Sekonic FLASHMATE L-308X light exposure meter ... worth the price?
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
- Y'all been asking me tons about how i meter my photos. I use the Sekonic FLASHMATE L-308X. It's a small portable light meter that is used by tons of photographers, especially film photographers. One thing to know ... it's expensive. Is it worth the money?
0:00 Sekonic Price
1:40 Metering for Portraits
3:01 Metering for Street Photography
4:53 Metering for Landscapes
8:11 Spot Metering
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I can't even imagine shooting film, transparency or otherwise, without one of these. Used one all through the 90s and into much of the 2000's. They don't play well with digital cameras in my experience. They'll get you in the ballpark, but you can't rely on them to be spot on like they are with film. Nice video! Just picked one of these up today because my Minolta Auto Meter VI F seemed like it needed to be calibrated.
Agreed! It’s such a useful too
I’m so glad I found your channel, Ribsy, I’m really enjoying your content.
Welcome aboard!
Another great review ! Thanks for all you do my friend, it is appreciated !
glad it was useful!
Thanks Ribsy, your tips re outdoor incident metering were particularly helpful.
I use a hot/cold shoe mini meter which looks like a cube of about 2.5cm/1in in size ($50). It's accurate enough for me shooting film occasionally, but more importantly, it stays on the camera most of the time so it's a lot more convenient and less distracting than using a phone. Great learning about the different modes of the Sekonic!
yea convenience is key. don't wanna miss the shot!
Great review, thanks. I’ve got an older L-308S which I’ve had for years. Used to use it in the studio all the time. I’ve just got back into film and needed a reminder on how to use this but this time the application was street photography. Your video was just great, thanks. Told me everything I needed to know including a reminder on the reflected light setting vs incident. Awesome.
yup! its a great tool
My second time watching this. Thanks again. The more film I shoot, the more I learn from you. I’m tracking down one of those bad boys NOW!
Glad it was useful!
The only video I’ve seen giving clear use cases and examples on using this.
I was getting all sorts of readings it made me start doubting myself even when I use sunny 16.
Good to know this requires intentional metering depending on subject and environment.
glad it was useful
I last used a light meter in the 90s 😅 appreciate this refresher, you were very clear (better than the books I had to learn from)
Haha sounds good
Thanks. Very helpful. - especially your discussion of the “experience” of using that device. Good idea.
thanks!
I started off with the L-308B (Basic?), but upgraded to the L-508 Zoom Master when I got my 4x5 Speed Graphic. Now use three 508 for everything. Has improved my photographs so much, having spot-metering capability!
yea thats what i hear! thats too much cash for me tho lol
I got the same Sekonic meter, and the explanation of reflective metering and its use in landscape helped clarify that. I sometimes use reflective for night photography, and I compare it against my phone meter, but I've never thought about it landscape.
yea! you should experiment a bit. things can vary based on lighting and scene
very helpful stuff. Thank you!
you are welcome
I've hand the L-308X for 10 years now, I mainly use it for studio or outdoor portraits where I have the time to hold the meter up the subjects face. I just bought several 35mm films cameras and I wanted to check out if the meters are working correctly in them. I also tested about a dozen iPhone light meters. I've narrowed it down to 3 apps I use ll the time. So in testing the app meters gave me the exact same readings as the Sekonic meter. Maybe a 3rd of a spot difference. I also think the spot meters on the apps are incredibly useful. I bought a case for my iPhone 13 Pro Max that has an adjustable lanyard to wear around my neck. Work great! I still use my Sekonic light meter often. Thanks for the video and I love your channel!!!
yea the sekonic is great!
Love my Flashmate and nearly always use incident metering. I use it even with my cameras that have in-built light meters. It's definitely better than any phone app that I've tried in the past.
yea i love mine too!
