Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD

Using a flash meter and understanding studio light ratios was essential in the film days since you had to wait a week to get color film processed, or a couple hours if self processing. Polaroid was useful as an instant check but not nearly as accurate as today’s digital review screens. Everything you need to know and/or adjust is right there on screen. My Minolta 4 has mostly been in a drawer for a dozen years. The few times I’ve used it I ended up tweaking the exposures with a few test shots anyway. So I finally stopped using it altogether.

Bigmike1 Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.

You know, I have several light meters in my camera collection. They were with old film cameras I have acquired. I haven't used an external light meter since digital took over. The last film camera I had also had a built in light meter. I am doing very little photography at present. I can't see any reason to use an external meter any more. Maybe professional photographers use them for studio work.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Amazon has only one available, also Sekonic, for the same price.

https://smile.amazon.com/Sekonic-L-308X-U-Flashmate-Light-401-305/dp/B079YWCZNC/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1VCFXW6WVOQIC&keywords=light%2Bmeters&qid=1674395480&s=electronics&sprefix=light%2Bmeters%2Celectronics%2C74&sr=1-6&th=1

When I was a kid, I had a Sekonic Pet for my movie camera.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/253745705626

BebuLamar

Many have answered your question and here is mine which is about the same.

A $500 Light meter (or more accurately exposure meter) is the norm. It shouldn't go into Ripley's.
Yes it meant you paid $348 after the discount.
I use the built in meter or not at all if the camera I use doesn't have a meter.
I do have a Minolta Flashmeter III and a Flashmeter VI. I had the Minolta Spotmeter M before but when I bought the Flashmeter VI it has spot mode so I don't need the Spotmeter M any more.
I have the Weston Master II but I would never use it. It's not accurate.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I used one when I was high school. A handy little Gem. When I switched to a Canon EOS Rebel 2000, I used the metering in the viewfinder. When I bought a Canon 1v-HS I picked up a Sekonic TwinMate to keep to the rolls from ending in the garbage can.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

That was a long time ago. No longer use film, save only digital raw files, don't do studio light work, no longer need an external meter. I gave my last hand meter (Minolta flash meter iv) away to a student over a decade ago.

The meter in the camera is fully adequate now. I only save digital raw files so I only need one specific meter reading. The highlight warning in each of my camera viewfinders functions as a highlight spot meter and confirms that I either do or do not have two or more clipped channels -- the only info I need and more precise than any hand meter could provide.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

You insist on displaying your total lack of comprehension and rational thought.

From B&H:

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

It is a good skill to understand how to use an incident lightmeter. Knowing the amount of light falling on a subject - rather than the light reflecting off a subject is valuable information for those who know how to use it. With it one can accurately adjust brightness values of key and fill lights, for example. Admittedly, for most of the photography most people do here, and with matrix metering, incident light measurement is less important than it used to be, but for studio lighting "recipes“ that are well established, an incident light meter is invaluable. They don't call it" Studio" frivolously...

That being said, I would not pay an extra $80 to have a gold ring around the photo disk and the word "Anniversary“ stamped on it somewhere.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Light Meters? "Maybe professional photographers use them for studio work..." This... Albeit might be more germane to substitute (Commercial) for (Professional). Commercial photography requires no professional license... Nor does it require academic credentials...

In commercial work it's all about revenue stream, i.e. to qualify for NPS support you have to generate the majority of your revenue from Photography *not from the sale of photographic equipment etc.

btw, I am actually a Professional bridal makeup artist and hold a Cosmetologist License from the State of Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation which allows me to work in Beauty Salons that are open to the public. I've closed many bookings with the MOB who realized the merit and worth of same for her daughters event.

Least you may be naive at what a Professional Makeup Artist (MUA) brings to the table... please review a sample of my work below with an Agency Represented model who works the International Commercial Advertising scene.
btw, I did the photography here also and relied heavily on my incident light meter to balance a multiple source illumination scenario. (in a fraction of the time it would take by "Chipping" Tomfl101)

There is such a multitude of misinformation on UHH it is embarrassing...
Which is possibly the most compelling reason I invest my time on flickr now.

Wishing all much joy, happiness and success in your pursue of photographic excellence...

Talent as she arrived on set i.e. Sans Makeup, Wardrobe etc.

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Beauty Editorial: Nikon D3x w/ AF-S 200-400mm f/4 IF ED VR Nikkor (Illumination: Paramount)

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Millinery Fashion Editorial: Nikon D3x w/ AF-S 200-400mm f/4 IF ED VR Nikkor (Illumination: Paramount) Makeup, Styling, Creative Direction & Photography yours truly

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selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

In most cameras the highlight warning doesn't appear until after you click the shutter.

If you have Zebra warnings with a Sony you can see them before you click the shutter. How much before the brightest raw channel is clipped can be adjusted by changing the Zebra setting. This also applies to the highlight warnings after the image is captured.

In most cameras I have tested, when they show up, the green channel is within 0.5 and 0.2 stops from the raw limit.

With a neutral target, the green channel clips about 1/3 stop before blue and 2/3 stop before red. You don't need two or more channels to clip.

It gets closer to the limit above base ISO.

The bottom line is that, if you see highlight warnings, you are probably too close to the raw limit.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

I did my time with studio lights years ago and we used a hand meter to set up and adjust the lights. But no matter how meticulously we worked with the meter, the last step was always to shoot a Polariod, look a the Polariod and then make the necessary adjustments. That Polariod film was a major studio expense especially since after the shoot the Polariods all went in the trash. The purpose of hand light meters was to save money on Polariod film. The savings on Polariod film would pay for the meter in a month or two -- use the meter to get close and save a couple Polariods pays for the meter.

We now have digital cameras in the studio that provide instant results at no cost. We no longer need Polariod film and we no longer need a light meter to save money on Polariod film.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

I have modern mirrorless cameras and the highlight warning shows up live before I take the photo. I know how to use them.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

They do on my Sony but not on my Nikon Z7 or Fuji X100T. I can also get them on my iPhone depending on the raw program I am using.

You need to do some research with RawDigger to find out when they show up.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Anyone using medium and large format film still needs a separate meter because the camera probably does not have one built in.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

That would be why I said, "we now have digital cameras in the studio....".