I've been an amateur photographer for 50+ years shooting mostly outdoors. I've never used light meters nor studio lights - I am making the change to using this light meter and quality studio lights to really up my game for shooting art, sculptures & Asian screens indoors - this video taught me more than I could have hoped for, and tomorrow (when the lights and light meter arrive) I plan on putting this great lesson into action - thanks so much for the highly valuable offering - this has be the highest value investment of my time this year !
Hello Robert. I just want to thank you for your videos. I am a photog of 15 years and reference your videos all the time. You have a gift for teaching and you have given me more "aha!" Moments than any other channel. This tutorial has finally help me to understand light ratio and I cant thank you enough! Keep up the great work and know that you are helping the community greatly!
Thank you! I bought this meter (used) at National Camera for myself for Christmas and haven't used it yet. Because it was used, it didn't come with any instructions whatsoever. I know how to use it now, thanks to this video!
Thanks Robert. I know this video is 2 years old but my house just got robbed and I lost my beloved Sekonic L 358. Thinking of getting the Flashmate. This video was helpful. You're a good teacher.
Use this meter all the time as it does the job and it's good value for money. On a different note I've still got my old Weston Euro Meter which I used in my Hasslebald and View camera days, beautiful bit of kit and essential for anyone wanting to learn zone metering/sensitometry as I had to in training. Always remember being told to check the latitude of the scene with the meter, (darkest and lightest point where detail is required), and adjust exposure and development of the film in order to get a good print on grade 2 paper. Much easier now of course but back in the day you really felt you were creating something.
This is a very good meter. I had the more complex sekonic meter and bought this one as my backup. From day one this meter became my primary one. One complaint I have about this one and all new meters is that they have auto shut off. I used to have a minolta flashmeter with expensive batteries and no auto shut off. When makers switched to cheap aa batteries they added auto shut off. The main problem with the L 308 is the dome tends to slide over and change the meter reading to reflective. I solved this by cutting a q tip stick to length and placing it so that the dome won't slide. (For reflective metering use the camera meter)
THANK-YOU. This is the only video that I have found that explains the f/stop “tenths” display on Sekonic’s light meters. Not even Sekonic’s own documentation explains it. It is really not that hard to understand, nor surmise, but it is nice to see a confirmation of my assumptions.
Oh wow! First time seeing this video and it was truly incredibly helpful. Thank you very much!! I watched a couple of other metering videos thought the last couple of days and now it finally clicked in. Again, thank you, and keep it up!
I am so glad I came across your video! I've never used a meter, but I needed one for my class. We are supposed to use it for every assignment, and I was at a loss.. I've watched a few videos on how to use it, and was still extremely confused!! (Note, I'm going through an online program, so I couldn't just ask my professor to show me) This was so helpful!!!! Thank you so so soooo much!!
i found his video very helpful. It introduced the basic components of light measurement very well and that helped me to understand how measuring the light on different subjects alters and helps me to capture an image. At times Robert moved too quickly, covering more information than I could manage to take in. But watching it several times overcame that nicely and really I wouldn't want him to eliminate any of what he covered. Excellent tutorial for me and I'm sure I'll be back for more soon.
It’s crucial in street photography that involves people as subjects; measure the light reflecting from the hand, to get accurate exposure for skin tones. Then recheck every 15-20 mins as the ambient light changes of if you change the location. The camera simply can’t do this right.
@@bngr_bngr Or, if you know the differential between your hand and mid-tone. For example, my hand is one stop brighter than mid-tone. Knowing that, if I get a reading of my hand at f/8, I know to "place" the proper exposure at f/5.6.
Aperture Priority is the least hassle for street photography on the go. It'll get you in the ballpark of what you need and really easy to tweak exposure with Exposure Compensation. My go-to mode for street/walkabout photography.
Just enough information without getting to wordy. The explanations are fantastic (as long as you have an understanding of the subject first) and this video is fantastic!!!
I'll be doing an advanced metering video on the L-858D-U regarding metering outdoors, using a base EV, using multiple lights, and a typical 3 light setup. I'll also show more advanced meter functions of more expensive meters like HSS and T.1 flash durations!
I know it's 5 years after you published this, but FAB video. Super clear and helpful. Only thing I can't seem to find on TH-cam is how to get my Sekonic Flashmate L-308X to fire my studio flash lights cordlessly (been trying to sync it to my Elinchrom Skyport Transmitter, without success.