Woah, I didn't think that you could do incident metering for street photography, but your methodology makes so much sense
Yea it’s a good method for strong sunlight
Great review! I much prefer an external dedicated meter over an in-phone app, also more accurate. I don’t use a Sekonic specifical but will always recommend one. My incident/reflective meter of choice is the Gossen Lunasix F. I also run a spotmeter for 4x5 and tripod work with my medium format.
Yea for 4x5 a light meter is key!
@@ribsy I’m looking forward to getting the ReveniLabs Spotmeter for smaller scale metering.
Great video, thanks
you are welcome
This was my first meter - actually one without the X -, then I sold it and years later picked a used Monolta IV-F, with the spotmeter viewfinder. No matter how good your camera is, a hand meter is always a good idea.
Yea! Altho dont use light meters with my 90s SLRs. The meters on those are perfect for everyday shooting
I have one of these and I use it all the time for both photography and video. Nice piece of gear.
These handheld light meters are precision machines, specifically built to get the correct reading every time. I have treated myself to the Sekonic binocular spot meter versions twice now. While not cheap, they do it all. A few of my old medium format film cameras don't have internal light meters, and I'd never put my trust in any app. These light meters last for aaaaages on a set of normal batteries, no need to waste phone battery or get distracted when out in the country taking photos and forgetting about city life for a day. Well worth the investment.
totally agree. they do one job and do it super well!
Thank you for this video review. No need to rush and buy most expensive. This simple Seconic is really good option because of its size and versatility. On the phone you have to find and start an application and this takes usually longer time than using dedicated Seconic. For landscape it is important to have a spot meter in order to measure and define difference between brightest and darkest areas of your scene. This allow you to decide where you would like to seed more details and dynamic range of the scene is matching to possibility of your camera or film. How to choose a midpoint exposure values in order to keep all scene in the dynamic range of the film.
yea for sure. sometimes simple is better
Great review! I like your teaching style, very clear and to the point. I shoot photography with continuous COB lights. Would the Sekonic L-308X work with continuous lights? (I know very little about light meters)
Yup - it works with continuous and/or flash
I'm in the Spotmeter camp and currently possess a beautiful, but ancient and very heavy Pentax Spotmeter. The viewfinder is a thing of beauty and feels the size of a swimming pool in comparison to almost any camera out there. It is a bit impractical for street admittedly. However I'm on the list for the Reveni Labs Spotmeter which has the accuracy plus Nick Carvers method as an option and it is tiny, so would work well with even the smallest 35mm camera.
Fair enough! Those old ones looks cool but I don’t need big gear in my pack haha
I have the (earlier - I think) L-308B model but have not really got around to using it much, but it looks pretty much identical so this is really helpful, thanks
It’s def worth using 😃
Great video dude!
thanks for watching!
Nice explanation of use and reason to use. Thanks
Glad it was useful!
Came here thinking I wasn't going to learn anything new, but the street photography tip blew me away. Looking to get my hands on an incident meter soon!
Glad it was useful!
I have an Minolta Autometer IVF, with a 5° spot attachment, which I rarely use. I bought my meter in 2000 and that thing is still going strong for all these years. It's super handy.
Nice! Nice to see equipment last
@@ribsy It wasn't inexpensive when it was new, but they could be had for &150 on the used market. =)
Nice video, Ya I use it all the time, very accurate and precise, especially when in complicated lighting condition with all my medium format film photography.
yea for sure! it's the best way to guarantee results
Excellent.
enjoyed your approach and filled with useful, practical tips. I was hoping for some insights on using the two speedlight modes. Got another video in you? 🙂 Thank you
maybe one day
Loved your video and I agree on a great light meter.
thanks! yea it helps alot
I have this lightmeter, Ribsy.
You forgot to mention the main use for it, it meters flash settings!!
That's right, plug a cable into it from studio flash, or a remote flash trigger, and it fires the flashes and gives you an exposure setting.
I used it for portraiture and weddings in dull/overcast light with a flashgun on a stick and got great results.
