Light meter

kestrel0222 · Feb 1, 2007

I am looking for an inexpensive light meter to be used in conjunction with my older film camera. I was considering a Sekonic L-308s. It is advertised to work well with digital cameras, but will it also work with my camera (see signature)? Does anyone have any experience with this meter? I would like to keep it under $200 if possible.

Thank you,

Steph · Feb 1, 2007

A handheld light meter will work with any camera. You just take a measurement with the lighmeter, which will give you settings (aperture+shutter speed). You can then use those settings on any camera (digital camera or your Pentax K1000).

ksmattfish · Feb 1, 2007

kestrel0222 said:
It is advertised to work well with digital cameras, but will it also work with my camera?

Yes, it'll work fine for your camera. Older Sekonic light meters didn't have 1/3rd stop steps for aperture like most DSLRs have. Now they do so it's more convenient.

If you want to save some money, you might look into an older version of this flash meter. Instead of 1/3rd stop steps (like f/2.8, f/3.2, f/3.5, f/4, etc...), it'll list the aperture in whole stop steps, with a 1/10th decimal. So f/3.2 is shown as f/2.8 0.3, and f/3.5 would be shown as f/2.8 0.6, etc... That's probably the main difference.

kestrel0222 · Feb 1, 2007

Thank you both for your information!! It has helped a lot!!! I have been out of this hobby for awhile and have lost "touch" with some of the technology.

Thanks again,

selmerdave · Feb 1, 2007

ksmattfish said:
If you want to save some money, you might look into an older version of this flash meter. Instead of 1/3rd stop steps (like f/2.8, f/3.2, f/3.5, f/4, etc...), it'll list the aperture in whole stop steps, with a 1/10th decimal. So f/3.2 is shown as f/2.8 0.3, and f/3.5 would be shown as f/2.8 0.6, etc... That's probably the main difference.

Can you give an example model number, that sounds like what I would be looking for.

Dave

DocFrankenstein · Feb 2, 2007

If you exceed your budget just by a tad, you can pick up a very popular meter, whish is sekonic L358. Very nice and lots of functions. It took over the minolta, since they're not being made anymore.

I have one and love it to death. check out bhphoto.com for it.