I don’t have any recent experience with Elinchrom skyport but there is no radio module in the L-308x to fire the lights, that is available in higher models. The “cordless” mode means it will measure the next flash it sees, so you still initiate the flash via testing on the trigger or firing the camera with trigger attached.
So hot and hella smart. I bet you make someone very happy. Thanks for the video I finally caved in and bought this light meter and now and a great understanding of how to use it.
Thanks heaps, super helpful for this here novice : ) Being a complete novice, I needed to pause the video many times, and replay sections. Many thanks again
As an photographer I meter light ambient light everywhere I shoot if the light is constant, this way I know how much I need dial my flash or strobes for the look I am seeking. Great video and thanks
Dude... such a helpful video. I just subscribed and will go through all of your videos. Great job. Not only does my meter makes sense to me now but I have a better understanding of F-stop ratios.
I am super thankful for this video. I've always had a difficult time fully understanding the functions of light meters/ratios.. But this video cleared up so many questions I've had. Much appreciated!
Robert, you are an amazing teacher. I love your videos. Was just thinking about buying a simple Sekonic L-308. Your video blows the Sekonic away. Why is that? lol
Well if you are using an old analog camera that doesn't have a built in meter, a hand held meter is a true blessing in any case. I commercially shoot with an old Mamiya in basically every thinkable light condition, with flash and also ambient light and it is the most necessary tool besides the camera itself. I really like the Sekonic Flashmate L-308X, but I find it pretty over priced. Not for what it does, but for what it physically is. It is really not much more than a cheap pocket calculator and also feels like it. It is really just a super basic circuit board with 4 5 buttons, a simple old fashion display, an LED and a simple light sensor - all surrounded by very cheapish plastic. I am very positive that you can produce these devices in Asia for material costs under $5 each! So the current value of over $200 US is really usury. Cheaper ones also do a lot less, but also these simple light meters you can get for $50 or $30 are a scam too, considering the manufacturing costs. I am aware that there is a not a whole lot of demand for light meters in the massive beginner and amateur market, but that is no argument for setting the price that ridiculously high. Then again, what alternative do you have - right? Building and programming one yourself - guess not.
I think the reason ISO is also not used is because ISO itself (given the same amount of light) can increase the brightness of the entire scene (including the background) but if you want to narrow this down specifically to flash output (and it's impact or a way to measure it) aperture is good because aperture only impacts the recorded light put out by the light source (flash in this case) without impacting the whole scene, including the background. Plus I think it's easier and more accurate to use apertures because given the same scenario (say ISO 100, 1/125s) with a given flash but being tested on an APS-C versus FF camera, the aperature reading in terms of light output would be similar (maybe off slightly but probably not greatly). So aperture may be a bit more universal than ISO in that regard for measuring light especially when dealing with different sized sensors (APS-C and FF mainly).
I wanna take family photos with a backdrop of my family (in different family's homes) and patch everyone together into a panorama, would a meter help make patching it together more seemless or no?
Outdoors is where a spot meter is more useful, especially since some models that have them will be more precise than a camera's more broad spot meter. But I don't see that on the L-308X-U, so ... I could see using a meter in a studio to quickly dial in lighting before taking any images, to at least get close. On the other hand, if I'm in the studio I'd be tempted to also then be tethered, which gets easier every year. And then I could see right away the effect of my lighting on a larger monitor I trust.
Thank you so much for the explanation. I’ve had my meter for over a year and struggled with it.If I may make a suggestion, it would be helpful to explain how to interpret the result. For instance, if you are wanting a 2.8 exposure and your results say 1.4, do you increase or decrease light? That would make this tutorial PERFECT.
@@Royh224 he would actually have to add light to get 2.8 to be accurate in camera if the light reads 2.8. The 1.4 means that the room is actually kind of low on light and the he would have to increase light output to match the 2.8. If the light increases so will the aperture because more light means he would have to stop down to a slower aperture (going up in the f/stop#). This is if he wanted the 2.8 to be the end result. If 1.4 was the end goal then yes he would decrease light so everything would equal 1.4
Hey Rob. Thanks for the great video. I know it's pretty old and not sure if you respond - but is there any way I can make the light meter set the shutter speed faster then 1/500? What if I want to use high speed sync?