Those days are behind me now, but I still use it for my film photography, in the very way that you show in your video.
Great meter, very accurate, versatile.
oh interesting. had no idea about it - never used it that way. thanks for the info
Nice review. I have the older 308S and would not be without it for portraits and studio work even when using digital.
However, I dont use it much for landscapes and prefer a couple of android apps of which at least 2 also offer basic spot metering functions.
If I had a choice I would use a spot meter but the cost of them at present is more than I am willing to pay, however revelli labs are coming out with a spot meter that looks like its going to be a fantastic price.
Yea I see. For portraits it’s essential!
Thanks for the video... great work! I am a wildlife/landscape photographer looking to expand my abilities and learn more about light... I ordered this meter today and am looking forward to learning to use it!
You won’t be disappointed!
Awesome video. I bought this same meter when I took a darkroom class with a photographer I really respect. She asked me how I metered and I pulled out my phone. She just shook her head and gave me "the talk". I find it especially useful indoors. I've been thinking of trying it out with flash. Would love a video on that.
Hahah I can imagine that convo!
Not me, I'd like to know what The Talk is. 😀
I use one all the time with both film and digital. It’s indispensable!! 👍
totally! hard to live without it
Yeah, these are handy devices when shooting film, especially chrome, I always had a light meter in my bag through out the 80s until the mid 2000s. My last handheld meter was the Minolta lVF, I wound up selling it around ‘2010’ or so, as I moved away from film (slides and print). Still, I have many fond memories of using my handheld meter.
nice! yea i can imagine it matters more with slides
i got one of those, way older as it came from my dad. the greatest thing for studio work or macro is the flash syncro. for all the other stuff i mostly rely on the camera metering when it comes with the camera. and use this when the camera doesn't have a meter
Yea I use it the same way! Don’t bother using when shooting with my auto slrs
Yes i have the seconik l308 very good meeter.
Question what do you use the lumadisc for. Its the extra one supplied with the meter that is round not dome shaped
not sure what that is
I use an old analog Gossen Lunasix 3 which is very sensitive in lowlight situations. But a lot of times I also use the Sunny16 rule because I mostly shoot B+W negative film which is very forgiving in exposure deviations.
yea sunny 16 is always a nice backup, assuming good light conditions!
i'm going to a convention this week and i just got one of these! do you have any tips on how to photograph people inside conventions (where the lighting can be a lot more hectic)? thanks for the video upload!
Enjoy the light meter
Nice! :)
My slr cameras has light meters and when I shoot with my Rolleicord I bring the dslr anyway as I like to come home with photos from both worlds!
True! I def trust my SLRs
Great presentation, just bought one too)
Enjoy!
Thanks for making this video. I bought this model but have no clue how to use.
I’m glad
Hello from Belgium !
First sorry for my english 😉
I go to the french Alps to make a motorcycle road trip in september.
I take my Canon EOS 33 with some Gold 200, Ektar 100 and Portra 400.
Do you think I need a specific flashmate or the light meter of a "modern" film camera like the EOS 33 (Elan 7) is quite accurate ?
the modern film cameras have really good meters. specifically the canon EOS cameras - i trust them
I recently compared this meter vs iPhone app for outdoor portraits using natural light and they were exactly the same. The app I used is free and called Lightmate. I’d use the light meter you have for strobe work though :)
Yea I figure the apps do ok. I just hate using my
Phone for this
After over four decades in this journey, I have accumulated a few meters, such as Gossen Profisix (with flash & tele adapter modules) & Sixiticolor meters, Minolta Flash meter, Sekonic color & L478D meters and Soligor spot meter.
those all sounds pretty cool!
I think a spot meter is a must for slide film when shooting landscapes
Totally. Had some bad luck with slide film and the incident meter on my Sekonic 758. Never had any problems with the spot meter from my M5.
yea i can see that. maybe thats why i don't use much slide 😂
gotcha. i'll have to give it a go soon
@@ribsy average metering for negative film is fine as the latitude is massive. Slide will bite you in the ass if you’re not absolutely spot on.
