Sekonic L208 in low light and high ISO

kamituel said:

I just bought a Sekonic L-208 to use with my TLR camera. I wanted something small so that I wouldn't need to carry the large L-858D with me all the time.

However, I'm baffled on whether it's possible to measure in low light. The spec sheet states L-208 works down to EV 3.

However, when I rotate the ISO dial to "6400", and then rotate the main dial left to the lowest possible value, the EV is 8.5.

At ISO 3200, the lowest is EV 7.5. At 1600 it's EV 6.5. I don't quite understand why EV reading changes when I change the ISO. I would've expected EV to be constant for the same light reading.

So to my main question - is it possible to measure low light (e.g. EV 3-5) scenes at high ISO (e.g. 6400) with L-208?

Click to expand...

Overrank said:

kamituel said:

I just bought a Sekonic L-208 to use with my TLR camera. I wanted something small so that I wouldn't need to carry the large L-858D with me all the time.

However, I'm baffled on whether it's possible to measure in low light. The spec sheet states L-208 works down to EV 3.

However, when I rotate the ISO dial to "6400", and then rotate the main dial left to the lowest possible value, the EV is 8.5.

At ISO 3200, the lowest is EV 7.5. At 1600 it's EV 6.5. I don't quite understand why EV reading changes when I change the ISO. I would've expected EV to be constant for the same light reading.

So to my main question - is it possible to measure low light (e.g. EV 3-5) scenes at high ISO (e.g. 6400) with L-208?

Click to expand...

The range of EV that’s given for the meter is at 100ASA.

EV = log2(N*N/t), where N is the f-stop and t is the time ( see https://photographylife.com/exposure-value ).

So if a scene is EV 3 at 100ASA then to get the same exposure(*) at 200ASA you would need to half the shutter speed or go to the next f/stop, which would double the bit in brackets,. Taking the log2 would add one to the EV.

So something that’s EV 3 at 6400ASA would be -3 EV at 100ASA

(*) I know that this is called “lightness” in this Brave New World

Click to expand...

kamituel said:

Overrank said:

kamituel said:

I just bought a Sekonic L-208 to use with my TLR camera. I wanted something small so that I wouldn't need to carry the large L-858D with me all the time.

However, I'm baffled on whether it's possible to measure in low light. The spec sheet states L-208 works down to EV 3.

However, when I rotate the ISO dial to "6400", and then rotate the main dial left to the lowest possible value, the EV is 8.5.

At ISO 3200, the lowest is EV 7.5. At 1600 it's EV 6.5. I don't quite understand why EV reading changes when I change the ISO. I would've expected EV to be constant for the same light reading.

So to my main question - is it possible to measure low light (e.g. EV 3-5) scenes at high ISO (e.g. 6400) with L-208?

Click to expand...

The range of EV that’s given for the meter is at 100ASA.

EV = log2(N*N/t), where N is the f-stop and t is the time ( see https://photographylife.com/exposure-value ).

So if a scene is EV 3 at 100ASA then to get the same exposure(*) at 200ASA you would need to half the shutter speed or go to the next f/stop, which would double the bit in brackets,. Taking the log2 would add one to the EV.

So something that’s EV 3 at 6400ASA would be -3 EV at 100ASA

(*) I know that this is called “lightness” in this Brave New World

Click to expand...

Thank you, that explains quite a bit! I've noticed (after I posted) that, in the spec sheet, the 3EV is stated at ISO 100.

That's slightly disappointing to learn. I never really looked at the EV value on L-858D when using with Rollei, but for family, indoor, evening shooting, I was often as low as 1/15th -- f3.5 -- ISO 3200. This is very close to EV 7.5, which at ISO 3200 is the lowest L-208 can go.

And at that lowest measurement, it's - as far as I can tell - impossible to tell whether measurement was 7.5 EV or maybe 2EV - in both cases the needle would've been in its leftmost position.

So I guess I'm looking at returning L-208 :/ I wonder how far can Voigtlander Meter II go in dark scenes at high ISO's.

Click to expand...

