Light Meters

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Key points

1. A light meter measures flash output to give you the exact f-stop needed for correct exposure.
2. Set shutter speed to your camera’s sync speed (e.g. 1/200s) and ISO (commonly 100–200) before metering.
3. Meter each light individually in multi-light setups to achieve consistent lighting ratios (e.g. key at f/5.6, fill at f/4).
4. Point the meter’s lumisphere directly at the light source for accurate readings.
5. Trust the light meter and histogram rather than your camera’s LCD screen for exposure accuracy.

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Extra Thoughts

1. The purpose of a light meter is to measure the intensity of light in a scene, providing accurate exposure recommendations (f-stop, shutter speed, ISO) to ensure the final image is correctly exposed. This is a key piece of equipment mentioned in SQA documents.
2. Light meters are particularly useful in complex or controlled lighting scenarios, such as studio work with flash or scenes with extreme contrast.
   • They can measure incident light (light falling on the subject), giving a reading independent of the subject’s reflectance, which is ideal for accurate skin tones.
   • They can also measure reflected light (light bouncing off the subject), providing readings for specific areas.
3. By using a light meter, photographers can achieve consistent and precise exposures, avoiding under- or over-exposure, especially when the camera’s built-in meter might be ‘fooled’ by very bright or very dark subjects.

Exercise

1. Try out each of the means of light metering that is available to you.
2. Write down a comparison of each in terms of accuracy, speed and ease of use.