I have the L-308, and you're right, it feels plasticky. But aside from that it's a fine meter. I use it mostly with the GSW690III, and I get good results on slide film.
yea def gotta take care of it haha, can break easily
I have the older version L308s and use it all the time. So small and lightweight. Also have the L398aIII, which is analog but great, especially since it doesn't need a battery.
Yea smaller is better!
I enjoyed this - specially your street advice, which can be extrapolated to landscape quite often. I'd also add that this little marvel can be used to meter flash - try that with a mobile phone - and it takes one AAA battery that lasts for ever -no need for chargers or trade offs with your phone.
agreed! the device is a no brainer 😊
I bought a cheapo light meter, Leningrad 4, seems to work perfectly, if not slightly off by a stop but for the tenner I paid, definitely worth it
For 10 is is def worth it!
You can’t beat a good quality light meter
Personally I’ve been using Minolta meters since the 80’s without any problems..........
Exactly! A good light meter is essential
Just purchased 2nd hand one at photography club. Didn't even realised the white bubble slid along. Thanks.
Amazing! A good find
Hello. Please advise... Can the l308x be used for for cine settings?
It’s more for photography
I will rarely use the phone app meter; only when I need to measure a particular lighting scene for a particular film I'm using at the time if I can't discern using the Sunny16. Most of the time in outdoor/photowalk situations, Sunny16 is my go-to measuring method.
yea sunny 16 is great. works well in good light
I have a Sekonic L-398A Studio Deluxe III light meter (no battery required), but I must admit, I don't use it as much as I'd like to.
I always carry my phone, and since many of my photos are shot on the way home from work, the light meter would be an extra piece of equipment to carry - especially when using an old camera without a rangefinder. I have two apps on my phone - a free light meter and a free distance gauge app for when zone focusing is not an option. So when I have to use the phone for measuring the distance anyway, it's much faster to just open the light meter app afterwards and meter the scene.
Since I've had great results with my light meter app, I haven't felt the need to use my Sekonic light meter more. But, now that I have started using my "new" Leica IIIb, the Sekonic light meter feels more like the correct tool for the job somehow.
I would love to get my hands on a spot meter some day, but they are pretty much impossible to find locally, and I prefer to support my local camera stores when spending that kind of money.
yea i can def see how a phone is convenient. in my case, its a great back up. but i fully prefer a physical light meter
Good Video and a compliment; you're a RUclips natural.
much appreciated 😀
I have a minolta auto meter and it works wonders!! It's really good and the prices are around 150!!
I need to check it out. I keep hearing about this
I've had one of these meters for a few months, and I've only just realised that from the ergonomics of it its clearly designed to be used left-handed! Try it and see, all your fingers just fall into place over the buttons, with your thumb used for the power switch.
interesting -- i never considered that 😅
The best light meter you can have : a compact digital camera ! Its preview on the LCD feature is priceless for precise exposure and final rendering of the image. I sold my Sekonic and use my m43 camera for slide film metering. For color negative, iPhone apps are sufficient I think, but I understand that you don't like to us your phone for that purpose.
i rather not carry an extra camera though
@@ribsy yes I do slide film only on tripod of course, so big bag, lenses…etc, so not a light street photo setup of course ! In that case an additional small camera is not a pb
Just bought this meter and I can't wat to start using it. I Have a Nikon d3000 and a D3100 and I am self taught so the more I can learn the better! great video by the way! if you have any advice I would gladly take it! always learning.
I think you will like it. It’s very accurate
Ribsy, your channel rules.
thanks for watching!
Since I began in film I've been using an Old Weston that was about £15 from a photography shop - it uses a selenium cell. It is only now that it's given up the ghost that I am facing the existential crisis of whether to buy a new light meter or use an app. I figured I'd give the app a go before investing to see if I really need to invest. I've shot a few rolls but honestly haven't developed any of those yet! Fingers crossed for me!
