Light Meter Sensitivity

Finste

Finste

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Steven
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I have a very old Sekonic L508 which I haven't used for a few years. My question is, do they lose sensitivity to light with age? When I use the recommended aperture the images are obviously dark with a histogram bunched up to the left. It meters at least a stop or more under what I think it should be. This happens no matter which of my cameras i use.

And yes, I do know how to meter with it. :)

A google search reveals that it can be tested with a lot of expensive equipment but I'd rather not bother with that and just buy a new one if age is a factor in its continued use.

Anyone have any experience with old light meters that can maybe shed some light on this?

Regards...
 
If the images are dark, it suggests that the meter is more sensitive than it should be - it is telling you there is more light then there is actually is.
 
A full stop or more seems excessive, but there are many things that could play into it besides just having good batteries and proper settings/dip switch positions/etc. For one thing "exposure" was never terribly standard, it's not unusual for different meters to give slightly different results (but usually not more than 1/3 stop IME). And these days it's not unusual for a camera's ISO to be mislabeled by as much as 2/3 stops higher (using the REI exposure (non) standard). If you combine those I can see it being off by as much as a stop.
If it is consistent you could just apply an exposure offset to the results. Some meters allow you to have it applied automatically (the compensating function of the 508).
 
speed ratings of films and Digital cameras work to different standards. Nor do the ISO settings digital cameras correspond to each other very well at all.
However a meter that has lost sensitivity, almost always does so in a consistent way.
So it is easy to come up with a correction factor for use when using it to set a particular digital camera.

i have found that the greatest consistency come when using on for Incident readings.
However I can not thing of any good reason to use a hand held meter for working with a digital camera... except perhaps for balancing flash... even though it is perfectly doable.
 
My old lunasix F seems pretty much spot on with my digital cameras, not that I actually use it much. I'm supprisied a Sekonic L508 would be affected that much by age. Have you tried contacting them and seeing if it can be callibrated in some way?
 
Thanks to everyone for all the replies. I will look into the compensation function mentioned and try some testing with both my Canon and Fuji cameras to see if it is a consistent thing across brands. If that doesn't help, maybe contacting Sekonic is the way to go.

Terrywoodenpic said:
However I can not thing of any good reason to use a hand held meter for working with a digital camera... except perhaps for balancing flash... even though it is perfectly doable.
Click to expand...

As you say it is useful for flash and that is only what I use for. I find it is the fastest way to nail the flash exposure. (Or it was some years ago ;))

Regards...
 
Just checking it's not something simple silly like being set on incident rather than reflected light readings, or the other way around?
 
Mr Badger said:
Just checking it's not something simple silly like being set on incident rather than reflected light readings, or the other way around?
Click to expand...

No, its not. The spot metering has a cap on it and would probably register no light at all. Thanks anyway.

Regards...
 
Finste said:
I will look into the compensation function mentioned and try some testing with both my Canon and Fuji cameras to see if it is a consistent thing across brands.
Click to expand...
You will likely find another issue; most Fujis and other mirrorless use the SOS standard for ISO rating, whereas most DSLRs use the REI (non) standard. That difference can be as much as a 1/2 stop commonly...maybe more.
 
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