Is a lightmeter worth the money?

[Michael]

Is a lightmeter worth the money?

Back in the film days, yes, I'd agree. Or else, you'd have to bracket.

How about now? Where digital means free shots for trial and error?

[sk.images]

For studio flash photography it is highly recommended.  With modern DSLR's and the ability to shoot raw, it's unneccessary

[victor]

Yep. agree with SK

[Michael]

How about the need to measure incident light and reflective light?

Or do I judge from my LCD screen and adjust accordingly?

[sk.images]

How about the need to measure incident light and reflective light?

Or do I judge from my LCD screen and adjust accordingly?

Judge from the histogram.  The LCD is only acurate as far as composition and light/shadow is concerned...

[Michael]

True, but a white-on-white shot or a black-on-black will definitely give you a histogram worth remembering!

[UKay]

light meter is essential

[Dream Merchant]

Ditto.

Else manufacturers won't bother to spend and develop stuff like evaluative metering and even including spot metering in their cameras.

In digital, no free lunch. Each and every shot is paid for, up-front when a camera is purchased; just that since you don't pay again and again to develop and print each set of photos, you feel it's 'free'. One of the greatest fallacies that some clients seem to harbour - "Shoot digital free what! Why you charge so much ah?"

As for hand-held light meters, they are only as useful as two factors - how precise a user needs to be, and how much a user understands light and needs more precise control. There may be some applications, especially technical and scientific/medical ones where an external, hand-held meter is a routine and just part of the requirements. Some subjects cannot or will not be able to take and take and ajdust and so on. I can't recall in-cam meter is able to meter studio strobes, provide contrast and ratio readings, nor (unlike say the OM4) are able to take multiple spot readings and avarage it out on command, or not.

A particularly useful area where a more precise set of readings may help the tog make decisions, is exposure values, especially when used with contrast/ratio control in mind.

Hand-helds are the anti-thesis to modern camera automation - it forces you to think, evaluate and make judgement calls, albeit, it makes those tasks a lot easier. They are also devoid of any bias as to how a scene should look, or be exposed. They simply measure light up to a point where you pre-programme settings, then they start to 'act' like a camera's metering programmes.

Just my opinions.

[UKay]

Very well said... with digital... many people play down or totally disregard this little thing called the light meter. its essential. you may not use it all the time.. but if u do. u will see how much ur understanding of light improves... digital shooter vs thinking shooter... 

[Dream Merchant]

Most togs do not like to think too much, saying it 'impeeds' the creative/shooting flow. 

Heck, most people do not like to think. I'm actually one of them. 

[Michael]

light meter is essential

but i see you, always shoot tethered and no lightmeter LOL

Most togs do not like to think too much, saying it 'impeeds' the creative/shooting flow. 

Heck, most people do not like to think. I'm actually one of them. 

i saw one on CS. a Sekonic for $300. waiting for it to drop in price 

[Dream Merchant]

but i see you, always shoot tethered and no lightmeter LOL

i saw one on CS. a Sekonic for $300. waiting for it to drop in price 

358? Adam-something or another?

If it's that one, it's already reserved by someone else.

I just missed out on two Minolta FM IVs cos the price was just a little too rich for me.

A really great FM is the Sekonic 308 - super affordable and generally very capable and super easy to use. Does not offer automated contrast/ratio calculations though.

[Nick]

Lightmeters are essential!

[UKay]

Dun need to think are thos that are either very blessed with talent... or those that know the basics very well... for the rest of us.. the light meter will somehow come into use...

Most togs do not like to think too much, saying it 'impeeds' the creative/shooting flow. 

Heck, most people do not like to think. I'm actually one of them.