Remain in light (meter) – rediscover the joy of analog light meters

New light meters are becoming more and more commonplace on the shelves of photographic equipment stores. What was once believed to be an “end-of-life” camera accessory has seen a resurgence in consumer usability and manufacturer profitability.

Brands like Astrhori, Keks, TTArtisan, and Voigtlander offer an intriguing variety of meters priced from $60 – $200 (and we have a great tutorial on light meters here). These meters utilize a digital readout via either an onboard display or through illuminating + and – symbols for representing the current lighting conditions. Furthermore, built-in cold shoe mounts enable these meters to be mounted on a variety of different cameras.

While these newfangled meters are all wonders of modern design and technology, there’s one time-honored meter brand that hasn’t changed in over 73 years (alas, Gossen could have been considered in this category, too, but the glory days of Luna-Pro and Pilot 2 models are long gone; sniff). That brand is Sekonic Corporation.

Whether its the battery-eschewing Sekonic L-398A Studio Deluxe III Light Meter priced at $239 or the pocket-friendly, budget-happy $139 Sekonic L-208 Twin Mate – Analog Incident and Reflected Light Meter, as shown below, Sekonic meters are the best time-honored accessory for reliable, professional off-camera analog light measurement.

One illuminating feature of these Sekonic meters that separates them from all of those digital darlings is the brand’s dogged dedication to an analog user interface (see Figure 2). Pushing the gray light-reading button on the L-208 (i.e., the measurement button), watching the meter needle deflect (i.e., the guide needle), and then rotating the green exposure value (EV) coupled aperture/shutter speed needle/dial (i.e., the match needle) to a coincidental overlay is a satisfying nostalgic experience that makes you feel like a photographer. (if, course, you have to kinda understand the Exposure Triangle for this to work, and if you are a serious photographer, you want to know this regardless)

Just a simple twist of the dial ring will bring the match needle into coincidence with the guide needle as demonstrated below. Then read your preferred shutter speed and aperture values. Additionally, the analog scale of the Twinmate enables painless exposure compensation adjustments.

Empowering you, as a photographer, is a priceless commodity. Balance this golden virtue against the stark simplicity of reading either incident or reflected light values from a little gadget that fits in the palm of your hand and it will make every photograph that you take feel like a million bucks.

Oh, and the petite L-208 comes with a shoe mounting plate, too.

Enjoy.