No pressure but just your know you money will be well spent on proper meter! ☺️
When using incident reading, just point the dome towards the camera and thats it. If you want to mesure hignlights and/or shadows use the reflected mode.
not sure what you mean
damn good price for that one, I've been thinking of getting myself a meter mostly for portrait sessions bcs it is a little weird pointing my phone to the model and then take the shot with the camera.
Yea I def recommend you get one if you do a lot of portraits- much better control too
Honestly I think the biggest advantage is workflow and professionalism. It just doesn't look good to be messing with your phone in the middle of a shoot, and as you mentioned you have to go through all the menus, etc. Light meter is a single-purpose device so you can get your reads really fast.
agreed! makes a nice difference
A hand held meter light this is a great idea if you have an older film camera where its light meter has stopped working. Buying a meter like this, instead of repairing the meter on your camera (if it can be repaired!), can save you money, and give you more versatile method for measuring your light. A hand held meter also forces you to slow down, and maybe take more care in taking each picture.
totally
For me if street photograph phone meter or sunny 16 but if in Studio and professional is need a good incident metering
yea sunny 16 is def a good option!
Just bought one
Pretty good for the money,
Yea definitely!
The way I remember it .. incident=point at light, reflective-point at subject,good stuff dude. I bought the ZB_M08 Light Meter for the hotshoe ($49 USD), and will find out how it works :)
Exactly! And how do you like that other one?
@@ribsy I'm waiting for the film to come back from the lab.
to add, there are several iphone models that glare very easily which will absolutely wreck the app meter reading. from glare to oil on the iphone lens, there are many reasons why the phone is not ideal. great vid
Yup. Hand meter will always be better
Having to pull out my iPhone and unlock the screen has always irked me so light meters were my first acquisitions when I returned to film.
exactly! that's one of my beefs
I use a Gossen Luna-Pro Digital F, never missed a single exposure using it..
For StreetPhotography on daylight y meter 3 o 4 different scenarios (hard light, shadows, mixed, etc) and then put it in my pocket and use those settings as reference
i've seen the name gossen pop up a couple of times. it sounds like a good one!
I prefer also the handheld meter, I use a Gossen Digisix 2, very smal so it fits in your pocket, even in the breastpocket of your shirt. I also got an old Soligor Spotmeter, wich I use for landscapes (especially when there's a wide variation of contrast).
yea lots of good options out there
I love that meter!!! I replaced and old 70s Sekonic that seemed to stop working for me ... excellent advice!!!
Same! It hasn’t let me down!
Can I get the link through the product on Amazon ?
i don't have one
what about metering for strobe lights?
it has that mode too
I use a Pentax Spotmeter V It works great.
nice i've heard good things about that one
I have the Minolta light meter I use it with my Pentax Spotamatic 11 as the light meter does not work in the camera. I found the light meter works much better than the Android phone light meter app.
yea for sure! a meter can't be beat!
How good is that one in low light?
it works just fine generally. low light is tricky tho, depending on the scene and highlights
Sure, but can you calibrate it to you camera lens combo?
I don’t know what that means
@@ribsy take a gray card. Measure the exposure with your sekonic and with the camera. Do they match? I doubt it. So, can you calibrate the sekonic to your camera? No. Dont uy this one. Get the 758
I use a Gossen Sixtry and a phone app. The Sekonic is a damn good piece of kit to have, but if your budget won't stretch that far, old light meters and phone apps are pretty much all there is.
Yea def! Always good to know about other budget options!
I downloaded a light meter app. I tried to use but couldn't see the screen of my phone on a bright day.
yea good point!
