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dankaplan · Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 6 Location: New Jersey

I have recently purchased two studio strobes and rather than doing a lot of trial and error adjustments of the power settings, it has been suggested to me to get a flash meter. I've been looking at the Sekonic L-308S Flashmate which appears to do the basics that I may need. I have built a small studio which I will be shooting still lifes (product and food) and portraits. I also will be doing location shoots inside buildings for interior designers. I sure could sure use some help in what I should consider purchasing, or whether I really need a flash meter.

rinder99 · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:40 pm

well...Ya know some of us come from the old film days with no meters in the cameras and we always had one. I've probably owned 20 of them. But the truth is. I haven't used My new 8 yr old sekonic with the flash Module probably ever. Ya get so used to doing stuff over and over that it becomes second nature and Camera meters are pretty good nowdays. I just test a lot and use my eyes. Best meter there is. I think Mine is the 358?

If your just starting out I guess it's a good thing a meter with a flash Module for doing isolations and such But I don't need Mine at all. Wanna buy it? OOOOps nevermind. Your post made me get up and look for it. I don't see it anywhere. So much stuff I thought for sure I needed it. Dave has the same one. I don't think he has ever used his either. Bottom Line? Im not sure ya really need one.One of the first Isolations I ever did was back in the Late sixties with Hot Lights. couldn't have done it without a meter.Now ya just shoot, Take a look and adjust.

jeffbanke · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:52 pm

Yep, have a couple, never use them, kind of know where to put them lights and how much to give them without it, guess that just comes with experience, and if you need take a shot, and tweak it a little if needs be.

I think you will find most OF's like Laurin and me do pretty much the same thing, we needed them back in the day, but today, they are a good learning tool for a newbie, but be prepared to put it down in a year or two.

rinder99 · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 2:06 pm

YEP!!And jeff has a couple of everything. Ever watch Sanford and Son?? Jeff is Sanford.LOL Thats what his wife told me anyway.

triceratops · Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 7870 Location: The other Nevada

I've got the L-358 and use it from time-to-time. It was great when I was first starting out with multiple studio strobes. Was able to balance the lighting exactly how I wanted it without wasting anyone's time. Then after a while, as Jeff said, you get used to where things go and what settings will work. If I have a shoot where I need to go to a client's home or place of employment, I'll always take it along as it helps me speed things up and ... it impresses the client. Makes them think I know what I'm doing. Little do they know. LOL

dankaplan · Joined: 11 Dec 2007 Posts: 6 Location: New Jersey

Thanks guys. It sounds like it may very well be worth it as a learning tool since I'm going from hot lights. I'll probably lean toward the less expensive one without all the whistles and bells, based on the limited life it'll probably have once I get the feel of the strobes.

yaromir · Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 2587 Location: NCG

Buy it, it's an essential tool!

mikenorton · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 3:31 pm

It will help you to understand what is going on with each light, especially when you are doing ratios like Rembrandt lighting or shooting on location. If you shoot the same type of shot over & over, like isolations on white, you will get to where you will know where to set everything. But when you branch out to shoot something more difficult it will be invaluable. We had to use them with film because we did not see the results until the next day. I used Polaroids to make sure everything looked good and that there were no reflections but not for setting f-sops & shutter speeds.

jeffbanke · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 3:50 pm

hhltdave5 · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 4:19 pm

I think it really depends on what kind of shooting you are going to do. It can be helpful if you are using numerous lights and want to get each of them set the way you want them without doing a bunch of test shots. It's also good to learn how to use them. But, if you are using the more simple light setups with two or three lights to me it is not something you have to have. After some time you will learn just how to adjust your settings without using it.

I've had mine for about 6 years and used it maybe half a dozen times.

fraiseap · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:58 am

I am going to put in a vote in favour of light meters. Sure, once you are familiar with your lighting setup and are doing a straight forward headshot or portrait then you can just set the lights as you usually do, take a shot, chimp, adjust, repeat until it looks OK.

I have 2 problems with this

1. The screen on your SLR may not be an accurate representation of the image you have captured (mine looks about half a stop brighter than the image on a calibrated monitor). Most professionals edit on a calibrated monitor so I see little point in choosing exposure based on the appearance on an uncalibrated screen.

2. It takes almost no time to fire the flash, read and adjust and you will get an exposure which is correct to 1/10 of a stop. I think taking a shot, chimp adjust takes almost exactly the same amount of time but is less accurate.

The real value of light meters in for complex setups. I recently shot some interiors for a museum.

Here is the room using natural light and below is the room with 2 strobes balanced with natural light. It took an hour to set this up using a light meter. It would have been a much longer job without one.

PaulCowan · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 4181 Location: Evolving

I'm impressed. You've even retained the natural shadows.

fraiseap · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:41 am

Thanks Paul, it was a room with beautiful natural light which I wanted to retain. Big white shoot through umbrella to camera right bounced off the ceiling balanced to the light coming through the window you can see. A 4x2 ft softbox to camera left (visible in the first shot) just to fill the shadows in front of the table. I think the ratio of umbrella to softbox was 4:1.

The tricky bit was, as you have correctly observed, avoiding any obvious shadows from the strobes.

rinder99 · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 12:58 pm

My primary Business is High end furniture catalog work and has been forever it seems.Get a meter is my advice because it helps you understand Value and dynamic range but Like dave. Haven't used one in years.But it's in my case if needed. ever since I started using external Monitors the need just kinda fell away.I can't tell anything with the camera monitor except doing Portraits.So to the OP, You should get one for sure.

Adam , The only thing I would have done is close the curtains so the reflection in the mirror wasn't so strong. My clients wouldn't go for that.Funny thing is. The last year or so, Im getting More and more away from using strobes and stuff and working on Dynamic balance with Maybe some 25watt screw in slaves in Lamps and light Fixtures as they do in Architectural Digest.90% of my stuff is done in homes and showrooms, Not studios to much anymore.And I hide slaves behind chairs for more a 3D punch effect instead of flat. They Like that.

I've been with this company 35 years, everything from studio,Straight Catalog to sets,showrooms and homes.I really enjoy interiors.Bottom Line if I hadn't used meters for years I wouldn't be able to do it without them.Good Work Adam.

http://www.minton-spidell.com/

mikenorton · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:14 pm