Photograph of a handheld digital ambient light meter, showing an f-stop of 5.6 for 24 frame/s 500 ISO filmingAmateur analog light meter (1968, USSR)An automatic light meter/exposure unit from an 8 mm movie camera, based on a galvanometer mechanism (center) and a CdS photoresistor, in opening at left.
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Light Meters

A light meter is a device used to measure the amount of light. In photography, a light meter is often used to determine the proper exposure for a photograph. more...

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Typically a light meter will include a computer, either digital or analogue, which allows the photographer to determine which shutter speed and f-number should be selected for an optimum exposure, given a certain lighting situation and film speed.

Light meters are also used in the fields of cinematography and scenic design, in order to determine the optimum light level for a scene. They are also used in the general field of lighting, where they can help to reduce the amount of waste light used in the home, and also light pollution outdoors.

Use in Photography

The earliest type of light meters were called extinction meters. They contained a numbered or lettered row of neutral density filters of increasing density. The photographer would position the meter in front of their subject and note which filter still allowed incident light to pass through. The letter or number corresponding to the filter was consulted on a chart which yielded a list of appropriate aperture and shutter speed combinations.

Extinction meters suffered from the problem that they depended on the light sensitivity of the human eye which varies from person to person.

Later meters removed the human element and relied on technologies incorporating selenium, CdS, and silicon photosensors.

Selenium and silicon light meters use sensors that are photovoltaic. These sensors generate a voltage proportional to light exposure. Selenium sensors generate enough voltage for direct connection to a meter. Silicon sensors need an amplification circuit and require a power source such as batteries to operate. CdS light meters use a sensor based on photoresistance. These also require a battery to operate. Most modern light meters use silicon or CdS sensors. They indicate the exposure either with a needle galvanometer, or on a LCD screen.

Many modern consumer still and video cameras include a built-in meter that measures a scene-wide light level and are able to make an approximate measure of appropriate exposure based on that. Professional photographers and motion picture cinematographers generally use handheld ambient-light meters to precisely measure the light falling on various parts of their subjects, and use suitable lighting to produce the desired exposure levels.

There are two general types of ambient-light meters: reflected-light and incident-light. Reflected-light meters measure the light reflected by the scene to be photographed. All in-camera meters are reflected-light meters. Reflected-light meters are calibrated to show the appropriate exposure for “average” scenes. An unusual scene with a preponderance of light colors or specular highlights would have a higher reflectance; a reflected-light meter taking a reading would incorrectly compensate for the difference in reflectance and lead to underexposure.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


