Anyone using light meters?
- Thread starter Abaddon
- Start date
Randall_Oelerich
Veteran
I am going to play with my hand held Minolta meter, compare footage shot with and with footage shot with the T2i camera meter (exposing -1 stop, spot meter).
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
I use a meter for every shoot. EVERY shoot. Spectra CineIV
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
Not nearly as pricey as a re-shoot...
David G. Smith
Steak Knife Member
PerroneFord. How do you use your meter. Do you just take incident readings, key and fill, just to set your lighting ratio, or do actually set your exposure with it? If you set your exposure wiht it do you set your exposure with incident readings of key and fill, and adjust accordingly, or do you take reflected readings off a grey card?
The issue is, there are many ways to use a light meter. Incident, reflected and how do the readings effect your overall image.
The other question I always ask myself is when I want my shot lit a certain way, what should the light meter say about that. For film its obvious, have you got enough light for exposure?
With DSLRs and video cameras alike and I guess even with video assist on film cameras, you can see your shot (assuming youre accurately calibrated and even if you arent you can use scopes).
I never have in my mind, I want X footcandles there and Y here. Even if I pre calculate that is it really going to get me what I want in the end? And after all that - what of the shot I want? I want to shoot (dslr) f5.6 on iso 320 on a Ziess 35mm lens, the style requires me to have that level of DOF. The style requires soft light on the actor and hard spots because the scene is trying to show abc, so I use fresnels with softboxes to light my actor, flag them and then use some smaller focused fresnels to make my hard spots. Yes, using a light meter here will tell me about the contrast ratios of the light I have, but I can also see that anyway? But then, perhaps its better to know the incidence on the key so I can translate that to another angle if Im shooting 1 camera. Or I can get that reading on scope.
I personally dont see any right or wrong way is the point Im trying to make. But the point I really want to make is either way, you have to know what youre doing.
The other question I always ask myself is when I want my shot lit a certain way, what should the light meter say about that. For film its obvious, have you got enough light for exposure?
With DSLRs and video cameras alike and I guess even with video assist on film cameras, you can see your shot (assuming youre accurately calibrated and even if you arent you can use scopes).
I never have in my mind, I want X footcandles there and Y here. Even if I pre calculate that is it really going to get me what I want in the end? And after all that - what of the shot I want? I want to shoot (dslr) f5.6 on iso 320 on a Ziess 35mm lens, the style requires me to have that level of DOF. The style requires soft light on the actor and hard spots because the scene is trying to show abc, so I use fresnels with softboxes to light my actor, flag them and then use some smaller focused fresnels to make my hard spots. Yes, using a light meter here will tell me about the contrast ratios of the light I have, but I can also see that anyway? But then, perhaps its better to know the incidence on the key so I can translate that to another angle if Im shooting 1 camera. Or I can get that reading on scope.
I personally dont see any right or wrong way is the point Im trying to make. But the point I really want to make is either way, you have to know what youre doing.
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
How do I use my meter:
1. Tech scout - I take it to the location days in advance around the same time we are going to be shooting, and hopefully in similar conditions. I meter every light source to get an idea of the balance, and then meter from the expected actor positions to see how things will shape up. I then work out my intended lighting plan
2. Production - I meter the sources again to see how close I am to the tech scout. I then rough in the lights and/or reflectors, and check the actor space.
With the stand-ins or actors in place, I check my ratios and fine tune as necessary.
I then check contrast ratios by looking for hot spots and for very dark areas to make sure we are within the range of the camera's latitude. This is more a problem with the DSLRs than when I am shooting on the EX1 or similar.
I do a quick check take-to-take or after we change a lens or move the camera, just to try and maintain exposure.
Having said all this, I simply *CANNOT* get accurate reads for the 5D. I've tried on two movies. So I set the ratios and the contrast, and then ballpark the exposure and take test shots and examine them. I also view the first take in new lighting on the playback monitor. If I had a 5D, I'd work out an exposure table. But I don't. My T2i and the 7D seem to be a lot more true to the charts.
1. Tech scout - I take it to the location days in advance around the same time we are going to be shooting, and hopefully in similar conditions. I meter every light source to get an idea of the balance, and then meter from the expected actor positions to see how things will shape up. I then work out my intended lighting plan
2. Production - I meter the sources again to see how close I am to the tech scout. I then rough in the lights and/or reflectors, and check the actor space.
With the stand-ins or actors in place, I check my ratios and fine tune as necessary.
I then check contrast ratios by looking for hot spots and for very dark areas to make sure we are within the range of the camera's latitude. This is more a problem with the DSLRs than when I am shooting on the EX1 or similar.
I do a quick check take-to-take or after we change a lens or move the camera, just to try and maintain exposure.
Having said all this, I simply *CANNOT* get accurate reads for the 5D. I've tried on two movies. So I set the ratios and the contrast, and then ballpark the exposure and take test shots and examine them. I also view the first take in new lighting on the playback monitor. If I had a 5D, I'd work out an exposure table. But I don't. My T2i and the 7D seem to be a lot more true to the charts.
Paul Hudson
Vacuum Tube Member
Always, ALWAYS, use a light meter. It is your best friend.
bruce southerland
Active member
A handheld meter is crucial for securing matching exposures, I never shoot without one.
Let's say, for example, you want a shot of your actor where his face needs to be underlit,
say 1-1 1/2 stops under, and you need the kicker to be 1 stop over. Lighting situations like this are much easier to measure with a handheld incident meter, hands down. It will be very difficult to measure the lighting ratios using the in camera meter-it's simply not made for that. The in camera meter is made for achieving the best overall exposure, taking into account everything
that is seen in the viewfinder-all the light that is hitting every object.
Let's say, for example, you want a shot of your actor where his face needs to be underlit,
say 1-1 1/2 stops under, and you need the kicker to be 1 stop over. Lighting situations like this are much easier to measure with a handheld incident meter, hands down. It will be very difficult to measure the lighting ratios using the in camera meter-it's simply not made for that. The in camera meter is made for achieving the best overall exposure, taking into account everything
that is seen in the viewfinder-all the light that is hitting every object.
David G. Smith
Steak Knife Member
That is pretty much the way I learned to use a meter from shooting film. I would meter key:fill and then walk the block to check everything else. I am prepping for a fictional narrative project, that is going to be very fast paced (shooting wise) and this will be the first with a HDDSLR. I am going to have to trust my meter. Lots of testing in the next month on that.
I use an incident meter always to measure both absolute light levels for exposure and to measure contrast ratios. Have used my old Sekonic L398 for decades. With the improved sensitivity of the new cameras though, I am definitely going to have to upgrade.
Like the new cameras, the newer meters are also much more sensitive and cover a much broader range than the older ones.
I like the Sekonic L758. Comes in two versions DR for general use and Cine for film. Film version has much broader range of shutter angle settings/ vs shutter speed settings for the DR version, otherwise pretty much the same.
It has both incident and spot reading capability in one meter and can be programmed to match the exposure profile of a digital sensor.
To me proper use of an incident meter is the best way to get consistent exposure as you are measuring the light itself directly rather than reflected off of a surface that can mislead you.
Like the new cameras, the newer meters are also much more sensitive and cover a much broader range than the older ones.
I like the Sekonic L758. Comes in two versions DR for general use and Cine for film. Film version has much broader range of shutter angle settings/ vs shutter speed settings for the DR version, otherwise pretty much the same.
It has both incident and spot reading capability in one meter and can be programmed to match the exposure profile of a digital sensor.
To me proper use of an incident meter is the best way to get consistent exposure as you are measuring the light itself directly rather than reflected off of a surface that can mislead you.