How To Use a Sekonic Light Meter

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7 жыл бұрын

Without light, there is no photography. It’s a good idea to get an understanding of how light works and how to expose for it. The best tool for that job is a good old fashioned light meter! - Matt Day

Пікірлер: 75

@TheRiceAShrimpFried 7 жыл бұрын

Always the highlight of my day to watch a new Matt Day video!

@therealBocaStudios 4 ай бұрын

I always like to freshen up my education, I use my LM but usually don’t mess with settings so I like to watch these just to see what I might re-learn

@bladerunner8832 5 жыл бұрын

If I wanted to get a light meter reading of a mountain that’s hundreds of feet away, would I need a meter with the built-in ‘scope’ because I don’t want to have to hike up to the mountain itself. Any info would be great.

@emmanuelOfilms 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing this information

@psrajcam 4 жыл бұрын

Hi I recently bought a Sekonic L-858D....Wanted to ask you if I am shooting with a Video Camera which does not mention ISO. It generally functions on Shutter Speed,Exposure,Filters.What mode should I keep on my Light Meter to measure the exposure.

@richardsimms251 6 ай бұрын

Good review. Thank you

@DevynFromCFXTV 4 жыл бұрын

Amazing ...exactly what I wanted to hear

@andrear1267 Жыл бұрын

I have a sekonic L508 I ask is it normal to hear the ticking noise of the zoom when you shake it? How can I store the various readings in spot mode? thank you Andrew

@kellieose7266 4 жыл бұрын

We didn’t talk about how do use the Light Meter for reflective metering

@ubercurious 6 жыл бұрын

Hey thanks for this! I've just gotten a Sekonic L-508. When the backlight comes on, the meter makes a quiet, high pitched, steady sound. Is that normal?

@SeanKobiSandoval 4 жыл бұрын

I inherited one from my cousin. Same thing happens to me!

@syekbe 7 жыл бұрын

Video starts at 6:20

@modestosagrero5417 6 жыл бұрын

Sy Eckbe not all heros wear capes

@modestosagrero5417 6 жыл бұрын

The real mvp!

@Brianfilms 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you mi'Lord

@canalilucato 11 ай бұрын

Hi I recently bought a Sekonic L-558 Cine and it doesn't metter where I point the spot meter or any change I do at ISO ou T value, it always give "E.u" F value, or if change to T always giver "E.u" fot T. (The delector dial is turned to spot meter). Is there any CF settings or other thing I need to set to make it works or is it deffective? Thanks.

@ronaldhare5237 6 жыл бұрын

I have the Sekonic L-758DR. When using my strobes the corect f-stop shows for about 1/2 a second then disappears, any thoughts?

@joekelly9369 3 жыл бұрын

Be quicker 😊

@fordroams 5 жыл бұрын

Hello! Does that mean that after setting your camera on manual mode and setting the apperture and shutter speed on the suggested settings of the light meter, you can now compose and shoot ignoring what the light meter on the camera tells you?

@JohanSchmidt 5 жыл бұрын

Correct. Although the LM is a good and quick starting point - if you then want to add artistic expression by e.g. making an image more moody, you can lower the exposure from an accurate starting point. Watch Mark Wallace videos on Adorama TV for better explanations of using a LM

@boogabooga5481 Жыл бұрын

My light meter only measure the aperture stops. Not sure how to get the shutter speed to adjust accordingly when metering has anyone ran into this

@melvinch 4 жыл бұрын

How many spot readings can you take before averaging them ?

@davefaulkner6302 4 жыл бұрын

For the L508, the manual says 2 or 3 readings can be averaged.

@Teaustin66 2 жыл бұрын

I was curious if you ever calibrate your light meters? I just bought this model L-508 Zoom Master from KEH. I have been reading the manual and it makes no mention of it, but I saw another video on KZfaq where it was recommended.

@Teaustin66 2 жыл бұрын

Apologies I actually found it you have to hold down the two ISO buttons and turn the dial. Keep up the great videos Matt Day! I was looking at that 75mm f/2.8 AL 67 damn that thing is expensive! Are you happy with it?

@tomhughes5123 4 жыл бұрын

the 758 ms are like rocking horse nuggets here in the uk .. i hate the touch screen one but its looking like its on the menu ..

@bryanotero123 6 жыл бұрын

Does the meter recommends right aperture?

@sednasix6608 3 жыл бұрын

I would imagine it does at a cost of over $200

@_fleur 3 жыл бұрын

Not sure I understand why you would read off the lumisphere. The light your camera picks up is reflected light right? So if the subject your metering is really dark then it would absorb a lot of the light you're metering for and if your subject is really light it'll be reflecting most of that light. So if you're metering something dark, don't you end up underexposing because you're not metering for the reflected light? Or does that not make sense?

@msamiullah001 2 жыл бұрын

How to switch on LCD backlight ?

@mohdkhalidmusa1960 6 жыл бұрын

Love the way ur explaining

@SeanKobiSandoval 4 жыл бұрын

I inherited mine from my cousin today. When I power it on the backlight automatically turns on as well, and with the backlight comes this high pitch white noise. Any suggestions if the backlight and white noise can be turned off?

@hghalo 5 жыл бұрын

Great video!

@tallaganda83 7 жыл бұрын

Do Keh post to Australia?

@norbertstepien9185 2 жыл бұрын

Spotmeter reade the light reflected from the subject not "falling on" the subject.

@RunningDigger 7 жыл бұрын

Great Video, really helpful!

