Richard_a
Member
I intend to try shooting portrait with my 2 SB800 and later with an Alien Bees do i need a flash meter or i can work my way without it ?
Thks !
Thks !
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Lightmeter / Flash meter
- Thread starter Richard_a
- Start date
ratzass
Well-known member
Before the digital revolution, I often relied on a flashmeter to "put me in the ballpark" exposure-wise. I would also shoot polaroids to gauge the results. Today,using digital SLR's which produce instant results, I rarely take a meter reading in a controlled lighting situation. I simply shoot one or two images, view the results and check the histrogram. Lighting shouldn't be a big mystery. Experiment, explore,...enjoy!
Lawrence Keeney
Veteran Member
You can do without a flash meter, but a flash meter makes your job go much quicker with fewer test shots.
A flash meter is particularly helpful in setting different lighting ratios.
Personally, I would not be without one. I use the Sekonic L-358.
--
http://www.blackcanyonsystems.com
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Lawrence
A flash meter is particularly helpful in setting different lighting ratios.
Personally, I would not be without one. I use the Sekonic L-358.
--
http://www.blackcanyonsystems.com
--
Lawrence
SteveTuk
Well-known member
I agree with the above post. I use a L358 and it speeds up my workflow no end. If you shoot Raw the image you see on the back of the camera isn't always a true representation of the shot once you get it into your Raw converter.. The camera’s preview is processed based on your camera settings so can sometimes trick you in terms of exposure. The lifesaver for me using a light meter is the increased amount of saved highlights, the amount of shots I throw away due to blown highlights has gone down 90% since using a meter. The photographer Mark Cleghorn swears by a meter, his training video’s might be of interest to you. (www.phototraining4u.com)
PenguinPhotoCo
Veteran Member
If you're only using one flash or eTTL/CLS you don't need a meter.
As soon as you add the second light or want to control the ambient mix you need a meter.
It's not hard to set one flash on a person's face and use your camera's histogram to get an exposure. But when you add a second light for say, fill or hair, then what? Add more lights and then what? If you want the main 2 stops over ambient, or you want to balance window light with room and add a flash for fill or key, then what?
It's soooo much faster and easier with a meter.
The main is easy to set. If you want the fill one stop lower, and then add a rim light that skims the subject are you going to be able to read that rim light, or a hair light, with your camera's histogram? Not easily and certainly no accurately. As you add lights the overall exposure changes - so if you read your histogram on each light then you have to do it again on the total lighting exposure and perhaps only get close...or do you keep pushing the exposure till you get blinkies and figure that's good?
Eventually you get a good feeling for flash and you don't have to measure as much. I measure at every wedding for the formals. For most of my 'strobist' work (all in manual) I usually just eyeball it
As soon as you add the second light or want to control the ambient mix you need a meter.
It's not hard to set one flash on a person's face and use your camera's histogram to get an exposure. But when you add a second light for say, fill or hair, then what? Add more lights and then what? If you want the main 2 stops over ambient, or you want to balance window light with room and add a flash for fill or key, then what?
It's soooo much faster and easier with a meter.
The main is easy to set. If you want the fill one stop lower, and then add a rim light that skims the subject are you going to be able to read that rim light, or a hair light, with your camera's histogram? Not easily and certainly no accurately. As you add lights the overall exposure changes - so if you read your histogram on each light then you have to do it again on the total lighting exposure and perhaps only get close...or do you keep pushing the exposure till you get blinkies and figure that's good?
Eventually you get a good feeling for flash and you don't have to measure as much. I measure at every wedding for the formals. For most of my 'strobist' work (all in manual) I usually just eyeball it
I own and use a Sekonic L-758dr. It is a big help. Histograms and camera preview screens help too but Meters give you an edge in control and speed set up time when you are working with multiple light sources -- which includes all single non-TTL controlled light and a single light with a reflector / bounce cards used as fill and accent lights .
I use a Sekonic L-358, and think is is well made and vry useful.
One important use for me is to take multiple readings fromthe facial area of various people in a group shot, so that I know just how close to evenly lit I've managed to get.
Generally viewers of photos are happy enough looking at pictures with one stop difference between the brightest (usually nearest) and darkest ( usually farthest away) So the goal is to get the middle person pefect, and then the others are close enough.
EVEN BETTER, with the meter you can arrange the people and the lights and try to get the differences down to less than one f stop.
MODELING LIGHTS are really helpful in seeting how a phtyo looks before yout ake it, but with camera-maker flash units and no modeling lights, experience with a meter tells you in numbers what the differences are between darker and lighter places, and you just use your brain to translate the numbers into your memories of just what does any particular amount of difference turn into in the final print.
(back of the camera helps, of course)
Be careful of combining camera maker flash and studio lights -- you need to make sure camera-maker flash automation is disabled.
BAK
One important use for me is to take multiple readings fromthe facial area of various people in a group shot, so that I know just how close to evenly lit I've managed to get.
Generally viewers of photos are happy enough looking at pictures with one stop difference between the brightest (usually nearest) and darkest ( usually farthest away) So the goal is to get the middle person pefect, and then the others are close enough.
EVEN BETTER, with the meter you can arrange the people and the lights and try to get the differences down to less than one f stop.
MODELING LIGHTS are really helpful in seeting how a phtyo looks before yout ake it, but with camera-maker flash units and no modeling lights, experience with a meter tells you in numbers what the differences are between darker and lighter places, and you just use your brain to translate the numbers into your memories of just what does any particular amount of difference turn into in the final print.
(back of the camera helps, of course)
Be careful of combining camera maker flash and studio lights -- you need to make sure camera-maker flash automation is disabled.
BAK
Richard_a
Member
Thanks every one for your input !!
I just bought a VERY inexpensive Interfit flash meter and used it for the first time yesterday. I was a big help. After metering my key, fill and BG, I knew what aperture I wanted and had some confidence that the ratios were what I wanted.
It made my day easier.
--
-Dan Rode
http://rodephoto.com
It made my day easier.
--
-Dan Rode
http://rodephoto.com
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