BIG ROB Loc: Princeton, NJ 08540

I'm ready to purchase a light meter, and have narrowed my search down to three models: The Sekonic L-478DR-U LiteMaster Pro, the Kenko AM-1100, and the Gossen Digipro F2.

The Sekonic has the most features, and it's aimed at flash use with pocket wizards, which I will never use; the Kenko is the simplest and also, the sturdiest built; the Gossen is a straight forward and simple to operate unit.

I won't be using the meter for use with studio flash, but only with ambient light, both incident and reflected.

Does anyone have opinions or experience, with any of these meters, to throw in your two cents, and guidance, to
help me arrive at my purchase decision.

I'm certain that each of these units are very different, and that one of them must be much better than another, for ambient light use; I'd like to select the best one, overall, for me; but I need some more information to do this.

I only understand, that the Sekonic, is hands down, the best for flash use, but I will never be doing that, except for a simple, on camera, Yongnou EX-586EX flash, on my Nikon D7200.

I also have a Sony A6000, and a Canon EOS Rebel T2i, and about 10 lenses, and I do a mix, of all types, of various types of photography, both indoors, and outdoors, but never in a studio, nor with multiple flashes, and I would use the meter for only ambient light use.

I would greatly appreciate, any comments, that anyone, could contribute, regarding these light meters, or light meter usage, in general, that might be beneficial to me, in making my selection decision.

I also, just ordered, an old, Gossen Luna Pro SBC meter, from E Bay, for a very, low price, because I always wanted to have one! But not for my serious daily use, where I want to have a digital unit.

Thank you, very much, for your input, have a great day!

Rob.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

In the past I have had gossen and Sekonic and have never been more pleased. You do not mention budget?.
I would consider this one as the best bang for the $$$
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/889809-REG/Sekonic_L_478DR_Litemaster_Pro_Light.html

BebuLamar

I don't think a meter is very useful for determining exposure and thus although I love light meters I wouldn't recormmend one for exposure.

BIG ROB Loc: Princeton, NJ 08540

I specified three models; they cost: Sekonic 478 = $338.00 Kenko Am-1100 = 249.00 GossenDigic Pro 2 = 279.00

You don't specify which model Sekonic or Gossen that you had in the past.

BIG ROB Loc: Princeton, NJ 08540

Why don't you think that a light meter is useful in determining the exposure? I have never before heard this opinion.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

He probably meant as compared to the facilities your camera has.

An external meter is not going to help you.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Save your $$ and learn how to use the various metering methods available in your cameras. For a start, both have spot metering capability, so I would do a search online for information on the zone system, and use the spot meter. Use manual mode and change your settings as needed. That is all you need.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

I came to the same conclusion regarding the need for a light meter for digital photography.

BebuLamar

Well you just haven't heard it before besides I said not very useful as it is useful to some extent (for determining exposure. It's quite useful in other application I don't want to mention here) but not very useful as the OP only uses digital cameras and all of his cameras have center weighted, matrix (evaluative) and spot metering system. Also the OP said he doesn't care about flash metering. And if that is the case then a handheld meter among the OP's choices only has the incident mode to offer.
1. The OP doesn't use the flash measuring function.
2. All of those considered by the OP only has wide angle reflective (about 40 degrees) and in that mode no way a hand held meter is better than camera built in meter. It does have higher readout resolution and perhaps higher accuracy but not needed as it's hard to set a camera with anything less than 1/3 stop increment.

The incident meter while is very good it doesn't work in all cases and in the cases that it works best chimping is better still.