Overrank said:

kamituel said:

Overrank said:

kamituel said:

I just bought a Sekonic L-208 to use with my TLR camera. I wanted something small so that I wouldn't need to carry the large L-858D with me all the time.

However, I'm baffled on whether it's possible to measure in low light. The spec sheet states L-208 works down to EV 3.

However, when I rotate the ISO dial to "6400", and then rotate the main dial left to the lowest possible value, the EV is 8.5.

At ISO 3200, the lowest is EV 7.5. At 1600 it's EV 6.5. I don't quite understand why EV reading changes when I change the ISO. I would've expected EV to be constant for the same light reading.

So to my main question - is it possible to measure low light (e.g. EV 3-5) scenes at high ISO (e.g. 6400) with L-208?

Click to expand...

The range of EV that’s given for the meter is at 100ASA.

EV = log2(N*N/t), where N is the f-stop and t is the time ( see https://photographylife.com/exposure-value ).

So if a scene is EV 3 at 100ASA then to get the same exposure(*) at 200ASA you would need to half the shutter speed or go to the next f/stop, which would double the bit in brackets,. Taking the log2 would add one to the EV.

So something that’s EV 3 at 6400ASA would be -3 EV at 100ASA

(*) I know that this is called “lightness” in this Brave New World

Click to expand...

Thank you, that explains quite a bit! I've noticed (after I posted) that, in the spec sheet, the 3EV is stated at ISO 100.

That's slightly disappointing to learn. I never really looked at the EV value on L-858D when using with Rollei, but for family, indoor, evening shooting, I was often as low as 1/15th -- f3.5 -- ISO 3200. This is very close to EV 7.5, which at ISO 3200 is the lowest L-208 can go.

And at that lowest measurement, it's - as far as I can tell - impossible to tell whether measurement was 7.5 EV or maybe 2EV - in both cases the needle would've been in its leftmost position.

So I guess I'm looking at returning L-208 :/ I wonder how far can Voigtlander Meter II go in dark scenes at high ISO's.

Click to expand...

The Voigtlander VC II goes to 1 EV, the Gossen Digisix 2 goes down to 0EV (and you can get a bracket to fit it to a hotshoe).

Something like a Sekonic L-358 will go to -2EV. A Gossen Lunasix from -8EV to -4EV (the Lunasix 3). But the Gossen is very old and you need to be careful with the batteries.

Click to expand...

kamituel said:

kamituel wrote:.

So VC II will give me about two stops more. I'll need to think about it a bit, but that difference might just be enough.

The L-358 is too large. While not quite as bulky as my L-858D, I want something smaller for candid shooting I'm doing with the Rollei. Something pocketable definitely.

Gossen Digisix 2 is interesting. I guess I'd prefer something fully analog, but it seems small enough and goes down one more stop than VCII. The only issue with it is that I can't find it for sale in my country (Poland).

Thanks a lot for those recommendations! I'll be looking more closely now at Digisix 2 and VCII.

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davesurrey said:

I've got the Digiflash which is similar to the Digisix and goes down to EV 0.

It seems cheap and plasticy but in reality it works very well and compares with my other meters in accuracy.

What i don't like is the usability. As well as being a light meter it measures temperature and has a timer ( neither of which I need) and one has to go through these functions when making changes .

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kamituel said:

davesurrey said:

I've got the Digiflash which is similar to the Digisix and goes down to EV 0.

It seems cheap and plasticy but in reality it works very well and compares with my other meters in accuracy.

What i don't like is the usability. As well as being a light meter it measures temperature and has a timer ( neither of which I need) and one has to go through these functions when making changes .

Click to expand...

Thanks (to you and others who responded)

I'm sending back L-208 and I've ordered Digisix 2. I did prefer Meter II as far as ergonomics and size go, but Digisix 2 works down to 0 EV (compared to 1 EV on Meter II). It can also measure reflected light. So if my L-858D ever breaks, I'll have a somewhat usable backup.

Click to expand...

kamituel said:

• compared to Sekonic L-858D, Digisix seems to underexpose incident measurements by about 1/3 - 1/2 stop.

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