Light meters, flash meters and lux meters -advice please

[melaniew2000]

I am working out my wish list of studio equipment I would like and following a very interesting one day course realised i need a light meter to determine the aperture setting i need for studio flash lights.

After a bit of research on the net there seems to be 3 types :
- flash meters
- light meters
- lux meters

are these all of the same thing or not?

All the cheap ones seem to be lux meters and give a measurement in that form as opposed to an f-stop reading that i can then input into my camera.

Can anyone suggest somewhere where i can get one pretty cheap (dont mind 2nd hand) but it needs to be one that gives me f/stop readings without me having to work out what f-stop it should be by means of a calculator!

thanks in advance for your help.

 

[AliB]

Hi Melanie, for determining aperture in a studio I'd recommend something like
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-sekonic-l-308s-flashmate-light-meter/p1006844?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=Sekonic+L-308S&utm_content=Light_Meters_-_Sekonic_L-308S_Flashmate_Light_Meter&utm_campaign=Studio_Accessories_-_Light_Meters&cm_mmc=Google%2bWarehouse%20Lighting%20And%20Studio-_-Studio%20Accessories%20-%20Light%20Meters-_-Light%20Meters%20-%20Sekonic%20L-308S%20Flashmate%20Light%20Meter-_-Sekonic%20L-308S

It's a Sekonic L308s. That's what I use and it's easy enough that you don't need a degree in applied mathematics to use it.

It will do the flash in a studio and there are two ways to use it, one is to have a trigger plugged into it but there is a really easy way to use it too. There is a mode where you can place the meter at your subject and by holding down a button while you fire the flashes using any trigger it will take your flash reading for you. It means you can buy any trigger you like without having to worry about being able to put them together.

You can also use it outside the studio to take incident light readings. That can be very useful too and there is a cracking article on Sekonic's website about the difference between incident and reflected light readings. i.e. the one the lightmeter takes vs the one you camera takes.

Have a look for one second hand if funds are tight.

 

[HoppyUK]

Another vote for that Sekonic 308, it seems to be the one most people use. It does everything I could possible want, and nice to use.

A meter is great for setting up ratios with two or three lights, but I always set final exposure off the LCD with blinkies on and the histogram.

 

[john-oh]

After a bit of research on the net there seems to be 3 types :
- flash meters
- light meters
- lux meters

are these all of the same thing or not?

Sort of.

They all measure light intensity, but :

a 'flash meter' will only measure light from a flash and will usually incorporate some method of firing the flash

a photographic 'light meter' will only measure ambient light

Many photographic meters do both these functions and will also let you check the ratio between flash and ambient

a lux meter is usually used for checking lighting levels in offices and factories, and normally would not have any photographic type functions.

That's my understanding anyway. :shrug:

 

[Musicman]

Many photographic meters do both these functions and will also let you check the ratio between flash and ambient

The Sekonic L308 doesn't do this.

The L358 does, which is one of the reasons I chose that recently (also it measures in much lower light levels which was another consideration).

 

[HoppyUK]

The Sekonic L308 doesn't do this.

The L358 does, which is one of the reasons I chose that recently (also it measures in much lower light levels which was another consideration).

You take an ambient reading, and then a flash reading, and that's your ratio. So it can be done.

 

[Musicman]

True. I almost mentioned that myself

But it's certainly not as convenient as getting the meter to calculate it for you and it's not a function of the meter as such, which was the implication of the post I was replying to.