I would like to know how how to read a light meter correctly, could somone please explain this to me or point me in a direction where I could read up on this.
I do not have a fancy or expensive light/flash meter, just a small portaflash one.
I have looked around on the internet but can find any notes on actually how to read one or if I have come across it, I don't understand it!!!!.
Am I right in thinking that the flash/light meter is held towards the flash, then after the flash has fired I read from the meter.
When I do this it gives me something like ISO 200, Aperture 5.6. Does this mean I should be setting the manual controls of the camera to the same?.
I'm sure there is TONS of people who could answer this question better than I..... but with that being said, I'm kind of in the same position as you.... sort-a... I can read a meter but now find myself wanting to understand completely what light does and how EXACTLY to get it to perform HOW I WANT
In my searches, I found this really great article which may help give you some direction (http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/ev.htm).... and you can always search Google
First you need to know the 2 different kinds of meters - Incident and reflective. Incident light is the light "falling onto" your subject. Reflective light is the light "bouncing off" your subject. The meter that is built into your camera is a reflective light meter. It is measuring the light bouncing off your subject or scene. Now, assuming that your handheld lightmeter is an incident meter, Here's the basic steps on taking a reading.
1. Make sure the film speed is set correctly on the ISO dial.
2. Know what the angle of acceptance is for your meter. This is simply the area that the meter reads. If you're trying to meter (or shoot the picture) out of range, you won't necessarily get the best shot.
3. Point the meter at the light source and press the meter button. If a flash is involved with the shot, fire the flash off when you meter.
4. Set your f-stop and shutter speed according to the reading on the meter.
If you don't understand or are still confused I would be more than happy to guide you through. Hope this helps!
well it all depends on what you're tryingt to do. Generally speaking, you want to point the meter at the light source you are trying to read or your not going to get an accurate measurement of that specific light.
tcorzett wrote:
I thought with an incident meter you pointed the meter back towards the camera... but maybe I'm totally wrong (it wouldn't be the first time).
-Todd...
Like Impact said, it deppends on what you want to do, or what you want the image, mood, lighting to be.... you see, a lightmeter is not for giving you an exposure, is to measure the ammount of light on the spot you are meassuring, and with that information you determine the correct exposure for the "look" that you want. Or you can have a desire Fstop you want to use and light according to that.
If you point the lumisphere to the camera the messurement will be an average of all the light hitting it, if that's the look you want go ahead and do it. But a basic thing to know is that the lightmeter is not for giving you an exposure, that's why I like to use the reflected spot meter when I work, specially in cinematography, is the only way you know how everything in the scene will look.
Ok,
I want to measure incident light. Problem is my meter does not have a dial on the side to change the ISO setting.
I might be thinking totaly wrong here which is why I need the advice.
When the meter is held infront of the subject and the flash tripped, the led's on the meter read ISO 100, f5.6, over +2/3.
Does this not mean I dial in on my camera ISO 100, Aperture 5.6 in manual then take the shot.
(because if I do it over exposes, using a shutter spead of 160)
Am I thinking I can use a meter for getting the right exposure from it's readings when I can't.
If I can't is there a product out there to help me do this or do I have to go by trial and error to get the right exposure untill I undrestand properly what I am doing working it out in my head.
there has to be some place on the meter to set your iso. once the iso is set you then set either the shutter speed or the f stop. Then point the incident meter at the flash source and the meter will give you the correct exposure.
The meter has to be told 2 things to give you the 3rd.It needs to know the iso and either the shutter speed ot the f stop.
If you are metering flash the meter is aimed toward the source, if you are metering ambiant light the meter is pointed toward the camera.
Ray
It'll actually tell you an appropriate f-stop for any of those ISO ratings: if you pick any column and go up or down it, you'll see that the f-stop listed changes to correspond to the ISO listed on the left. So if at ISO 50 it's telling you f/8, then at ISO 100 it'd be f/11, etc. According to that B&H spec page the meter only functions at a single shutter speed - 1/60th - which is why it's not displayed anywhere. To get truly correct exposures you'd need to have your camera set to the same unless you're willing to play with the resulting variations.
What about advice on purchasing the right meter now.
I'd like to be able to read from the meter and dial into the camera the same settings to get correct exposure, Please tell me I am at least thinking right along these lines.
Lisa, The iso is preset at 100. when you take a reading look where the yellow arrow is lit. set your shutter speed at 1/60. The iso number is on the left side. Read down under the lit arrow and set your f stop that corresponds to the one listed.
Ray
