to trigger flashes but my Canon flashes don't have sync ports so are there meters that can easily meter Canon flash units? Or would I need radio triggers to do that?

Thanks again everyone!

Nick,

I'm assuming the inaccuracies you are getting are with flash indoors using ETTL. If you're using the Canon flash(es) on a stand in manual, the lightmeter might be useful.

If you could explain a little on how you intend to use the flashes it may be helpful.

The PC port connection from meter to flash gives you the ability to hold the meter at the subject and remotely fire the flash for an incident reading. If you have a means of holding the meter at the subject or have the subject hold the meter while you trigger the flash manually, most meters will take a reading when they "see" the flash.

I've got a Elinchron Skyport wireless flash trigger that I use with studio strobes and/or Sunpak 383's. I've got a Sekonic L-358 meter that has a PC port for triggering. I plug the Skyport transmitter into the L-358 and using the meters trigger button, it fires the flash via the Skyport reciever. Once the meter read is done I swap the Skyport transmitter to the camera. I haven't tried it, but I suspect I might be able to use a PC cord "Y" adapter and keep the camera and meter connected at the same time.
I have not yet tried the Skyport with a Canon flash. Since you don't have a PC connection, you'd need a hotshoe to PC adapter such as this> http://www.adorama.com/FAPCHSA.html . This would only have a single center pin which should fire a Canon flash. You may need other cables and/or adapters to make it all work.

You can also simply get long PC cords to trigger the flash rather than invest in a radio system of triggering. It does become sort of a trip hazard that could cost you a camera or flash though.

I'd play around with using the flashes in ETTL mode for a bit and try to figure out where the inaccuracies are coming from. You may have to get the hang of using the FEC to tweak the exposures a bit and use the histogram. ETTL and a brides white wedding gown don't seem to mix well and will generally underexpose without some FEC.

[cdifoto]

I don't use a handheld light meter for anything other than static flash scenes.

[Rhys]

Handheld light meters are for static situations such as those found in studios. Weddings are too dynamic.

[cdifoto]

Certain parts of Weddings are too dynamic.
Fixed. ;) :)

[Nickcanada]

Actually I find the 20D meter better with the flash indoors. I find I'm constantly adding EC to my indoor shots without flash. It's not a big deal I guess. I just feel like there should be a better way. Maybe I just need more practice. I hear what you're saying about weddings being dynamic but I have nightmares about underexposed alter shots.... well maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration....

OT: my 20D is acting up a little lately like 1 in 10 times I half way press the shutter the lens won't AF.... If I press it all the way it doesn't take the picture but then the next time I half way press the shutter it works fine! I'll have to do some testing to see if it's the lens or the body. I was working with the 35mm. It feels like a body issue though.

[cdifoto]

EC = 0 = neutral scene. Scenes are rarely neutral, so you'll be compensating a lot. That doesn't mean your meter's bad. Check it against a grey card. Manual mode is the best way for that...meter the card then see where the stick is for the scene.

Shutter button might be wearing out.

[Nickcanada]

EC = 0 = neutral scene. Scenes are rarely neutral, so you'll be compensating a lot. That doesn't mean your meter's bad. Check it against a grey card. Manual mode is the best way for that...meter the card then see where the stick is for the scene.

Shutter button might be wearing out.

Thanks!


Hmmm, the body seems to be okay lately... I'm sure it will crap out completely at the worst time possible. :rolleyes:

[cdifoto]

I suspect mine will too. Stuff like that's never convenient. My next wedding will probably fund a good used 20D or 30D to take over 10D duties for that very reason. I even sometimes have fleeting thoughts of selling the 1D II for two 40Ds instead. Then I pick up the 1D II and those thoughts vanish.