I'm pretty sure we measure light in terms of aperture ratio because of film. When you change the position or intensity of your light, you would not necessarily want to change your film or film processing, esp if you were halfway through a roll. As you mentioned, below the sync speed, shutter has almost no impact on exposure from a strobe. That leaves only aperture to control the exposure of the light. Old lights didn't necessarily offer power control.
Actually, old lights usually offered power control. Even back to flash bulbs, we could buy different powered flash bulbs, and all but the cheapest electronic flash could quench the pop at lower levels. However, none of the exposure controls back in the day had the illusion of incremental control presented today. We could only slice apertures into half stops, shutter speeds into full stops, film speed into whatever the film came in (usually full stops, though some films advertised or tested to actual incremental real speeds), flash power to full stops. Today, our tools give the illusion of control down to a tenth of a stop or less. I say illusion because those tiny increments don't really matter in practice. If I took three shots of a typical scene varied by a tenth of a stop exposure and showed it to a panel of ordinary folk, they might not even see a difference. If I showed it to photographers, they'd see a difference but they'd disagree over which was actually correctly exposed. But all these tiny incremental controls tend to confuse people. Personally, I've set my camera to show me ISO, shutter speeds, and aperture in half stops--pretty much the way it was years ago. That's because I learned years ago that half stops can be easily remembered and calculated--and they will get you to within a quarter stop of accuracy, which is accurate as anyone can argue an exposure to be. Pretending to be any more accurate than 1/4 stop on a real-world scene is just fooling yourself.
Thank you Robert for the useful tutorial. I've just purchased the Sekonic L-308X-U and the Lumidisc which was recommended for use when photographing FLAT ART. That is exactly what I purchased the meter, unfortunately my searches are not coming up with a specific tutorial for metering artwork in a studio setting. Is there a link to an existing video that you can provide, or even to a text tutorial?
My 308 is a version 1 close to 20 years old, I do not think it has all the modes of newer models but still used indoors and out. Replaced My Luna Pro F. Good info Mr. Hall
@@robhallphoto Thanks for the quick reply. I was afraid of that. I would buy the Sekonic L-858D-U, but there are too many complaints about the clunky interface and screen that is difficult to see in bright sunlight.
Great tutorial, thanks a lot. Do you know if this light meter will measure the flash duration? I'd like to know how much power I have to set my flash for example to get a duration of 1/1500 s.
@@robhallphoto OK, thanks for the quick reply. Apart from using a high end light meter, would you know any other way to get the flash duration? BTW, I just ordered the L-308X, looking forward to speed up my working process!
Nicely done Robert A good 'crisp' clear explanation of ratios. The example photos were an excellent way to reinforce the learning points. A question though. For getting a higher light ratio on your subject than the ambient, wouldn't a light meter be best? Or does TTL and flash compensation do the job?
Can't tell you how long I've been looking for this kind of tutorial. Thank you. You paced this perfectly. I am confused about the lights. Doesn't it make a difference if I have a 1000w light versus a 400w light? I was told by a teacher to use 1000w, then I read small studios don't need over 400w. And should key light and fill light be the same type of lamps (like same output ability)...or does any of that matter?
Thanks best explanation, I love this meter but I have the predecessor that has only Time mode, it's small and dependable and an extra battery makes me feel safe.
Nice video. I'd like to ask though is why my 308s cant seem to see my strobe in a softbox even at full power during outside shoots? It says E. But in shade it works perfectly. Your thoughts?
Hello. Hope you get this note and can respond. I own a Leica M3 with a Voigtlander 50mm Rokton f 1.4 lens, and presently use a Gossen Super Pilot light meter. It is a very accurate meter, but I wonder if it is sensitive enough to capture low light situations. I wonder if getting a new Sekonic L308X-U would give me any advantage. Any advice and thoughts would be so helpful. Thank you.
thank you, very informative. I got one question, If you using let say two lights with 3to1 or 4to1 ratio than which f stop you will use since the meter would show a different f stops for each light
I've been an amateur photographer for 50+ years shooting mostly outdoors. I've never used light meters nor studio lights - I am making the change to using this light meter and quality studio lights to really up my game for shooting art, sculptures & Asian screens indoors - this video taught me more than I could have hoped for, and tomorrow (when the lights and light meter arrive) I plan on putting this great lesson into action - thanks so much for the highly valuable offering - this has be the highest value investment of my time this year !
