light meter used?
- Thread starter RichW
- Start date
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I think more people use them for "filmmaking" then for video. I would draw a distinction between videographers and filmmakers in this area and the different ways they may do things. This is due to the close relation between filmmaking and photography both using film. Many filmmakers today aren't using film however but still use the traditional photographic/filmmaking techniques. Videographers have a more "electronic" legacy that relies on scopes and such.
Videographers are far more likely to be using a scope to checkout the lighting rather than a light meter due to the long history of how television has been produced in studios with cameras and CCUs. Even as the concept of the ENG camera has taken hold and CCUs aren't necessary anymore scopes are still more likely to be used (and using zebra patterns even more likely now by the person with no scope or light meter).
That being said, there are far more "hybrid" filmmakers on this site and you will hear many opinions in favor of the light meter method. These new filmmakers operate off of a mixture of video and film philosophies.
Take me for instance, I have a light meter and also a scope too. I tend to use the scope or zebras more and I wouldn't classify myself as a filmmaker but more as someone comfortable with ENG methods.
Since I'm in the business of making lights though, I have a light meter to be able to give photometric readings on the lights for spec sheets.
With my meter (a Sekonic L758 Cine) I have the ability to read in a "Spot" model or an "Incident" mode.
In a studio or in controlled circumstances, incident mode appears to be best. Outdoors and for use across distances, when there is a key area that needs to hold detail, spot mode is recommended (that is the reflections off of a spot that you view through your meter). So, if you're working indoors or general wide-angle use outdoors, you're measuring ambient light with incident mode. Outdoors for shots at long distances (or indoors when you have a key area that needs to hold detail well) you're measuring the light reflected off a particular spot.
Hope this helps.
Videographers are far more likely to be using a scope to checkout the lighting rather than a light meter due to the long history of how television has been produced in studios with cameras and CCUs. Even as the concept of the ENG camera has taken hold and CCUs aren't necessary anymore scopes are still more likely to be used (and using zebra patterns even more likely now by the person with no scope or light meter).
That being said, there are far more "hybrid" filmmakers on this site and you will hear many opinions in favor of the light meter method. These new filmmakers operate off of a mixture of video and film philosophies.
Take me for instance, I have a light meter and also a scope too. I tend to use the scope or zebras more and I wouldn't classify myself as a filmmaker but more as someone comfortable with ENG methods.
Since I'm in the business of making lights though, I have a light meter to be able to give photometric readings on the lights for spec sheets.
With my meter (a Sekonic L758 Cine) I have the ability to read in a "Spot" model or an "Incident" mode.
In a studio or in controlled circumstances, incident mode appears to be best. Outdoors and for use across distances, when there is a key area that needs to hold detail, spot mode is recommended (that is the reflections off of a spot that you view through your meter). So, if you're working indoors or general wide-angle use outdoors, you're measuring ambient light with incident mode. Outdoors for shots at long distances (or indoors when you have a key area that needs to hold detail well) you're measuring the light reflected off a particular spot.
Hope this helps.
SilverWolf
Veteran
I think it relies heavily on what you're shooting. I do photography as well and video and started using my meter for photography but once I started doing movies more versus other forms of production i started to use my meter. One of the main reasons is for repeatable setups and for lighting consistency. For instance let's say I light a persons face but have to shoot the same scene another day or have and switch lights for another angle. By using my meter I can determine is i have the same exposure as before. However I don't really use it to much to tell me what the proper exposure is but more as a tool to know what my values are.
ifownlee41nite@mac.com
Well-known member
Yeah, Like he said.
SilverWolf
Veteran
Well most of the time I just underexpose shadows and blow out all the highlights and call it artistic :thumbsup:
cardmaverick
Well-known member
.... my meter's battery died... I feel naked.....
ifownlee41nite@mac.com
Well-known member
ha ha ha....:-Laugh(DBG)-1
I use a Sekonic meter for video, rating the HVX at 320. For the most part, it is a matter of controlling ratio of key to fill to background (usually locations, where no control is possible).
I have found the 24fps @ 180 degree to be very accurate at 320. Sometimes, I'll tweak a 1/2 stop up or down based on 100% zebras and my eye. Rarely though.
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I have found the 24fps @ 180 degree to be very accurate at 320. Sometimes, I'll tweak a 1/2 stop up or down based on 100% zebras and my eye. Rarely though.
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haha i agree
MikeWilkinson
Veteran
LCDs are OK but can be a pain on set since you sometimes have many people looking into it, and usually cheaper LCDs don't have uniform brightness across a 180-degree viewing angle.
Back to the light meter–
I've used them before, but don't regularly– I have a monitor on set that does ok for me. BUT, if I do chroma key work, I will have a light meter to make sure my key has even lighting. The best keys come from evenly lit green screens, and a light meter is THE BEST way to check this.
Back to the light meter–
I've used them before, but don't regularly– I have a monitor on set that does ok for me. BUT, if I do chroma key work, I will have a light meter to make sure my key has even lighting. The best keys come from evenly lit green screens, and a light meter is THE BEST way to check this.
cardmaverick
Well-known member
I've heard several people say that, and then quickly take it back when they see all of their footage is screwed up in post....
As for the topic of ISO rating, I think I might just post that tutorial sometime soon. I find lots of people getting badly confused about how to ISO rate a camera "properly", and thats just the issue, there really isn't any true proper way to do this. If you've ever really dug deep into the issue, you'll know what I mean.
cardmaverick
Well-known member
I totally agree, but if you are ever in a studio and don't have one, you can also check it out quite nicely on a waveform monitor. It won't show you where the problem spot is precisely, but at least you can see if there are issues. A perfect green screen should show up as a perfectly straight, skinny line.
smithy
Well-known member
What do you mean by 180 degrees? Is it a separate setting only found on the HVX? I use a canon A1.
SilverWolf
Veteran
It sounds like he is using a light meter that is specifically designed for film use. Those meters allow you to calculate the shutter angle in as well as frame rate. The shutter angle is found on film cameras.
HVX shows shutter angle in FILM MODE. As CardMaverick stated, rating a video camera isn't an entirely straightforward proposition. Barry Green has posted in-depth on this. It isn't entirely unlike rating for film though.
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FreshDV did a tutorial video on this (for the HVX, actually)
http://www.freshdv.com/2007/07/calibrating-a-light-meter-for-digital-video.html
monkeyking
Well-known member
Just used my Sekonic today in the studio to measure lighting ratios. Funny how my gaffer has same meter and we get different readings. Who's right?
We average the 2 readings - for an average reading. : )
We average the 2 readings - for an average reading. : )
Sekonic has a calibration program. I have periodically sent my meter in to have it baselined.
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