Sylvania Digital Light Meter DS-2050 $4.99 Gossen Vari Angle Spot Attachment for Luna Pro SBC $5.00
HOYA HMC camera filter 55mm for color films $6.99 Vivitar Automatic Tele Converter 2X-1 camera lens $9.99
Gossen Luna Star F Digital Exposure Meter "MINT" $225.00 Minolta Flash Meter IV Mint $10.00
Pentax Digital Spot Meter Zone VI Modified "Mint" $5.00 Digital Light Meter LCD 200,000 Lux Tester Camera Photo $19.99
Digital Light Meter 0~50000 Lux LCD Camera Photo ME006 $27.99 Hand grip with built in cable release $15.00
Minolta IV F Auto Meter $75.00 SEKONIC Light Meter Model L-398 $2.00
GOSSEN LUNASIX LIGHT/EXPOSURE METER EXCELLENT W/CASE @ $89.00 Nice Vintage Gossen Luna Pro Light Meter Leather Case $9.99
Minolta Auto Meter VF $10.00 NEW Sekonic Light Meter Flashmate L-308s black $163.40
NEW Sekonic Light Meter Digital Master L-758Cine black $476.38 USED MINT CONDITION GOSSEN SIXTICOLOR COLOR METER $25.00
Gossen Luna-Pro SBC Silicon Blue Cell Exposure Meter $49.99 Sekonic L-508 light meter $100.00
Bertram Amateur Light Meter Made in Germany $9.99 Sekonic Zoom Master L-508 Exposure Meter Flash Ambient $49.99
Sekonic Digi Master L-718 Digital Light Meter and Accs. $49.99 1 VINTAGE GENERAL ELECTRIC FOOT CANDLE LIGHT METER $14.99
Pentax Digital Spotmeter $1.00 Sekonic L-558R DualMaster, Spot, Ambient, Flash Meter $55.00
200,000 Lux +/-3% Premium Digital LUX Light Meter.Photo $35.99 Gossen Luna-Pro Digital F $99.00
SPECTRA Model P-251 Exposure Meter $9.99 Photo FLASH METER WP-500B Wein $4.20
Rolleiflex / Rolleicord Plate Adapter w/ Original Box $49.99 Vintage Zeiss Ikon Ikophot Light Meter & Case $9.98
minolta flash meter III F $5.00 Asahi Pentax Spot Meter w/ Leather Case $69.99
Digital Light Meter 50,000 LUX LCD Photo New w/Battery $27.95 SEKONIC STUDIO DELUX II LIGHT METER GENTLY USED $29.99
Vintage Weston Electric Camera Light Meter w/Case $3.99 2 Vintage Light Meters Kalimar & Sekonic $9.99
Sekonic Flash Master Light Meter & Case-L 358-Excellent $89.99 2 Vintage Light Meters Weston Master V & IV $9.99
Honeywell Pentax 1/21 Degree Spot Meter Zone VI Mod $5.00 Weston Master III w/case -Professional Exposure meter $48.00
Weston Master 6-Professional Exposure meter-Mint w/Box $88.00 Weston Master II -Exposure meter w/case $28.00
Gossen Lunasix Exposure Meter $9.99 GRAY CARD GREY COLOR EXPOSURE FLASH METER LIGHT METRE! $9.99
Weston Mater Cine-Beautiful 30's Exposure meter-Works!! $38.00 General Electric 'Mascot'-Beautifu l Bakelite Meter $28.00
Decoudun Photometre-1880s Brass exposure meter-Rare $88.00 Pentax Professional Digital Spotmeter Zone VI modified $178.00
Minolta Auto Meter III Incident and spot reflective $19.00 Gossen Super Pilot cds Light Meter $8.99
LEICA MC METER - REAL NICE $39.00 SEKONIC L-358 FLASH MASTER DIGITAL EXPOSURE METER! $209.00
Minolta Spotmeter F $85.00 SEKONIC L 398 INCIDENT LIGHT METER $59.00
Sekonic L-308B II Flashmate Light Meter $5.50 SEKONIC L - 608 LIGHT METER $310.00
Gossen Luna-Pro F Light Meter ~ With Case $9.99 VINTAGE USSR Sverdlovsk-4 Russian light meter set !!!!! $24.95
MCM Photometer w/instruction & original Box-30s $88.00 Wedding photography guide to starting a business on CD $10.00
Minolta Spotmeter F Excellent Condition $100.00 Vintage Sixon Gossen Light Meter from West Germany $9.99
Gossen Luna Digipro F, Exposure Meter 4 Flash Ambient $280.00 NEW Sekonic Light Meter Flash Master L-358 grey $229.44
NEW Sekonic Light Meter Prodigi Color C-500 black $849.67 Minolta Flash Meter VI $154.49
Sekonic Digiflash L-458 Light Meter with attachments $10.99 Electro Bewi Exposure Meter made in Germany. $4.00
Sekonic L-508 Zoom Master Light Meter $102.50 VINTAGE EXPOSURE METER SEKONIC STUDIO DELUXE MODEL L938 $9.99
SEKONIC L-488 SPOT FLASHMETER!! $150.00 VINTAGE - WESTON - MOD.- 715 - EXPOSURE - METER - +CASE $9.99
VINTAGE GERMAN CAMERA LIGHT METER WEIMAR LUX w/BOX CASE $9.99 Extech 403125 Light meter - Pro Model -- Hydroponics-- $19.99
Gossen Pilot light meter made in West Germany nice cond $9.99 Gossen Pilot 2 Exposure Meter-with original manual $5.00
Weston Master II Universal Exposure Meter model 735 $4.95 LUNA PRO SBC LIGHT METER NO.1A93318 $69.99
Gossen Luna Pro Light Meter $5.00 MADE in JAPAN SELENIUM LIGHTMETER w. CASE - NICE! $9.95
GOSSEN PILOT 2 PHOTOGRAPHIC LIGHT METER w/ Case $9.99 NICE Sekonic Flash Meter Model L-256 $2.25
Weston Light Meter $1.00 NOS Gossen LABOSIX Exposure Meter for Darkroom Practice $24.95
DeJour 40 Bakelite exposure meter-Mint w/Box-Rare $68.00 BEWI Automat B-Beautiful 30s Bakelite Exposure meter $48.00
Gossen Digipro F $25.90 GE Mascot II Beautiful Pink Exposure meter-Vintage $28.00
SP Prolux Professional Compact Flash meter-Clean! $28.00 Quantum Calcu-Light-Digital Exposure meter-NICE $48.00
digital 3-range 0-50,000 lux meter for light and photo $24.99 Spiratone SSS Flash Meter-Great handheld exposure meter $88.00
General Electric Light meter PR-1 for film or plates $48.00 Weston Master II-Vintage PRO exposure meter $18.00
Minolta Flash Meter V w/ Case $24.00 GENERAL ELECTIC PHOTO EXPOSURE LIGHT METER $9.95
DEJUR PHOTO EXPOSURE LIGHT METER $9.95 Weston Master II Model 735 Universal Exposure Meter $19.99
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Prices current as of last update, 11/19/08 10:16am.


See also...
Flash, Light Meters, Lighting & Studio Equipment
Other Light Meters, Light Meters, Lighting & Studio Equipment
Spot, Light Meters, Lighting & Studio Equipment

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