Question about how lightmeters work

[Patriot]

I was sitting here looking at my Sekonic L-478DR and a thought came to mind. Maybe I'm wrong in my thinking, I'm sure I am. How does a light meter "perfectly" exposure for a sensor of different sizes? As far as I know larger sensors capture more light for their correct exposure readings. I mean older mechanical ones had to be built with 35mm film in mind since it was the most used by the public right? So if someone uses that to get the exposure for a crop sensored camera does that mean the metering will be off a bit? Maybe I'm just confused.

At first I thought the digital meters would ask the size of the user's sensor to get a more accurate reading. Guess that doesn't matter much huh.

Can someone clear this up for me please?

 

[Josh66]

Sensor size does not matter - at all. (As far as exposure goes.)

Aperture, ISO, and shutter speed - those are the ONLY things that affect exposure.

 

[Scatterbrained]

Sensor size doesn't matter. Think of "average rainfall". Let's say an area gets three inches of rainfall. That will be three inches of water whether you've got a swimming pool, a wash bucket, or a coffee cup. The volume will be different, but the level will be the same. It's the same with light.

 

[Patriot]

Hmmmmm I didn't think of it that way. Just thought that a larger sensor would capture more light than a smaller one which would require different inputs in the meter.

Well good thing I asked because I was surely confused.