DebAnn Loc: Toronto

I have an old Sekonic purchased when I used film cameras. Still works fine although I had to search for a suitable battery because the originals had been discontinued. You can buy one dirt cheap if you search on the net.

Bill_de Loc: US

If you read their description under the meters that are on the page you linked to, they call them light meters. Names beyond that are for ease of marketing.

---

BebuLamar

Look at the page. The top section tittle said "Exposure Meters".

zzzynick Loc: Colorado

I bought used Sekonic, I think I paid 50 or 60 dollars for it.
It works great
I used it a couple of times and put it in my drawer.
It's been there ever since.
The AV mode on my camera does the excat same thing.
If I am in Manual, when I spin the wheel to the middle of my exposer bar. It's spot on.
I thought I would ue the meter more than I really do.

Bill_de Loc: US

I did, that is the marketing term used to get photographers to look at a certain class of light meters. The original premise was that it was incorrect to call them light meters. In fact, whatever you want to call them, when you get down to brass tacks they are light meters. Calling them that is not incorrect.

---

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I've had a number of different meters over the years.... Sekonic, Pentax, Minolta, Gossen and others. I still have a bunch of vintage meters in my collection (Weston, Leitz, Konica & others).

But my current and relatively recent "users" are:

Sekonic L358... digital readout incident and flash meter with modern range that works well for digital. Can be set to read out in 1/2, 1/3 or 1/10 stops, depending upon your need. It's a discontinued model, but the L308 is the same except it doesn't have option of adding a radio trigger. The more expensive L358 can be fitted with internal Pocket Wizard, Radio Popper and some other triggers, for use with wireless studio lighting rigs). It can still be found used, or just get the L308 if you don't need the radio trigger option. I take this meter with me any time I'm out shooting and use it fairly often. (Sekonic still offers meters with built-in radio triggers... but AFAIK they are no longer user interchangeable, so the meter is dedicated to a specific triggering system... though of course it can still be used for general purpose, non-flash metering or with any flash system that's triggered manually or by other means.)

Sekonic 298 Studio Deluxe... probably almost 40 years old now. This is an analog incident meter. Built like a tank, simple and doesn't require any batteries... it uses a light sensitive cell that generates it's own small current for the meter readings. This type cell is prone to losing accuracy and failing over time... but the one in this meter has been flawless and accurate for all those years, with no signs of any issues. It's "old school" metering, has a little metal leaf that the user slides in place for stronger light, removes for lower light conditions. I'd still be using this meter and would never have bothered with any others, except that the 298 can't meter flash. It's an ideal backup for outdoor, daytime use, since it requires no battery and is simple to use. Sekonic still makes the very similar L398 Studio Deluxe!

Minolta IV F... another digital incident/flash meter. Must be prior to 2003 since that's when Konica and Minolta merged and started selling them under their joint names. Works very well, but wasn't ideal for use with modern digital cameras. I keep it as a backup to the L358... and now can't even recall how it didn't work as well as the Sekonic for digital. The same meters sold under the Konica-Minota name until 2006, when Sony bought K-M's photography division. Sony spun off and sold the light meter division to Kenko, who still make them today. I'm sure Kenko has appropriately updated the meters and wouldn't hesitate to buy one if needed.

Minolta III F.... an earlier version of the above incident flash meter which I used extensively with film cameras. I've hung onto it because I have a number of specialized accessories for it, such as a fiber optic extension that allows metering through a camera's viewfinder, another that fits inside a 35mm film camera right at the film plane, and others. It also works well to take readings off the ground glass of medium and large format cameras and was great for macro lighting. I don't use it with digital, but occasionally get it out when shooting film. Another meter with ranges and readouts more appropriate for film than digital, I updated from this meter in part because batteries for it are a bit hard to find (the Minolta IV F uses easy to find alkaline cells).

Pentax, Sekonic and Soligor 1 Degree Spot... other specialized reflective meters that I used extensively with film. Modified slightly for use with Zone System and black and white film. I started out with the Soligor and used it for some years, but it eventually stopped working (though it's still somewhere in storage.... it's a cool looking, all metal beast). Replaced it with Pentax and Soligor 1 Degree meters and used those for a number of years. These are reflective meters which measure only a very small area (as the name suggests!). The technique using them was to measure multiple locations in a scene to determine the dynamic range and "place" tonalities as one see fit, by the exposure, film processing and enlargement techniques used to make a print. I don't use these (or the Zone System, for that matter) with digital.

Gossen Luna Pro were another incident/flash meter I used a lot. I think I've sold them all now, though there might be one or two old ones in storage. The models I had required now-unavailable mercury batteries... but Gossen made a little accessory that instead allowed using a pair SR44, type 303 or other silver oxide batteries, which continue to be available. That worked well, so those old Gossen are still fine to use. (That little accessory device also works well in some vintage cameras that similarly used mercury batteries.) I'm sure Gossen has updated their meters to modern batteries and specs, and wouldn't hesitate to consider them if I needed a meter.

Polaris is another brand I've seen and heard of, but not personally used. They seem fine, too.

rfmaude41 Loc: Lancaster, Texas (DFW area)

The Minolta / Kenko's have various attachments that can restrict the view to 5, 10 and 20 degrees, etc.. The 20 degree would be acceptable for use as a "center-weighted" meter. Personnally, I have (and use) 3 different Minoltas (Flashmeter IV, with attachments, the Spotmeter, and the Colormeter, with the Flash attachment). I also use a Gossen LunaPro as a "carry-along" when I do not want the extra bulk of the Minoltas.

delkeener Loc: SW Rhode Island, USA

I have 3 or 4 buried somewhere in one of my photo junk storage bins. Haven't used one since God only knows when.

AlfredU Loc: Mooresville, NC

I still use my Gossen LunaPro I purchase 50 years ago. It still work great. I also recently purchased a Honeywell Spotmeter with the zone system conversion scale added to it. I found it for about $70 on Ebay. Shop Ebay and don't spend a lot of money. There are plenty of good used lightmeters out there because no one wants them anymore, although I don't know why people don't use them.

jsfphotos Loc: New York, NY

I can't vouch for it personally because I haven't used a light meter in 20 years, but last week at my camera club meeting where a "pro" was talking, he pulled out his phone and said "I'm using the Pocket Light Meter App." I went to the Apple Store when I got home and the Pocket Light Meter is available to download to your phone for about $30.00.

Not endorsing, just letting you know. Maybe others have used this app, and if so, let us know what you think.

Julie

dougbev3 Loc: Pueblo, Colorado

I would be using this light meter for film... A medium format camera.

BebuLamar

Do you need spot or flash measurement?

1. For incident and wide angle reflected (40 degrees) I would recommend the Minolta Autometer III/ III/F or IV. They are around $50 to $100 used on Ebay.
2. For spot perhaps the Sekonic L558 or the Minolta Flashmeter VI.

The Minolta Flashmeter V is good but rather expensive and doesn't provide much more functions than the III and IV.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

I believe my 858 Sekonic meter can take several different radio trigger modules that are user installable...

rdw845 Loc: San Francisco Area

I vote for the Sekonic 758 (U. S. Version.) I bought a "new" one about two months ago for $500 or so. Meter is no longer available from Sekonic, but many are available on the internet for about the original new price.
Buy the US version -- not the foreign version. U.S Radio transmitter for meter works only on US version.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I prefer Sekonic meters because they are unique. They are accurate and are unique, because they also give you a reading in % , which I know of no other meter that does, and it really speeds up ones workflow tremendously!