7:32 start on Sekonic
7:41 buttons
8:06 light dome (reflective & incident)
8:27 the modes
Robert, thank you very much for the video. Just got my sekonic 308 and was looking for an explanation on its use but got so much more. Awesome video
Same!
This is the most comprehensive video on metering. Thank you so much!
Hello Robert. I just want to thank you for your videos. I am a photog of 15 years and reference your videos all the time. You have a gift for teaching and you have given me more "aha!" Moments than any other channel. This tutorial has finally help me to understand light ratio and I cant thank you enough! Keep up the great work and know that you are helping the community greatly!
Thank you Roland, I really appreciate that response!
@@robhallphoto
What if your key light is 600 watts and the the full light is 200 watts how do you measure ratio on different wattage systems?
I'm glad that just before ordering a light meter I came across your video. Thank you for your explanation!
Thank you! I bought this meter (used) at National Camera for myself for Christmas and haven't used it yet. Because it was used, it didn't come with any instructions whatsoever. I know how to use it now, thanks to this video!
Thanks Robert. I know this video is 2 years old but my house just got robbed and I lost my beloved Sekonic L 358. Thinking of getting the Flashmate. This video was helpful. You're a good teacher.
Use this meter all the time as it does the job and it's good value for money.
On a different note I've still got my old Weston Euro Meter which I used in my Hasslebald and View camera days, beautiful bit of kit and essential for anyone wanting to learn zone metering/sensitometry as I had to in training. Always remember being told to check the latitude of the scene with the meter, (darkest and lightest point where detail is required), and adjust exposure and development of the film in order to get a good print on grade 2 paper. Much easier now of course but back in the day you really felt you were creating something.
Ultimately
MMB g hklj3vjvj
Thanks Robert - your explanation is plain & simple & straight to the point. Bravo!!
This is a very good meter. I had the more complex sekonic meter and bought this one as my backup. From day one this meter became my primary one. One complaint I have about this one and all new meters is that they have auto shut off. I used to have a minolta flashmeter with expensive batteries and no auto shut off. When makers switched to cheap aa batteries they added auto shut off. The main problem with the L 308 is the dome tends to slide over and change the meter reading to reflective. I solved this by cutting a q tip stick to length and placing it so that the dome won't slide. (For reflective metering use the camera meter)
THANK-YOU. This is the only video that I have found that explains the f/stop “tenths” display on Sekonic’s light meters. Not even Sekonic’s own documentation explains it. It is really not that hard to understand, nor surmise, but it is nice to see a confirmation of my assumptions.
Great photos, clear explanations, and very practical! Very good video!
Thanks for this tutorial. Started shooting on film and needed a brush up on using a light meter.
Finally my light meter makes sense. Thank you
Oh wow! First time seeing this video and it was truly incredibly helpful. Thank you very much!! I watched a couple of other metering videos thought the last couple of days and now it finally clicked in. Again, thank you, and keep it up!
For me there's a lot of exceptional insights=lessons between minute 6.0 and minute 7.35 - Great stuff, thanks for posting :)
I am so glad I came across your video! I've never used a meter, but I needed one for my class. We are supposed to use it for every assignment, and I was at a loss.. I've watched a few videos on how to use it, and was still extremely confused!! (Note, I'm going through an online program, so I couldn't just ask my professor to show me) This was so helpful!!!! Thank you so so soooo much!!
An excellent explanation of when and how to use the Sekonic L-308X light meter. Easy to understand tutorial. Thanks! I'll be subscribing for more.
excellent information!! Thanks and cheers from Niagara Falls Canada
i found his video very helpful. It introduced the basic components of light measurement very well and that helped me to understand how measuring the light on different subjects alters and helps me to capture an image. At times Robert moved too quickly, covering more information than I could manage to take in. But watching it several times overcame that nicely and really I wouldn't want him to eliminate any of what he covered. Excellent tutorial for me and I'm sure I'll be back for more soon.
It’s crucial in street photography that involves people as subjects; measure the light reflecting from the hand, to get accurate exposure for skin tones. Then recheck every 15-20 mins as the ambient light changes of if you change the location. The camera simply can’t do this right.
Only if your hand is 18% gray.
@@bngr_bngr Or, if you know the differential between your hand and mid-tone. For example, my hand is one stop brighter than mid-tone. Knowing that, if I get a reading of my hand at f/8, I know to "place" the proper exposure at f/5.6.
