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Exposure meter suggestions

PaulMB

PaulMB

pfm Member
For the past 45 years I've used a couple of Weston Masters (selenium) and a couple of Lunasix 3 (CDS) meters. I'd like now to buy something not too expensive which is right up to date, digital and (possibly) more consistent and accurate. Or at any rate brand new. I've seen a Sekonic L-308 and a Gossen Sixtomat F2, both around £200. Does anyone have any experience with either, or both, or can suggest a third choice?
 
I have a Sekonic L478D. The 308 is a stripped down model and I'm sure it would be just fine. However the advantange of the higher models is spot metering if that's important.
 
I've used an older version of the 308 and it was brilliant.
Admittedly not used it in since I disposed of my MF gear some years ago.
 
I've been looking at the technical data and user manuals of both the Sekonic and the Gossen. What strikes me is that they appear much more complicated, and less intuitive, than even the most complicated analogue meters like the Lunasix F. Seems like you have to have the manual with you....
 
PaulMB said:
I've been looking at the technical data and user manuals of both the Sekonic and the Gossen. What strikes me is that they appear much more complicated, and less intuitive, than even the most complicated analogue meters like the Lunasix F. Seems like you have to have the manual with you....
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I have a couple of sekonic meters and they seem fine and easy to use, not they get much use.

Pete
 
Pete MB&D said:
I have a couple of sekonic meters and they seem fine and easy to use, not they get much use.

Pete
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Thanks, that is comforting. Sometimes manuals make things seem more complicated than they are. Are yours the modern kind with digital displays and buttons?
 
PaulMB said:
Thanks, that is comforting. Sometimes manuals make things seem more complicated than they are. Are yours the modern kind with digital displays and buttons?
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Yep
I have a l-308b and a l-308s.
Fancy a l-308b for £40? It’s in well used condition but works fine, I can send it to you if you want to have a play with it and see how you like it.

Pete
 
I had a gossen digi flash (I think) but the digisix iirc is the same unit without flash metering. It felt very similar to a weston in use to be honest and super compact (I had it just hung on a camera wrist strap). Nothing like as advanced as the sekonic meters but worth a look if size/portability is important.
 
Thanks Pete, but I've seen that the L-308X has measures flash, too, and has the option of aperture priority, which is what I use with large format on a tripod and long exposures. I may just go out and buy a new one tomorrow. (I've never bought a new meter, or a new camera in my life!)

Thanks Puggie, I was thinking of the digiflash, because of its simplicity and small size. I will think some more.

Thanks to all for all the help!
 
PaulMB said:
I've been looking at the technical data and user manuals of both the Sekonic and the Gossen. What strikes me is that they appear much more complicated, and less intuitive, than even the most complicated analogue meters like the Lunasix F. Seems like you have to have the manual with you....
Click to expand...

Sekonic 308 here. I've had it 15 years or so, and it's just about perfect.

I'm not sure how you could consider it complicated. Assuming you want it as an incident light meter, you switch it on, hold it, push the button, and you're done. It shows you on screen, for a given ISO and speed, what the aperture should be set to. That's it. There are up and down buttons on the side which change the speed, and if you hold the ISO button down and press them, it changes the ISO instead.

It remembers the last settings when you switch it off, so my meter is set to ISO 100/60, and so I just push a button and get an aperture.

It has an EV mode instead of aperture and speed, and two flash modes. I've never used these, so can't comment on how they operate. There is a slide thing to convert it to reflective vs incident mode, which might come in handy I suppose, but i've not used that either.

So for me, it's a one button device, runs on a single AA, can't imagine it being easier to use or more perfect as a design.

(edited, just realised you choose the speed not the aperture, doh)
 
Thank you, Cesare, all very clear. I'll probably buy one today. Yes, I usually choose the aperture first, for depth of field, and then use the speed the meter gives me, after calculating bellows extension and reciprocity for long exposures. But I see that on the latest 308 you can use aperture priority. So that's fine.
 
Cav said:
I have owned and used a Leningrad 8 for 40 years.
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I agree. I've accumulated, over 40 years, a few selenium sell meters, and when they work properly they are perfect. Small and no batteries. Some are 50 years old and the selenium cell seems to be spot on. The ones that tend to slowly die, unfortunately, are the Weston Masters. The modern Sekonic I will probably keep at home and use to check the oldies every now and then.
 
Someone said Gossen Sixtomat?

IMG_8465_600px.jpg


Just for amusement value - this was bought new by my grandfather c.1954 along with the Braun Paxette iii and lenses I still have, and sometimes use for pleasure.
The meter though, having been always kept in a case, still works acceptably accurately - remarkably well in fact. I've long used it with my original meter-less Yashicamat for a totally battery-free enjoyment of slow & considered mechanical photography. It's always instructive, and a joy, to use.

nb this pic taken 5mins a ago with a ...phone.
 
Been reading up on selenium cells; seems that their longevity depends on how well the cell is sealed with some kind of varnish. So some, many, last for ever, like your Sixtomat. Among the Westons unfortunately the failure rate in the more recent versions (IV, V) is high, because of bad varnish on the cells, while the older models are usually still working perfectly.
 
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