recommend me a good light meter for <$100 ?

[Idasho]

Can you recommend me a good light meter for under $100?

Im jumping back into the large format game, and need a light meter. Would like to keep it under $100

There are loads of them on Ebay, but Ive been out of this game for long enough, that I dont know my nose from my butt when looking at them. Primarily due to not recognizing manufacturers.

Manual meter is fine, and is actually preferred. This meter will be taken on backpacking trips, so I would like to avoid anything that requires batteries, or delicate electronics.

Primary emphasis will be landscapes and such, with close vegetation shots as well, if that matters.

Thanks for any help :thumbup:

 

[Idasho]

5o views and no response?

Thanks

 

[Big Mike]

You are going backpacking with large format gear? Ouch!

Are you taking any other camera? It should be easy enough to use the built-in meter on a camera that has one, and just transfer the settings over.

I don't know anything about cheap light meters. I see them on E-bay and behind the counter at the old used camera shop...but it doesn't look like any of them were manufactured in the last 30 years. Anyone I know who's bought a light meter recently needed a flash meter and usually spends more than $100.

 

[EhJsNe]

I have a Weston Master II Exposure meter, I got it for 8 bucks, and i see them on ebay from anywhere from 5-20 dollars.
It works great, is simple to use and needs no batteries. Its a bit heavy,(for its size at least) but its nice and solid....it feels like I could throw it at a brick wall and nothing would happen, and is accurate. Just make sure you donr point it at the sky...youll get a flase reading and your shot will be underexposed.

Only problem beeing is that the fastest shutter speed on it is 1/1200 of a second, but for large format, you usually use smaller apertures, so you probaly wouldnt be needed 1/1000 of a second exposure (do large format cameras even go that fast?)

 

[bhop]

I bought the Sekonic L-208 when I got my TLR. It's around $100 and small.

Sekonic L-208 Twinmaster Compact Incident & Reflective Light Meter | Freestyle Photographic Supplies

 

[Idasho]

AHA! Responses!

The Weston seems a bit heavy, and the Sekonic uses batteries. But the Sekonic is light and CHEAP. $100 new? I might be sold.

Thanks for the responses.

You are going backpacking with large format gear? Ouch!

Check out this thread. My 4x5 is a modified Polaroid. Light and small :thumbup:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/medium-format-large-format/161960-modified-polaroid-110a.html

 

[tirediron]

Check eBay... there are LOTS of Gossens for <$100 - you can't beat them.

 

[bhop]

The Weston seems a bit heavy, and the Sekonic uses batteries. But the Sekonic is light and CHEAP. $100 new? I might be sold.

I've read that the battery life is good. I haven't had mine long enough to find out, only a few months. You could always buy an extra battery and keep it in your bag (it uses a small flat lithium battery).

 

[JerryPH]

Visit a local pawn shop. Last time I did this, I saw about 20 incident and flash meters for under $50.