Does anyone have experience of this inexpensive meter? Is it worth buying? Is it sensitive in very low light?

I rely on the M6 TTL meter during daylight, so I only need something for night-time work. I was considering the L408, but it seems like overkill. Is the L188 "Auto-Leader" the answer?

-- Paul (carterph@wanadoo.es), April 12, 2002

Answers

I have an L188 that I bought cheap because of the size. It is a clumsy little meter that needs at least three hands to operate well because it doesn't hold the setting when you release the button. Try metering off your hand while you hold the button and turn the dial to read the aperture/speed settings - c'est impossible. It seems fairly accurate and I use it when I don't carry my Luna Pro or M6 or R7 because it is tiny. Good luck!

-- Gil Pruitt (wgpinc@yahoo.com), April 12, 2002.

Take a look at the now discontinued Sekonic L718, still available and heavily discounted.I have used one for very low light situations for the past 5 years and have always been satisfied with the results.

-- David Seaman (david@leicam.freeserve.co.uk), April 12, 2002.

The bottom-line Sekonic and Gossen meters are either selenium or CdS cells, neither of which has the best low-light sensitivity.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 12, 2002.

try the L358 Seconic... that looks nice! ($214 from B&H)

-- Charles (cbarcellona@telocity.com), April 12, 2002.

If what you are looking for is a low light meter (rather than an excuse to buy the L188), there aren't a lot of choices. The best meters for low light that I am aware of are the Gossen Lunasix and Lunapro and the Quantum Calculite XP. All are discontinued but turn up regularly on used boards and ebay. Well the XP is a bit harder to find. The Gossen meters have the problem of mercury batteries but are very nice to use. The XP uses silver cells and is a bit less user-friendly, but it's a great meter. All are much much cheaper than what you are talking about.

I've been using the XP for the last three years or so, and used the Lunasix before that, and can highly recommend them. And the low light level capability is extremely good on these meters.

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), April 12, 2002.

IMO the Gossen meters taking mercury batteries (such as the early Luna-Pro)are poor choices for low-light because they use CdS cells. The later LunaPro SBC (Silicon Blue Cell)and LunaProF (meters flash also)are more sensitive to low light and also take common 9v transistor radio/garage-door-opener batteries. And a digital-readout meter is more shock-resistant, quicker to operate and read.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 13, 2002.

As I was looking at meter sensitivities on the B&H site, the most sensitive meter was the Gossen Luna Pro S.

I also prefer it's operation to that of the Sekonics, but that's a matter of taste.

-- Tom bryant (boffin@gis.net), April 13, 2002.

I also used the Luna-Pro (old CdS) before getting a secondhand Calculight XP. That is a night meter if ever there was one. The longest shutter speed on the scale is 8 hours and it can actually measure in so dim light. It is very durable and the batteries last well. For night use I think it is very important to get a meter with silicon photo diode or better, not selenium or CdS.

Ilkka

-- Ilkka (ikuu65@hotmail.com), April 15, 2002.