@miacarlajohns1872 7 жыл бұрын

Nicely explained i come from the same Film school actually still using the very same light meter

@richardewlliams9864 Жыл бұрын

Sir I have a question. I'm thinking on using a metered pme90 on a Hasselblad 503cx, in your opinion would that be enough for 99% of outside work I do? I haven't purchased one or the other yet. Your advice will be appreciated. Thanks I'm looking at this light meter on you website as I right this.

@joekelly9369 3 жыл бұрын

I use my L758 with my d850's guess iv never learnt to trust cameras meters , i dont bother to edit pictures anymore either , 😊 the joys of bone idleness , Spose id rather be behind the camera than a computer screen

@tapasbasu730 6 жыл бұрын

Very well explained, thanks Matt.

7 жыл бұрын

I don't quite get how to use a handheld meter for certain landscape photography scenarios. Let's say you don't have a spot meter, but you're standing in a dark area (like a shadow), looking out at a huge mountain that catches the suns light. Obviously you can't teleport to the mountain to meter the incoming light, so how do you meter it? Do you retract the sphere and point it as accurately as you can towards the moutain to read the reflected light? But if the mountain is very distant and you're shooting with a long focal length, the sphere will meter for areas that won't be in the photograph, so how the heck does it work?

@xasaintx 7 жыл бұрын

That is why landscape photographers always buy the more expensive light meters with the spot meters built in. If you could do everything with the lumosphere then there would be now reason to include the spot meter, but it is there because the lumosphere is only good when you can stand in the same light as your subject.

@DANVIIL 7 жыл бұрын

You would use the spot meter which reads only reflected light and take multiple spot meter readings of the mountain and the meter can average it for you. The incident (white bulb lumisphere) meter which reads only reflected light on the subject always points back at the camera. Obviously, you can't climb the mountain and point the bulb back at the camera 3 miles away.

7 жыл бұрын

Yeah, that's what I meant. So really the only way is to get an expensive spot meter... darnit.

@christerberg910 7 жыл бұрын

Hej Fredrik - You can find used (but very good) 1-degree spot meters on e.g. eBay. For example a Minolta Spotmeter F. And then read up on the Zone System - great to understand and use for all landscape photographers. Good luck!

7 жыл бұрын

Cool, thanks for the tip!

@dance2jam 4 жыл бұрын

Matt, I know it's several years after you made this video, but I'm just getting to it. I am looking for a Sekonic light meter to purchase in the near future and thought I might get some insight from this video. It would have been a bigger production, but much more helpful to actually use the meter in real situations and show the camera the display as you go so we can get an idea of how to use it. In addition, as others have mentioned here, actually showing the camera the button you are talking about would also be helpful. Hope there is a better explanation on the net/KZfaq. Off to find it.

@Jenalgo 4 жыл бұрын

Search youtube and don't be an idiot. "Oh Matt, please wipe my arse and make all my decisions for me."

@themestocles 4 жыл бұрын

Did not explain or know how to use the spot metering mode

@mazennabulsi7246 7 жыл бұрын

if this similar to my camera meter ? then why should I use it ?

@the92project 7 жыл бұрын

your camera meter will always be reflective light meter, this device can do reflective and incident light, big big difference

@petrub27 7 жыл бұрын

it also means that you don't really need it if you are asking this question. this is for very specific use, not for street photography, action, photojournalism, sport, etc; it's usually for landscape, architecture, studio flash photography

@the92project 7 жыл бұрын

A light meter is good for all kinds of photography, the rule should be "if you can use it, use it". In any situation you want to have a light reading of the environment and get consistent exposures for that "situation" if you are shooting an indoor basket game, take a reading of the shadow area in the court and thats it, keep that setting. In wedding photography same thing, shooting in the dressing area? take a reading and shoot, in the reception area? take a reading and shoot. The use of a light meter is not tied to any specific type of photography, although it is marginally easier to use on landscape, architecture because you simply have more time to take a reading and plan your shoot

@petrub27 7 жыл бұрын

why should i take an exposure from a shadow area when i need to expose for the players skin tones? who cares about that shadow? i don't need to do an hdr type of photo when shooting sport, i simply need to expose for the subject; never seen a sport photog with a hand held light meter recently

@the92project 7 жыл бұрын

i was thinking about film exposure, but yes, you can and probably pros do take an incident light measure of the arena they are shooting at to get a consistent exposure shot after shot and avoid getting their camera meter being fooled by a random light source going into the frame and fooling the meter. You dont see any sports photographer do it because they do it only once, before the game starts

@renaldfranley2258 6 жыл бұрын

"Pressing this button on the side here" and pointing..... How do you expect people to see the button you mean.... come closer with the meter dude.

@shanedm3396 5 жыл бұрын

Papy Choelo Tell em like it is, papy

@b991228 2 жыл бұрын

If you shot digitally long enough you can take an ambient meter reading inside in the shade when there is a very bright window to contend with you will learn how to contend with it. You can look at the window and learn to see that you have to darken the shot by 1.0 stop to have a dynamic range/exposure that will handle both the indoor shade the window highlight. You take a shot to check your exposure and amazingly through trial & error, with experience you will eventually almost always nail the correct setting. In the end manual metering and exposure stops is a skill that has to be learned with time.

@charlesjacques750 5 жыл бұрын

Why should an digital amateur photographer even use a meter when he has one in his digital SLR camera or an iPhone that reads light pretty dam good and instantly?

@denisbeck1116 5 жыл бұрын

Strobes.