exposure meter

[frankly]

Hello Lev!

Do you use exposure meter. If yes, then which one or which one would you recommend?

Estonian forums are full of digital/histogram fanatics. Do not get reliable answer from them.

Br,
Frankly

[dolgachov]

i mostly shoot in studio, so i use flashmeter.

Minolta Flashmeter IV is the one i use, but i believe any modern flashmeter is ok to use.

sa võid tegelt minu poolt eesti keeles ka küsima.

[frankly]

Hello there, lets keep the place international so english works well...

Do you really rely entirely on lightmeter when shooting model. I saw one photographer shooting and reling entirely on flashmeter. Shooting brunette on dark background  and  When looking at the histogram .. reds where not going higher than about 200. For me as histogram guy it feels as if it would be underexposed  .

Do you think if the flashmeter was uncalibrated or what is you reference for highest reds  on skin ( say caucasian brunette model ) ...  ? 

I still think that flashmeter is nice to set up relationships between lightsources ( how strong one should be according to the other ) but over all it's subjectivity that maters at the end ... You'll still chenge F or shutter speed..

Whats you opinion on that?

[dolgachov]

same here. for me FM is a tool to measure the ammount of light i get here or there. from one source. from other source. here on the right shoulder. there under a chin. etc etc. 

real f-stops i use may vary of FM measures up to 3 stops up and down depending on subject, conditions and desired effect. i never use FM as a commander for my f-stop number selection.