Aperture Priority is the least hassle for street photography on the go. It'll get you in the ballpark of what you need and really easy to tweak exposure with Exposure Compensation. My go-to mode for street/walkabout photography.
Just enough information without getting to wordy. The explanations are fantastic (as long as you have an understanding of the subject first) and this video is fantastic!!!
I'll be doing an advanced metering video on the L-858D-U regarding metering outdoors, using a base EV, using multiple lights, and a typical 3 light setup. I'll also show more advanced meter functions of more expensive meters like HSS and T.1 flash durations!
When, please?
I can't commit to a specific. Tons of videos to make and I need weather and model to demonstrate.
Thanks!
Robert Hall Photography thanks Robert! Waiting for this video
I know you been super busy..eagerly waiting for this video:-)
Your videos are top notch. Organized and helpful. Thank you
This was super helpful, especially the part about the light ratios. Thanks
I know it's 5 years after you published this, but FAB video. Super clear and helpful. Only thing I can't seem to find on TH-cam is how to get my Sekonic Flashmate L-308X to fire my studio flash lights cordlessly (been trying to sync it to my Elinchrom Skyport Transmitter, without success.
I don’t have any recent experience with Elinchrom skyport but there is no radio module in the L-308x to fire the lights, that is available in higher models. The “cordless” mode means it will measure the next flash it sees, so you still initiate the flash via testing on the trigger or firing the camera with trigger attached.
This is the first video out of the whole lot on TH-cam that really made sense to me in terms of understanding light stops. HUGE thanks to you!
Wow. Just wow. Well done and thank you so much.
Love all your videos! I just bought the L308 after watching this video. Keep up the good work 👊🏼
So hot and hella smart. I bet you make someone very happy. Thanks for the video I finally caved in and bought this light meter and now and a great understanding of how to use it.
Great tutorial. Please do a tutorial on light ratios to see how they look.
Really helpful video, Robert. Thanks and best wishes!
Thank you! Fantastic video for getting started!!!
this is the best explanation of light steps and flash usage along with metering
Best video I’ve seen on the subject, thank you, incredibly useful
Thanks heaps, super helpful for this here novice : ) Being a complete novice, I needed to pause the video many times, and replay sections. Many thanks again
As an photographer I meter light ambient light everywhere I shoot if the light is constant, this way I know how much I need dial my flash or strobes for the look I am seeking. Great video and thanks
Great instructive video! Thanks for sharing.
This is a great tutorial, thanks for taking the time, much appreciative
Dude... such a helpful video. I just subscribed and will go through all of your videos. Great job. Not only does my meter makes sense to me now but I have a better understanding of F-stop ratios.
So happy to hear that Lawrence, hope the rest are helpful as well!
Great video! I have this meter and love using it.
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Now I understand fully how to use my light meter. Thank you so much.
I am super thankful for this video. I've always had a difficult time fully understanding the functions of light meters/ratios.. But this video cleared up so many questions I've had. Much appreciated!
Holy crap... (in a good way if there is one) i learned so much from this video. (I'm new to this by the way...) keep them videos coming... 😍
Great video I enjoy a lot of your work I graduated Brooks Institute videos are a good Refresher
Robert, you are an amazing teacher. I love your videos. Was just thinking about buying a simple Sekonic L-308. Your video blows the Sekonic away. Why is that? lol
Well, I felt just got a Ph.D on light measurements watching your video. Thank You.
This a quite awesome and thorough video on measuring light. Thank you!
Really good video, appreciate it Robert
Thank you Robert you make it easy to understand lighting even for me
Thanks, Robert. Really helpful and instructive. Best wishes!
What a fantastic tutorial! 🖒
This video earned a sub from me. Thanks for the section on ratios!
still relevant. thank you for the effort and the sharing. thumbs up.
Big fan of using a handheld light meter especially given I shoot film fairly regularly. For flash it's essential in my opinion 😊
Excellent explanations! Great informative vid! Thank you. Liked commented and subscribed to support channels of this quality.