I just brought mine this week at B & H photo and it was $229. I don’t need a spot meter. This is the second day I’m using it. What I find confusing is for example: my meter tells me I need a F stop at 2.0 but on my wide angle lens it only goes down to 2.8. That’s almost a whole stop. If I’m stopping down on my aperture then I need to slow my shutter speed or increase my iso to get a properly exposed image. That feels like a bit of a pain to me but then again I’m new to metering. It’s still has helped me figure out the proper exposure quicker.
Tip, in case you’re still struggling … use the mode button to shift the meter into Aperture Priority mode. And get the reading to display to the nearest third or half stop, otherwise it gives you a suggested aperture reading that includes a fraction of ten stops just to the right of the aperture number, which is great for super accuracy but not very user friendly. Check out the manual online.
Oops … trying to help and I’m making things worse. I meant fractions of a stop, in tenths.
I use a Zeiss Ikon Ikophot. Got it for £8 works really well, was first time using an external light meter. Been looking at this one for a while, but the price is what deters me at the moment.
oh wow! thats a steal. good one
@@ribsy thanks for the reply 😊 it’s worked well for £8 in my first time doing medium format photography. Love the channel btw. Going to head to London soon on a day off from work, any suggestions on where to shoot?
Haven't watched yet, but does this have a 1 degree spot?
Hey not sure what that means
I've got a 758 and use the spot meter 99% of the time. It is excellent.
Pricey!
@@BmcN72 yeah they all are but you only buy it once. i got a used one off ebay as well, so was only a third of the price more.
@@BmcN72 also wow did they go up in price since a couple of years back!
Cool! Yea that’s a pricey one
Lol
This purchase will have to wait by maybe next week. Or when I get my mamiya 645 1000s
Def worth the money!
I hate the light meter app on android, ever since I got the L-308X I have stopped using my phone. Sekonic Is a superb buy, I couldn't afford the spot meter but thanks to Reveni Labs in few months we will have an affordable option. Can't wait for my copy.
yea! i've heard great things about the reveni one. hopefully i get my hands on one at some point
I own this light meter and another Sekonic analog light meter. I prefer incident meters over reflective meters. I want to know what the light is doing. I don't care about the light that has been reflected off of different colored objects. One major advantage to this meter is it is a flash meter. Another advantage to incident meters is you can read light ratios with it.
yup - these meters are great
The one reason everyone should get this over the phone app. Too many people's phones are always close to dying, especially when you really need it.
agreed! haha
I use a gossen starlite 2 for landscapes. I don‘t regret the money.
Interesting
I tried some android apps that do both incident using the sensor and reflected using the back camera. The incident seems to be pretty accurate but sadly the camera reflective readings seem to be way off which would lead to massive over exposure. They have a bias adjustment but I have to play with it some more to see if that will lead to proper results.
Fortunately I have a 60 year old DeJUR meter that seems to still be quite accurate. The down side is that the numbers on the calculator wheel are worn enough that my old eyes have difficulty reading them. Maybe I can find a steady handed artist that can refresh those numbers somehow. :D
I love my sekonic 😀
Only thing I miss on the 308x is that it does not display relation between daylight and flashlight. Otherwise, it would be a universal meter for street and studio.
it works pretty well for me for both 😊
I think if you use flashes it’s a good piece of équipement to have, but if it’s only for natural light photography, I would prefer a model with a spotmeter ( I own a L858d, it’s just amazing, ok it’s not the cheapest 😅) anyway it’s always better than a phone app...
Haha yup! All are better than an app
Finback LESGOOO
💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
If you’re serious about shooting film-you need a light meter. I got a used Sekonic L-508 on Ebay for $300 and I’ve never regretted it for one SECOND. It will change the game, you need to meter your light!
Yea i agree 😀
Phone apps cannot do incident metering accurately. Your meter also works as a Flash meter. Its able to measure accurate exposure in the burst of an external flash. Phone apps and even modern digital cameras can’t do that, which is why light meters are still manufactured and sold in 2022.
yup exactly