Well if you are using an old analog camera that doesn't have a built in meter, a hand held meter is a true blessing in any case. I commercially shoot with an old Mamiya in basically every thinkable light condition, with flash and also ambient light and it is the most necessary tool besides the camera itself. I really like the Sekonic Flashmate L-308X, but I find it pretty over priced. Not for what it does, but for what it physically is. It is really not much more than a cheap pocket calculator and also feels like it. It is really just a super basic circuit board with 4 5 buttons, a simple old fashion display, an LED and a simple light sensor - all surrounded by very cheapish plastic. I am very positive that you can produce these devices in Asia for material costs under $5 each! So the current value of over $200 US is really usury. Cheaper ones also do a lot less, but also these simple light meters you can get for $50 or $30 are a scam too, considering the manufacturing costs. I am aware that there is a not a whole lot of demand for light meters in the massive beginner and amateur market, but that is no argument for setting the price that ridiculously high. Then again, what alternative do you have - right? Building and programming one yourself - guess not.
I think the reason ISO is also not used is because ISO itself (given the same amount of light) can increase the brightness of the entire scene (including the background) but if you want to narrow this down specifically to flash output (and it's impact or a way to measure it) aperture is good because aperture only impacts the recorded light put out by the light source (flash in this case) without impacting the whole scene, including the background. Plus I think it's easier and more accurate to use apertures because given the same scenario (say ISO 100, 1/125s) with a given flash but being tested on an APS-C versus FF camera, the aperature reading in terms of light output would be similar (maybe off slightly but probably not greatly). So aperture may be a bit more universal than ISO in that regard for measuring light especially when dealing with different sized sensors (APS-C and FF mainly).
I wanna take family photos with a backdrop of my family (in different family's homes) and patch everyone together into a panorama, would a meter help make patching it together more seemless or no?
Thanks for the class!!!!
Another great video Robert.
Thank you. I learned some much needed things about a light meter
Very good explanation Thanks
Best vidéo out there thanks a lot
Outdoors is where a spot meter is more useful, especially since some models that have them will be more precise than a camera's more broad spot meter. But I don't see that on the L-308X-U, so ...
I could see using a meter in a studio to quickly dial in lighting before taking any images, to at least get close. On the other hand, if I'm in the studio I'd be tempted to also then be tethered, which gets easier every year. And then I could see right away the effect of my lighting on a larger monitor I trust.
Thank you for this tutorial!
Great GREAT explanation. Thanks.
Thank you so much for the explanation. I’ve had my meter for over a year and struggled with it.If I may make a suggestion, it would be helpful to explain how to interpret the result. For instance, if you are wanting a 2.8 exposure and your results say 1.4, do you increase or decrease light? That would make this tutorial PERFECT.
you have to cut less light (decrease)
@@Royh224 he would actually have to add light to get 2.8 to be accurate in camera if the light reads 2.8. The 1.4 means that the room is actually kind of low on light and the he would have to increase light output to match the 2.8. If the light increases so will the aperture because more light means he would have to stop down to a slower aperture (going up in the f/stop#). This is if he wanted the 2.8 to be the end result. If 1.4 was the end goal then yes he would decrease light so everything would equal 1.4
Still worth using outside. At least to get your baseline exposure . Nice video . Looking forward to your video on the 858 .
Can use this for HSS...Will it go up to 8000 ss
Wow, what a great video! Thank you so much.
Very educational video
Nice video! Thanks!
Yeah this kinda cleared it up for me. I was thinking about getting one but if it's primarily for studio, I'll pass.
Hey Rob. Thanks for the great video. I know it's pretty old and not sure if you respond - but is there any way I can make the light meter set the shutter speed faster then 1/500? What if I want to use high speed sync?
Great video thank you for your research, knowledge and excellent video! :0)
I'm pretty sure we measure light in terms of aperture ratio because of film. When you change the position or intensity of your light, you would not necessarily want to change your film or film processing, esp if you were halfway through a roll. As you mentioned, below the sync speed, shutter has almost no impact on exposure from a strobe. That leaves only aperture to control the exposure of the light.
Old lights didn't necessarily offer power control.
Actually, old lights usually offered power control. Even back to flash bulbs, we could buy different powered flash bulbs, and all but the cheapest electronic flash could quench the pop at lower levels.
However, none of the exposure controls back in the day had the illusion of incremental control presented today. We could only slice apertures into half stops, shutter speeds into full stops, film speed into whatever the film came in (usually full stops, though some films advertised or tested to actual incremental real speeds), flash power to full stops. Today, our tools give the illusion of control down to a tenth of a stop or less.
I say illusion because those tiny increments don't really matter in practice. If I took three shots of a typical scene varied by a tenth of a stop exposure and showed it to a panel of ordinary folk, they might not even see a difference. If I showed it to photographers, they'd see a difference but they'd disagree over which was actually correctly exposed.
But all these tiny incremental controls tend to confuse people. Personally, I've set my camera to show me ISO, shutter speeds, and aperture in half stops--pretty much the way it was years ago. That's because I learned years ago that half stops can be easily remembered and calculated--and they will get you to within a quarter stop of accuracy, which is accurate as anyone can argue an exposure to be. Pretending to be any more accurate than 1/4 stop on a real-world scene is just fooling yourself.
Just got it delivered 💯👍🏻👍🏻👊🏼
Thank you Robert for the useful tutorial. I've just purchased the Sekonic L-308X-U and the Lumidisc which was recommended for use when photographing FLAT ART. That is exactly what I purchased the meter, unfortunately my searches are not coming up with a specific tutorial for metering artwork in a studio setting. Is there a link to an existing video that you can provide, or even to a text tutorial?
My 308 is a version 1 close to 20 years old, I do not think it has all the modes of newer models but still used indoors and out. Replaced My Luna Pro F. Good info Mr. Hall
Thats one of the best things about a meter is they last FOREVER. Not too much has changed especially on the more basic models.
Excellent tutorial
Great presentation! Can this meter calculate High Speed Sync (HSS) settings?
nope. L858d-u is the only meter capable of that.
@@robhallphoto Thanks for the quick reply. I was afraid of that. I would buy the Sekonic L-858D-U, but there are too many complaints about the clunky interface and screen that is difficult to see in bright sunlight.
Brilliant video thank you
Great tutorial, thanks a lot.
Do you know if this light meter will measure the flash duration? I'd like to know how much power I have to set my flash for example to get a duration of 1/1500 s.
No this light meter does not measure flash durations, you need a more advanced / expensive meter like the L-858d-u light meter to do that.
@@robhallphoto OK, thanks for the quick reply. Apart from using a high end light meter, would you know any other way to get the flash duration?
BTW, I just ordered the L-308X, looking forward to speed up my working process!
Great review! Thanks much
Very well presented.
Great as usual, thanks!
Very good video!! 👍👍
Sir, I have a "Minolta IV F Light meter." Can I use it instead of the "Sekonic L-308X-U" light meter for digital cameras?
Nicely done Robert A good 'crisp' clear explanation of ratios. The example photos were an excellent way to reinforce the learning points. A question though. For getting a higher light ratio on your subject than the ambient, wouldn't a light meter be best? Or does TTL and flash compensation do the job?
HI, great video-how do you know what aperture setting to put your camera on with two lights? That's my million dollar question!
There's no answer to that question. You choose an Fstop based on your desired depth of field, then match your light output to that Fstop.
It makes sense to use aperture as a measurement of f-stop is because film ISO is constant!
Very good video! Thank you!
Can't tell you how long I've been looking for this kind of tutorial. Thank you. You paced this perfectly. I am confused about the lights. Doesn't it make a difference if I have a 1000w light versus a 400w light? I was told by a teacher to use 1000w, then I read small studios don't need over 400w. And should key light and fill light be the same type of lamps (like same output ability)...or does any of that matter?
Thanks best explanation, I love this meter but I have the predecessor that has only Time mode, it's small and dependable and an extra battery makes me feel safe.
Nice video. I'd like to ask though is why my 308s cant seem to see my strobe in a softbox even at full power during outside shoots? It says E. But in shade it works perfectly. Your thoughts?
Great effort. Much appreciated.
Hello. Hope you get this note and can respond. I own a Leica M3 with a Voigtlander 50mm Rokton f 1.4 lens, and presently use a Gossen Super Pilot light meter. It is a very accurate meter, but I wonder if it is sensitive enough to capture low light situations. I wonder if getting a new Sekonic L308X-U would give me any advantage. Any advice and thoughts would be so helpful. Thank you.
Nice video Robert, I was curious about what F stop light reading & Temperature reading where getting from your Sekonic for this video.
thank you, very informative. I got one question, If you using let say two lights with 3to1 or 4to1 ratio than which f stop you will use since the meter would show a different f stops for each light
you use the F stop for your Key light or brightest light.
Thank you very much
@@robhallphoto